GUIDANCE

^[p. 78] GUIDANCE

2 Kings 7: 3 - 9; Acts 16: 6 - 10; John 6: 15 - 21

It is in mind to speak of guidance; such guidance as comes through righteous spiritual calculation. There is, of course, direct guidance for christians. The books of Exodus and Numbers teach us as to direct guidance from God through this dark world. It was never His thought to leave His people to find their own way through the world; so He came in for Israel, even in Egypt, and went before them in the cloud. Then, as the tabernacle was reared up, the cloud came down upon it, and the glory of Jehovah filled it. The people were to move. They had come out of Egypt by divine direction in the pillar, now they are to go through to Canaan, through the wilderness, in which there were no roads. And so they were to observe the pillar of cloud by day and the fire by night on the tabernacle. The tabernacle represented the testimony that God would render. It is indeed called the tabernacle of testimony, so that, whilst the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night were to guide, they were to guide in relation to the tent of testimony, which means for us that as we, believers in Christ, are concerned about God’s testimony. As we recognise the assembly, disallowing all that is contrary to it, we shall find direct guidance from God.

That is the general position. Any Israelite taking it into his mind to separate himself from the system of things set up by Moses under God, and seeking to find his own way, would fall in that wilderness. His guidance depended on maintaining his position, the position divinely assigned to him, in relation to the tabernacle. Israel was divided into four camps of three tribes each, and they were to encamp around the tabernacle; one on the east, one on the south,

^[p. 79] one on the west and one on the north. They were to remain in each camping place until the cloud lifted from the tabernacle, and then they were to move according to their allotted positions on the march. No one was to be governed by his own will. The governmental dealings of God required that the exercise of unjudged will in the wilderness meant death. The salvation of each Israelite depended on his moving as divinely directed, keeping his assigned position and, as encamped, watching for the lifting of the cloud. As the cloud lifted, movement began. The tents were pulled down, the tabernacle too, its furniture carefully covered and carried in the wilderness, and every Israelite moved on with it. Whether they encamped for a night, from evening only till the next morning, they would have to move on with it. If it were a day, or two days, or a month, or a year, they were to move only as the cloud lifted. So that the means of guidance was very definite. Everyone who had eyes to see could see when the time of movement had begun.

As I said, this is the great general position, for what I am speaking of from Exodus and Numbers is just a type of our own times. Some have chosen individual paths, many have grouped together and set up systems of religion of their own, but the only means of guidance is in relation to the assembly, for it is in relation to it that the cloud stands. If anyone thinks that I am referring to those who are designated ‘brethren’ as over against the others with a religious designation, it is an entire mistake. When I speak about the assembly, I speak about all christians. But when one speaks about the assembly in a concrete way, one is forced to think of those who recognise it, who move as of it, and who disallow all else in thought and practice. Such are certain to have divine guidance through this dark world. Darkness which may be felt is settling ^[p. 80] down upon christendom, not only on heathendom and judaism, but on christendom, and it is most essential that we should understand how guidance is obtained, direct guidance from God. It is found, as I have been saying, in relation to the assembly, but what I have in mind, not ignoring what I have said, is guidance reached through righteous spiritual calculation. I use these words advisedly, for we may calculate selfishly, thinking only of what may accrue to us in reaching certain ends, therefore I stress the words righteous and spiritual.

I have selected first of all these four leprous men at the gate of Samaria, often used in gospel testimony and rightly so; but that is not what is in mind now. They represent persons who calculate righteously and, I may say, spiritually. They weigh thoughtfully the circumstances in which they are. They are able to say that if they do not do anything, they will die. Something, therefore, has to be done. Many come to that, not knowing what to do, but that something has to be done. It is a point of importance to determine that something has to be done. The next thing is, What is to be done? I must tax my intelligence, my discernment, my spirituality. I must tax my love too. I must calculate as to whether I am governed by love in facing my circumstances, whether I am thinking selfishly or in love.

Now these men were calculating, as I might say, sensibly. They were able to determine one thing — that if they did not do anything they would die. Often we allow things to rest, knowing that something ought to be done and yet nothing is done, whereas God is testing us by the circumstances. He would bring out what He loves to see in us, the fruit of His work developing in His people. To this end He sometimes places us in circumstances occasioning a dilemma. Hezekiah, for instance, was sick. He ^[p. 81] turned his face to the wall, meaning there was no outlet, but he prayed, he mourned, he did something. He did something, turned his face to the wall, which meant that he could go no further — a dead stop, but he was able to pray. God heard his prayer and added fifteen years to his life, when he had given up life. These men, these lepers, accepted the fact that to do nothing meant death. Is it possible that God brings us to such a pass without an outlet? No. He always makes a way. We are told in 1 Corinthians 10 that God always makes an issue. He never allows us to be tempted beyond what we are able, but always makes an outlet. That is most important. We must therefore look about for the outlet. It is somewhere.

Now these leprous men said, “If we say, Let us enter into the city, the famine is in the city”. They are right-thinking men. They do not say they will kill us. No, they will be in the same plight as those inside the gate. Those inside are no better than those outside. All are facing death. Then do not go there. “If we abide here”, they said in their calculating, “we shall die”. They were conversing at the gate. The gate was shut, I need not say. They were outside. According to Leviticus they should be. But a certain extraordinary set of circumstances had arisen, and those inside are little better than those outside, if any. ‘Then we will not go inside, nor shall we stay as we are’. There is a way, at any rate there is a possible way — ‘let us go to the Syrians’. The Syrians are living men, they have food. What I am aiming at is to point out that as we calculate in this humble, simple way, we find some light. The more we dwell upon the situation, the more we shall find that there is some light. It was dusk indeed when they went out to the Syrians, but there was some light; and if there be some light, move in that.

^[p. 82] In such circumstances we must challenge our hearts. Am I selfish? No. Well, there is light in that fact. It is the work of God. So that there is some light. Even although it be dusk, move in it. You say: I can hardly see a yard ahead of me. But, you do see a yard ahead of you, so move that way, the Lord is in that direction. That is the thought, move that way. These men moved thus, and the nearer they got to the Syrian camp, the more light they got. There were no men in the camp. “There was no man there”. God had moved. God had observed these four lepers. He was going to use them for the deliverance of Israel. There is only a little light, but they are calculating righteously and in a balanced way. They are calculating according to intelligence, and they are moving in the little bit of light that they see through their calculations, and as they move in that direction God moves; and if God moves, victory is sure. The thing is reachable and would be presently reached — the desired end.

And then what comes out is that these men are capable of right thinking in regard to others. They are not selfish men. They are immediately seeking the deliverance of those in the city. They want to live, and there is a little bit of light in which they are moving, which involves that they are not to die but to live; and now they think of others. As they reach the Syrian camp, they are tested as to their cupidity, as to their selfishness. They go into one tent and take silver and gold out of it and hide it, and they go into another and do the same. They are for the moment selfish. I have already alluded to this matter of selfishness, that it is the occasion of darkness in our souls. It is certain to occasion darkness. Now they have found the way of life, are they to be selfish? Deliverance has come to them. Are they to use what they get selfishly? This, indeed, is the secret of the whole matter in this passage, that ^[p. 83] they immediately judge themselves and abandon their selfishness. They thus become persons who think for others. If I am not capable of thinking for others, I am scarcely worth speaking of morally. As soon as I begin to think of others, to deny selfishness, to act in any measure in love, I am a testimony to God.

These men are now sharing in the deliverance that moving in the light has brought them to. They are not selfish. For a moment they were, but they are able to judge themselves. “We are not doing right”, they said. How many there are who, although obtaining deliverance through the gospel, are not doing right afterwards! Let us challenge our hearts, dear brethren, as to this matter. Are we doing right? Deliverance according to Romans, the great foundational epistle, leads a believer to find his feet; and he says, “I myself with the mind serve God’s law”. One constantly comes back to this — that a believer finds his feet; but in what way? “I myself” I am resolved to be a righteous man, to do the will of God. And these men say “We are not doing right”. They might have carried on and hidden all the wealth there was in the camp of the Syrians, but they did not right in doing it, and judged their conduct. Hence the next chapter in Romans says, “that the righteous requirement of the law should be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh but according to Spirit” (Romans 8: 4).

So that guidance, such as I am speaking of now, leads into that position — that I begin to see that I must do the will of God. God is not helping me to acquire my own selfish ends at all. He is helping me in order that I may reflect Him, at least in some little way. “We are not doing right”, they say. “Let us go and tell the king’s household”, we should not be acting selfishly. The secret of the want of guidance with many of God’s people is just this, that ^[p. 84] selfishness is at the bottom of their exercises; whereas a righteous holy calculation in a time of uncertainty will certainly bring us into light. Even although it is dusk at the beginning, it will gradually lead us on into the clear shining of the day, and in the light of that day I judge myself, and walk in the light as God is in the light. If I am doing what is wrong, I am not in the way of God. So they tell the king’s household. Let us not forget the king’s household. If light and deliverance have come through the guidance I have been speaking of, I am not to be selfish in the result, but unselfish. “If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another” (1 John 1: 7); that is, we think of the king’s household. Let us not forget. No selfish person really thinks of the king’s household. He thinks of himself. Seeking the king’s household is consideration for the Lord and His people.

So that we shall find a clear shining of day as we calculate righteously and spiritually. It may be just dusk for a while, but it will be gradually the clear shining of God, and I walk in that. And, as I said, as walking in the light as God is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. We think of the king’s household, that is, all christians. One challenges one’s own heart as to the brethren with whom one is walking, whether one may not be too narrow, forgetting the wideness of the interests of God here below. The more excellent way, the way of surpassing excellence, is to widen out in love, and take account of all that belongs to God in this world. Walking in the light as God is in the light, we think of the brethren. So in this city the Lord is helping His people. Perplexity indeed there may have been, but as we move in whatever little light we have, God will be with us. No one who loves God wants to make one inch of movement until he is assured ^[p. 85] that he is right; and as it is right, God is in it. God will soon make it manifest that He is in it, and we shall come to the king’s household. In this city we are in it in relation to everyone that belongs to God in it.

Well now, I want to show from Acts 16 how the apostle Paul and those who laboured with him moved. As I have been saying, the Lord could easily have told Paul that the preaching was to be in Europe; but He did not do so. The Spirit, we are told, would not allow him to preach the word in Asia, verse 6, and verse 7 says, “having come down to Mysia, they attempted to go to Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them”. All that is searching. Is there something wrong with Paul? Could another serve better than he in those fields? That would be the way it would come to him. Twice over he is hindered. Do not go there, the Spirit says, and yet He does not tell Paul where to go. These are remarkable things. The point is, Can I transfer this to myself? Can each of us enquire as to himself, why these happenings, why these circumstances? Well, the apostle Paul does not seem to be overwhelmed by uncertainty. A vision appears in the night to him (verse 9). The night suggests that there was some darkness, but there was a vision, and it appeared to him. Let us be looking out for this. If the circumstances are extraordinary, there may be other such circumstances which will be light to me. Let me wait for these, for if God brings in one extraordinary circumstance, He can bring in another, and this other may be what I need. So then let me tax my mind; my resolve being to do the will of God. I have begun with that in mind. I have resolved to do nothing else but the will of God. Let me begin with that. Next, Am I selfish in my service? Do I seek a name in it? Do I seek any material gain in it? Let me challenge ^[p. 86] my heart about all these things. Why these baffling things? Something is to be searched out. David says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; prove me, and know my thoughts; And see if there be any grievous way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139: 23, 24). That is a wholesome challenge.

Now this vision in the night appears to Paul, and he hears a Macedonian man speaking. How did he know that it was a Macedonian man? Was it by his dress? It is remarkable that God should take that apparently roundabout way to introduce the testimony into Europe, but it was the way. Immense results were to accrue from all this, and it was most remarkable that the ministry should come into Europe after such severe exercises. That is the point. I have to go through these exercises: the result is so important that I must go through them. God says, as it were, I require you to go through them. Then I must be subject. I have resolved already. I have made a vow as in Romans that I will serve God’s law. God is pleased with that. Every moment of my life that I carry out that resolve I am pleasing to God. Now He says, Do not go there. Well, where shall I go? There is no evidence that Paul was perturbed. A Macedonian man says, “Pass over into Macedonia and help us”.

I have now come to the verse that was in mind in reading this passage (verse 10). “And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go forth to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to announce to them the glad tidings”. I want the brethren to look at this expression, “concluding”. A process has been gone through, a series of circumstances, causing perhaps uncertainty, but now the facts are all put together in the renewed, righteous mind of the apostle, and he concludes. He concluded what was right, and that is “that the Lord had called us to announce to them the glad tidings”. With what firm tread the apostle would move on, as indeed, we are told, he did, from Troas, where he was, to Philippi! He had extraordinarily painful experiences in Philippi, but still the sequel shows great results. The gospel came into Europe to stay for eighteen centuries with the most blessed results.

Now the final passage, in John 6, bears on all that I have said. They wanted to make the Lord king. He had been feeding the multitude, and the men who witnessed this sign wished to make Him king, and He goes up into a mountain. His disciples go into a ship to cross the sea. He does not tell them to do it. According to Matthew and Mark He did tell them, but not according to John, who says, “But when evening was come, his disciples went down to the sea, and having gone on board ship, they went over the sea to Capernaum”. That is what they did, coming to a decision themselves. According to the subsequent verses they did what was right. They did what was the only thing to do at the moment. The Lord did not tell them to do it, according to this passage. He had gone up — He was alone — pointing to our dispensation, in which He has gone up. As the Lord was about to be taken up from the apostles, as you will remember, He said many things to them; but in various matters He left them to decide what would be done: as for instance, to appoint another apostle. So it is that the Lord taxes, as it were, our growth and experience. He would say to you: You do that, I leave it with you. He has given us understanding. John says, “We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding that we should know him that is true” (1 John 5: 20). What is that understanding for? It is to do what has to be done. If it is to be done, do it, do not ask the Lord; ask Him for help, of ^[p. 88] course, but what thy hand finds to do, do it. An apostle had to be appointed, and they selected two, and put the two before God, “and the lot fell on Matthias”.

Here in John 6 the Lord does not say, Go across to Capernaum; but they did that. The Lord intended them to do it, and they did it. Having gone they rowed twenty-five or thirty stadia, and this exercise is noted. The Spirit of God tells us about how many stadia they rowed. Is it for nothing that we are told? Was it in self-will? No; they are going in the right direction. The Spirit tells us what they did, and they having done it, the Lord walks on the water so that they see Him. He says, “It is I: be not afraid:” as much as to say, You are going in the right direction, and I am coming to support you in what you are doing. Is that not comforting? Let us then be honest men and women in our circumstances, let us think honestly, according to the instincts of the work of God. He will certainly make a way for us. And so the passage here says, as you will observe, “But he says to them, It is I: be not afraid. They were willing therefore to receive him into the ship; and immediately the ship was at the land to which they went”. Not where He went, but to which they went. He is honouring them. The end is reached. The end that you have in mind is reached and the Lord is saying, I am with you in it. They received Him gladly into the ship, and as they did, the end is reached. That is what I had in mind to call attention to at this time. We have arrived at difficult times. Paul says, “difficult times shall be there” (2 Timothy 3: 1). They are here now. Let us be honest men and women. Let us challenge our hearts as to what is in them, what our motives are, whether they are selfish motives, or whether they are the more ^[p. 89] excellent way, the way of love. In the latter the Lord is with us, saying, “It is I”. As we receive Him into our matters, the end is reached at once, reached by us, and it is the right end, that which is according to God.