DIVINE COMFORT AND PROTECTION
[p. 148] DIVINE COMFORT AND PROTECTION
Isaiah 26:20; Genesis 6:14 - 16; Genesis 7:7 - 16; Genesis 45:9-11; Genesis 45:17-21
I had in mind to show from these scriptures what God provides for His people in the way of comfort and protection as emergencies come, especially those expressive of His judicial dealings.
The judicial dealings of God sometimes become positively punitive, as in the destruction of Jerusalem. That was a judicial act of God, more extreme than others, and had a punitive character. The Lord when alluding to Jerusalem encompassed by armies says, “these be the days of vengeance (Luke 21:22)”. Although this dispensation is one of grace, yet God, at all times, reserves the right to act punitively, particularly as regards His ancient people. He has allowed them to come in nationally into our dispensation, as an act of grace, but being insubject to Christ the wrath of God came upon them, as John says in his gospel, “he that is not subject to the Son ... . the wrath of God abides upon him”, John 3:36. That applies now. Although the world is in reconciliation, and any Jew repenting comes in for grace, yet the punitive judgment of God on the Jews nationally continues. Divine grace prevailed, so that some should be saved, and hence we are told, that “the Lord added daily those that were to be saved (Acts 2:47)”. He added them where the most comforting and protective circumstances obtained. The most blessed of all the shelters which God has afforded in times of stress arising from His own judgment is seen in Acts 2. What happy conditions resulted from Peter’s preaching, and the work of God that preceded it, in the one hundred and twenty! The description is remarkable before it is said that the Lord “added”.
That furnishes a key to what I have to say at this [p. 149] time, for God is undoubtedly dealing judicially at the present time, and He would have us with Him in it. He comes our way, going on to judgment, and although the present dealings are not final, they have a judicial character, and God comes our way on His journey to the execution of judgment, so that it enters into our period. He would have us to be with Him in what He is doing. He is pleased to take on friends, I should not like to be other than a friend of God, and He comes to us so as to draw us into the current of His mind, and make us His friends. It is thus in Abraham’s case, in Genesis 18. God came to him, as on the journey to Sodom, but Abraham was not the final objective. Mamre was not the terminus of the journey, it was on the way. God is now on the way to judgment; and in principle we are in the time of His judicial dealings already; they are not final, but His dealings are of that character, and He comes to us on His way. He comes our way, and would call us into accord with His mind as to what He is going on to.
In Genesis 18:16, God was leaving Abraham without saying anything to him as to what He had in His mind. Abraham entertained Him well, and Jehovah accepted the patriarch’s hospitality. A most lovely picture of it is drawn by the Spirit in Genesis 18, but God was now on His way, moving on away from Abraham with the two angels, and Abraham went with Him. That is what God looks for in His visits, that we go with Him. Abraham went with Him “to conduct them”, and then Jehovah says, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?”(Genesis 18:17) He had not said a word to him about it under the tree, when He was accepting his hospitality. You might have thought that He should have opened up His mind to him, but He did not; He waited until Abraham moved with Him, so the word comes from God, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?” And then He says, “For I know that he will command [p. 150] his children and his household after him ... to do righteousness and justice, in order that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham what he hath spoken of him(Genesis 18:19)”. This brings Abraham into the whole position of the government of God, so that he says, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25) He did not say that under the tree, but now he has moved with God, and he is on the ground of friendship. He speaks freely to Jehovah and says, “the Judge of all the earth”; that is a new title, which God receives at the hand of His servant; not that He was not this before, but Abraham now names Him thus; and so it is that Abraham became the friend of God; he is later called this. He became known in that way, and one wants to be so known. No doubt many here have come into it, and perhaps others are being interested as I speak; the way is open, God is, as it were, asking you to come into this, to be one of His friends; to be a confidant of God, one to whom He may disclose His mind. You get impressions from God in that way, far more accurate than the news of the day; the impressions you get you could hardly put into words, but they are distinct and for yourself. It is assuring to receive impressions from Him. Abraham is called the friend of God, and God would call us into this. Nothing could be greater at the present time, because He is going on to the completion of all His thoughts, and He looks for sympathy and companionship in it, and He has it, thank God; He has those who are friendly with Him, and who want to know what He is doing.
Abraham would modify what God had in His mind, and God is ready to accede if Abraham could show that conditions warranted it. It is an important matter, to go over the field and see what basis there is for prayers, what basis there is for asking God to do things; He is ready to listen to us. He listened to Abraham most patiently until Abraham had to stop. What I am saying [p. 151] is really a very touching thing, and ought to appeal to us, for God is going on, and He is ready to open up His mind to us — Shall I hide from Abraham ... ? (Genesis 18:17) It is because of conditions in Abraham, and later he is called a friend of God. He comes down to us with that title, and it is surely that we might, as children of Abraham, come in for our inheritance among those who are friends of God, but friends according to the conditions indicated in our father Abraham. Of Zacchaeus the Lord Jesus says, “he also is a son of Abraham”, but that was because of conditions in him, as the passage shows, Luke 19:8,9. Surely we want to come into the inheritance of Abraham.
Now there are things existent that are causing pressure, and I want to show you how God would relieve us in this that He opens up to us, without easing the conditions for the moment, but indicating that they will come to an end. The first verse I read says, “Come, my people, enter into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself just for a little moment, until the indignation be past”. There is a limit to it. Instead of staying out in the storm, faith finds a way inside. It is not the holiest here — it is like the word in Matthew 6:6, “enter into thy chamber”, something that you have, “and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who sees in secret will render it to thee (Matthew 6:6)”. He will do it. Here also in Isaiah it is what God’s people have, “thy chambers”. Let us look round and see whether we have such places of recourse to God, places belonging to our — selves. Some have recourse to prayer when the storm comes; we hear of “public prayers”, in the presence of an impending storm. Well, that is not the thought, that is not enough for God, neither is it enough for faith. What characterises us in our attitude Godward, is that we have learned to pray, and are marked by prayer.
[p. 152] It touches one to refer to the fact that the Lord was praying in a certain place and one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray”,(Luke 11:1) as if to say, That is what all of us need. He did not say. Teach me to pray, but Teach us — he was a true community brother; it is an Ephesian touch. It is a great advantage that the Lord in His attitude towards God should come within our range, that we may see Him pray, and hear Him pray. This disciple saw Him, and says, “Lord, teach us to pray”,(Luke 11:1) It was what they all needed, and we need secret chambers as well as places of public collective prayer; the latter, of course, are of immense importance, for the house of God is called a house of prayer for all nations; where God makes His people glad, Isaiah 56:6,7. Here in Isaiah it is “thy chambers”. Getting to God in your own way, in your accustomed times, and out of your accustomed times; one of the best times is in the wakeful hours of the night. Let us learn to take advantage of all such opportunities. It is a question of what is known individually by experience: “enter into thy chambers”, it says, “and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself just for a little moment, until the indignation be past”, It is all within your range, it is no question of religious show, but secret access — your own way towards God.
Such is the divine way of escape from the indignation that is affecting others. In Acts it is said, “the Lord added (to the assembly) daily those that were to be saved(Acts 2:47)”. That was the Lord’s doing. He brought them into that environment, but now this is our matter, dear brethren, “enter into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself just for a little moment”. Learn to do this often; if you only get relief for a short time, it will become longer the next time; learn to do it. Instead of carrying the burden, have recourse to your own chambers, shut your own doors, and “hide thyself just for a little moment, until the indignation be past”.
[p. 153] That is positive relief, even as if the storm did not exist. The storm is apt to be too much for us. The word to Elijah was, “the journey is too great for thee(1 Kings 19:7)”. He went on a way of unbelief, but still God through His angel pursued His servant, and made calves for him, and gave them to him, saying the way was too long. God thus had sympathy with His servant, and made provision for him. So now He would have us take advantage of what there is provided for us in the way of an escape from pressure. It is of course a spiritual thought, and if, as I said, it is only for a moment that your soul is entirely released from the pressure, the next time will be longer. You get nearer to God each time, and there is no disturbance, no pressure there.
God is considerate for us. He knows our frame. He knows the enemy has peculiar advantage at the present time, for he is using current circumstances to oppress us, and hence the need to have recourse to God; we shall come out the stronger. The pressure may not be lessened, but we become stronger, and more like God. He, indeed, becomes “a little sanctuary” to us, so that we not only have a hiding-place, but also the gain of His presence.
I go on now to Genesis, so that we may see how safe the position is, it is not my chambers now, it is God’s ark, what He has made. It is a staunch affair, it is impregnable to what is against us, being pitched inside and outside. It is of considerable size, three hundred cubits long, as you observe, the breadth is fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits, a good-sized ship, even now, especially in length. The ark being pitched within and without with pitch is to assure us that it will go through, we can trust it. An important matter to get into our souls is that there is that of God which is trustworthy, you can trust it. What comfortable quarters there are inside, no stifling [p. 154] atmosphere is suggested: there are first, second, and third stories, and rooms in it as well, as you will observe, providing comfort. At that time God had in mind to impress people with the fact that a storm was pending; the most far — reaching punitive act of God that has come upon the earth so far, but, there were those that were to be saved, and they are to have confidence in the thing provided, to understand that it is reliable, and that it is not wanting in the needed comfort. There is an outlet above, it has a small window in the top; God’s measured provision so that those inside could look up. There are family affections there, too; no children are mentioned, but a family of full-grown persons; four families, we may say, to accentuate the thought, but all regarded as one house — Noah’s house. Thus the ark not only affords protection, but also family affections.
In Genesis 7 it is said that “Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowl, and of everything that creeps on the ground, there came two and two unto Noah into the ark”. That is the position, there is an attraction there. If anyone here is not affected, it is because you do not understand the subtle currents that exist in the spiritual world. The spiritual world has a certain correspondence to the material universe; the latter has currents, and so has the spiritual world. The Lord Jesus says, for instance, “Now is the judgment of this world, ... and I, if I be lifted up out of the earth, will draw all to me”, (John 12:31,32). That is the position now, and it is the position indicated in this scripture in Genesis; the judgment of the world is pending, but there is an attraction in Noah different from all else. He is six hundred years old, a mature, experienced man, taken on by God, and now he is in position. We do not hear of the animals going to him when he is outside the ark, it is when he is in position, that is, as with his family inside, he is attractive. Is not Jesus attractive [p. 155] to us all? One says, I do not care for the brethren, as an antediluvian who heard Noah preach might say, I do not care for Shem’s wife, or for Ham’s wife, nor have I much interest in those animals that are going in there. That person is electing himself out of the means and sphere of salvation. He is incapable of being attracted, but as the Spirit of God gives a glimpse of Jesus in position, as seen in Noah, you will be attracted. Stephen saw Him above, at the right hand of God; but what is before us now is not only Christ in that position, but also in relation to His people. His family, as it were. That is involved in the adding spoken of in Acts 2: the Lord added those that were to be saved to those who were linked together by the Holy Spirit. He is in position amongst them and most attractive. So it is with Noah, he is among his family: Shem is there, Ham is there, Japheth is there, and their wives are there, Noah’s wife is there — eight of them; and as in this position, all the creatures come to him two by two — they come — there is attraction in it, they go to him as in family position, they go into the ark to Noah, and they are saved. They come in two by two, unto Noah “and the Lord shut him in”. The position in which salvation is secured, as seen also in Isaiah 46:13, is most attractive, and I would urge anyone who does not understand to look into it. It is a spiritual matter; we are to get under the influence of the Holy Spirit’s current leading as to it; Christ in heaven and in relation to His own down here — that is the assembly.
We should now see how the matter of time enters into all this. The six hundredth year of Noah’s life is mentioned, and the day that he entered into the ark, and on that very day the flood came! What a day it was! A day of salvation for those who went in, but a day of unmitigated judgment for those who remained outside. The Lord Himself refers to this in His service on earth. He speaks of “the day that Noah entered into the ark”(Matthew 24:38) — what were they doing? He says, they were eating, which was quite legitimate, and they were drinking, which was quite legitimate, and they were marrying, which was quite legitimate, they were given in marriage, which was quite legitimate. They were occupied with all these ordinary matters up to the very moment that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, says the Lord Jesus, and drowned them all. How grave that thought is! What a day it was! - and what a day this is! Almost every day brings a crisis in the world’s affairs. Then we must think of what spiritual history enters into each day; some coming into the place of salvation, and others ignoring it and thus staying out. To stay out of the ark is the most foolish thing that anyone can do, the most absurd, and yet it is constantly going on. What a history of folly! On the other hand, what a history of wisdom and spiritual understanding! — many availing themselves of what is available, the way of salvation as typified in Noah and his house in the ark.
In Genesis 45, in the verses I read, we have another thought. In Noah there was an attraction, and no great distance to be travelled to him, but in Joseph’s day there is a long way to go. Another adverse thing is pending, indeed it exists: there were five years of famine to come, two already gone. It is thus an experienced matter, everyone knows the dreadfulness of it, and there are five years more, that is what Joseph tells his father and his brothers. Anyone who experiences a famine of food and water knows how affecting and depressing it is, how distressing! The brothers of Joseph and Jacob his father would understand, “because the famine was grievous”,(Genesis 41:57) and they all experienced it. In the midst of such conditions Joseph says, “tell my father of all my glory in Egypt”. That is a very different thought, the glory of Christ where He is now is a great and blessed thought; but it is not simply where
[p. 157] He is now, but typically the place He has acquired among the Gentiles. Joseph also says, “Haste and go up to my father, and say to him, Thus says thy son Joseph: God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, tarry not. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near to me, thou, and thy sons and thy sons’ sons, and thy sheep, and thy cattle, and all that thou hast. And there will I maintain thee: for yet there are five years of famine; in order that thou be not impoverished, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast”, Genesis 45:9,10. What a protective proposal this is as we feel the present pressure! We do not know how long it may be; and of course this passage may be widened out to cover the famine that is abroad in the world spiritually. Prophetically it alludes to the famine among the Jews, the judgment of God on them; and the Jewish remnant were to go out, as it were, among the Gentiles, to find Christ there, as Paul says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory”, (Colossians 1:27), that is what it is dispensationally.
To make the application present, we do not know how long this oppressive condition will last, but spiritually this is the way out of it: the Lord is presenting Himself here. Thy son Joseph, he says to Jacob, and, I will nourish thee, and you will be nearer to me. It is a long way to go, but then, he says, I want you to come, and I will maintain you (the word for nourish is maintain). One is maintained by the Lord Jesus in these circumstances; thus we are not overwhelmed by the pressure, we have everything we need in going out to Him and in keeping near Him. Joseph is the lord of all Egypt, he is in charge of all the resources in the way of food, and all the good of Egypt, he says to Jacob, is for you. That is, it is where Christ is. When Joseph is in Egypt it is not the same Egypt as it became afterwards, or as it was before; the Egypt with Joseph in it is a place of advantage. The Gentile world, when Christ is in it [p. 158] and accepted in it, is better than the Jewish world, for Christ was rejected there.
Now the Lord is inviting us to come out of the realm of pressure, sending a message, I will maintain you, there will be no lack at all. It is a faith matter. To make the thing complete, Joseph says, “And there will I maintain thee; for yet there are five years of famine; in order that thou be not impoverished, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast”. Let us not forget that side, for the serious consequence, if we fail in energy of faith at this time, is that we will come to poverty, we will be so overcome with current things that we will come to poverty spiritually. Whereas the Lord is urging that we come to Him, He will nourish us where He is. For some it is a long way to go, as seen in this chapter, and if there are any here who think it is a long way to go, the Lord says, I will send you waggons, so that the journey will be easy, will be comfortable. I know what you are enduring. I know your outlook, but you will come to poverty if you stay there; your salvation is to come in faith to Me, to apprehend Me in My glory. Presently He is coming out with glory, putting His right foot on the sea and His left on the land, and the whole matter will be changed, but in the meantime we are to go out to Him, it is a faith matter, as I said, and the Lord says, in type here, I will maintain you, providing you with all that is necessary.
Pharaoh says, “Say to thy brethren. Do this: load your beasts and depart, go into the land of Canaan, and take your father and your households, and come to me; and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. And thou art commanded — this do”, Genesis 45:17. That is in the message, it is thus no optional matter, it is a command. To disregard a divine command is a serious matter, I need not say. The passage says further, “take waggons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and for [p. 159] your wives, and take up your father, and come. And let not your eye regret your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt shall be yours. And the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them waggons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way”. A long history follows, telling of the glad response of Jacob and his family to Joseph’s offer, but I would stress that it is a commandment. The Lord orders us to come out to Him. What is in mind is that we should get to the Lord about the things pressing upon us, apprehending Him where He is. The Spirit of God would support us in this, so that we are outside of all these distressing things, and as living in our own realm, we shall not come to poverty. We are maintained in spirituality, the level that is needed in the service of God; for what is toward God in the assembly, and what is for Him in testimony here. The Lord is showing us the way by which we may be preserved in superiority to all that is current, and thus we are in safe keeping. In Egypt, according to this, you are out of the range of it; Joseph being lord of it, there is plenty of food, plenty of all that is needed, but the Lord says. You must come, I have given you the means to come; it is the Holy Spirit. We may thus reach the Lord, day and night; it is most urgent — that we may live in His realm, where His glory is, and where there is abundance and we shall not come to poverty. May God bless His word!