INTIMACY
[p. 202] INTIMACY
Genesis 45:12 - 15; 2 Kings 2:4; 2 Kings 2:6; 2 Kings 2:8-14; Romans 16:16
I have in mind to speak about intimacy, first as with the Lord, and then spiritual intimacy with one another. I may say at the outset that what underlies this intimacy is love — a known love. John speaks not only of what may have been heard of by way of testimony, but of a known love. He speaks of love first as known objectively, as he says, “because he has laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16); but if that knowledge is to be maintained, it must be by the Spirit; hence John in his epistle brings in the Spirit, saying, “Hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, that he has given to us of his Spirit”, 1 John 4:13. The Canticles correspond somewhat with John’s first epistle; it treats of love, but not what I would call a known love. It would be impossible to understand what might be called the emotional, or poetical books of the Old Testament except as we understand love. As reading them, we are enabled, through having love by the Spirit, to fill out, so to speak, the blanks. The most casual reader of the Canticles will observe a certain uneasiness in the feminine speaker; settled peace through redemption was not known, and the Holy Spirit was not given. The state of many a believer at the present time corresponds; love is known to exist in Christ, but through ignorance and carelessness it is not known as in union with Christ. No one really can know love in continuity except as in union, and when I use that word it is not as having any special light upon it beyond that it involves the possession of the Spirit, which is really elementary; the possession of the Spirit underlies union.
[p. 203] There is in Romans the idea of a descending love and there is also the idea of an ascending love. It is in the maintenance of these two thoughts in power in the soul that union is understood and love known as a permanent possession. If the ascent does not correspond with the descent, something has intervened, for, to use a simple figure, water always rises to its own level; hence the love of God that is shed abroad in the heart of the believer by the Spirit is intended to return to its source. In Romans 5 it is seen in its descent; it is a pure, holy, untainted, and untaintable stream; it comes in there on the line of the administration of the Lord; it is His glory to bring it into our hearts, and so it is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us. I refer to that particularly because God notifies us, as it were, at the outset as to the incoming of love that it is brought in by the Holy Spirit and shed abroad in our hearts. Having it in the heart we look at everything that seems to be adverse in this world as in our favour: “tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us”. Romans 5:4,5.
Then in chapter 8 the Spirit is spoken of as the Spirit of adoption. It is the Spirit of God’s Son really, and what marks it as such is ascent — “whereby we cry, Abba, Father”. Romans 8:15. In the light of John 20 we can understand how the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of sonship) as indwelling us moves towards the Father, and so as the chapter proceeds we are told that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to purpose”. Romans 8:28. It is not only specified things, but all things, and they work together. Those who love God — the water thus rising to its level — are of such interest to Him now that “all things work together for good”. There is [p. 204] thus a constant movement of the Spirit of God — the descending and the ascending movement which ensures the permanency of love in a living way in the heart of the Christian. I do not proceed beyond that as regards union; that is the basis of it. Romans gives us the principle of things. The germ of everything is in Romans to be worked out later; hence the value of that epistle.
The emotional books of the Old Testament, as I took the liberty of calling them, are only understood and enjoyed by those who know love. In that way they become a constant delight to the soul; and I may say here that one knows very little of spiritual emotions and one is assured that what one knows as to oneself is, alas! general. The emotional books are the very heart of Scripture. It is well to have light, but God looks for emotion; not the movements of the flesh, surely, but the emotions which the Holy Spirit would produce in relation to God and in relation to Christ. Even Romans gives us examples of spiritual emotion; at the end of chapter 11, and again at the end of chapter 16, we find instances. I refer to that because one would desire to see substance in what is presented to God.
The Lord in John’s gospel reaches quickly the thought of the worship of the Father; He reaches it as having brought in the Spirit, not as in the way of shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts, but as the power for the purification of the affections. John presents to us the Holy One, and to have part with Him implies holiness; but before we can have holiness we must have purity, for holiness is in advance of purity. Elihu in the book of Job chapter 37:6 says, “For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth”. Job 37:6. That refers in type to the life of Jesus as a witness on the part of God to the purity that He looks for. John 4 explains how that purity is to be brought about: “The water that I shall give him [p. 205] shall be in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life”. John 4:14. Immediately upon that He speaks about the worship of the Father; He says, “God is a spirit”. That; is a word we do well to take notice of. We have to do with God, and God is a Spirit. The Lord had laid the foundation for it in His discourse with Nicodemus, “that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”; John 3:6 and He had said that one had to be born of water. Being born of water is negative, but if I have the Spirit as a fountain in me, that is not negative but positive, and in the power of it I can worship God “in spirit and in truth”. John 4:24. Then, as I said, holiness is in advance of that. Holiness is in the Holy Spirit. John does not use the expression Holy Spirit often; where he does use it, it is in reference to the state of the saints. Thus in chapter 1 we have, “He it is who baptises with the Holy Spirit”. John 1:33. In chapter 20 He says, “Receive ye Holy Spirit”. John 20:22. I dwell upon that because it is so essential, if we are to worship God, that it should be a holy worship, and that can only be as the Holy Spirit sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts.
Now having said that I would like to refer for a moment to Joseph, because he is a type of the Lord as adjusting relations between brethren, and in the adjustment we are led on to the thought of intimacy. Joseph appeals to them, and says, “Behold your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you”. He had spoken roughly to them before. Some of us know what that means, and it may be that some of us need to be spoken roughly to even now. It is no unkindness, for “faithful are the wounds of a friend”, Proverbs 27:6. Joseph not only spoke roughly to them, but he had put them in custody. It is no kindness for those who are in any way governed by self-will to be allowed liberty among the people of God; it is neither kind to themselves nor to the people of God.
[p. 206] It indicates impotency, if one is allowed to move about at large who is governed by self-will. God would not have it so; He has given us the means of limiting such. Joseph had those means and he employed them, and it led to repentance and to recovery; it led to the acknowledgment of the rights and affections of a father and to the rights and affections of a brother. Without these, there can be no peace among the people of God. As Judah, representing the ten, acknowledges the rights and affections of the father and the affections of the brother, Joseph makes himself known; Genesis 44:18 - 34; chapter 45:1. The Lord cannot own us otherwise. The way is then open for intimacy. Joseph calls attention to his mouth; “it is my mouth”, he says, “that speaketh unto you”.
Then it says, “he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck”. Benjamin represents the brother; he had no part in the crime, but he had to suffer with those who committed it. We may thank God if there is a Benjamin where there has been general departure. Benjamin comes in for a special recognition. The Lord is perfectly just, and Benjamin has the first embrace. The balances of the sanctuary are beyond any human balances; they are divine, and the Lord is infinitely fair in the bestowal of His affections: “Mary”, He says, “hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her”. Luke 10:42. No doubt she would share it with others, for love is ready to share, but it is hers; she never loses it; it is the reward of devotedness.
But Joseph kissed all his brethren too. Esau says to Isaac, “Bless me — me also, my father”. Genesis 27:34. Isaac typically is Christ risen, and we are told that “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau”. Hebrews 11:20. He had more than one blessing, but there is a special one for devotedness. The Lord says to Philadelphia, “I will [p. 207] make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee”. Revelation 3:9. Think of that — the recompense of love! “If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned”. Song of Songs 8:7. The Lord knows how to value it. Then it says, “He kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them”. Benjamin wept upon his neck, but we are not told that the ten wept upon his neck, but after Joseph kissed them we read that “his brethren talked with him”.
May I enquire, especially of the young ones here, have you ever talked with the Lord? You get it in Canticles, as I was remarking. He says, “Let me hear thy voice”. Song of Songs 2:14. It is not taking up well-known phraseology, that is not talking with the Lord at all, He has heard that before many a time; what He looks for is the outcome of love — freshness — like the Psalmist, “My heart is inditing a good matter; 1 speak of the things which I have made touching the King”. Psalm 45:1. What about that?
The Lord’s supper is really the expression of the love of Christ; it corresponds with the kiss of Joseph. The intent of it is to maintain continual freshness in our hearts. The love of Christ is as fresh and vigorous as it was when He died. “That ye may know”, says the apostle, “the love of Christ which passeth knowledge”, Ephesians 3:16 - 19. It is like the fresh jawbone of the ass which Samson used, as one has often remarked. The Lord’s supper brings the death of Christ very near, as near as if it were today; that is the intent of it, so that there should be a corresponding freshness in our souls. Hence it says, “after that his brethren talked with him”. They had talked with him before in the way of remonstrance, in the way of importunity and in the way of confession, but now it is a question of liberty.
We are not told what they said. The point is not what we say to the Lord, but that we are speaking [p. 208] with Him, that we have liberty of soul with Him — we have something to say to Him. The natural memory is of no value at all in the things of God; the principle is five words with the understanding. Two things are spoken of in the first epistle to the Corinthians — ten thousand instructors (1 Corinthians 4: 15), and ten thousand words; 1 Corinthians 14: 19. Beware of these! It is one father and five words. These are the features that stand out against the ten thousand instructors and ten thousand words. The Lord does not need the ten thousand words, but the five words spoken with the understanding will be for the edification of the assembly.
Well, as we said, Joseph’s brethren talked with him after he had kissed and wept upon them. That is what I would call a family scene. It was private, for Joseph had said, “Cause every man to go out from me” Genesis 45:1; nevertheless as he wept aloud the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. It is like the music in Luke 15, hints of it should go abroad. There are such things as adjusted family relations, and reciprocated affections, and everyone should know something about these. It is not that you cast your pearls before swine, but Joseph raised his voice in weeping and the Egyptians heard it.
Now I want to say a word on the scripture we read in the book of Kings as to intimacy with the Lord in regard of His interests. We are admitted into the family circle as adjusted, and “perfect love casteth out fear”, 1 John 4:18 so that we have liberty to speak to the Lord, but now, what about the interests of the Lord?
Elijah in a special way represents Christ here as the vessel of the testimony of God. He stood for it. I do not refer to his breakdown; that is not the point here. If God reinstates a man in His service, it is not for us to question. Elijah is in the full vigour of service and he begins with Gilgal, the first great feature of God’s testimony as Israel entered into the land. Then he goes to Bethel, the next great feature, for the house is always in prospect, indeed it was a long-known thought in Israel from the days of Jacob. Then he goes to Jericho, representing the power of God as overthrowing the world; and then to Jordan. The Lord is infinitely interested in every phase of the testimony of God, and in recovery nothing is omitted. We may overlook and ignore things, but the Lord never does. Elisha may be taken to represent one interested in the testimony. It is not now a question of family relationships; that does not appear here at all. Elijah had been told to anoint Elisha, it was a question of the testimony; so what is seen first of all in Elisha is respectful regard for Elijah, and as I was remarking lately, instead of anointing Elisha, Elijah casts his mantle upon him; it was for Elisha to fill that in his service. It is surely a matter of great concern, for no one can enter rightly into service who has not a model before him. You may think you are doing well, preaching well, and speaking well, but what about that model? What about that cloak? Have you come up to that? That is the principle of the testimony of God, and your safety is in clinging to the Lord; He says, “Learn from me”. Matthew 11:29. You may learn from Levites who have been longer in the service, but the great model is the Lord, and let us never have a lower standard before us; God has no lower standard. The equipment is available, but if we come short of it, let us admit it, and the admission will be our salvation. So Elisha clings to Elijah, intimating that he discerned in Elijah the divine thought.
Christ is the divine thought of a vessel; Luke presents that to us. Elijah tests Elisha: he says, “Tarry here”; but Elisha says, “As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee”. One would take that home to one’s heart; it is the essence [p. 210] of our salvation in regard of the testimony of God. That principle is to work out in every bit of service that we render. Elijah tests Elisha at every point, and finally they went on, intimacy becoming more evident, and they cross the Jordan. I cannot dwell upon it; it is a wonderful theme. I connect it with the epistle to the Colossians, for now intimacy is to be in correspondence with the Lord — with Christ; that is the principle of Colossians, correspondence in obscurity, going out of sight. The word ‘hidden’ is a feature of Colossians. Things are hidden; our very life is said to be “hid” with Christ in God. That saves us from all desire or effort to be conspicuous in any way. If there be a feature in us which is inconsistent with the Lord, He will talk to us; but there cannot be free intercourse with the Lord until we are restored. Elijah and Elisha walked and talked together. If there be correspondence with the Lord, then it is mutual. There is nothing more blessed than mutual communications with the Lord — intimate intercourse with Him.
In verse 11 it says, “It came to pass as they still went on and talked”. Elisha had been saying up to this, “I will not leave thee”. That is a phrase that should become living in every one of our souls; the Lord tests us in that way. But now instead of the subject of the conversation being given it says, “As they still went on and talked”. How delightful! It is a Colossian scene typically; we are circumcised in His circumcision, the reproach of Egypt rolled away, “risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead, and you... hath he quickened together with him” Colossians 2:12,13; we are made to live in the life of Christ.
One might enlarge on this wonderful theme set forth in type in these two as they still went and talked; we are led on into Ephesians, that is, to the power of God, for “behold, there appeared a chariot [p. 211] of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder”. Elisha comes into the power of the heavenly Man — for that is what is prefigured. It is Ephesians; we come into the power of God working in us here, so that we may stand for the testimony, but the intimacy that precedes that enables us to stand intelligently in the use of that power; we know the mind of the Lord. One would dwell upon it — talking with the Lord in the light of His interests here.
How often do we have seasons with the Lord going over the ground? It may be in the sleepless hours of the night; an excellent opportunity for reviewing things with Him. In a way, I know of no service more to be valued than prayer in this sense — as in correspondence with the Lord, having nothing to confess, nothing to intrude, but to be with Him in restfulness of heart in regard of the testimony here. When you wake up the next day to take up the service, you will find the chariots of fire and the horses of fire; you will find what Elisha found — the power of God all round you and in you, for there is no limit with God.
I would like to say a word now about mutual intimacy, that is, with one another. We get it in the verse I read in Romans 16: “Salute one another with a holy kiss”. This exhortation is found in other epistles; it is found in the first and second epistles to the Corinthians, but I connected it with this epistle because it is, as we all know, the gospel or elementary epistle, and therefore it brings in every believer in Christ. The word ‘salute’ is repeated many times in the chapter. I believe it occurs twenty times. This has to be noted. How often do we salute each other? The word is well known; it is used in a military sense perhaps in a stronger way than it is used in this verse, but to say the least it involves respect, and we shall never love the saints unless we respect them; how important, therefore, it is to respect the brethren. Taking account of [p. 212] them in the most elementary way enables you to see how great they are. They are addressed in this epistle as saints, and the word ‘brethren’ is used too, but the epistle takes account of us as having believed the gospel, and twenty times over we get from the great apostle of the Gentiles himself salutations; he saluted the poorest saint in Rome. You might say, He would salute the emperor. No doubt; but he is saluting the saints in Rome. He might have used the word ‘salute’, and then have given a list of the brethren, but he does not do that; each one has to be saluted. Then he says, “Salute one another with a holy kiss”. It is not only those who are in my set socially or otherwise, but “one another”. It lays down the principle of intimacy among the people of God from the very outset.
Then he says, “All the assemblies of Christ salute you”. We see how in the wisdom of God the great apostle lays the basis for respect between the east and the west. The feeling between the east and the west is almost as old as humanity, and the Spirit of God takes account of that. The apostle’s great labours up to this time were in the east; “from Jerusalem, and in a circuit round to Illyricum” Romans 15:19 he had fully preached the gospel of Christ, but now the east and the west were to be linked up in mutual respect. “All the assemblies of Christ salute you”. The saints in Rome, rich and poor, old and young, male and female, are to be saluted, and they are saluted by the great apostle of the Gentiles, and they are saluted by all the assemblies of Christ. Now, he says, “Salute one another”. You are to maintain this high standard of mutual respect; we in the east respect you in Christ, and see that you respect one another, and do so in holiness; let your kiss be a holy kiss.