THE WORK IS GREAT

J. Spinks

1 Chronicles 29: 1, 2; Nehemiah 6: 1–3, 10–16

I was impressed by the expression as to the work being great. These two passages refer to vastly different times in the history of the testimony, but in each case the work is said to be great. Typically, the first would refer to what was inaugural, and it is wonderful to see that Christianity was inaugurated by God Himself. What He put His hands to can only be described as great. It was wonderfully manifested in the beginning of the Acts, where we see the moral glory of all that God has set on in this dispensation. Of course, it is not so apparent now, because of the public failure of the church; nevertheless, divine work is going on in a hidden and secret way, in the hearts and souls of believers.

By contrast, the work of the enemy is everywhere apparent. When we look at the conditions that exist in the world, conditions amongst humanity, how awful they are. We feel these things, the whole creation groaning, the terrible violence that exists in many parts of the world, the corruption that exists in every part of the world, getting worse and worse. These are things that bear on our spirits, as they are intended to. As believers we should feel these things even more keenly than the rest of humanity. Then we can take account of the work of the enemy in Christendom, bringing in admixture and division. In Matthew 13 we get admixture, the wheat and the tares. The word is, “A man that is an enemy has done this” (Matthew 13: 28). I believe we feel that particularly, that where Christ should have something among His people in the way of unity and blessing, there is a terrible witness to the work of the enemy. These things bear on our spirits too, because we have had our part in the breakdown. Nevertheless in

spite of that, we must lay hold of the fact that God is working.

So it is said here, “the work is great”. The expression has laid hold on me and I would just like to give a touch on it. When God sets out to do something it must have the stamp of greatness, and no one can thwart Him. Both David and Solomon are types of the Lord Jesus.

Here we see David supplying the material for the house that Solomon, the man of peace, was to build. David not only prepared the material for the house, but he bought the ground on which it was to be built. The house was built on the place where the sword of judgment was sheathed, it is a reference to the death of Christ. He paid the full price. Think of the glory of the redemptive work of Christ so that the ground may be cleared for this great house to be built. This great work is still going on and it will culminate in wonderful glory. We need to have eyes to see it. I think one of the great efforts of the enemy is to dim our eyes to what the Lord and the Spirit are doing and focus them on what he is doing. This brings about confusion and discouragement and a giving up of the truth. We need to take proper account of what God has set on for His own glory.

So David speaks of what he had prepared, how full it was. Then we think of what the Lord prepared. Think of His coming into this world, breaking the power of the enemy, establishing in His death and resurrection everything for the glory of God. I think that those who were gathered in the upper room in Acts 1 were really a product of His own handiwork. The Lord had so worked with them to bring about a condition suitable for the reception of the Spirit.

These things bring out the greatness of Christ. Not only did He defeat the enemy, but He prepared the ground for this wonderful edifice to be built, a building that is still going on, inaugurated by Christ, maintained here by the Spirit. I believe that in a day of small things, we need to lay hold on the greatness of that to which God has committed Himself.

The passage in Nehemiah refers more to our own day. We know, of course, that in the period between the building of the house in Solomon’s time and the rebuilding of the wall here, there had been very grievous failure. We know that in our own histories too. Not that I wish to dwell on it, but it is clear that the enemy uses it in a special way. Whenever there is failure in responsibility, he is never slow to take advantage of it. He would suggest that everything is in ruins, but as long as there are persons like Nehemiah this great work will go on. He set himself to build with purpose of heart, and he was so effective that he drew out the opposition of the enemy.

Now in this chapter there are two meeting places suggested by the enemy, and I think that they give some insight into the way he is operating at the present time. One is in the plain of Ono. They say, “Come, let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono”. I believe it is one of the ways in which the enemy would seek to undermine and weaken the great work that is going on. It seems to suggest a lowering of divine standards, a common meeting place, implying that the distinctiveness of what God has set on has been lost through our failure.

Nehemiah’s reply is clear and definite, “I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down”.

We can think of men in the recovery of the truth who refused every overture of the enemy to come down, to lower the standard to what is common. Divine things are never common, and the presence of the Spirit here is the assurance that all that is required for the divine glory will be maintained. I believe that the recovery of the truth was a sovereign action of the Spirit of God and will be maintained right through to the rapture. We can see how the enemy has constantly sought to introduce human and worldly principles and teaching to nullify all that God has set on. He would suggest that things have broken up, that we should just meet on common ground—go along as best we can and sink our differences. Let us hold fast to the truth. If we hold fast to divine principles we can be assured of divine support.

The other meeting place the enemy suggests is in the temple. In verse 10 Shemaiah says, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple”. Nehemiah realises that to do so would be a sin of presumption, and would put him in a position where he could not count on divine support. I think we have known something of that assuming to be something that is not in keeping with the day of breakdown. I believe that, in principle, Nehemiah recognises that the only position is a moral one, and it casts him very much upon God. What is remarkable as you read through this book is how he constantly turns to address God. It brings out how near he was to God, and how much he depended on divine support for the completion of the work. I feel that there is a great work proceeding at the present time. There are many persons seeking the truth, and the responsibility lies on us to maintain it in fidelity and yet in humility. Let us not assume anything, but hold fast to the foundation in moral rectitude and dependence on the Spirit, so that we may be assured of divine support. The work is great and it will be completed. As we relate ourselves to divine principles, and are helped by the Spirit to maintain them, we will be preserved to the end.

May the Lord help us in it, for His name’s sake!

Word in meeting for ministry, Grangemouth
7 January 1992