YOUTH AMONG THE PEOPLE OF GOD
[p. 344] YOUTH AMONG THE PEOPLE OF GOD
1 Timothy 4:12; Genesis 37:3,4; Exodus 33:11; 1 Samuel 3:19 - 21; 1 Kings 3:3 - 12
I have in mind, as perhaps you will divine, to speak about the youth amongst the people of God. I am actuated in the thought by the circumstances in this district, in this town, and in view of the trend of the work of God at the present time generally. God would have the youth kept in view, that they may not lack anything in coming into the position in the testimony occupied by their elders; indeed, that they may not fail to gain what is to be gained from their elders and at the same time be in direct touch with God, so that they may take on their own distinctive testimony; for something distinctive attaches to the testimony in each generation. Hence the principle of Scripture, applying to old and young, “they shall be all taught of God”, John 6:45. So that we carry forward the distinctive features of the current and passing generation — losing nothing — that all may be cumulative; for all is pure gold, whether old or new. They may have what is distinctive to themselves, as I said, and that could only be as they are taught of God; which means they have it through direct relations with God. As the Lord says, “enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly”, Matthew 6:6. That reward will take the form of something distinctive, some glory that you gather up there to be enhanced later in public testimony. The Lord would impress that on His disciples. He, as become Man, is the great public Teacher, as He says, “one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren”, Matthew 23:8. But whilst that is so, and remains so,
[p. 345] He would impress on His disciples to have recourse to God; He is God, Jesus is God — God manifest in the flesh. But still God maintains His own distinctive place on high, speaking to Jesus on earth from heaven and the Holy Spirit is maintaining His distinctiveness, coming down on Jesus in the form of a dove, so that God is to be apprehended whilst Jesus is here publicly and undertaking everything for God, representing God to man and representing man before God. Yet God retains His own invisibility and believers are to understand that God is invisible, that no one has seen Him or can see Him, and yet He is accessible. The Lord would impress this on His disciples that their relations should be maintained with God, whilst maintaining their relations with Him as representative of God in this world. Hence He had enjoined that they should enter into their closets and shut the door and pray to the Father in secret. He had already taught them how to pray. He did not say that that should be the only prayer. They should in secret with God learn to open their hearts to Him. He reads our hearts and the Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered — so that we know that He hears us, we know that we have the petitions we desire. Now all this is most important for youth, so that there may be spiritual contact with God and formation according to God who is invisible, and who is said to be a Spirit. God is a Spirit; John 4:24. It is thus that we take on — as the coming generation, as the generation which is to occupy the ground — our own distinctiveness, whilst carrying on all that has preceded us; nothing is to be lost that marks what God graciously furnished to other generations.
Now, the apostle speaking to Timothy has all this in mind. He says, “Let no man despise thy youth” 1 Timothy 4:12, and in looking at this scripture and reading it I have in mind to show you how youth in [p. 346] the Old Testament appears first in the patriarchal setting, that is in the book of Genesis where God is typified as the Father. Then in Joshua in Exodus youth is seen in relation to mediatorship — the great system that God has inaugurated here to set forth the excellence of His glory and the maintenance of His testimony publicly; and then in Samuel how youth is seen in relation to the prophetic ministry, carrying on indeed the system inaugurated for the house of God as it was in Shiloh; it is a question of the prophetic ministry. Then finally in Solomon youth in relation to royalty.
You will see what a wide ground is covered in these four examples of youth in the Old Testament, and I hope to show that each applies at the present time — that is, the patriarchal setting, the ministerial setting, the prophetic setting, and the royal setting. If there are spiritual young people here they will be touched by the thought that they have to do with all this. It tends to lift you out of the littleness of things in this world into the vastness of divine things. You are in mind for all this. The first word is, “Let no man despise thy youth”, 1 Timothy 4:12. That does not mean that a young man or woman is independent and haughty if an older brother or sister admonishes him or her, it means that youth in itself should not be despised. For the scripture points out that youth in itself can be used in circumstances where old age could not be used. So that youth in itself must not be despised. If there be a tendency to despise the person because he is young, it is for him to put on the garb of dignity. It is for him to preclude all thought of despisal by putting on dignity, for the means of dignity are available for him; but the apostle goes on to say; “But be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity”, 1 Timothy 4:12. Anyone who despises a person, however young, with those beautiful traits,
[p. 347] with that heavenly combination, only exposes himself. He is proving himself to be unable to value what is dignified. These holy traits, whether in youth or old age, are not to be despised. And if they are to be seen in youth in this way, then they are immense in their effect. No spiritual person will despise them. They would rather admire them. They would rather regard them as ornamental; David was beautifully ornamental as he appeared. His first appearance in Scripture is marked by these beautiful traits of spiritual ornamentation. He had been neglected, as many a youth has been who should not be neglected. There are those who neglect youth. They are so engrossed with their own little bit of capital, to which they are almost entirely limited, so that they must make everything of that and despise others. That is weakness. That is shame. David had been neglected, but the time came when the representative of God says, “we will not sit down till he come hither”, 1 Samuel 16:11. That is, God will point out that this young brother is going to have part in this matter. To keep him out would be contrary to the mind of God. So peremptory was Jehovah that He said to Samuel, ‘You go to the house of Jesse and I will provide for you and I will indicate who is to be king’. He could have told him to ask for David. He could have told him to ask for the youngest. God was to be present when Samuel was to be in the house of Jesse. God was to do the matter so that no youth need fear. In due course God will be there and if the flesh says ‘Eliab is the man’ — and so on, God says, ‘He is not the man. It is so-and-so’. God will see to that. So that young people, young men and women, as setting themselves to be in the testimony and putting on those dignified traits, may be sure that God Himself will see to this matter. As the Lord Himself said, He will “reward thee openly”, Matthew 6:4; Matthew 6:6; Matthew 6:18 if you have recourse in your closet in [p. 348] secret with the Father; and the Lord is now rewarding David openly. The very day is on the calendar when you are to be rewarded. I have seen young men brought forward and promoted in the presence of their elders. Who can gainsay it if God does it? He says, “The Spirit of the Lord came upon David” 1 Samuel 16:13, and it is then you get his name. Not that he was called David, but he was David, meaning that he was a beloved person. He was spiritually attractive. That is what his name means. It is just that it was David. And so here one is to be an example to the believers. David stood out in his day before all believers, whether in prowess, or in beauty, or in playing, or in skill, or in personal appearance, he was the example to all believers. I do not believe Saul ever saw such a young man as David; in spite of the fact that he was a supercilious kind of man himself, yet he was pleased with David. Who can gainsay it that David is taken on in this way? Anyone who does simply exposes himself to spiritual ridicule.
Coming back to my scriptures, Joseph is the first distinguished young man that I wished to speak of. One says in Genesis 4 that he slew a young man. He acknowledges it. It is a terrible thing to slay a young man in a spiritual sense. Joseph appears in the midst of the great patriarchal system — Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He appears in this chapter when he is seventeen years of age — a young man. What comes out is that he is loved of his father. I have been speaking of the Father. If I enter into my closet and pray to my Father in secret, He will become well known by me, and if I am well known by the Father in heaven, I shall soon become well known to all in heaven. The Father in heaven will not fail to make me known and I shall be known here on earth. It is a question of the Father in this section of the book of Genesis. Of course it is typical, but Abraham,
[p. 349] Isaac and Jacob represent the idea of the Father, and how the family is formed under the influence and attention of the Father. Hence the importance of getting to know the Father. Indeed, the little ones in John’s epistle are said to know the Father. The elder ones are said to have known Him that is from the beginning; 1 John 2:13. But the little ones are supposed to know the Father. That is the secret of the working out of christianity — that we become acquainted with the Father and that is by getting into the closet and shutting the door and speaking to the Father in secret. Some of us often trouble ourselves much about the holiest, but that is how we get into the holiest. Enter into your closet and shut the door and speak to your Father which is in secret. Well, the Father is the Father, and will soon begin to love you. He loves all christians, but we must not deny that He values what is lovable, and that is how you come under His notice. Day after day, night after night, you enter your closet and speak to your Father in secret and your Father soon comes to know you. And so it is here. It is said that Israel — great spiritual thought — loved Joseph more than all his sons. Now you can see, young people, how this works out as you enter your closet and speak to your Father in secret; how He will reward you openly! At one time the great servant Moses said to Jehovah, ‘I cannot speak’. God says, ‘Your brother can speak. I know he can speak’. Undoubtedly the allusion is to this very thing — that Aaron was a man who spoke to God. He was called the Levite; Exodus 4:14. He spoke to God.
And the Father loves you, what can be more blessed than the thought that the Father loves you. It is said, “The Father loveth the Son”, John 3:35. That is Jesus. That is distinctive. That is, He has His own distinction. In all things He is distinguished above us. “The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand”.
[p. 350] How beautiful a thought that is. It works out in any little bit of administrative responsibility. This is handed over to the young people present. It is a question of the Father’s love. It is not simply a question of ability, but it is a question of the Father loving you, and what can be more precious than the thought of the Father loving you. “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand”. John 3:35. He will give us something, and it is because He loves us. I do not deny that remarkable ability goes with it, as in the case of Joseph. But his father loved him. He will have him above all his sons. Joseph represents the spiritual side of the family. He represents Christ as in the saints. And I would again urge the young people to get to your Father and into the consciousness that your Father knows you and loves you, and in that measure He will give you something to do. He will give something into your hands.
Israel made Joseph a vest of many colours. That is what I might call potentiality in a young person’s service. There is a suggestion of the opening out of a beautiful flower of glory; for that is what is in the mind of God in regard to every one of us. He is the Giver. In every person, in every young man, there can be an opening up of the variety of glory. We are thus able to conceive what Israel had in mind. When the heavens were opened to Jesus and the voice came, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight” Matthew 3:17, it was the suggestion of glory. What an opening up of glory represented in that Person! God intends to work out effulgence, that is the coat of many colours. He is the God of glory, and what is in mind is that everything should be ‘fulness’, the development of glory. We are vessels of mercy fitted for glory and in us is the opening up of glory. Of course, much could be said about Joseph, but I only wanted to stress that one point:
[p. 351] how a young christian begins here in view of the testimony here and eternally.
In Joshua it is a question of the great mediatorial system of things which God has set up here. This thought includes the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. You can see how Joshua is just another phase of this great subject; how the youth are to be developed in the knowledge of the Father, as loved of the Father; how they are to occupy themselves with regard to the great system that God has inaugurated mediatorially. It is well that that word ‘mediatorship’ should be noticed, that it is not a question now of any symbol of the Father, but of God known in a certain distance, in a certain majesty, in a certain dignity and His people kept in a reverential position in relation to Him. It is another side of the position. Christ is the great Mediator, and in connection with Moses we have this young man, who is called his minister. I see that “there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” 1 Timothy 2:5 and I am His minister: I am to serve, whatever the service may be. You are to serve in relation to Him and that delivers you from all else. Your great business is in connection with this great system that God has set up in which He dwells, in which the testimony is set. It is your place, you are to be there. Your safety lies in it. He “departed not out of the tabernacle”. He is called a young man; it is mentioned in this way to show how youth can come into this great thought, this great mediatorial system in which God resides, in which His glory dwells and in which His people serve Him. The youth has to be there. It is no question yet of being distinguished by gift of any kind, but by being inside in relation to this system. Other things can be said about this young man, and lots have to be said about most of us. I am not excluding myself. How young men, dear brethren,
[p. 352] are carried along by gift of men in power, and apt to think unduly of them. Joshua had great opportunities. What an opportunity he had of apprehending God in His majesty on Sinai and at Horeb. But he was exposed to what men are exposed to — thinking unduly of those who lead.
God says, I am going to have seventy other men, and when two of them prophesied in the camp Joshua says, “My lord Moses, forbid them!” Numbers 11:28. Let no young man here forbid prophesying. He would have forbidden it, not because it was not of God, but because he thought it would detract from his favourite leader. The point is to be the minister of Christ as the Mediator. You understand when I speak of Moses as Joshua’s personal preference, I speak of him as typifying any brother of distinction who is to be respected. But let each young man understand that he is minister of Christ and has his place in a lowly humble place inside. It is a safe place inside. You are in the very centre of things. The tabernacle is the very centre of things. The more you are in it the more you will be set for it, and informed as to what God is doing everywhere. You will miss nothing if you are there. Joshua was there. He was in the very centre of things in the tabernacle.
Then I pass on to Samuel. It is a four-sided picture of the whole testimony viewed in youth and energy. You see in Revelation the four living creatures are simply a four-sided view of what God has here upon earth viewed as in life. You are told how the word of God abides in you. What I am speaking of is a four-sided view of this great matter, so that Samuel as carrying on Joshua’s position is also in the system, but greatly reduced; for the priesthood had greatly degenerated under Eli and instead of being inside in a dignified way as we referred to in Joshua, Samuel and Eli go to sleep. They slept there. It is a poor state of things to sleep in the house of God. God spoke to [p. 353] this young man as he slept, and it says, “Samuel did not yet know the Lord” 1 Samuel 3:7 — meaning that one may be outwardly set in that position and yet not having known the Lord. And so God says, Your parents have been faithful and they have kept you, and now I want to speak to you. And He spoke to him, He called him, “Samuel, Samuel!” 1 Samuel 3:10. What accents those words afforded in that degenerate house; but they were divine words. As in the garden Jehovah spoke when He was walking, now He is speaking directly to one in Shiloh in the house of God. It is a call, God respecting the devotedness and faithfulness of the parents. He is speaking to some one in person and He calls them by name, and He does not hesitate as having spoken before. It is said that “The word of the Lord was precious in those days”, 1 Samuel 3:1. But now He is speaking to him directly and immediately tells him about Eli. The young man is to be told by God about the misdeeds of the elder brother. There can be no doubt about it if you are told what the misdeeds are, but be sure the information comes from the Lord and it is not mixed with prejudice. Be sure that you sift it, and see that it is divine information. Jehovah has to tell this young man of the misdeeds of an old brother. “And Samuel grew”. He is still seen as growing in the end of this chapter. It is said that “Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him”. This is the kind of young man that can be trusted. Young men taking on the affairs of old men are on very dangerous ground. This is the point here. It is the question of the misdeeds of the older brother. But the young man has heard Jehovah and he is very seemly and does not rush and charge him with his misdeeds. The old brother asked him about it. He tells him humbly. He tells him what Jehovah had said and the old brother takes it well. It was a divine sentence upon him, and now it says, “Samuel grew”. He is not overbalanced by the burden put [p. 354] upon him. He is not making much of the information. He is not hindered, he is growing. What a fine thought for young people! And then we are told that “The Lord was with him”. What will people say now? And moreover it is said that “The Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground”. You were able to speak well at the last ministry meeting. These ministry meetings are most important. Sometimes they are called prophetic meetings — meetings in which God’s mind comes to us; for we have to value the word, and if we have anything to say it is a question of the mind of God. That is what is to be done. The point is that the Lord was with Samuel and none of his words are allowed to fall to the ground. That address was short, but it entered into the hearts of the saints, and applied to the moment. They are a lodging place for such. The word is, that not a grain falls into honest and good hearts without there being something for God. And so it was that “All Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord”, 1 Samuel 3:20,21.
This is what we can expect, for christianity is a living state of things, so that here we have Jehovah appearing again to Samuel by the word. It is an inward state of things. It alludes to prophetic ministry, how God comes in and gives you something that you know is directly from Himself and so you give it out to the saints.
The final thought is Solomon. That is the royal setting of youth. I just commend the simple prayer of Solomon. First indeed it says that he loved Jehovah. This is not said of any others that I have spoken of, but how comely it is that in this fourth exemplification of this subject you have one who [p. 355] loved the Lord — and that speaks volumes. You see that establishes confidence. There is no better commendation that you can get than that such an one loves the Lord, and then we can add that one is proved in this way by the fact that he keeps the commandments. The Lord Himself says, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me”, John 14:21. That is Solomon and Jehovah says, “Ask”. I have been speaking about prayer, and it says, “The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee”. Solomon speaks rather at length, beautifully, as you will observe, and he says, “And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?” 1 Kings 3:8,9.
Now I just commend that to all here. That is wisdom, as James says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not”, James 1:5. Was there ever a day when wisdom was so necessary? Difficult matters come up amongst us. They are left unsettled for months and years. Why should that be? This chapter precludes any such things. Difficulties are presented when the two women brought their children. Solomon decided the matter at once. He did not let it drag along, because he prayed for wisdom and God gave it to him. The apostle says, “that there is not a wise man among you, no, not one ...” 1 Corinthians 6:5, otherwise you would not be going to court. That is the point here, that we are in the midst of so great a people, and we would not hesitate to apply it today — all this beautiful prayer of Solomon — because they are so great a people, and we are called to judge amongst us. The epistle to the Corinthians puts the responsibility [p. 356] on every saint in the assembly to judge. How can you judge a matter, whether good or bad, unless you have wisdom and discernment? Solomon prayed for it, and as soon as he got it, it is administered and all Israel admired and feared the man who had the wisdom. What can give a man a place amongst us more than a word of wisdom? “If anyone of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God”. James 1:5.
I commend this point — the simple thought of asking what is needed and how God comments on it and gives it to us. “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore”, 1 Kings 4:29. We are told that the wisest of men were not equal to it, and it is all simply because he asked of God.