THE INHERITANCE AND ITS BORDERS
[p. 90] THE INHERITANCE AND ITS BORDERS
Ezekiel 47: 13, 14; Ezekiel 48:1, 20; Psalm 45: 7 - 11
JT It is in view to call attention to certain thoughts that God intends should be in our minds as in His service. These thoughts in connection with the inheritance which we share together as in assembly as brethren, show how provision is made for Christ to have two portions, as seen in Joseph. The last is an outstanding thought in this section. Then the borders of the land as in the remaining part of chapter 47, with provision made for the stranger, in verses 22 and 23.
Chapter 48 shows the inheritance of each tribe from the east to the west, there being no irregular borders as in the book of Joshua. Beginning with verse 8 to the end of 22 we have the Spirit of God enlarging on the portion that is called “the heave offering”, as that which is for God in general. Other thoughts appear, particularly the city at the end, wherein the tribes appear again, but in general that is what is in mind in Ezekiel, in these passages. The psalm confirms the place of Christ as Beloved, “anointed ... with the oil of gladness above thy companions”, corresponding with the portions for Joseph first mentioned. Then, in the psalm, we have the position of the queen, and the power of forgetfulness, which also corresponds with Joseph, who learned in Egypt to forget his toil and his father’s house. These thoughts I think may be profitable to consider at this time. It is a matter of importance what is in our minds in sitting down together at the Lord’s supper and proceeding with the service of God, for our minds are to be enriched. There are many other features, but the thought is that Christ as seen in Joseph might be before [p. 91] us now.
EWC Does it suggest that as Joseph inherited with his people in their entrance into the inheritance, Joseph having two portions amongst the brethren, that the Lord inherits now with His people?
JT It brings the Lord in as amongst us, but provision is made for His personal distinction. The passage directs our minds to Genesis, where Joseph is a leading typical figure.
EBMcC In what is determined by God here, that Joseph should have the double portion, is there the recognition of who he is and of what he has wrought?
JT The reaction of scripture to what had been said earlier is remarkable. The references to Genesis throughout Scripture are outstanding, and Joseph represents a spiritual thread particularly in Genesis. Jacob represents the Father; of course, Abraham does too, but Jacob moved out of Padan-Aram as Joseph was born, implying that Joseph gives the spiritual touch, and throughout the history of Jacob, Joseph is in mind. He is the loved one, Jacob loved him above all his sons. Psalm 45 is ‘a song of the Beloved’. Joseph in Egypt typifies Christ amongst the gentiles; Jacob moves out to him there. Genesis 48 brings out the father’s affections and the sovereign placing of families, including Joseph’s place as having one portion above his brethren. That thought is to be kept in mind throughout. It is in view now in Ezekiel, and comes in in view of the inheritance which the tribes are to share together.
Rem Joseph was only very young when put in front of his mother.
JT You are alluding to Genesis 33, where Jacob’s meeting with Esau is mentioned. The incident shows that Joseph is the spiritual link in the book of Genesis in the history of Jacob.
EBMcC We see him glorified by his father by [p. 92] the gift of the coat of many colours. He is distinguished in that way with glory.
JT He is marked out, and begins his mission as a revealer of secrets in that chapter in a household way. His dreams refer to the household, his father and mother and eleven brothers. Then his interpretations are seen in prison, then in the royal court of Pharoah; so that as we follow Joseph in Genesis, we are on spiritual lines and reach the father; he is subordinate to the father, but honoured in that he has a double portion.
AMH Whilst God, the Father, has given Christ this special portion, are you bringing Ezekiel before us to show that we give it to Him? As for instance in the Song of Songs 2: 3, “As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons”.
JT Yes. Ezekiel adds greatly to the idea of the inheritance, it varies from what we get in Joshua, giving straight lines for dividing the tribes, all sharing alike. The passage says, “ye shall inherit it, one as well as another, the land concerning which I lifted up my hand to give it unto your fathers; and this land shall fall to you for inheritance”. Then we have “the border of the land”, that is, the boundary. But, as we have said, the outstanding thought is that provision is made for Christ at the outset. Whilst He shares with us, and is recognised in a mutual way, yet His Person is always guarded. In chapter 48 from verse 8 to the end of verse 22, we have God’s portion, of which much more is made, of course, and this should be noticed in this setting. It is to be in mind in regard to the assembly; such a great portion is for God. It is called the heave-offering. “The whole heave-offering shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand; ye shall offer the holy heave-offering foursquare with the possession of the city”.
[p. 93] We get this at the end where all the tribes are represented, “and the name of the city from that day, Jehovah is there”. In connection with these thoughts we have the presence of God.
EWC What is the distinction between the setting of the inheritance here, and the setting in Joshua?
JT As already remarked, the possessions of the tribes in Joshua had irregular boundaries, and one tribe seems to encroach on another, and this might cause irritation. There is nothing of that in Ezekiel. The inheritance is apportioned in Joshua first to those who valued the inheritance, that is Judah and Joseph. Judah, as represented in Caleb, comes forward asking for his inheritance; and Joseph comes forward in the daughters of Zelophehad. They get their inheritance first. The remaining tribes obtained their inheritance by lot at Shiloh, Joshua having rebuked them for their slothfulness. In this section of Ezekiel we have great spiritual wealth contemplated; the river of God, that flows out of the house being mentioned here. A river is a source of wealth; the saints take on the wealth afforded to them by the Spirit, so that there is no danger of irritation being caused by what might appear irregular, that is some possessing more than others. These are the thoughts that are to be in our minds; the wealth of the river, then the boundaries of the inheritance, as the passage says, “This shall be the border whereby ye shall allot the land as inheritance according to the twelve tribes of Israel”. Then there is Joseph; let us not forget that Joseph has the extra allotment — two portions; Christ is at once set in your mind. Before there is any allotment we must always make room for Christ.
CFI Are these portions suggested in Psalm [p. 94] 45?
JT We shall come to that, and we shall see that the link is with Joseph in the psalm, the heading of which refers to the Beloved, and full provision is made for Him. Christ is the King, and the writer is welling up with good matter concerning Him; he is full of Christ who has affected his heart powerfully. Christ is seen as anointed with the oil of gladness above His companions. That brings us to our chapter here. The companions come in afterwards, each getting a portion on the feminine side which the psalm indicates, because the queen is in mind. Joseph’s wife was a gentile, and in Egypt he learned to forget his toil and his father’s house; the allusion is to a state of forgetfulness of what is unsuitable in the assembly. The daughter is to forget, too. “Hearken, daughter, and see, and incline thine ear; and forget thine own people and thy father’s house”. That brings us into accord with Joseph, it is a question of state, whether we are free as though those relationships did not exist; free from all natural links.
Rem As carrying these thoughts in our minds, we would be enriched in our service Godward.
JT That is what I was thinking. Scripture is full of thoughts we should have, and they are essential to prosperity in the service of God.
CHH Is the double portion of Joseph in relation to divine service a necessary regulating thought? I was thinking of the intimacy that love brings us into, but the true Joseph is still to have the double portion?
JT That is never to be lost sight of, and then the straight lines of Ezekiel 48 are regulating. There is no suggestion of any irritation or anything to grieve the Spirit in the service. Then there is the great scope given to the divine portion, that which is for God. We must distinguish between what is for Joseph, as related to the tribes, and what is for God.
[p. 95] The holy heave-offering is for God, and this comes in as outstanding in the chapter from verse 8 to 22. It requires great attention to get the details as to the measurements, but clearly the proportionate extent of the heave-offering is very great.
CFI What is the link in the service of God in passing over from what is due to Christ, and what is due to God?
JT You can see that Christ is in charge of everything, Joseph represents that, “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things to be in his hand”. The Lord is over everything in the service as High Priest, and as we proceed, everything must converge on Him. So that it is the Lord’s supper, hence everything as to it refers to Him. When our position is defined, everything is regular and there is no suggestion of irritation. There is thus room for the Spirit. He will be regarded as the Holy Spirit in relation to the Lord (1 Corinthians 12: 3), the Spirit of adoption in relation to the Father, and the Spirit of God in relation to God.
AMH Is your thought that we should give more time to the development of what is for God in our gatherings?
JT Yes. There should be proper scope for Christ too, but we are limited because of the allotted time for the service. Ezekiel 48 would indicate that a good proportion ought to be for God, and we should never lose sight of that. We have here the city where all the tribes appear, and God is there.
CFI In connection with the portion for God, have you in mind our speaking to God in the light of relationships established in ascension, or on a lower level?
JT It is a question of what is in the mind of the person who addresses Him. There is only one word for God in our language, and it would have to be indicated what was in the mind of the speaker if [p. 96] he uses the term God in speaking to God. “There is one God, the Father”. It would seem as if the service requires that God should be apprehended as the Father and spoken to as the Father, then spoken to viewed as God “all in all” — it is God all in all. That ought to be the great end before us.
EBMcC “The king’s daughter is all glorious within” would bring in the saints, but Joseph comes in as having a double portion, and God has what is mentioned here — the great portion.
JT That is the way the truth stands, but the feminine side is provided for in the psalm, and it has indeed a great place, verse 9. “Kings’ daughters are among thine honourable women; upon thy right hand doth stand the queen in gold of Ophir”. Then, on a lower level, we have, verse 10, “Hearken, daughter, and see, and incline thine ear; and forget thine own people and thy father’s house”. It seems to me that the word “forget” there should be linked on with Christ as seen in Joseph. It leads us into our own position now. Ephesians 2: 22 contemplates the gentiles “built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit”. “Ye also” — Christ is the chief Corner Stone — it is a state of forgetfulness in us. Christ, like Joseph, has forgotten His toil and His father’s house for the moment, and the daughter is to hearken, and to forget her father’s house and her own people. It is a state of forgetfulness — things that are forgotten have their legitimate place, but, as in assembly, we are free of them for the moment.
LM Does that state of forgetfulness depend on satisfaction?
JT It requires power in the soul, too; in partaking of the Lord’s supper we need power to call Him to mind. It is an active power in the mind, power to bring in what is positive, to bring Christ to mind. It is the same power in forgetfulness, the [p. 97] power in the mind to forget, not simply that we lay the thing aside, but we are in a state of forgetfulness as to all that is extraneous at the moment.
LDM How much depends on the saints sitting down in satisfaction and being able to move forward as drinking into one Spirit!
CFI Would you say we can be there in the restful liberty suggested in the queen standing on the right hand in gold of Ophir?
JT Yes. The queen is the full feminine thought in assembly service, answering to Christ; He has her at His right hand. He would have some answer to Himself in that respect, but the way to it is that the daughter inclines her ear and forgets her own people and her father’s house. There is the power of forgetfulness of what is merely natural. The things might be legitimate at other times, but not now — it is a state we get into. It all lies in the Spirit. First, focus the mind. “I myself with the mind serve God’s law” (Romans 7: 25). I have control of it, and by that power we call Christ to mind in the memorials. Correspondingly we have power to forget.
WHW It needs the power of the renewed mind (Romans 12: 2). Is there significance in the fact that before we get what is due to God, Judah is brought in — his name means praise.
JT The heave-offering is between Judah and Benjamin. Verse 7 brings in Judah and verse 23 Benjamin, “And as for the rest of the tribes: from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin one portion”. It is Judah and Benjamin, the same link which existed under Joshua. We have excellent relations between these. Judah is the leading brother, and in Psalm 68 we have “little Benjamin”.
FJF Is there any difference between the power of forgetfulness and the power of abstraction, that we had before us [p. 98] previously?
JT It is a cognate thought. Really, the power of abstraction enables us to forget, shutting out all else.
EBMcC In referring to the queen in Psalm 45, you said that this is the highest thought of the assembly.
JT It is the greatest thought in this connection, it is not the body, but a royal position that she is in. The queen at His right is an abstract thought in the service. We have suggested here the full thought of the assembly, which is ever before the Lord. He loved the assembly and gave Himself for it — the whole thought is always in His mind, and He would have it in our minds. We come to it, by way of the daughter, who hearkens and forgets.
WHW Does the queen give us the thought of His complement?
JT It does, but here it is not the body, but a royal thought which He would ever have before Him, and would look for an answer to in the service; yet not to enlarge it unduly, but as making room for the holy heave-offering for God. All must have God in view, “of him ... and for him are all things”.
EWC What is suggested by the Lord forgetting? In what connection does He forget?
JT He forgets His relations with Israel. God had made Joseph to forget his toil and his father’s house. God made him do that. It was the state he was in, so he had no ungratified longings in Egypt. It was a state by itself. God had made him to forget, otherwise he would have longed for his father’s house and sought to go back to it; but Jacob and his family go to him. The type requires this.
EBMcC Joseph says, “Tell my father of all my glory in Egypt”.
JT That was to bring his father there, so Jacob comes out. It is all a spiritual matter. If you follow the thread represented in Joseph you will reach the Father, outside of judaism, in a state of forgetfulness of all that attaches to the natural.
FJF Was that power seen in Paul?
JT The link with the Jews was very strong with him, but he overcame it. It is remarkable, but I suppose his history is intended to show us how strong the Jewish link was; the link with his brethren in the flesh. He should not have gone to Jerusalem, but it was because of his love for them that he went; the mystery requires a state of forgetfulness of all that.
CHH Is the suggestion in chapter 47 that in mutuality and the power of forgetfulness the inheritance is entered into, and the outcome is that God gets His full portion?
JT Yes. This is a matter to be looked into each by himself. Such wonderful measurements we get in the holy heave-offering, proportionally very large and specified, whereas the portions for the tribes are not measured at all. The thought I have is that the brethren are not thinking of that, they are not enlarging on their portion; God is everything.
CHH Do we spend too much time in the divine service on our own portion as against the goodly portion that is mentioned here for God?
JT No doubt. The assembly has God in view: glory to God in the assembly.
WHW Does the link with Joseph act in setting us free from the world, as suggested in Jacob leaving Padan-Aram?
JT That is the beginning of the spiritual touch right through in Jacob. As Joseph is born he proposes to leave Padan-Aram. He was detained, but what was the thought. The time had now come [p. 100] to leave. It runs right through till he is with Joseph in Egypt outside of Canaan. We have in the river here, chapter 47, a very remarkable type of spiritual power and fruitfulness. In it the Spirit brings Himself before us. We have in John 16: 13, “he shall not speak from himself;” not that He does not speak of Himself, but not from Himself; it is what He hears He speaks. We are constantly brought back to the Spirit. In Ezekiel 47, after the prophet has found out that the river cannot be passed through, he says (verses 6 and 7), “he led me, and brought me back to the bank of the river. When I returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other”. As we carefully go back to any subject in Scripture, we are sure to see something we had not seen before. So these trees are the fruit of the river, in fact he calls it “the double river” in the second section, showing that the thought is increasing in his mind, and these trees are there, all pointing to fruitfulness.
WHW Does all this suggest the great spiritual wealth that we may draw upon in connection with the service of God?
JT That is the end in mind in the book of Ezekiel. Up to the end of chapter 39 we have generally Israel’s failure and God’s faithfulness to her, but from chapter 40 onwards, the ministry bears on the service of God. The more we look into these chapters the more enriched we shall be, specially in regard to this river — it is to be proved in one’s experience. It is an infinite thought, involving the Spirit, who is a divine Person. It is said to be “a river that I could not pass through”. You come back and see something not seen before. That is a point of greatest importance in divine things, specially in regard to divine Persons. We are brought back to a passage often considered, and see something different, something new. In verse 7 it says “When I returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other”.
FWW It would encourage us to be on the lookout for new fruit.
JT That is just the point in going back. Verse 6, “And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? And he led me, and brought me back to the bank of the river. When I returned ...” That is the thing, the man brought him back, but he returned, that is, he was interested. “Behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. And he said unto me, These waters issue out toward the east district, and go down into the plain, and go into the sea; when they are brought forth into the sea, the waters thereof shall be healed”. He is brought back and learns that “by the river, upon its bank, on the one side and on the other, shall grow all trees for food, whose leaf shall not fade, nor their fruit fail: it shall bring forth new fruit every month, for its waters issue out of the sanctuary; and the fruit thereof shall be for food, and the leaf thereof for medicine”. That is very remarkable.
DR Should we be continually expectant of fresh disclosures in this service?
JT On those lines. He says the man brought him back, and he returned. He was fully with his leader, therefore you get all this, down to the end of verse 12, in regard to the river.
LDM He is brought back to the door of the house.
JT Yes. “He brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward” (chapter 47: 1). It is as brought back that Ezekiel sees the waters issuing from the house. Leadership is a thought running through these chapters, beginning with the [p. 102] fortieth. As we are amenable to spiritual leadership we shall get fresh disclosures.
FWW What do you mean by that?
JT What we have in these meetings as we come together in a mutual way. Where room is made for the Spirit things can come up freshly. So here we find remarkable freshness, vitality and fruitfulness from the river. And then how Christ is honoured in these circumstances, as we have noted. There is a double portion for Joseph, and the brethren are content with what they have. They are not vying with one another, but are content with their portion, and there is a full portion for God — the holy heave-offering; and the administrative state in the city where all the tribes are represented, and God is there.
HR Does the question of leadership and the moral state of the people, as in Joshua, have to be established before the division of the land?
JT That is what the earlier chapters of Joshua bring out, especially at Gilgal where the reproach of Egypt was rolled away, where they ate the old corn of the land. The inheritance is given to heavenly people, and typically they were brought into a state of heavenly-mindedness.
FJF Should we always be ready to give the Lord His double portion, leaving time for what is for God?
JT That is my thought, and in the assembly we recognise the authority of Christ. When Rebecca arrived at the end of the journey, Isaac was in the field coming from the well at Beer-lahai-roi, and he was meditating. Rebecca enquired who was the man, and the servant replied, “My master!” He did not say, ‘My master’s son’. It was a question of the general position in which the assembly is set. Christ as Lord is owned there. The Holy Spirit maintains that. Joseph was lord of all Egypt, but as [p. 103] type of Christ, according to what we get here, he is one of the brethren, but as among the brethren he has a double portion; that is to say, when the Lord recognises us as His brethren, we make provision for His Person. He is not just one of us, He is above us, but He is pleased to be amongst us.
WHW He graciously identifies Himself with us as His brethren. We on our side recognise that He is above us, being anointed with the oil of gladness above His companions. When Judah recognised Joseph’s position, it seems to result in Joseph expressing his affection for Benjamin.
JT The link between Judah and Benjamin is very interesting. How beautifully Judah speaks about him in Genesis 44. I think Benjamin is abstractly the brother; the overcomer. In the circumstances, he is always an object of his father’s affections. Judah is the brother in activity, the brother who knows what to say, who understands the father’s feelings, and understands Benjamin, too, and the place relatively he had in the family. We need these two thoughts. The abstract thought links us definitely with Christ, because Benjamin is more a brother to Joseph than any of the others, being of the same mother. Joseph gives him that place, too, in the disclosures in Genesis 45, but Judah is the one who prevails above his brethren for good. The king comes from Judah, “of him came the chief ruler”.
CHH You spoke of the oil of gladness — would you say a little more about that? It seems very attractive.
JT The assembly ought to be the place of gladness, not a place of dolefulness. The Lord’s supper promotes gladness and satisfaction.
CFI He is not ashamed to call us brethren. But we give Him His distinctive place, and that would make way for the heave-offering for God.
JT [p. 104] Yes; as He is fully owned. We see in these allotments in Ezekiel 48, that when we come to Judah, we get the heave-offering, which is suggestive, because he is the active brother; he understands. In Genesis he brings about the full result in Joseph; whilst Judah is speaking, Joseph could not control himself, and had every man put out. He would make himself known to his brethren. It is Judah’s speech and attitude that affect him; so you feel it is in keeping with this that the heave-offering comes in by the border of Judah; and when that is described, we get Benjamin.
EBMcC When the state exists in the assembly where He is free to declare the Father’s name unto His brethren, would that link on here?
JT Just so. Judah is the brother who is practical in the assembly. What he says in Genesis brings about the change. Joseph would have everyone put out now. It is now a time for family relations and affections. Joseph calls attention to his mouth to show it was himself, and then the special expression of affection towards Benjamin, and he kissed and wept on all his brothers. He also sends his father a message.
EBMcC There is a remarkable state of mind found in Psalm 45. The mind is fixed, under control, and thus brings in rich thoughts as to Christ. “Thou art fairer than the sons of men”. It would greatly enrich us if our minds were set in that way.
JT It is one of the Maschil psalms, a psalm of instruction, a song of the Beloved, a very rich psalm. It alludes to the power of the Spirit in the soul, making much of Christ, the heart welling up with the good matter of what it has composed. The service of song comes in under David, and David, of course, is of Judah. “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah and bring him to his people”. This would include prayer. Judah is marked by prayer. David [p. 105] prayed, Solomon prayed; also Hezekiah; and Jabez (1 Chronicles 4: 10). The king is subservient to the service of God, but kingship is required because of its power, as in David, to make provision for the service as depicted in 1 Chronicles. What David was and did is attributed to the tribe of Judah. When Israel came out of Egypt “Judah was his sanctuary” (Psalm 114: 2). You can understand why Judah’s portion is given, and then the holy heave-offering involving the service of God, and then Benjamin. The same thing is seen in Jerusalem, which really belonged to Benjamin, but it came to Judah, being a supreme thought in connection with David; meaning that true brotherly feelings and love prevailed between Judah and Benjamin.
WHW Love in that way doing away with boundaries, would you say?
JT Quite so; love overcomes, it never fails us. It was in the divine mind that Jerusalem should be in the hands of Judah, the city of the great King. The Lord Himself calls it that, but it primarily belonged to Benjamin.
FJF So those happy relationships among the brethren lie behind the service.
JT If the relations are not right, as seen here, you cannot have the heave-offering, what God would stress. What we are looking at now is the beautiful relations amongst the tribes, nothing to cause friction, no irregular borders. If God allows angles to cause discipline, that is His way, but not here in actual service.
LDM Here they offer the holy heave-offering foursquare with the possession of the city. Is that what you have been saying as to the brethren being together and God getting His portion, “foursquare with the possession of the city”.
JT The city is an additional thought to bring in the administrative side. The heave-offering is one [p. 106] thing, but the city seems to be treated as the administrative side by itself, and all the tribes are there again in another setting, three on each side, and then Jehovah is there (chapter 48). The administrative side secures the presence of God week in and week out amongst us in a general way.
EBMcC Conditions should be such that the holy heave-offering and the sanctuary are found in the midst of the brethren.
FJF We get the apostle rising to the thought of God at the end of certain sections of his ministry. He bursts out into worship.
JT That is in keeping with the Lord’s words, “my Father and your Father ... my God and your God”. God is the final thought. “God ... all in all” (1 Corinthians 15: 28), not God all and all, but all in all. The state in the saints makes room for Him and no room for anything else.