THE SERVICE OF GOD TOWARDS MAN
[p. 403] THE SERVICE OF GOD TOWARDS MAN
Acts 2:14 - 18; Acts 2:37 - 47; Acts 3: 1 - 11
JT What should come before us in these meetings refers mainly to the service of God toward man. We shall, I hope, reach to the service Godward, too, as we proceed. What is in mind is that we should all have before us that there is such a service, and that we are all in mind for it. So that I thought we should perhaps take special account of Peter’s quotation from Joel, showing the variety of persons to be employed in divine service, namely, “And it shall be in the last days, saith God, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream with dreams; yea, even upon my bondmen and upon my bondwomen in those days will I pour out of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy”, Acts 2: 17, 18.
We can see what a variety is in mind; sons and daughters; young men mentioned; elders, bondmen and bondwomen. This is a quotation from Joel, and, I have no doubt, will have a more literal fulfilment in the future, but this prophecy is brought in here and not for nothing. It is evidently to show that all the saints are to be active in service, all qualified in the possession of the Spirit of God.
WL Is it your thought that this prophecy of Joel is fulfilled in the assembly at the present time?
JT It is quoted here obviously with that in mind. All the saints are in the mind of God for service.
CAM Would mentioning the last days show that at the very commencement God was looking right down church history?
JT Yes, I was thinking of that. There is such a tendency among the brethren to leave the service to [p. 404] certain ones. The increase of meetings of recent years has greatly increased the number of those who serve, young ones are brought into it. But yet the principle in the mind of God is perhaps not clearly seen — that He has all in mind.
AT Did Moses have the idea in his mind when Eldad and Medad prophesied?
JT Yes. “Would that all Jehovah’s people were prophets”, Numbers 11:29. “All”.
WR Does this convey the idea of service — the thing carried out in the Spirit of God?
JT That is one thing. “I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh”. That is not flesh, in the moral sense, it is men, women and children, but it is to be in the power of the Spirit. The Spirit had come in great power at the beginning. Peter is pointing out it is in keeping with what Joel had prophesied, because it says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave to them to speak forth”, Acts 2: 4. They were all filled. Before we get the specific gifts to the apostles, we have the Spirit filling all, and all acting accordingly — they “began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave to them to speak forth”.
CAM The very fact of filling shows there was completion in the thought.
JT That is right. It is mentioned in this liberal full way. His service began early, but now God is reserving the best for the last. Your sons and your daughters, all grades of the saints, old and young, male and female, and the young people are included, so that it says, “Even upon my bondmen and upon my bondwomen in those days will I pour out of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy” (verse 18). That is, something would be done, the thing would be understood, what God had in His mind would be done.
WL The impression given in Peter’s speaking is that God was working. They heard them speak in [p. 405] their own tongues the great things of God. I was wondering if that is in mind for us to get.
JT The great things of God, yes, quite so, and the Spirit. It was “as the Spirit gave to them to speak forth”. For they were not going beyond their measure. We are told each to know his measure in Romans. It is important that we do not go beyond it.
CAM The very fact of pouring out and filling would in itself involve the idea of measure. Would it be right to say we are vessels?
JT Quite so. They were there. We are told in John 2, “there were standing there six stone water-vessels, according to the purification of the Jews, holding two or three measures each” (verse 6). Each vessel had a measure. “Jesus says to them, Fill the water-vessels with water. And they filled them up to” the brim (verse 7).
AHP Do you think that it is important for every one of us to understand that God has positive ends in view in first touching us in divine grace?
Take the word of Moses to Pharaoh, “Let my son go, that he may serve me”, Exodus 4: 23. It is filled out in the setting up of the tabernacle system, and the divine system of worship both manward and Godward.
JT The anointing is essential. As coming in the Spirit is understood to be here in vessels, and each vessel is to be filled. The variety of vessels is what I thought we might see first, so that everyone here would understand he is not out of this. Every christian is included in the mind of God in the last days.
HB Would this be the public working out of Ephesians 4: 16? As to the organism it says, “According to the working in its measure of each one part, works for itself the increase of the body to its self-building up in love”.
[p. 406] JT Yes. The body was there in the coming in of the Spirit.
CB Do you think sometimes we are not up to this? Regarding the wide circle in which the Spirit is prepared to operate.
JT I think not. The young people are apt to leave things and take up the attitude that it is a matter for older brethren. We have the elders mentioned, but anyone can see they are not the only ones. “Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy”, the Spirit having been poured out, “Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream with dreams; yea, even upon my bondmen and upon my bondwomen in those days will I pour out of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy”. Surely Peter’s words were intended to affect his hearers!
Rem Joshua was not up to this for the moment when he asked Moses to forbid Eldad and Medad.
JT I thought that a moment ago. “Would that all Jehovah’s people were prophets”. That is the desire of a man not jealous of his brethren.
FS Would it be a good thing to overcome congregationalism by not merely being together, but all following their exercises in carrying on the service?
JT Congregationalism on the one hand and hierarchy on the other work together for the reduction of the variety of service. They work together, the congregation content with the organisation of the hierarchy for the right of speaking. This quotation is to break up all that.
EP Would the passage in 2 Kings 4: 3, “Borrow for thyself vessels abroad from all thy neighbours, empty vessels; let it not be few” fit in?
JT Just so. “Let it not be few”. You mean they were all filled. Every vessel that was brought was filled.
EP In the acceptance of Peter’s words and the apostles’ doctrine, the closing of the doors upon the vessels took place.
JT Closed upon the people that listened, yes. We may as well come to that now, what the hearers of Peter said, what questions they asked. That is the next thing — the outcome of the ministry here. They said “to Peter and the other apostles, What shall we do, brethren?” That is, another principle comes into evidence, and that is the principle of gift, apostolic authority, that those affected by the truth know, discern these. They discern those who are specially fitted. They say to Peter “and the other apostles”. I mean to say as christianity was set up and inaugurated God was working. Those in whom He worked instinctively recognised the people to whom questions should be addressed, they “said to Peter and the other apostles”. How did they know the other apostles could answer their questions? They might readily perceive that Peter could, but how did they know the others could?
SMcC In that connection is it right to ask certain brethren if they have anything before them, when we come together in temple character, addressing them personally?
JT Is it right? I think it is. I think this is a good example. They “said to Peter and the other apostles”.
SMcC You would discern in some a measure of gift.
JT There were a great many standing about, you may be sure. Three thousand affected, there may have been twice that many there or more, and eleven men standing alongside of Peter. How did they know these people could answer questions, too?
CB Would that be by the Spirit of God that they got that sense?
JT They were born again. “They were pricked in heart”. They did not have the Spirit yet. There [p. 408] is no doubt the work of God had begun in them. It was after that they discerned the work of God in others, those capable of answering questions.
CAM It is remarkable in that way, they had become like God Himself. God differentiates these persons in verse 17, shows what a range it is, including those in a position of relationship, going down even to bondmen, and when He comes to age, God is over that. These variations are wonderful, so that when they come to answer to it, they can differentiate, too.
JT Yes, if these eleven men were garbed in clerical habiliments you can understand people would see that they were intended to answer questions, but there was no evidence that they were, and yet the convicted people knew to whom to address their questions. They were not confined to Peter. They said to “Peter and the other apostles”.
SMcC Is that not one of the great evidences of the work of God, that divinely accredited authority is recognised in the ministry?
JT I think it is one of the features. It is well to bring it forward now, so that brethren should have it in their minds in ministry that special gift is required of them. We have this great variety in verse 17, and no doubt there were many sons and daughters there, bondmen and bondwomen, elders and young men. These convicted people only addressed their questions to the apostles.
JST Would that link on with Mark’s gospel, gave “to his bondmen the authority”, chapter 13: 34? Would it be recognised here?
JT The allusion is no doubt to the apostles there, but they are called bondmen. It is a remarkable passage because it shows how the work of God in people generally has a certain instinct in it. It leads them to do what is right.
Rem I was thinking of the authority that would be seen in that marked way in [p. 409] the apostles.
JT There must have been something about them, that the convicted ones discerned. We are told at the beginning in verse 14, “But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spoke forth to them”. That was the levitical thought, what was to govern the position, that the ministry was to be marked by gift. These apostles were fitted and gifted men and Peter stood up in relation to them, although amongst others who could speak, too, as we are told, they spoke to one another the wonderful things of God. “We hear them speaking in our own tongues the great things of God” (verse 11). There were many others there, but the convicted ones did not address their questions to them.
GM The presence of the Spirit made perfect order on that line.
JT It seems the Spirit being present and working, even though some were not indwelt by the Spirit, they discern the order, that these twelve men had a special place, meaning they represent those commissioned specially for service.
WR There is an absence of officialism. The twelve would merge with the brethren. They “said to Peter and the other apostles, What shall we do, brethren?” (verse 37).
JT That was just an ordinary form of address.
Jews would use that expression. It is “What shall we do, brethren?” Meaning these speakers were Jews, they were not yet christians. They would just address them as Jewish brethren, but they discerned in them something different from the ordinary.
AT Does this link on with the Corinthian setting, what God has set in the assembly authoritatively? The apostles come first.
JT That is exactly what is in mind. It is not stated here, but Paul brings it out. You may read what the specific gifts are in 1 Corinthians 12.
EP I was thinking of the words of the centurion,
“[p. 410] For I also am a man placed under authority”, Luke 7: 8. The element of obedience was coming into view as the result of Peter’s speaking.
JT He discerned the Lord was under authority as he himself was. Now these people evidently discerned the apostles’ authority. So you read in 1 Corinthians 12: 28, “And God has set certain in the assembly: first, apostles; secondly, prophets; thirdly, teachers; then miraculous powers; then gifts of healings; helps; governments; kinds of tongues”. These are all specific gifts. Some are sign gifts, others like apostles and prophets are spiritual gifts. So we can see that whilst we all would have the Spirit — every believer in principle has the Spirit in a general way — yet we have to differentiate, there is the idea of special gifts and commissions, that we are brought into an authoritative state of things.
SMcC Do you feel that there is a need for the liberation of the work of God from elements of spiritual darkness in these last days, that we might recognise what is rightly clothed with divine authority in the ministry? If the work of God is hampered by the working of things in us, as it is in the professing system all around us, we will not see what bears the stamp of divine authority.
JT We have to own there is very little of it, but still as has been remarked, He has given to His bondmen the authority. Their office is not the point, it is what you see in them, their position as bondmen. Although John the evangelist was an apostle, “he signified it, sending by his angel, to his bondman John”, Revelation 1: 1. Even John there is only a bondman.
JRH Would you say if we are moving in living exercise there will be the recognition of gift?
JT That is good. That is important. We have been noting the variety in verse 17, God pouring out of His Spirit upon all flesh, that is not specific gift,
[p. 411] that is the great general thought, the profuseness of the pouring out of the Spirit in the last days. Alongside of that you have these twelve men, they are recognised by the converts as able to answer their questions. So that I think it brings us down now to authoritative teaching, because the early converts, we are told, “persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles”. They had discernment, the work of God moved in that way, they had discernment as to authoritative teaching.
JRH These people did not have the Spirit yet but they were in very real exercise, were they not?
JT They were. They knew the kind of persons to ask. These eleven men had said nothing, as far as the passage goes to show, but they could see there was something there. They addressed their questions to them as well as Peter.
JST They did not only listen to the authority as spoken by the apostles, but they moved in the doctrine, in the authority, as persevering in the apostles’ teaching.
JT After they came into the truth, they persevered in the apostles’ teaching, showing there was a force against that. The enemy’s work was against their teaching.
SMcC Is this not an important question, “What shall we do, brethren?” A readiness in the spirit of obedience to take on what is ministered, and to get help in relation to it.
JT It is a good thing to prompt and promote the idea of questioning, but to know to whom to address your questions.
WL I suppose you would say the apostles were apostles because they themselves had taken on these things in a positive way. They had taken on this teaching of the Lord.
JT They had been with Him. [p. 412] Quite so.
JRH As to this matter of asking some particular person. You sometimes find in meetings of temple character saints seem disposed to address themselves to all. Is that right?
JT It is not right. It is a mistake in that the temple of God should be clearly before us and that its existence is based on the fact that the Holy Spirit is amongst us. The Spirit that dwells in you, that ought to be clearly kept in mind. Alongside of that you have these specific gifts, set not in the body, but in the assembly; not in the temple, but in the assembly. The temple is just the idea there is light there, and the primary thought of a shrine was that you could go there and have your questions answered. This passage in Acts 2 shows the kind of persons that are questioned. The twelve apostles belonged to the temple, but they had distinction in this matter of understanding and authority.
SMcC Do you make any difference between the local meeting and the meeting where the brethren come in from other parts?
JT Well, I do, I should a little. It is well to make as much latitude as possible in these local meetings so that all shall come into the thing, but the idea of ability ought always to be provided for, because it is in the gift that God gives that the working out of it is clearly seen.
JST There is a desire to see everyone filled with the Holy Spirit, a desire to see what God has given being free to operate.
JT The pouring out — of the Spirit upon all flesh would suggest brothers and sisters alike sitting down together recognising the Spirit. That is the basis of the temple. The working out of the temple requires gift, the questioning of the persons who could answer the questions and would answer them. “They persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles”.
WR Would you say that the Lord recognised [p. 413] that early, at the age of twelve? He is in the midst of the doctors both hearing and asking questions.
JT Quite so, that is the doctrine.
DeB Is there a danger of us not recognising the gifts?
JT I have seen it. There is a certain communistic element — a levelling element that would ignore gift altogether. Have we not all got the Spirit? They all have the Spirit, but Peter did not stand up with all who had the Spirit, but with the eleven.
WW Gifts are given to edify the whole body. We are not edified unless we recognise the gifts.
JT Quite so. So that we are told not to quench the Spirit.
APT Is it not well to get this matter of 1 Corinthians 12 more in our minds as to the public side?
JT The public side requires the anointing, in the sense of commission and gift. “How shall they preach unless they have been sent?” Romans 10: 15. Peter stands up as one sent of God.
CB Would that spirit you speak of be illustrated in Dathan and Abiram in their rebellion against Moses?
JT You mean the spirit of opposition to gift.
Quite so.
JWD Do you think if there is a proper understanding of the temple, distinctive gift would be in evidence in the locality?
JT Quite so. It is clear from this passage that the divine order in the economy as regards ministry is qualified persons “sent” and they recognise one another, they recognised he stood up with the eleven.
WW You mean to say that lack of recognition of gift leads to confusion?
JT It robs us of what God has for us, brought through them.
HB Would the principle be seen in Bezaleel and [p. 414] Aholiab, that special gift would fit in today by the Spirit of God?
JT Yes, they were specially fitted for that special work, to put things together that the people brought.
DeB When it says that all may be edified, I suppose if we leave the divine rule it works out in the opposite way.
JT If we leave the divine rule and order I am sure there is confusion and the saints are robbed of what God has for them.
WL Would you make a distinction between the Spirit as being poured out on the principle of the anointing, and the receiving of the Spirit?
JT Yes, quite so. It is the pouring out here on the principle of the anointing, the external side. Peter conveys to his hearers that there is authority with him. He says, “Men of Judaea, and all ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give heed to my words”, Acts 2: 14. “To my words” — that man knows what he is saying, he has God behind him. He is a sent man. “My words”.
Elijah says the same to Ahab. “And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, As Jehovah the God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except by my word”, 1 Kings 17: 1. There is a man conscious he is commissioned to represent God.
JST There is a beautiful word in Daniel 10: 9. “And I heard the voice of his words”. I was wondering if this passage would link on with it, as carrying a certain personality, the authority being linked up with the word.
JT This passage in Acts 2 contains all the main features of the dispensation, initially that is: first, all present sitting down together in one place at one time. The Spirit comes in in that connection. We are reminded there that the Spirit expects us to be all together at that particular time given, if we are to [p. 415] get what is available and He sat on each one, each person is in mind, as you say, each personality. It is one of the most interesting things amongst us, and then they “began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave to them to speak forth”. They did not go beyond that, they recognised that that was the power. Then this position of Peter with the eleven calling attention to the special gift and commission amongst them. There are only twelve of them. These twelve were recognisable by those in whom God was working. That is the great general position. Then the result of their work, how those who believed “persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles”. They recognised the authority in the teaching of the apostles.
CAM Would you say that one of the great marks of a gifted man would be the power, and the living meaning of the prophetic word that a man of God could give? Is not that one of the marks of gift?
JT I think it is. Those in whom God is working recognise it. That is one thing I thought we might see: how that all are included in the coming in of the Spirit. Every vessel filled, at least every vessel anointed and then every one of them speaking “with other tongues as the Spirit gave to them to speak forth”. They began at once to recognise their measure, and the power of the Spirit, that there was no other power. Then Peter standing up with the eleven calling attention to the specific gift that God had provided for the commencement of the testimony.
EP Would it be right to say that in Luke 4: 16 when the Lord stood up in the synagogue of Nazareth He was the anointed preacher? But you not only have the anointed preacher, but the anointed vessel.
JT The whole number, you mean, quite so; the assembly corresponding to Christ in that sense, only that there He says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach glad tidings to the poor”. Peter answers to that in that he was anointed to preach.
JWD Do you think that Peter standing up with the eleven would in a way govern the whole principle in which gift operates today?
JT We have very little of it now; as we often say, there is light in going back to the beginning, and we walk in that light so that we discern anything there is according to that. Peter standing up with the eleven calls attention to specially qualified persons standing up to minister. As Paul says in Romans 10: 15, “how shall they preach unless they have been sent?” and then we have the recognition of these features by those in whom God has been working and then the result in them in that they persevered in the teaching of these twelve men.
CAM So that when it comes to our meetings they are not just bible classes. We might, as far as that is concerned, read any commentary on Scripture. God’s idea is to send some specific person, such as to the eunuch. He had the prophetic word in front of him, but God had a certain means of illuminating it to him.
JT “How should I then be able unless someone guide me?” Acts 8: 31. He was instinctively right, too, “unless someone guide me”. That is the principle of these twelve men, they can answer questions.
EF They said here to Peter and the eleven, which was general. If we are holding special meetings at any special time and have in mind recognising gift, and we have a number of brethren who are helpful, what would you say would govern us in inviting any one of them?
JT It is ability, of course, whether he is qualified for the service you have in mind. The idea of inviting does not come in as early as this, of course, but it comes in in chapters 9 and 10. Then it comes in in chapter 16. In chapter 9 they sent for Peter, in [p. 417] chapter 10 Cornelius sent for Peter, he was told to do so by a revelation from heaven. Then in Paul’s case a man of Macedonia was seen in a vision “standing and beseeching him, and saying, Pass over into Macedonia and help us”. Why did he not go to Peter? He went to the man who was most qualified for the work. So earlier when Peter was sent for, it was because he was the man qualified for the work. Evidently there were other apostles but they were not sent for, he was.
EF If there are several gifts available, would you say that the Lord would indicate someone to us, that He would come in for us?
JT I think He would. Would such and such a brother be able to help us at the present time, that should underlie our invitation.
EF Being simple about the matter, too?
JT Quite so.
JH Would it be a matter taken up in care or would you leave it until the occasion?
JT I do not quite follow ‘until the occasion’. If you invite a man you expect him to be there, do you not?
JH You mean the thing should be taken up in care first.
JT Quite so, if you are going to invite him, certainly, “come over into Macedonia and help us”. It would be the brethren in a place wanted help, not simply to have an annual meeting, that ought to be understood, an annual meeting is nothing in itself. The very thought of an annual meeting is not spiritual.
CAM I suppose if we keep to routine like that God might come in as in the death of Dorcas, some person living on religious status. It was then they wakened up. They thought it was disastrous that she had died. Here is a spiritual man within reach, they say you must come to us.
JT Quite so, they were most urgent about it.
[p. 418] He did two things in coming. He got Aeneas to make his bed and he raised up Dorcas. Each one respectively and locally. The thing is a living and ordered state of things, that is what Peter accomplished by his visit.
WL Would you say that local need has a great deal to do with the availability of gift?
JT Local need, quite so. What can a man do?
What is he capable of? Would not he be a good man for this particular state of things? Our condition is varying all the time. This meeting will not be the same a week hence as it is now. There are constant variations, constant changes, emergencies arising. You want to know what kind of a brother would be helpful to us, more particularly. We need help, come over and help us.
CB Would it take the whole twelve to meet the condition of things?
JT I think the number would mean God had enough to meet emergencies. It is the idea of manipulation, God can use these men, they are available, they are amenable to divine requirements. They are ready to go at any time, “Here am I; send me”,
GM Is it a man’s history that qualifies him? Peter had a different history from Paul.
JT You mean his history brings out what he is, quite so.
JWD One has been at meetings where perhaps the only brother who could function levitically was the one specially asked, which made it difficult to develop the truth. I was thinking of Ezra, he had thirteen levites with him to support him in giving the people to understand the reading.
JT They helped him.
JWD There should be those present with gift to support the one specially [p. 419] asked.
JT That is how God is blessing His people all over, just on that principle.
SMcC In connection with the fellowship meetings in the province here and the fellowship meetings in Detroit and Royal Oak, should there be concern that levitical ability should be invited specifically to these meetings?
JT I think so. That is what we were just remarking as regards the Macedonian man. Why did he go to Paul? There are plenty of others. He was the one best calculated to help them.
SMcC It has been suggested that the general invitation sent out should cover all that, but that would hardly be sufficient?
JT I do not think so. I think what we are speaking of now shows men are fitted for certain work and the saints should discern it. God helps, because in all these cases there was divine guidance. In Acts 10 in Peter’s case there certainly was: but in Acts 9 the message was evidently because they knew he could do the work. They sent specifically to him and he came.
AMcD Paul would say, “Take Mark, and bring him with thyself, for he is serviceable to me for ministry”, 2 Timothy 4: 11.
JT Exactly, that is good. He was a suitable man for the ministry.
JWD I was wondering if we had any scriptural basis for calling brethren together to our localities for any other reason than to gather to a gift for ministry.
JT It does not seem so, not a general meeting. The local phraseology is “when ye come together in assembly”. That is not a general meeting, that is a local meeting. A general meeting is for ministry and according to Nehemiah 8, and these passages we are alluding to here, it is that persons qualified by God should help us and that is what is in mind, I am [p. 420] sure.
SMcC Do you make any difference in regard to any part where the brethren might be all together and seeing each other a good deal all the time? Do you make any difference in that regard? Take the New Jersey and New York area where the brethren are in close proximity to each other, does it make any difference in regard to the inviting of special levitical ability in the area?
JT I think not. A man is what he is, in ministering amongst his local brethren or otherwise; but, of course, if there are twelve men there is variety, there must be variety with twelve men. So that you would get another element in the thing, you get variety, another view, another kind of brother than those you have. Perhaps you do not follow what I mean.
SMcC The question then would be as to whether we are prepared to make room for the best that would be there, is it?
JT If, under the Lord, you invite a brother thinking he is the man to help you at a particular time, then you ought to make way for him.
RWS Is that determined in a meeting for care?
JT “In the multitude of counsellors there is safety”, Proverbs 24: 6. I think so. The Lord helps us. The Lord enters into all these things. We get guidance in all these matters.
DrW May I ask if you would help us further on the question of annual meetings? Is it not so that most of our meetings are occasioned by public holidays which are more or less annual, like the meeting here?
JT Yes, but if it is regarded as an annual affair it is apt to become a distinguishing feature in the town and loses its lustre. In truth it ought to be an occasion for today and for today only. You want freshness.
CAM In that regard is it not remarkable how the Lord is helping the saints by the month, the idea of the month; and assembly light like the lunar idea [p. 421] seems to be stressed by the Lord at the present time? Would you say that?
JT The spiritual year, the divine year, was shorter than the lunar or calendar year of twelve months. The spiritual year was eleven months. I think there must be something in that for spiritual freshness. It is not an annual affair governed by the revolution of the sun or earth. It is a spiritual matter, it refers really to sowing and reaping. It refers to the fruit of the earth.
CAM In Revelation 22:2 it says, “the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, in each month yielding its fruit”. In the first part of Luke’s gospel where the feminine side is so wonderfully stressed — after so many months had gone by certain things happened, and the prophetic ministry came on the scene.
JT I am glad you bring up the question of the months; it only confirms what we are saying, that it is freshness. Every month had its own fruit from the tree of life, variety right through to the end. You would not have the same fruit in November as January or March. The divine thought was freshness from the tree of life in every month. The allusion to “the acceptable year of the Lord” that is not the seven-month year, but the fullest year you can get, every month is fresh. So in Solomon’s realm there were twelve princes who provided food for every month, showing that from that point of view the year is lengthened out to the limit, but there is freshness in every month. Nothing stale, it was not an annual occasion. A different man to provide the food from the one who provided it the previous month. There are twelve distinct princes providing food for twelve distinct months. That is important because you get freshness.
WR You see the thing singled out here, in this setting, to each day, do you not? Acts 2: 46. “And every day, being constantly in the temple with one [p. 422] accord, and breaking bread in the house, they received their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God”. It is a daily matter, too, is it not?
JT Quite so, but this is a matter of months, it is well to consider it because it shows that if we have annual meetings they ought to take on a monthly variation of food. It is not simply the locality is distinguished by this meeting every year. Rochester has an annual meeting. They do not want to allocate to this any distinction because they invite their brethren every year. We want to see freshness, not simply we have so many brethren invited and we provide food for them. Is there freshness? There was a prince for every month in Solomon’s time to provide food for that month. So the tree of life provided fresh food for every month.
JWD Is the basis of it spiritual prosperity in a locality? Is it not very unsuitable for a meeting where there was a great local dissension among the brethren to call brethren together on the monthly principle you suggest?
JT Quite so.
APT The Lord in John sets aside the ordinary Jewish calendar and brings in freshness. “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water”, John 7: 38.
JT That was an annual occasion. John refers to the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of the Passover, but the Lord makes nothing of them. His brethren said, Come up to this feast. That is the idea, just an annual affair, that is all that was in their minds.
But, “My time is not yet come”, John 7: 6.
DeB Is there a danger with us that it might become, as it was at that time, a feast of the Jews?
JT That is what I was thinking. The Lord says, “My time is not yet come”. They say that if a man is distinguished he ought to go up and show himself.
The Lord says, “but your time is always ready”,
John 7: 6. That shows these occasions must come [p. 423] from God. There must be spiritual power behind them or else they are nothing.
EP Do you think the testimony of Peter’s is like the blowing with the trumpet “in your new moons”?
JT Quite so, it was the new moon.
SMcC Is it not in God’s thoughts at the very outset, “this month shall be unto you the beginning of months”, Exodus 12: 2?
JT Quite so.
Dr. W. Is it not so that the brethren in Great Britain look forward with great anticipation to every annual occasion and are most thankful for these occasions?
JT They happen to be annual but in truth they are on the principle that I am speaking of. They are not in the same place every year. There is a new set of brethren with a new set of exercises underneath every one of them.
Dr. W. Is it not so that the brethren look forward to them?
JT I am sure they look forward to them but it is on the principle we are speaking of. The spiritual underlies it every time. It is a new occasion every time. A new occasion, new locality, fresh brethren and the Spirit of God uses that. It is not simply an annual matter, in fact it is a different time of the year. We might say, too, nearly every meeting is on a different date, showing it is movable.
CAM Of course, the idea of months is to fill out the acceptable year. So the brethren grow in this, they are further on spiritually. So that this matter of the months means that the saints are coming into the light of the assembly. It is the moon, the lunar calendar.
JWD Historically the annual meetings at Quemerford ceased because the monthly features were not in evidence.
JT The princely element had gone; the princes [p. 424] of Solomon that provided food were put down as Ben So-and-So; Ben is son, which is sonship entering into it. Some of them were sons-in-law to Solomon, showing that there was a peculiar kind of freshness linked with Solomon in the whole matter.
JRH Do you think we are wise to give up the idea of the annual thought and keep to the monthly side of the matter, that is if there is fresh exercise on every occasion?
JT I think we should give up the annual thought altogether, it is the moral side of the matter. Good and well, there is a meeting at Rochester or Detroit, but let us keep to the spiritual side, it is an emergency meeting. There is need and it is being met.
JRH You pointed out a little while ago the idea of it being crystallised.
DrW Is it not so that most of us are governed by the holidays, or church festivals during the year, such as Easter, Christmas?
JT You are not governed if you are spiritual by Christmas-time or the New Year. If we are with God that is nothing, it is only an instance that enables us to bring in the spiritual thought and holy freshness, that is the idea. I believe the allusion to the tree of life in Revelation 22, and Solomon’s princes providing food, is very instructive. You have always got something fresh, suitable to each month.
CAM As far as the holiday is concerned, in the States they have gone on and on making holidays so that we have got one practically every month. God can make them do anything He wants.
APT So that we do not mind, they can have all the holidays they want. You are pressing the thought of being on spiritual lines.
JT If you get Ben-Hur, he was one of the men, he represents spiritual power, that is the thing to keep in mind. He is thinking of that, he is princely [p. 425] in what he is doing. He is the son of someone, he carries that thought, Ben is son.
JST So that where the brethren are together in care they would take advantage of all these helps to see that they came.
JT It is a spiritual matter with us. Christmastime is nothing. It is simply an opportunity that God has given us.
JWD Then you have a lot of these Ben’s, they looked after the territory on the other side of the Jordan. These all had to yield.
JRH What has been said would apply to what are called quarterly meetings also.
JT Quite so, it is really the heavenly coming in to the regulations of the sun coming round, “And let them be for signs, and for seasons”, Genesis 1: 14. God set the sun and the moon and He made the stars also; all these heavenly bodies are for seasons and for times. So that, although men set the days, we are to bring the heavenly into them. After all they are God’s days.
SMcC The Lord says to help the disciples in John 4: 35, “Do not ye say, that there are yet four months and the harvest comes? Behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes and behold the fields”, etc.
JT Quite so, the work of God was there without waiting for the four months.
CAM Is it not remarkable the way the Lord is emphasising to the saints today the things that have been brought to our attention such as the ordinances of the heavens? This matter of personality referring back to what came up in these meetings about asking gifts, and so forth, do you not think it tests our knowledge of personalities amongst the saints? We can hold forth in a natural way about our differences, but how well are we acquainted with different personalities spiritually?
JT One of the great principles of Scripture is personalities. The mount of transfiguration was to [p. 426] bring out personality. Three men were selected to go up with the Lord and then two men came out of heaven. The kingdom of God is marked out by personality. Paul says, “I, Paul”. John says, “I, John”. Daniel says, “I, Daniel”. These are personalities, they are supposed to be known by the saints. “I, Paul” is an appeal to our knowledge of Paul so that he comes into our minds under certain circumstances.
WL Would you say that is one reason why we receive the Spirit so that we have spiritual discernment?
JT Quite so. We have “the crowd of names” at the beginning of chapter 1. Every name has a distinction. You could pick him out. There is a man good for something. I know that man. Jehovah Himself says, “I know him”. He is a personality, I know Abraham. “If any man love God, the same is known of him”. That is, the personality is known by God, so that the saints are to be acquainted with one another, so that when emergencies come up, I know that brother, he is good for that particular service. David says of Ahimaaz, “He is a good man, and comes with good news”, 2 Samuel 18: 27.
SMcC Barnabas knew what Saul could do. He went and sought him.
JT Very good.
APT You get the highest thought in the concluding part of this chapter.
JT You get the great general thought of the dispensation, authoritative preachers and converts, and how they were affected by the persons through whom they were converted — the apostles. They would proceed into this happy, blessed state of things to which God and the Lord would add.
DrW Something has been said about the recognition of gifts. Say something about prophecy, visions and [p. 427] dreams.
JT We only referred to verse 17 to show how in a great general way God intends all the saints to understand they are to be useable; and He is qualifying them. “But to each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of the Christ”, Ephesians 4: 7. Here we have prophecy stressed, which is always a necessity, and it is today. God is helping us on these lines. “Follow after love, and be emulous of spiritual manifestations, but rather that ye may prophesy”, 1 Corinthians 14: 1. It is one important thing that is always urgent, because it brings God to our souls and edifies the assembly, so that you get four women who prophesied in Philip’s daughters. They did the thing, they are not called prophetesses, they are persons who did the thing. They prophesy.
DeB Prophecy is always the thought that one would have the truth for the moment.
JT And the mind of God. Prophetic ministry brings that to your soul. “God is indeed amongst you”, you are convicted and fall down and worship God, and say, “God is indeed amongst you”.
RWS Even the giving of thanks for the food would be a fresh expression, not just a stereotyped giving of thanks. “They received their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people”.
JT You see how that links on with Solomon’s year, the men supplying the food. We shall have to leave the third chapter. If we have time we will go on to it. It is the best of the twelve in mind, they are the best of the best, you might say, and the best kind of a result. We might be able to touch that tomorrow, God willing.