THE POWER OF GOD (1)
THE POWER OF GOD (1)
2 Kings 2:1 - 14; Romans 1:1 - 4; Romans 4:19 - 25; Romans 5:1 - 4; Romans 15:18 - 21
JT The subject to be considered is the power of God as worked out in Romans, Colossians and Ephesians. I thought the subject could be worked out intelligently by seeing the power of God in Christ; then how it is transmitted to others as illustrated in the chapter in 2 Kings, corresponding with Romans. Elijah being a type of the Lord as the vessel of the divine power and Paul representing the exercise of it as here, corresponding to Elisha. Paul is taken up as “an elect vessel”, as the Lord said: “to bear my name before both nations and kings and the sons of Israel”, Acts 9:15. I thought it would help us to see how Elisha came in for the power that was there, the power he had the opportunity of witnessing in Elijah.
Does that agree with the Lord’s words: “Greater works than these shall he do”, John 14:12?
It corresponds as indicating how the power seen in Christ was transmitted. The passage before us shows that Elijah was subject to the Lord; “The Lord hath sent me to Bethel”, etc. Elisha clings to Elijah from point to point, reminding us how we are to come in for divine power. We learn subjection from Christ. I think Elijah represents Christ as anointed by the Spirit. Romans speaks of His power as the Son, referring back to creatorial power. God had given a witness of His power in creation; Romans 1:20. “The exceeding greatness of his power” Ephesians 1:19 goes beyond His creatorial power. “Eternal power” belongs to Romans and “the exceeding greatness of his power” to Ephesians. Romans says He is “declared to be the Son of God with power”. John 5 enlarges on this. Romans 1:1 - 4 would cover the time of His ministry on earth. He sent word to the Baptist saying, “the dead are raised”. Matthew 11:5, Luke 7:22. He was declared to be the Son of God by resurrection of the dead.
You see the transmission and the continuity of power in selected vessels. We must see the thing worked out in the Lord and then in sample men, so that we may observe how it works in all of us. The first meeting of Elisha with Elijah was marked by Elijah casting his mantle on him. That mantle represented what Elijah was in the exercise of his ministry. God would have nothing less than that. Here Elisha takes it up, but he uses the mantle in connection with “The God of Elijah”, as we would say: “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. You must be in the Spirit and mind of Christ before the power that is in Christ can be exercised by you.
Elisha was engaged in that which is profitable — ploughing. It is what is necessary if there is to be anything for God. It refers to what was going on in his soul. He was ploughing with the twelfth yoke, that would indicate that he was content to be the last. Undoubtedly God was working with him, as with Saul: “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (or goads)”, Acts 9:14. Ploughing is foundation work.
The mantle would have reference to Elijah’s personal circumstances; these were in keeping with his ministry. The mantle would represent the prophet’s stature. It fell from Elijah. That is, it was to remain here like the “conversation” of those who have gone before us; Hebrews 13:7. The man goes into heaven, but the mantle remains. There was a testimony in the mantle. The great point to recognise is those who have gone before. The [p. 338] principle of a model is that on which God works. You must take account of those who have gone before. “Be imitators of me”. Philippians 3:17. It is a great principle with God to hand on the things through a model. It should not get smaller as it is handed on. It would be a humiliating thing to admit that the thing is reduced, or that one is not up to it.
In taking account of things in that way we are kept humble, for we have to admit how small we are as compared with the great vessels through whom the testimony has come; but the thing is to admit it and maintain the standard.
The mantle would not fit Elisha as well as Elijah. That is what Elisha admits, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” But he uses the mantle the same way that Elijah did. It was the power of God in both cases, but he admits it is Elijah’s mantle.
The dropping of the mantle was a sort of challenge to Elisha.
When it fell from Elijah it would be the occasion of great exercise to Elisha, for it indicated a standard for his service. Each one of us has to discover the present standard. In the clerical system there is no taking up of the mantle, so to speak, that fell from the Lord Jesus; it is a human standard there, if indeed there is any.
The double portion and the mantle are not the same thing. The former is to enable us to conform with the latter — “the power that worketh in us”, Ephesians 3:20. The after ministry of Elisha shows that he was formed by it. That corresponds with Joshua as the attendant of Moses. Nothing humbles us more than the moral stature of those who have gone before as compared with our own. The mantle would always be a witness of Elijah’s ministry. I do not think it is ever the thought that one man should put on another man’s mantle. You have it before you as a witness. You think of what God wrought in him, and you say,
[p. 339] I have not come to that. Timothy knew Paul’s doctrine and manner of life.
Paul was little. His name implies that. Philadelphia had a little power. It was commendatory and yet humiliating, because at Pentecost it was not a little power but great power. “Greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father”, John 14:12 but they could not exceed what was displayed in Christ morally. His circumstances limited Him; Luke 12:50. The diminished power with us would no doubt be directly due to the vessels of dishonour. There is, of course, the general state of the professing body. All this should humble us. Saul could not be a model to David, so David would not use Saul’s armour. David sets out an idea and he never warred on the lines of Saul. When he met the lion he took him by the beard. David is like Elijah; he sets out an idea which is to be followed. David’s men learned from him.
Paul was delivered from the people and the Gentiles to be an exclusive vessel of the testimony and the Lord in commending him says: “Behold, he prayeth”. That is the way to acquire divine power. He prayeth — he was still doing it.
There may be a space of time between the mantle being thrown and becoming a follower. The following would indicate that he understood the mind of Christ. The journey taken (2 Kings 2:1 - 8) would indicate the mind of God as seen in Christ. It takes a good bit of exercise to become a follower. You may have got the call a good while before. Gilgal comes first and it suggests that one has to find out the utter worthlessness of the flesh. Elisha was in the company of a man who was spiritual. He would observe what intelligence Elijah had. Then, as at Bethel, he would see where God’s presence was known. At Jericho you see how the stronghold of the enemy is brought down and then at Jordan how death is dispossessed.
[p. 340] When he exercised the transmitted power he began at Jericho, like Paul, then he went to Bethel. That is the evangelistic testimony comes first to bring in recruits. “The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof” would indicate the wonderful display of power available to support the testimony, and then he comes back from Jordan and begins at Jericho, which would correspond with the labours of Paul. “From Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” Romans 15:19 — “Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God”. That is how the testimony was brought into Europe. It was in a man who had learned the power of God.
The power of God in the resurrection of Christ shows that God is for man, like the battle of Elah; 1 Samuel 17:2. So the chariot of Israel; God is for Israel in spite of the governmental condition. Then there was the excess; even Naaman was blind.
Is there any difference between the journey of these men and the three days of Saul’s experience at Damascus? The Lord spoke to him out of heaven and he is led by the hand into Damascus.
Yes; both instances were educational. Damascus was not just right. Ananias questions the Lord’s order. The Lord said: “Behold, he prayeth”. That should have been enough. He was not praying when he left Jerusalem. It is said of Elijah and Elisha that they two went together.
The sons of the prophets would represent nominal believers; what they profess to know the spiritual man knows much better. There were fifty of them at Jericho, the number is in keeping with the world. The king of Israel had sent fifty men to Elijah, and they were consumed. I think the sons of the prophets represent nominal Christians governed by worldly principles. They were not in accord with God’s testimony. Elisha was, and he says: “Hold ye your peace”. Why be silent? They were interrupting. There is a lot of that. It enters sometimes into the house of God. It is important to learn to be silent. There is much interruption in the house of God. It was an immense moment for Elisha, how precious the time was! Do not break in upon that! Cling to the one who has the light, the others are not worth listening to. There is a lot of talking in Christendom, a great deal said about the coming of the Lord, but it does not spring from those who are in contact with the light. It may be information, but it is not the ministry of the Spirit.
The cry of the children, “Go up, thou bald head”, suggests that followers of Christ would be in reproach in the world, The children are a sort of continuation of the sons of the prophets. The point is an attempt to set aside the truth for the moment; that is, the heavenly — the truth of the ascension of Christ. Elijah had gone up. The sons of the prophets had brought in a false principle that would develop. It is developed in the children. They are called “little boys out of the city”. They represent a generation, they are degenerate. The efforts of the “fifty strong men” would be to connect you with some valley and take your attention from heaven. “Nevertheless if thou see me when I am taken from thee”. If you apprehend the Lord as in the gospels, you want His Spirit. It is a great thing to value the Spirit. In John 4 you get the gift from the divine side, and in chapter 7 it is from the side of reception, “which they that believe on him should receive”. Then the rivers flow out from their bellies. The Spirit is connected with the ascension, not the resurrection. It says: “Jesus was not yet glorified”. John 7:39. It brings in what is heavenly.
Paul says: “I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ”, Philippians 1:19. John 7 says:
“[p. 342] The Spirit was not yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified”. It is important to connect the Spirit with heaven, hence the emphasis laid by Elijah on the necessity for Elisha to see him go up. The power that was seen in Christ in ascension was in harmony with the Spirit of holiness which characterised His ministry on earth. The disciples as with the Lord on the mount of Olives and looking up after Him when He ascended, would be ready for the Spirit.
The ascension of Elijah is a type of the Lord’s ascension. It says in Luke 9:51: “when the days of his receiving up were fulfilled”. Then later it says He “was carried up into heaven”. Heaven valued that Man. In the Holy Spirit coming out there is no lapsing. There is no separation between the Lord and the Spirit. The Spirit links us up with Christ. Another thing comes out in connection with His power — God is pleased to use vessels outwardly insignificant, like the little maid in Naaman’s house and the lepers outside of Samaria. These vessels suggest how in our times God is pleased to use insignificant persons for the accomplishment of His work. The little maid was entirely free from national feeling which would naturally have possessed her. The spirit of the prophet was in her. There is no trace of resentment nor national feeling even though she was a captive and amongst those who had carried her captive. She is a remarkable type of the kind of vessel the Lord is pleased to use now. God indicates here that if you are to be blessed you must be in accord With the vessel through whom the light has come to you. Naaman was ultimately brought into accord with the little maid. If I receive light, I must be conformed to the vessel through whom it has come to me. Naaman was a very great man, God had even used him, but he retained his greatness. Though he wanted to be relieved of his leprosy, he had no thought of being relieved of his greatness. So [p. 343] he sets out with every evidence of it. All his gold and raiment speak of human power, which is really leprosy. He did not go to the prophet but to the king because he was on human lines. God says, as it were, If you are to come into blessing, it must be through the recognition of the vessel through whom the light has come; so in the end his flesh is made like unto the flesh of a little child. He had come to that. What marks the woman of Shunem is that she provides for the vessel of the light and then the little maid comes in in the next chapter, representing the humility of the vessel through whom the gospel is preached. Titus contemplates a slave adorning the gospel. She was a slave but in God’s account honourable. Naaman has to come to that. He goes to the king first, who, of course, was entirely on natural lines; but Elisha knew and said: “Let him come now to me”. 2 Kings 5:8. He goes and stands before the door of the prophet, but Naaman does not see the prophet. It is now a question of the word. You have already had the light and the vessel through whom it came. It is not a question of seeing another vessel, but the word of God is to regulate me and it tells me what to do. He goes away in a rage but he has to come to it. His greatness has to go.
Elisha had said, “My father, My father!” That showed his respectful recognition of Elijah. It was as if God said to Naaman: You are not going to see another. Converts are to be like the vessel through whom the light comes to them. He says: I will give him the word. The little girl directed him to the prophet. In Luke 4 the incident is presented altogether from God’s side. The rich man in Hades says: “Send Lazarus”, but Abraham says: “They have Moses and the prophets”. Luke 16:19 - 31. You must accept God’s testimony as rendered to you, or you will get nothing more.
God works on the principle of design. He has [p. 344] something to work out in men. Naaman has to come to that. He plunges in and comes out after the seventh plunge like the flesh of a little child. He goes back to Syria in correspondence with the little girl. These chapters make the way for weak vessels to be used in the expression of the power of God;
What is the significance of the two mules’ burden of earth?
He wanted to be right. He wants to worship God. You can understand how different Naaman would be. The greatest man, if converted, would sit down by the side of the poorest man on earth. He would recognise through whom the light came to him. The little maid is entirely free from the world and national spirit. She represents a divinely selected vessel.
As to going back to the house of Rimmon, Naaman had a right exercise so far. He desired to worship God. His burdens going and coming were very different. All that he took back was humble compared with what he brought. The numerals, ten talents of silver and six thousand pieces of gold, refer to human resources, but two mules’ burden of earth represents what is in his soul. He humbly recognised what was becoming in a cleansed leper. The letter to the king of Israel was all on human lines as Christendom is. His first movements speak of man’s measure and resources.
When Naaman came back, he came back as a little child. The two mules’ burden of earth was an acknowledgement of what he was as in the flesh. In the law God had directed that an altar of earth should be made and sacrificed on by the people; Exodus 20:24.
There is no record of what was said after Elijah and Elisha crossed the Jordan save what refers to Elisha’s request. After they crossed the Jordan “They still went on and talked”. There was communion. It is a Colossian scene.