WHAT IS OF GOD BROUGHT TO LIGHT
[p. 501] WHAT IS OF GOD BROUGHT TO LIGHT
Revelation 7:1 - 17; Revelation 8:1 - 6; Revelation 11:1 - 3; Revelation 14:1 - 5
My thought is not to engage you with what is merely prophetic, as much as I would wish to do that if I had ability, but to show how that which is of God comes to light; and as having come to light, what its character is.
That which is of God now is obscured; even in the ministry of the Lord here, which was all pure gold, things were not manifest publicly, only those whose eyes were anointed saw what was of God, “the poor of the flock that waited upon me, knew that it was the word of the Lord”; (Zechariah 11:11). The mass failed to perceive that it was of God. Thank God, there were such as recognised it. They were a comfort to the Lord’s heart; they waited upon Him, and it is thus that we discover what divine things are; they waited on the Lord and they understood. But they, the poor of the flock, were in obscurity.
The book of Revelation shows that what is of God, and what is obscure now, will yet be publicly brought to light. For the moment “our life is hid”, and we do not want to be public now; but when “the Christ is manifested, who is our life, then shall ye also be manifested with him in glory”. (Colossians 3:4) It will be manifested in its due order; when Christ is manifested we shall be manifested, and we would have it so. The book of Revelation shows how the thing comes to pass. The assembly is seen coming down from God out of heaven. What a display! She comes down adorned as a bride for her husband. He is the Lamb, the rejected One.
The opening of the seals refers to the administration of the Lamb, who is seen in chapter 6 interfering in the course of things on earth. He did not do so [p. 502] when here; He left things untouched. Pilate represented the existing authority, and Christ submitted to that power, and that was His glory. He left things untouched and suffered publicly, and He has remained out of sight ever since. He has not moved His finger to alter things here. He has withheld His hand from the present course of things and the assembly is called upon to share that place with Him now.
Now in this book we see God interfering directly. In chapter 5, the Lamb appears, and in speaking of the Lamb, I feel the name should draw out the affections of the saints. The One who is in the midst of the throne is the One who was slain; “A Lamb as it had been slain”. Now the Lamb has title to interfere, and He has power to interfere. He is the “Lion of the tribe of Judah”. The taking up of the title to interfere involves a course of administration, and that administration brings to light what is of God. The Lord would bring to light the saints; that is chapter 7. Those who were once regarded as the “poor of the flock” are brought to light and are owned of God. They are taken account of according to their tribes. God never surrenders a thought He has given expression to. One thought of God was that the administration of the world was to be by the twelve tribes of Israel. The blessed Son of God is to have companions on earth in the government of this world, and these are brought to light here and formally owned of God. A hundred and forty-four thousand refers to divine administration as to number.
Now I want to show, that if they are brought to light room must be made for them. In connection with the assembly the nations had not to be set aside, but when earthly administration is in view room has to be made for the twelve tribes. This is how room will be made for Israel on earth, and I turn aside [p. 503] for a moment to suggest the importance of making room for the assembly. I mean by that, that room should be made for its principles. Where the principles of the flesh are admitted the principles of God and of the assembly are ignored. The assembly is a universal thought; it cannot be confined to any nation. Room is to be made for the assembly in the affections of the saints, and when there is enlargement in the affections, then the principles of the assembly will be worked out locally. Directly the saints are brought to light and owned, what we find is that they pray, and the great High Priest of Israel gives efficacy to their prayers, chapter 8:1 - 3. As a result of this, there comes down that which works desolation on the earth, and that makes room for the saints.
On the morning of the resurrection we read, according to Matthew, that an angel descended from heaven and rolled away the stone and sat upon it, the stone was the one that sealed the tomb, and the angel’s countenance was like lightning. That signifies that the power of God was there to overthrow the world power. The power of God is now exercised in grace, but in the day to come it will be evidenced in judgment. The Lord Jesus says in Matthew 28, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world”. (Matthew 28:18 - 20) The Lord is with us in the exercise of that power, not now in judgment but in grace. When He acts in judgment He will turn the world upside down, “as a man wipeth a dish”. (2 Kings 21:13) It will take place in answer to the prayers of God’s people on earth. God acts, and will act, but He acts in answer to our exercises. God has pleasure in our exercises. The [p. 504] prayers go up and judgment comes down. The prayers are in order that room may be made for Israel and Revelation 8 and 9 give the judgments which will effect this.
The trumpets are the answer to the prayers of the saints, and one trumpet after another is sounded until the earth is cleared. In chapter 10 the Lord claims His rights. He comes down and sets His right foot on the sea and His left foot upon the earth. No weakness there, beloved friends, He cried with a loud voice and the seven thunders uttered their voices.
In chapter 11:1-3 you get the saints measured; in chapter 7 they are sealed; here they are measured. What is measured is what God has for Himself, the temple of God, the altar and the worshippers. The temple of God is light. There is light and it is preserved in the saints, thus there is “the temple of God”. The prophet is called upon to measure the temple. It was there to be taken account of and to be measured. The altar also is to be measured; the altar is sacrifice. God looks for the temple and the altar. He looks for a response to His gracious dealings. For the preserving of the light you must have sacrifice. If you do not sacrifice the light will leave you. The altar calls for surrender, and if we do not surrender, the light will leave us.
Now as to worshippers, you cannot have the worship without the worshippers. The Lord said to the woman in John 4, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth”. (John 4:24) The Father seeks these worshippers. Show me a company of worshippers and I will show you the worship. Worshippers are persons formed by the revelation of God and who respond to it. God has revealed Himself upon earth to man as Father. In the light of that worshippers are formed. Now if there are such, God measures them, but all that lies outside is omitted; “the court which is without the temple leave out; measure it not”. There is much going on today in the Lord’s name, but it is all outside the temple and the altar and the worshippers. All this is connected with the earthly people, but the principles apply to us.
I pass on now to chapter 14 in order to show the full effect of God’s gracious dealings. If one thing exercises me more than another, it is, that we might be brought into the light of God’s purpose and answer to it. Now God’s purpose in regard to the earth is that mount Zion should be the centre of His dealings: Satan is not occupied with that yet. The great centre of conflict now is not Jerusalem (it will be later) but heaven. Heaven belongs to us. Satan is not moving a finger in regard to Jerusalem, but nevertheless war is on and the war is in heaven. Every good general in war has to see clearly where the seat of the opposition is. The position of the enemy now is located for us. The sphere of the conflict is the heavenly places. The devil would do all in his power to darken your soul as to the purpose of God in regard to the present moment. The great love of God has given us a place in heaven and He uses all His power for the accomplishment of His purpose that in the ages to come He might show forth the exceeding riches of His grace. Revelation 12 contemplates the dislodgement of Satan from the heavenly places; chapter 14, the hundred and forty-four thousand are on mount Zion with the Lamb. What a testimony to the power of God! They know the Lamb and love Him, and they are identified with Him in the scene of conflict, mount Zion. One would covet to understand the thought of companionship. The idea necessitates being with a person. “Ye are they who have continued with me”, (Luke 22:28) said the Lord to His disciples. Are you with the Lord? Are you in sympathy with Him? The disciples [p. 506] were companions in His rejection and they will be His companions in glory. The one hundred and forty-four thousand are with the Lamb on mount Zion, and then we get their character. They are virgins; they are not defiled. The Lord looks for separateness of heart. The secret of much trouble is that our affections are not girded by the truth. Samson had an alliance which was not governed by the truth. Our loins are to be girt about with truth. Take care of unequal alliances; they are contrary to the truth. The hundred and forty-four thousand were regulated and governed by the truth. Their affections were all reserved for Christ. The woman in John 4 was a woman of great affection, but it was not regulated by the truth. Now God is gathering up our affections so that we may become worshippers. The point is to let our affections have a right object. If our affections are regulated by the truth Christ will have a place with us. The one hundred and forty-four thousand follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth; they had no guile. What a triumph of grace to bring this to pass. Think of what the Jew is now. If we were more frank and open with one another, a much better state of things would exist among us. “In their mouths was no lie found”.
May the Lord grant that we may be found like these who follow the Lamb wheresoever He goeth.