EXTRACTS

Now in chapter 1 (of Revelation) I come to what is nearer home. In what we have just spoken of we had the Lord presented in His relations with the world, but here He is walking in the midst of the seven golden lamps, and as there He proclaims by His habiliments that divine love is hindered, it is a most solemn thing to hinder the outflow of divine love. God is love, and He is set for the flowing out of what He is; He delights in it. So the Lord appears to one who knew well what the breast of Jesus meant. John presents the Lord Jesus as in the bosom of the Father. He alone does it; he was competent to do it, for he himself knew what it was to lean on the divine bosom. A wonderful thing, beloved! He was accustomed to lean on the bosom of Jesus; he knew it well, and only those who know it can rightly speak of divine love.

Of course, we may speak of what Scripture speaks of, even with unhallowed lips, alas! but who can speak of divine love? As I said, it is. The only-begotten Son who is; it is a present thing. Now John knew what that thing was; he knew what it was to lean on the bosom of Jesus, and so he would understand what the golden girdle meant; he would understand that it was a question of God—gold usually has reference to God. God would notify the assemblies that there were hindrances to the outflow of His love, but you find they are not yet organised—thank God! The organisation of which I spoke sprang out of the bosom of the assembly terrible thing! As Judas went out from the very bosom of the circle in which Christ was loved, so Jezebel has gone out. But the assemblies are not regarded as organised against Christ (thank God they are not!), but what you find, alas! is that the greatest, the most privileged, the most enlightened of them—Ephesus—had left her first love. She had receded.

Who is there here that has receded from the love that you once felt beating in your heart for Christ? What about it now? If you have moved away, you have moved back, and what can the Lord do now but exercise authority? He has authority. Look at the habiliments of the Lord Jesus in this passage and repent—do the first works. You say, It is a dispensation of grace. It is a dispensation of grace, but do not turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. If you have receded, He has authority and He threatens. Does He threaten in vain? No, He carries out His threats; “except thou repent”, as He says. Do not let the night pass over you without repentance, if you have receded.

But then He deals with everything in the assemblies that stands in the way of the outflow of the love of God. He brings in the fire—“every one shall be salted with fire”, Mark 9: 49. So the next assembly, Smyrna, has persecution ten days. Happy for Smyrna! Happy for everyone whom the Lord chastens, upon whom He brings in the fire; it is their salvation. And so Smyrna is, as it were, saved, for He says, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life”.

And then another hindrance to the outflow of God’s love comes in in Pergamos, where a wave of lawlessness sweeps in and the doctrine of Balaam is taught. You say, What is that? It is friendly associations, and keeping up family relationships, having ungodly people around you and forming links with ungodly neighbours that is what that is—“who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols”. The Lord is dealing with the things that interfere with the love of God, and so one would appeal to the saints as to this doctrine of Balaam, lest we are allowing Midianitish relationships, friendly acquaintances and visitations with those who are of social status but who are not Christians, or are worldly Christians—one of the most deadening things that the enemy uses to hinder the outflow of the love of God to us.

J. Taylor (Vol. 25, pp.229–231)

A city of habitation in the life of the Spirit of God means an ordered state of things where life is, where property and life are cared for and where they are cherished, a city of habitation.

You know in these special meetings that one is accustomed to attend, and I attend a good many, young people are very prominent, and thank God for it! These meetings are intended for them, but the challenge is, What do you come for? What is in your mind? God is a God of purpose, and if He works in a man’s or woman’s soul, He means that person to be a person of purpose in some sense. Have I come to a city of habitation? It is in truth the gathering of the people of God where ordered light and life are. Have I got something different in mind? Do I come for some other purpose? If you come for some other purpose, God is against you in every step you take. He is watching these occasions as much as or more than your parents are. The authority of parents does not cease when children attend such meetings. God is against all else but the city of habitation, where you come in contact with men and women who live in the Spirit, whose calling is heavenly, whose associations occasion a heavenly atmosphere. The meetings will not be neglected. What have you come for, save for the meeting, save to find the living and not the dead? God is appealing to the young, and these meetings are for them, but they are not to serve an occasion for the flesh but to promote what is of God in the youngest, that he might value the things of God, that he might see their superiority to anything that the world offers. You will find it constantly in the Old Testament that the young people ask their elders about the things of God; they are supposed to. It is in asking that you get instruction. The Lord Jesus at the age of twelve was found among the doctors. That is typical, as I might say of the brethren who can teach you and can impart divine things to you. He is found among the doctors. Did He go up with His parents to see the sights of Jerusalem? No, beloved friends. The males went up three times a year to Jerusalem.

It was in a spiritual sense, and the Lord gives a lead to every young person here in that He was found among the doctors. What was He doing there? Hearing and asking questions. What was His business?—His Father’s. It is the first time that He is on His Father’s business. It is a very fine moment when a young man or young woman puts God before his parents. The influence of the parents should lead to that very thing, not as in the case of Mary and Joseph. They questioned it, but the Lord Jesus sets an example for the young. He is found among the doctors in the temple, hearing and asking questions, and He says that He was about His Father’s business. He has passed Joseph and Mary in that sense. It is a fine moment when a young man or young woman puts God, in that way, first. What a dignity there is!

J. Taylor (Vol. 99, pp.312, 313)

There is no surer evidence of love waning than staying away from the meetings. The circle of the saints is the circle of love; it is where love is—“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren”, 1 John 3: 14. The question is often asked, How do I “lay hold of eternal life”? Paul exhorts us to do so, 1 Timothy 6: 12. Is it in the air? Not at all.

It is among the brethren. And again “lay hold of what is really life”, 1 Timothy 6: 19. Where do you get it? Among the brethren. Keep as near as you can to them; and the more you desire to be among them, the more you have opportunity to do so. Eternal life is in Christ, but realised by the Spirit. Disregard of the assembly, the circle of spiritual affections, robs us of it. So that there is a great need of this warning. Constant pressure is apt to chill our love.

Keep near the brethren; it is salvation. God says, “I will give salvation in Zion”, Isaiah 46: 13; and eternal life He commands there, Psalm 133: 3.

J. Taylor (Vol. 48, p.534)

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