THE LORD'S PLACE AMONG HIS OWN

THE LORD’S PLACE AMONG HIS OWN

Genesis 49: 8 - 10; Hebrews 2:11,12

JT It says of Judah that he “prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler”, 1 Chronicles 5:2. He is referred to as one whom his brethren shall praise; and what follows in the passage explains how this will come about. Judah in that way becomes a type of the Lord, as acquiring a place among His people; He prevails. He acquires a place first on moral lines, as in Romans, and then personally as in Colossians. He is Head in Colossians on the ground of what He is personally, and in Ephesians He is made Head as man according to God’s purpose; He acquires a place thus in the midst of His people, and becomes their Leader.

Rem In Revelation 5 He is spoken of as the Lion of the tribe of Judah who had prevailed.

Rem John sees Him as “a Lamb as it had been slain”. Revelation 5:6.

JT The Lord’s supper brings before us His love; He prevails in love.

Ques Do you mean that He prevails over us and subdues us? I was thinking of Him more as prevailing as a lion’s whelp.

JT Before He prevails universally He prevails among His people.

Ques Does the line of the hymn, “Whose love has set us free”, show it? (6:5)

JT Yes; you cannot but accord Him the supreme place. Romans brings the Lord in as taking up what lay upon us, and the Deliverer becomes the Husband; Romans 7.

Ques Would you connect it with John 21? Love had prevailed in Peter’s case.

JT ^[p. 278] Exactly. Judah acquired the place of chief ruler on the ground of prevailing. The Lord gradually acquires a place with us, and first, as we know Him in what He has done for us; we thus become attached to Him. He prevails, as we see in Romans 5: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life”, Romans 5:8 - 10. It is on moral grounds; as David in slaying Goliath acquires a place in the heart of Jonathan, so the Lord gradually acquires the chief place in the heart of the believer.

The introduction of Judah as the one whom his brethren should praise is worked out in that he couches as a lion. It says, “Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?” Genesis 49:8,9. Then it says, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be”. The sceptre and the lawgiver come in in the way of subjugation and adjustment. We shall never know the Lord “in the midst”, nor accord Him His place as is due, unless we apprehend the sceptre and then the lawgiver.

Ques What do we understand by the sceptre?

JT Well, I think it is the rule of Christ. The sceptre is a well-known figure of rule and government. Many of the Lord’s people are not subject to Him. Romans brings out that He is Lord, and we come in for what He administers on the ground of obedience. “And to him”, it says, “will be the obedience of peoples”. Romans works this out doctrinally. The Lord acquires a place through what He has effected for us, and then the sceptre comes in. You may accord Him that place, but He asserts it as well. The sceptre symbolises His power and His official place as Lord; so that the sceptre shall not depart. It is not going to be taken out of His hands. Kingly power is gradually vanishing from the governments of this world, but in spite of that the sceptre shall not depart from Judah. The Lord is not going to relinquish the sceptre, whatever men say or do, but holds to it; and if we are to come in for the blessing, there must be the recognition of His rule. It is seen strikingly in Acts 9. He brings down Saul, the enemy of the saints; He reduces him to make him subject, and then he is made a vessel for the service of the saints. That is what the lordship of Christ involves. We may well, therefore, give this matter our serious attention. But then, there is not only the sceptre, but the lawgiver.

Ques Would you say, that there must be the recognition of the lordship of Christ before we can know Him as Head?

JT There must be.

Ques Would lordship lead to headship?

JT It makes way for it. “And to him will be the obedience of peoples”, Genesis 49:10.

Rem Like Saul of Tarsus, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” Acts 9:6.

JT Yes; he recognised the sceptre. The rule of Christ entered his soul.

Ques Is it a moral thought? He is Lord of all now, not future only.

JT We say, “Other lords besides thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name”, Isaiah 26:13. But, alas, a great many of the Lord’s dear people refuse the Lawgiver and sceptre. Many of them have been turned aside ^[p. 280] and find themselves in connections which disregard the authority of the Lawgiver, so that they miss the headship of Christ. You cannot get the opening up of ministry from the Lord without the headship of Christ. From the Head all comes — all the substance, and nourishment, and consequent increase.

Ques How does Shiloh come in here, “Until Shiloh come”?

JT Shiloh is the gathering centre: “And to him”, refers to Christ, I think, as the gathering centre for His people. We see that historically, for the tabernacle was set up in Shiloh in Joshua’s time, and Israel assembled there, and the mind of God was disclosed as to the inheritance, confirming what I was remarking, that we get the good of headship as we are subject. There were seven tribes which had not till then received their inheritance, and the lot was cast at Shiloh. We get the mind of God there as to our place in the inheritance.

Rem I was thinking of John 20, which seems to coincide with Shiloh.

JT Yes, quite; there is immense stress laid on obedience in the Scriptures if we are to come in for the blessing. It is said of Moses that he “was king in Jeshurun”. Deuteronomy 33:5. He was accorded a king’s place.

Ques Does that mean that he was chief in their affections?

JT Yes. It was not kingship as in David. Moses had acquired it, “When the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together”, Deuteronomy 33:5.

Ques Is God’s thought that we should come under the lordship of Christ before headship? Peter says, He was made both Lord and Christ.

JT Yes; God made Him both Lord and Christ, so that the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey Him. Hence the saints today who disregard the authority of Christ shut themselves off from the ^[p. 281] benefit of the Head. Numbers of God’s beloved people find themselves in circumstances where the sceptre and the Lawgiver are disregarded.

Rem I was rather interested in the thought of the lawgiver. Some of us do not like law; but you said just now it was His commandments.

JT Well, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me”, John 14:21. It is a wonderful thing to see the government of God set forth in Christ. Matthew is the great assembly gospel. In chapter 5 Jesus went up into a mountain, it says, and His disciples came unto Him, and He opened His mouth and the first word spoken was, “Blessed”, which I think He repeats nine times over. It is blessing that is before Him. This is the kind of rule you come under. What a government that is! People are to be blessed, but blessed in subjection. Hence He says: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time”, etc., etc., “but I say unto you”. Matthew 5:21,22, Matthew 5:27,28. That was quite intelligible to the disciples because they had come up to hear. So a good law is a great blessing.

There can be nothing greater in the government of a nation than good laws. No country in the world has been more favoured than this country in that regard, where there are laws that guarantee in detail a man’s life and property, in so far as that is possible in human affairs. In Matthew 5 to 7 we get a law formulated from the lips of Christ, and in Psalm 119 an answer in men by divine grace to it. In Numbers 21 we read, “Spring up, O well ... the princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver”. Numbers 21:17,18. The Holy Spirit comes in in that connection. There is respect for the Lord, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him”. John 14:21. He comes in in that way.

Rem That is a wonderful thought, “My Father will love him”. John 14:23.

JT Such is His appreciation of such as have His commandments and keep them.

Ques Do you see that order in Psalm 45, where it speaks of the subject of righteousness, “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness [lawlessness]: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows”? Psalm 45:7.

JT That is a most interesting passage, because it shows what the sceptre is. It is a sceptre of righteousness. Paul says to the Romans, “Ye have obeyed from the heart” Romans 6:17; and that works out not only in regard of our salvation, but in the assembly — we learn how to take our place in relation to others.

Rem We read in Numbers of the well which was dug at the direction of the lawgiver. I was thinking in that way of the heart being secured — the result of Christ being the Lawgiver.

JT Yes; room is made for the Holy Spirit as we are subject to the Lord.

Ques What about the first epistle to the Corinthians in relation to the commandments?

JT Well, I think that epistle embodies the Lord’s commandment as governing the assembly. It says, “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognise the things that I write to you, that it is the Lord’s commandment”, 1 Corinthians 14:37. It is in the singular you will observe, commandment, not commandments; and, as I was saying, those who pull away from the rule of the Lawgiver forfeit much blessing. You cannot have the gain of the headship of Christ unless you are subject.

Rem So that acknowledging the sceptre as indicated in Romans would lead on to Ephesians.

JT I think Romans adjusts us individually to take up our place with others. So chapter 12 commences:

“^[p. 283] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”. Romans 12:1. Then he goes on to show that we being many are one body in Christ, and teaches us how to behave, and how to take up our relative place in relation to one another; and that leads us to Corinthians, where we are formally addressed as the assembly of God. The saints are addressed as the assembly of God, in a place — in Corinth. And then is added, “with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours”. There is the full acknowledgment of all who call upon Him as Lord, “both theirs and ours”. Corinthians 1:2. That brings in the universal thought of the assembly. “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism”. Ephesians 4:5. In all the assemblies every thought of independency is excluded. We are bound up together. The whole assembly is bound up, in that way, in the acknowledgment of the Lord and of the principles that govern the house of God, and this makes room for the headship of Christ; so that He has His place amongst us, as it says in Hebrews 2:12, “In the midst of the assembly I will sing thy praises”.

Rem And thus the obedience of the people is really their gathering around Him as the Lawgiver; thus we receive light and guidance and nourishment from Him as Head.

JT I think we prove the truth experimentally in submitting to the principles of the house of God; we get ministry and nourishment from the Head.

Ques Would you suggest that without that we do not get divine communications?

JT I know we do not.

Rem In order to get the mind of the Lord any introduction of that which is of man must be excluded.

JT Yes. In 1 Corinthians they are regulated by way of consistency. It would be inconsistent to ^[p. 284] identify themselves with Judaism or heathenism, since they were identified with the symbols of the death of Christ. The questions are put: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread”, 1 Corinthians 10:16,17. It is “we”, not ‘ye’, meaning that the whole assembly is in view in the Lord’s supper; and then in the next chapter you get the Lord prevailing. It is introduced so as to place the Lord before us in His love. Judah prevailed among his brethren. So the Lord prevails among His brethren. We are made to feel this as He is before us in the Supper, and that makes room for His headship.

Ques What do you understand by prevailing?

JT Well, that He acquires such a place in your heart that He rules and controls you; you give way to Him.

Ques Is it a moral thought, “Unto him shall the gathering of the people be”?

JT Yes. In John 11 the Lord intended to prevail at Bethany; He had not as yet prevailed. He was a friend of the family, but that did not mean that He was everything to the family. They were more occupied with Lazarus’ death than with Him. But His presence with them produced a great effect upon them, and in chapter 12 Christ is everything.

Ques Might we speak of that as lordship merging into headship?

JT Yes.

Rem In chapter 11 He prevailed by way of authority, but in chapter 12 in love.

JT Yes; so He says, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” John 11:40. Then we see what a wonderful thing happened. The Lord wept and ^[p. 285] groaned. These things are intended to affect Mary, and they do; indeed it is irresistible. In chapter 12 they make Him a supper. Lazarus is now one of those who sit at table with Him. Mary and Martha are thinking of Christ now.

Ques Would it be right to say that in prevailing Christ gets the pre-eminence in the affections of His people?

JT Yes; you must give way, you then get the good of His headship.

Ques Is it not interesting that in John 11 we get Shiloh brought in in principle, “that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad”?

JT Yes; and, in the next chapter, “I, if I be lifted up out of the earth, will draw all to me”. John 12:32. It is not “all men” — “men” should be omitted. It is universal. He prevails in the Supper. His love to death is presented there; that is the intent of it. Then in chapter 12 there is room for the Spirit; and in chapter 14 there is ministry. We are to be regulated by the law that governs the house in the ministry. Five words spoken with the understanding so that the assembly may receive edification is better than ten thousand words in a tongue. We might say, too, the choir is being formed. The ark prevailed in David’s day. It had been twenty years in the house of Abinadab. Later David brought it up; but he did not bring it up according to the due order, and so it was turned aside into the house of Obed-edom, and the blessing turned aside with it, and he missed it. He hears of it, and then he does not want to miss the blessing, so he resorts to the due order, which would correspond with the Lord’s commandment. He then dances before it. It had prevailed in his heart; and after that in 1 Chronicles you get opened up the whole service of song for the house of God — a wonderful choir and singing. The first epistle to the Corinthians ^[p. 286] corresponds with the way in which He prevails in His people, so that room is made for the singing. You have the instruments, so to speak, in chapter 14, and in chapter 15 the strings of the instruments are tightened up by the truth of resurrection. “To the chief Musician. On my stringed instruments”, Habakkuk says. “The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places”, Habakkuk 3:18,19. Whatever happens, “I will rejoice in the Lord, and will joy in the God of my salvation”. The prophet is quite free and sings.

Ques Does the Lord’s supper link us up with the eternal state?

JT Well, it leads up to it, especially as the breaking of bread is connected with the first day of the week. Chapter 16 suggests spiritual sentiment, which necessarily enters into the singing. If your heart is under the influence of the first day of the week you are spiritual, for it is the beginning of a spiritual and eternal order of things. 1 speak of what is in these chapters for faith to take up.

Ques Do you say that the Supper itself becomes the preparation for the choir?

JT Well, I think the Lord comes in and prevails. He takes His place; then we have the Spirit in chapter 12, love in chapter 13, and edification in chapter 14. The governing word in that chapter is “understanding”. You cannot have a choir without that. Everyone must know his part. In chapter 15 we are tuned up by the resurrection of Christ, and in chapter 16 we get allusion to the sentiment that should prevail among us on the first day of the week.

Rem In the resurrection we see the glory of God, and we reach that morally by calling on the name of the Lord. We recognise Him as Lord; we come into a sphere of salvation. Then His love and grace towards us would lead us on into that order of things.

^[p. 287] We are led on by Him; and the One who leads the singing in the midst of His people is the One who has been perfected through sufferings.

JT Yes; so that we come on step by step until we apprehend we are of Him: that “both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren”.

Rem So we reach the moral sphere where the Man of joy opens up the joys of His heart and displays the Father’s glory.

JT Yes.

Rem We were saying the Lord “triumphed gloriously”, Exodus 15:1 etc., but it is another thing to have the heart opening out to Him in affection.

JT To prepare Him an habitation. Well, all that had its fulness in David. David is the counterpart of Moses really; David brought about the dwelling and all that was suited to the dwelling. The habitation is what was set up in Jerusalem. There was nothing about singing in connection with the tabernacle.

Rem So Psalm 132 would come in.

JT Yes; David said, “We heard of it at Ephratah” (that is, of the ark), but it does not stop there, but goes on to say, “we found it in the fields of the wood”. Psalm 132:6. The first book of Chronicles opens the subject up to us in detail. David introduced the song first to Asaph, the chief singer; 1 Chronicles 16:7. There you have it.

Ques Could we have a word or two as to Hebrews 2, which was read?

JT Well, I was thinking we are led on. As the Lord becomes better known we are led on to the knowledge that we are of Him. Romans is on moral grounds, and Colossians on personal grounds. You form a link with Christ personally. Ephesians is Adam and Eve — “bone of his bone”. “This mystery is great”, says the apostle, “but I speak as to Christ, and as to the assembly”. Ephesians 5:32. Ephesians is the disclosure of the secret of the mystery. It is in the understanding of Ephesians that we can enter into what we get here in Hebrews, that we are “of him”. What a wonderful fact that we are of Christ! “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren”, Hebrews 2:11.

Ques Does that correspond with Colossians?

JT It is more Ephesians. Ephesians is the full disclosure of the secret. He says, “This mystery is great, but I speak as to Christ, and as to the assembly”. You come that way by Colossians. It is personal; the greatness of Christ personally is before the heart; but in Ephesians the woman is brought to the man. There it is the height of divine purpose concerning Christ and the assembly. There is not a shade of disparity between Christ and the assembly in the epistle to the Ephesians.