THE SNARE OF EVIL ASSOCIATIONS - THE LEADER OF OUR SALVATION
[p. 207] THE SNARE OF EVIL ASSOCIATIONS — THE LEADER OF OUR SALVATION
Numbers 25:1-5; Numbers 25:16-18; Numbers 26:1-4; Numbers 26:63-65; Numbers 27: 12 - 23
I just call to mind the way in which I tried in a previous lecture to present the Book of Numbers to you; that is, in two main parts — the first, down to chapter 20, the second, from chapter 21. If you look at Numbers in the light of the New Testament you will readily see that in chapter 21 you come on to new ground; you enter practically upon another phase of experience. You leave spiritually the order of things which closes up with the death of the high priest, and enter upon another course of things which begins with the brazen serpent. The brazen serpent is a striking type of the death of Christ. You get in Numbers the brazen serpent and the springing well. The anti-type to both is found in John 3 and 4, and they begin a new subject. It is evident that God may, if He sees fit, approach man, and He may do this in the presentation of life, or He may approach man in what He is morally as light; and the practical result of the latter is, that everything in man is exposed by the light, and much that is found in the early part of Numbers is consequent upon the light having come in. Other things may be there, no doubt, but what underlies all is light, things are seen in their true character — in the light of God; and so in Romans 6 and 7 — death to sin and the bringing forth of fruit to God are the natural consequences of light having come in. The presence of light involves that you must be set free from the dominion of sin; you have become the servant of righteousness, and you bring forth fruit by Christ to God. You may say that life must be concurrent with this. I quite admit it; but the [p. 208] subject is light, and the necessary consequences of light in a man’s soul.
Light is not the subject in John 3, though the Lord does speak there of light having come in, and of men loving darkness rather than light. Life does not test people as light does. The Lord could say light had come into the world; but it only brought out that men loved darkness rather than light. Men preferred the darkness of nature rather than to be in the light of grace. Their deeds would be reproved by the light. No doubt why men dislike the truth is because they have an instinctive consciousness by it that their deeds would be reproved, and they do not want this; they prefer to go on in their own way; nevertheless light is the test of all. “Every one that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God”.
But my point is that John 3 makes it evident that God, if He sees fit, will approach man as a life-giver. This comes out in 2 Timothy, where we read that “Christ has annulled death, and brought life and incorruptibility to light through the gospel”, and the gospel is the manner of God’s approach in John 3 — it is said, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. God has seen fit to approach man thus, presenting life in the Person of His only begotten Son, the Son of man lifted up. But still if the truth of John 3 is accepted, you must of necessity go back to prove the effects of light. Light must come in with its necessary consequences in the soul. There is no short cut in divine things. The testimony of life consists in the presentation of the love of God, and the cross as the expression of that love. The practical result is that the objects of God’s purpose are brought to light by faith in the only begotten [p. 209] Son of God. I know of no other way in which they can be known. There are two things that mark them, they believe in the Person, and they have in them the well of water that springs up to eternal life.
By faith I apprehend the Person, and not only what has been done; and that which corresponds to it in me is the well of water.
Now, when the objects of purpose are brought to light, what you see in principle is this that the Spirit of God will pronounce on their acceptance, hence we have the prophecies of Balaam. God impressed Balaam and gave him a prophetic word, so that he should announce his mind in regard to His elect people. Faith has brought them to light, and they are marked by that and the springing well. Balaam had nothing to do with what the people were practically. He saw nothing, knew nothing of this. He was not the vessel of God in His ways with the people in discipline. He surveyed the people from above, and announced God’s thoughts about them.
Now if we through grace can look upon ourselves in the light of God’s elect people, there are certain peculiar dangers to which we are exposed. It is a great thing to be conscious of being an elect people, but if so you must be content for God to lead you. God has some intention concerning you. In the case of the children of Israel His purpose concerning them was simply to conduct them to the land of promise. They had many privileges in the wilderness, but that was not God’s purpose. He had brought them out; His purpose was to bring them in. If we apprehend that Christians are an elect people, holy and beloved, that no charge can be laid against them, we must also accept the fact that God intends to bring them into the promised land, that is, into the full light and enjoyment of His purpose.
[p. 210] We ought to be prepared too to find that, when that truth is accepted, there are certain things that lie in the way and tend to hinder the children of God from entering into God’s thought concerning them.
It is not now a question of the perverseness of the flesh, but of positive obstacles presented which represent the active power of the enemy — the first thing is Balaam’s counsel, and the Midianites. It is evident that the principle which is presented here is that of worldly associations; and the object of this is to get God’s people to acknowledge the god and prince of this world, and thus to destroy their power. Satan is the god and prince of this world; and if he can entangle the people of God in unholy associations, they virtually acknowledge him in his domain. The purpose of the temptation presented to Israel by the counsel of Balaam was to draw the people into idolatry, so as to acknowledge the gods of Canaan, that thus they might be brought under the judgment of God and rendered powerless as to their testimony.
Now as to the application of this. When God’s people recognise that they are an elect people, and begin to apprehend His purpose, this form of temptation comes in, and saints are in danger of being hampered by the associations of the flesh. They do not always make a complete break. Many are hampered and hindered in that way. Plenty of specious excuses may be found; but if you keep up worldly associations you are in great danger of acknowledging the system of this world and its god. The tendency to accommodate oneself to things here, in order to keep on good terms with others, is strong; but in it we sacrifice separation and lose all power of testimony. This is a temptation to which Christians are exposed. Natural affection is very often pleaded as a reason. I do not say a word against natural [p. 211] affection, but I think you have to be on your guard as to what natural affection may bring you into. You remember what the Lord said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple”. The Lord knew the power of these natural ties and how disciples might he affected by them, and, when mere natural associations are kept up, it is with the effect of detaining saints more or less under the power of the world. There is more or less conformity to the world, and the ways of the world, on the part of Christians. Our true path is in separation. We are called in sanctification.
I will show you how this is enforced in the New Testament. I turn first to 1 Corinthians 10: 27 - 31 read also chapter 8: 9 - 13; and 2 Corinthians 6: 14 - 18. You see that what I have spoken of was the snare of the Corinthians. They were detained thus undoubtedly; they had fallen in measure into the snare of Balaam, maintaining worldly associations, and the result was — as it will be with us — that they had dropped down to a worldly level, and their testimony was marred. If I keep company with worldly people on the plea of kindred, I shall not bring them up to my level, but I shall be in danger of sinking down to theirs. You may find yourself in difficult circumstances and places in connection with kindred after the flesh or friends, and the tendency is to drop down morally to their level. That is the effect of association.
Association is one of the things against which we have to guard. You may say we have to appear rigid and hard. This is possible, but if we maintain worldly associations and drop down to their level, we are likely to do things which, though they do not appear very flagrant, and are what other people do, are unsuitable in the elect of God. And, another [p. 212] thing, we may stumble other Christians, brethren with weak consciences may be emboldened by what we do to do things which they cannot with a good conscience. The apostle puts the matter in a strong way: “Shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ died?” The Corinthians were in practice giving a sanction to idolatry, and the weak brother was stumbled. So it may be with us in principle. God maintains His claim over His people as an elect people, and though we are not to be without natural affection, we have to be careful as to associations into which we may be drawn, or we may be dragged down to a worldly level, and stumble weak Christians.
You get an admonition of the apostle in 2 Corinthians 6, which brings before us in a very striking manner the defect of the Corinthians. “Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers”, etc. (verse 14 - 18). You cannot enter into voluntary associations with unbelievers. Unbelievers are unbelievers, and I would not care to identify myself with them, to enjoy what they enjoy or carry on social intimacy with them.
I do not care to be where I am not at ease, and am not free to speak of the things of God. One has to come in contact with unconverted people in business and the like, otherwise we must go out of the world; but it is another thing voluntarily to mix with unbelievers.
The compensation for separation is (for you do get compensation from God), “You shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty”. That is the character in which God would be pleased to recognise His people down here in this world. It is not exactly the idea of heavenly relationship, but of God making Himself known as a Father to us. “I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you”. But it is on the condition of separation.
[p. 213] The Midianites were a snare to Israel. The priest put his finger upon the evil spot and executed judgment. The sin is regarded as a tendency of the flesh. Judgment has to be executed upon the flesh, and then Israel fights with the Midianites. But you cannot fight with God’s enemies until judgment has been passed on the flesh. The secret of intimacy with unbelievers lies in the flesh. We have to put our finger upon the spot where it works. It has to be judged, and then we can, set to work to vex the Midianites. I do not want such associations any more. I can war with them, for I see the real danger, and how they serve to blind men so that they should not see the glory of Christ.
I pass on to the next point, and that is the numbering of the people with reference to entering the land (chapter 26: 63 - 65).
Now, you have to remember in connection with this, that it is a new Israel that enters the land; not the Israel that came out of Egypt. It is not the man that came out of the world that is going to enter heaven. It is another man morally who enters into the purpose of God. The people were numbered again, and with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, all were different. Those two had been maintained in faith, in order that there might be identification. I quite admit there is a link between the man that God brought out of Egypt, and the man that enters into the purpose of God, but it is individual not moral — it is no more than a link. It is not the responsible man or the responsible Christian that enters into the land, that is, the purpose of God. If the Christian enters into the light of God’s purpose it is as having put on the new man, as partaker of God’s holiness. This is the result of the formative work of the Spirit. It is spoken of in scripture as the renewing of the Holy Ghost. You may be sure that you do not enter [p. 214] into the purpose of God simply by faith; it is by love, and this is the work of the Spirit in you. You enter into the purpose of God in virtue of being a new creation in Christ. The apostle puts it thus in 2 Corinthians 5: “Old things are passed away, and all things are become new”. The new things are the things of God’s purpose; the old are the things connected with man’s responsibility. The latter belong to the man that God brought out of Egypt, and the former to the new man.
In this part of the book everything is consequent upon the elect of God having been brought to light. They are still down here in the wilderness. I am deeply conscious of this, and of the responsibilities and obligations here. We have to fulfil our responsibilities — for example, to continue in the faith, and not to be moved away from the hope of the gospel; that is perfectly true, but that is not the order of man that enters the land. This involves a new creation where all things are of God.
I do not think that we realise divine things except by the Spirit. The Spirit uses the light which it pleases God to give us in order to form us according to that light. All the light that He brings into our souls He uses to form us according to that light, and it is in virtue of that work of the Spirit that we enter into God’s purpose. It is a wonderful thing that we can enter a scene where all things are of God, and all things are become new! For this you have to begin with knowing that you are the elect people of God.
I come now to another point, and that is to the leader, chapter 27: 15 - 23.
It has often been said that it was impossible for Moses the lawgiver, to conduct the people into the land of promise. And it is remarkable with regard to Moses that he had in a sense to suffer under his own system. Moses rebelled, and was forbidden [p. 215] on account of it to enter the land. He was a most privileged man personally, and had a very peculiar and distinguished place in connection with the children of Israel. As far as one can tell he had access at all times to the mercy seat; and yet, as connected with the legal system, he was not permitted in God’s government to enter the land, as we see in verse 14 of this chapter.
It is a principle that the more distinguished a man is, the more severe God is with him in His government. An offence that might be passed over in a man of less account would not be passed over in one more conspicuous. It is a solemn thing to be conspicuous among God’s people. It was thus with Moses; he transgressed and was excluded from the land. But I want to show you that in another sense he could not conduct the people in. I take him up in another light; he was the type of authority of Christ as Lord. It is not as Lord that Christ conducts us into the purpose of God. There is a link, however, between authority and the leader into the land. Moses was to put some of his honour upon Joshua. I do not think Joshua got exactly the place that Moses had. Moses was king — he was typical of Christ as Lord to His people. The people are said to have been baptised to Moses in the cloud and in the sea. But Joshua was raised up for another purpose; he is more the shepherd raised up to lead the people into the land, which authority itself could not do.
What that teaches us is this: the Christian has to apprehend Christ in another light than that of Lord. When the Lord encouraged Peter to leave the boat to come to Him, it was to know Him in a character which would not allow Him to be free to stay in the boat. We apprehend Christ at first as Lord and Saviour; we confess Him as Lord; but there may come a moment in our experience [p. 216] when we see what the elect of God are, when we recognise Christ as Leader in resurrection. We come much closer to Him then than ever we did before. Then we want to follow Him, and begin to see where He will conduct us.
Christ as Leader conducts our souls into the reality of God’s purpose about us. The result is akin to Peter’s confession in Matthew 16, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God”, which really means that Christ is apprehended in a new light, and that the light is of the Father. It is a great point in our soul’s history when Christ is recognised as Leader. This is not exactly the thought of priest. Eleazar was priest and Joshua leader. Priest and Leader are combined in Christ. He is the Leader of our salvation, and He is the Priest. Christ is all. As Leader He is going to conduct us into a scene to which we are perfectly unaccustomed, which in its very nature is outside of the sphere of our responsibility down here; He conducts us to the Father in the truth of the assembly; He is the Leader of our salvation and of our praises.
You see how all hangs together. The brazen serpent and the springing well; the elect people brought to light; the pronouncement of the Spirit of God by Balaam of what they are in the eye of God; then the snare of unholy and unhallowed associations down here which would entangle the people and ruin their testimony; the promises which attach to separation; the people numbered, taken account of with a view to entering the land; the link between those who came out of Egypt and those who were going into the land maintained by Caleb and Joshua, maintained really by the principle of faith. Faith links the two together. In one sense I am the man God brought out of Egypt, now the responsible Christian down here, but on the other hand I have, by grace, been formed by the Spirit [p. 217] of God, and have put off the old man and put on the new; then Moses has to give way to Joshua. You never lose the sense of Christ as Lord as long as you are down here, but there is the recognition of Christ in the soul in another character, the Leader of salvation, who has gone in in order that He may conduct us in.
It is a beautiful thought that the Leader is also the Priest. It continually takes two men to set forth Christ: as Moses and Aaron, Moses and Joshua, and Joshua and Eleazar. You get both combined in Christ; He is the Leader and also the Priest, who sympathises and saves to the uttermost those “that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them”.
It is a point of much interest to see these things presented to us in type in the Old Testament, so that you can work out the Christian history; and to see in the Book of Numbers how the Christian is led tends to confirm our faith in the word of God. The things that were written before-time were written for our learning, not for those who were contemporary. The Spirit of God instructs us in detail by what is brought before us here of the experience and path of the Israelites.
May God give us to know what it is to be very near to Him, and to follow close up! It is a great thing to follow close up so that Christ may lead us in. He does not look back; so that the great thing is to follow close that we may be conducted by Him into the full light of God’s purpose concerning His people.