BELIEVING ABRAHAM
[p. 431] BELIEVING ABRAHAM
Galatians 3: 9; John 8:39,40; John 8:56; Hebrews 11: 9
My remarks, dear brethren, will centre in Abraham — in Christ, of course — but Abraham will be regarded as the subject. He has a great place in Scripture, not only in the Old Testament, but also in the New. With Moses and David he has the most outstanding place in the New Testament, that is, of those honoured men, servants of God, mentioned in the Old Testament. Generally the mention of a man in the New Testament indicates his place in the service and testimony of God.
Abraham is employed, not only as an example for us of faith and works, but he is used by the Lord in the well-known parable in Luke 16. He is selected to fill a remarkable place, in a figurative way, no doubt, but still Abraham is mentioned as representing peculiar privilege in the unseen world. And the Lord elsewhere refers to him as living, saying that God is “the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Luke 20: 37); adding “For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living”. Although he is used in a symbolical way in the parable (Luke 16), yet he is brought into it, and that is not accidental. The Lord had pleasure in bringing Abraham into such distinction, mentioning even his bosom, showing that he must have been a man of great affection. Lazarus, when he died, “was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom”, Luke 16: 22. The Lord referred to Abraham in this parable as a man worthy of such mention.
It is not that the departed saints are literally employed as in their disembodied condition; it would be very fallacious to assume that they are used in a general sense. But there is nothing impossible with God, and, as it is said, He brought Moses and Elijah on to the mount of transfiguration; it was so; and that He brought up Samuel is a fact. God was acting in a special way.
[p. 432] He has a right to do this, honouring certain of His saints at the same time. It was not merely to accomplish a certain purpose in the testimony, but also included the place that they had in the divine mind; and nothing is more precious than to be held in the divine mind in this practical way. Abraham is outstanding in this respect.
So one may freely bring him forward in a service of this kind, in order that lessons may be learned from him. The first scripture read introduces him to us as “believing Abraham”. Paul by the Spirit refers to him in this way. In Romans 4: 16 he refers to him as “the father of us all”, a statement that has to be understood by the context; for God is our Father, but the Spirit of God comes down to us and speaks so as to make the truth intelligible, not, of course, to the natural mind, but to the spiritual; although it may be only of small development, as in the Corinthians. Paul said he could only speak to them as babes; but he did speak to them as christians — they were “babes in Christ”, 1 Corinthians 3: 1. Their status therefore was equal to others in Christ. One is honoured, however small his measure, as in that position.
So we have this way of divine teaching, God taking up a man like Abraham and stating that he is the father of believers; that is to be understood in the same sense in which he is said to have a bosom into which Lazarus was carried. Thus in Galatians he is “believing Abraham!” The word faithful, as in the Authorised Version, is hardly correct; it is a question of faith rather than being faithful. Faith is a word scarcely used in the Old Testament, although it is used, and Abraham is the father of all who had faith, and who have faith. Here he is “believing Abraham”, a word we should all take to heart, as other similar points, in an educational sense; such as “repenting”, that one is a “repenting sinner”, Luke 15: 7. It is not that he repented historically, at a given time, or that he believed, but that [p. 433] he is a repenting sinner and believing, as Abraham was believing.
So “believing Abraham” entering into the present dispensation, is of first-rate importance; for whilst history enters into our training and growth, it is always what we are that counts. One challenges oneself as to whether one is believing, for believers “are blessed with believing Abraham”. No believer wishes to isolate himself; of course he values individual blessings, but love is always correlative, in the growth of the christian, with other features, and would always include the brethren. Love for all saints would say that one is blessed with them, but then, blessed with all believing ones, we are “blessed with believing Abraham”.
Faith is that without which we cannot please God, but that does not simply mean that I believed in the Lord Jesus at a certain time, but that I am a believer characteristically. So in regard of assembly material, in the first great missionary journey of Paul he observed a man that had faith, before it is said that the man believed. The apostle discerned that he had faith, that is, the lame man at Lystra (Acts 14). He represents a feature of assembly material. It is useless to talk of assembly service and assembly material aside from faith; the present time is the period of faith; “God’s dispensation, ... is in faith” (1 Timothy 1: 4) — that is the principle governing it, involving faith in us. Believers are essential to the dispensation — an important thing to bear in mind, for it is the dispensation of faith.
Then the next thing is works, the accompaniment of faith. James refers to Abraham, distinguishing him, and says, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works?” James 2: 21. He alludes to Genesis 22, where it is said that he offered up Isaac, and then says: “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” (James 2: 22). So that we are in an imperfect state, a one-sided growth, where faith is assumed to exist, and perhaps does in a measure, but [p. 434] without works. The dispensation is not to be discredited by malformation. James and Paul taken together present perfection from the standpoint of which I am speaking, faith is perfected by works.
James goes on to say: “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God” James 2: 23; he has this very great distinction, which is mentioned three times. James quotes from the Old Testament when he refers to him as “the Friend of God”. It is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 20: 7 and Isaiah 41: 8. Being mentioned three times thus, it is significant: there is one man a friend of God. Is there anyone here who would elect himself out of that category? Friends of God are greatly needed at the present time.
The Lord regarded His disciples as friends, meaning that there was confidence. This remarkable appellation of Abraham, that he was the “Friend of God”, is especially to be noticed as fitting in with the remarkable testimony to the man: “believing Abraham”. Abraham being our father, and believers being blessed with him, we may well aspire to be with him, the friends of God.
Abraham signalises the truth of it on a most important occasion: he filled out the occasion by this feature. Jehovah, and the two men who came with Him, moved away; for God as in testimony is always moving on. God had turned aside to visit Abraham, who was pleasurable to Him, and He waited under the tree for Abraham to prepare Him a meal. How beautiful that is! God thus comes down to us and touches our hearts. As They move on, Abraham would go with Them on Their way. Then God says in effect, Abraham is showing still that he is My friend, and I am not going to hide from him what I do. That is, he is moving on with God; the men went on to Sodom, but Abraham still stood before Jehovah, and God opened up His thoughts to him. The patriarch remained what he [p. 435] was; it came into evidence on a great occasion that he was God’s friend. We all want to be that, I am sure; it enters into the matter of works, Abraham’s works perfecting his faith.
And in this most remarkable chapter (8) of John’s gospel we have the subject of Abraham’s works introduced. It is one of the most affecting chapters; satanic power in the reprobate Jews is showing itself throughout, so that the Lord goes so far as to say, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do” (John 8: 44). We have to do with all this; so the Lord says: “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham” (John 8: 39). You see, dear brethren, how this fits in at the present time; I have been speaking of friendship of God, God’s friends, taking sides with Him. It should appear in our prayers; speaking to Him about the powers that be, how He set them up — Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Alexander, the Caesars, how they behaved. Is it nothing to God? Is their behaviour nothing to God? It is something to God.
God took great pains with Nebuchadnezzar. He even converted him, to make him an example, no doubt, to all that were to follow in rule on the earth up to the present moment. Then there is humanity itself; although they turned from Him at Babel, God divided them up into nations for the time of the gospel; kept them within bounds, “That the blessing of Abraham might come to the nations in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith”, Galatians 3: 14. Think of the thoughts of God away back at Babel, that the nations should receive the promise of the Spirit on the principle of faith! It meant a great deal to God that they should turn from Him, and one has liberty in speaking to God about this. He likes to see us taking sides with Him in these matters.
Then think of all the divine activity to set christianity up here! The apostles, every one of them, raised up [p. 436] of God to preach the gospel, to promote the truth so that we might have it; is it nothing to Him that the great mass have turned away? It is a great deal to God and He likes to hear us speak about it and to ask Him to prolong His operations notwithstanding. There is another matter: the few who have been restored to the truth in our day, how precious they are in His eye! and we are to take sides with God in prayer about these things, and so the work goes on. Whilst borne out sovereignly, the work goes on very largely through the prayers of the saints; God works through us, that we might tell Him what we want Him to do: He loves to answer us. To one king He said, Abraham will pray for you. God knows us, we may say, by our prayers, and would call the attention of others to us.
As I was remarking as to this chapter, there is in it the terribleness of what the Lord met, Satan himself, not as he tempted Him in the wilderness, but attacking Him through the reprobate Jews; that is, apostate people as all around us now. The Lord said: “Ye are of your father the devil” (John 8: 44). The Lord did not mince matters in talking to them; “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham” (John 8: 39). That is the point: “the works of Abraham” balanced his faith so that he was “justified by faith” and “justified by works” too.
The Lord further says: “now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham” (John 8: 40). One might speak at length on that negative line; for there is much that comes up in our gatherings as to which some say, What harm is there in it? Well, the answer is, Scripture does not approve it at all. If I take the example of sports, often legalised amongst the Lord’s people for certain ages, I might say, “this did not Abraham”, and he, as our father, is a model for us. You say, how do you know he did not? I think I can show you from the passage I read.
[p. 437] The passage says of him that he “dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise” Hebrews 11: 9. Where is Esau? He was of the same age as Jacob; where was he? Why did Abraham not dwell with him? Abraham would not take a tennis-racket and go off to play a game with him. I am not at all desirous of making any young people here legal; I am only stating the truth: “this did not Abraham”. Where was Esau when Abraham dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob? This would be from the time Abraham was one hundred and sixty years of age until he died: it would be in that period. He lived only fifteen years as a contemporary of his grandson Jacob and the same period with Esau, but Esau is not mentioned as having the same honour. So if we go in characteristically for sports we shall have to do it without Abraham, and that is very sorrowful indeed.
We are obliged to get along without some who go on with these things, but we do get on without them, and have good times without them. Recently I saw an old sister who has not been attending the meetings of the saints for years, and I said to her, We have been having good times without you. Think of missing all these precious times! The brethren get on without you; they do not want to, but they get on well without you. I have no doubt Abraham had good times with Isaac and Jacob. An old man one hundred and seventy years of age: would he enjoy the companionship of that boy? He would, for it is spoken of as a matter of faith. God is pleased with suitable young people in His assembly. Some of you here may get along without the brethren, but do not forget we get along without you, too, and get on well; and heaven will get along without you if you continue an unbeliever.
Why should not Esau be included? Surely it is to call attention to this very thing; these things did not Abraham. The believing christian today does not go in for worldliness, inclusive of those things which [p. 438] parents sometimes regard as harmless. As so regarding these things, you are legalising them, and, presently your children’s conscience will become hardened, and they will not even care for your society.
Well, the Lord spoke about these things in this way: “this did not Abraham”. Then lower down: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8: 56). “Your father Abraham” — how often that could be said to young people who are going in for the world — getting into the so-called good side of it, and then moving into the bad side, becoming hardened: the devil has got you. The Lord would say: “Your father ... rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it”; he did not make little of it: “he saw it, and was glad”. That is a beautiful reference to Abraham, and I mention it now because one cannot but speak to the young I see here. The best place to speak to them is when they are in the company of the elder brethren: there is a spiritual atmosphere amongst the brethren. Abraham did not dwell in tents alone, but “with Isaac and Jacob”. The old and the young are to be together.
As I said, this is a beautiful reference. One might venture to link it up with Genesis 21, with Isaac as weaned; that is, when Christ is apprehended by the believer as detached from all that is natural. In effect, it is the believer seen in that way. It is Christ apprehended by the young people in that way. Isaac there is typically Christ, and Abraham saw him: he made a feast for him.
Sarah appears in it, which brings in another thought for sisters especially to notice; Abraham would have had joy with Ishmael as well. Sarah was in advance of her husband as to Ishmael, and God supported her. We have these issues constantly amongst us, and sometimes the sister is ahead of the brother. Abraham is enjoined to hearken to the voice of his wife. Sarah said that Ishmael must not inherit with her son. Abraham submitted to the word of God. He had made the feast [p. 439] for Isaac and he rejoiced in it, I am sure; the Lord says he “rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad”. One could hardly present him as a better example for us as christians than as rejoicing to see Christ’s day. This is not His day in that sense; His day is when He is fully known and owned. That is His day: normally christians love His appearing. You say, I love the Lord; that is very good, but after all there is not much credit in that: if you do not love the Lord you are deserving of a curse. “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha”, 1 Corinthians 16: 22. When we say, or assume, we love the Lord, it is only what should mark every christian; and no doubt it does; but then, who loves His appearing? The apostle Paul spoke of a crown which the Lord would give to all those “that love his appearing”, 2 Timothy 4: 8. So it seems to me Abraham comes in on these lines.
Then this matter of Hebrews 11; this family matter: I have anticipated it and come back to it. The Lord is stressing it at the present time. Abraham was a family man; we find him concerned about a wife for his son; and that principle is handed down through Isaac to Jacob. It is not only typical, it is a principle of the most practical account, because mixed marriages, dear brethren, are among the most baneful things that come in amongst us. Parents allow their sons and daughters to form affiliations that are not “in the Lord”; whereas marriage is to be “in the Lord”. Thus the husband or father, the head of the house and the mother with him, must insist on this, for they have authority; the Lord has given them authority, why not use it? Both Isaac and Rebecca enjoined Jacob as to this matter; Abraham causes the leading servant in his house to swear as to this matter. He would have a wholly right seed, and he has a wholly right seed in Isaac and Jacob, and he lives with them.
Esau’s wives, the daughters of Heth, “were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebecca”, Genesis 26: 35. Every [p. 440] husband and every wife of that kind brought into the family circle of faith is a grief; they cannot be anything else. Abraham is a believer, a man who looks out for the husbands and wives of those in his house; so that he has his own joys in them, not grief: he “dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him” Hebrews 11: 9. Think of having a daughter-in-law, or son-in-law, that is not an heir with one in the spiritual things that God has vouchsafed to us! “Heirs with him of the same promise” — that implies fellowship; we share together in the family, the sense of being blessed together in the family: the head of the house sharing with his son and his grandson in his old age the rich inheritance that had come down, and with which he was blessed, and with which they also were blessed. I trust this may be of practical service to us at the present time, that we may follow in the steps of our father Abraham.