THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST
[p. 207] THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST
2 Samuel 19:9 - 30; John 21:18 - 22
I wish to speak about the supremacy of Christ. It applies to each believer; to each assembly; to the whole assembly; and to the whole earth, and to the whole universe. The supremacy of Christ relates to all. It is an appointment by God, but what is in mind now is that each of us may make it his appointment, his resolve, that Christ is to be supreme in his soul, in his house, in his business, and in the assembly in which he has part. God has made Him both Lord and Christ, we are told, and being by the right hand of God exalted. He has sent down the Spirit, as Peter says, “he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear”. (Acts 2:33). The coming of the Spirit, among other things, was to establish and maintain the supremacy of Christ in believers, and in the assembly.
The history of the public body, preceding the revival of the last days, tells of revolt and displacement of Christ, and since that time the Holy Spirit has been operating to bring out the establishment in some, at least in a remnant, of what God had ordained. The overcomer in Thyatira is regarded by the Lord as one who is able to rule, implying that the assembly in Thyatira had disregarded the authority of Christ, and the overcomer there would have part in the rule in which Christ is to serve universally presently. It was in a remnant day: “to you I say, the rest who are in Thyatira”, (Revelation 2:24). In other words, what may be called a reconstruction in the history of the assembly began, and is typified in the chapter from which I read in the second book of Samuel. The Reformation made a way for it, but did not really establish it, for it did not overthrow man’s rule in the professing body.
[p. 208] Much work was done which led up to the reconstruction period, but there was little or no construction according to God in the Reformation. The work scarcely went beyond what we may call individual, that is justification by faith. That is not properly an assembly truth. In later years, I may say centuries later, the reconstruction work began, and it began with the recognition of Christ in heaven. As Pentecost began, so did this work begin, only in a smaller way: it was a “day of small things”;(Zechariah 4:10) but nevertheless the divine way was resumed. That is what I have in mind to dwell upon, that we may see the manner of reconstruction.
Israel was scattered according to the verses read: “all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the land of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom. And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?” 2 Samuel 19:9,10. The real facts of the case are laid out. The speaker or speakers were undoubtedly moved by the Spirit of God to call attention to the real state of the matter, the state of the people. For it is as sure as anything, if one is leading astray, as in the case of Absalom, the fault is not only in Absalom, it also exists in the people. Some amongst them have come to see this. They have come to judge the state of the people. There was strife among them. You will observe that it is throughout all the tribes of Israel: “all the people ... throughout all the tribes of Israel”. A most lamentable state of things, felt by someone, and that someone is able to convey the facts of the case; a most important matter in crises. Then the speaker, or speakers, say, “why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?” That is the real issue, and that is the issue through all these verses and throughout all the verses in John’s gospel. It is the [p. 209] issue universally, too, today in Christendom, and will be the issue in Jewry by and by, after the assembly is taken away by the Lord, in His love for her. The Jews will come into evidence, and the issue will again be the supremacy of Christ. God will work, or nothing could be done. However much activity there is, dear brethren, unless God is in the work, there is nothing really accomplished. What is accomplished must be accomplished by God. He uses instruments, but He does the work, and that is so here.
They plainly say, “Absalom ... is dead”. He is no longer the issue. So that the eye is directed away from him. All Israel, we may say, followed him at one time. He was a man of great natural attractiveness. He made it a point to be attractive. Men who draw disciples after them make a point of being attractive, and so it was with Absalom. He is not a type of the antichrist, but of antichristian influences at the present time. Now he is dead. Thank God many antichrists are dead. The antichrist is not manifest yet; he is not publicly known now; the time has yet to come for this, as the apostle Paul says, “that he might be revealed in his time”, (2 Thessalonians 2:6); there is that which hinders him now. He will come quickly when his time arrives, when God withdraws the hindering element. “Absalom ... is dead”. Thank God for all Absaloms that are dead and not living. They are to be feared if they are living. Men who take on the character of antichrist, whether politically or religiously, for we have to take both into account — we thank God when they are dead. The antichrist himself will never die as ordinary men die, he will be cast alive into the lake of fire. That is God’s judgment of him. Before there is a shot fired in the great battle according to Revelation 19, the beast and the false prophet are taken alive and cast into the lake of fire. Such is God’s way of pouring contempt on human strength or human combinations of strength.
[p. 210] David himself follows up this word, saying, “Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house?” The issue is that Christ should be supreme. His authority has been interfered with. David’s authority had been interfered with. He had been caused to flee his capital and his house, and now the voice of the people is heard, “Now therefore, why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?” There had been much speaking previously, doubtless; much strife as to the battle that had just been fought. Naturally, we are always ready to talk about such things, but not a voice raised to bring the king back. That was the real issue; and so the king takes a hand in it himself. At the opportune moment in all crises and issues, the Lord comes in and takes a hand Himself in the matter. He has done it, as I said, in the great revival one hundred or more years ago. It was a constructive revival. God has always been constructive. It is easy to pull down, but not so easy to build up. Thus the Lord comes in constructively, in due course, in all these issues. Here David sends a message by two trustworthy men, Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying. Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house?”
“Why are ye the last?” How many there are in Christendom today who are not doing this, even now! Thank God for any who are doing it. He knows those that are His. Many are not moving at all to bring Him back to His house. If I am to bring Him back to His house I must begin to open my heart to Him, because the saints are His house; and not simply open my heart, but begin to look into myself, and see whether things are right in my heart, and if not, see that they are set right. For in truth that is the idea, the Lord is deprived, by many of His own, of what belongs to Him. Hence David further says, “Art thou not my bone and my flesh”, verse 13. “Why are ye the last to bring the king back?” To whom is this spoken? As applied [p. 211] today, it is the word of Christ to every Christian in this room, to every Christian in Newcastle, to every Christian in the world. That is the message by two trustworthy men; two priests who so far had served well. David is a type of Christ appealing to His people — “Why are ye the last?” Why should you be allowing personal considerations, why should you be apathetic to the rights of Christ in your own heart; allowing wretched things, it may be, to shut Him out? He is knocking at your door. If He comes in. He comes in for an assured end; as He said to Joshua earlier, “No; for as captain of the army of Jehovah am I now come (Joshua 5:14)”. That is. He came at the right time, and coming in at the right time. He will make an end of the matter. He is stronger than any of us. If we keep on shutting Him out, something of a serious nature will happen to us. That is a warning. He has rights, and means to enforce them. Are we stronger than He? Not only do governmental things happen now, but actually punitive things happen also. The apostle Paul does not hesitate to say, “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed”, (Galatians 1:9); not when the Lord comes, as in 1 Corinthians 16:22, but now. A most solemn thing. The Lord would assert His rights, and not only His rights, but His power to enforce them.
In Zadok and Abiathar there was a dual testimony, and it was effective. The Lord raises up two instead of one — one may do, but two is adequate testimony — and here is an effective appeal. The word is “my bone and my flesh”. “Why are ye the last?” You Christians! You know you once confessed Him; maybe you were once in fellowship. Why not now? Many testimonies have been rendered to you. Two trusted men here, Zadok and Abiathar the priests, were used by David to bow the hearts of the men of Israel. That is what God is looking for, someone to relinquish his [p. 212] own assumed rights or grievances, it may be. Instead of standing by unmoved, bow your heart to the message of Christ. It says, “ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh”, verse 12. He is speaking to known persons. The Lord is here suggesting in type the very greatest thoughts to us, so as to move us to give up our selfish thoughts, and to give Him His rights in our souls. We are told, “he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah as of one man; and they sent to the king, Return thou and all thy servants”.
You may say. Never mind the servants, I have grievances against them. Many in Israel might have had grievances against many in Judah or vice versa. Some of David’s servants might not have been acceptable, but they were now. How often some claim to admit Christ and say much about Him, but nothing about His servants, or it may be slander them. The test now is whether you will admit His servants. We read of the Lord being invited to a marriage, and also His disciples, John 2:2, which shows that the Lord was truly considered — His disciples were also invited. Simon the Pharisee did not invite His disciples, and so it is, if we are really bowed by the message of Jesus to our hearts, we shall admit all His servants, for His servants enhance Him. Think of Christ and His apostles. Who would leave them out? The Lord looks for you to value them. They represent Him. All His servants do; here all David’s servants were invited to return. In this respect we are not to discriminate. The Lord is a better judge of men than we are, and if He has chosen servants let us accept them. He says, “He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me”, (John 13:20). Let us never assume to know better than the Lord. Many do, to their grief and to the grief of their brethren, too. The Lord has selected men as His servants, and wisdom in us will accept them. We need them. How great the need is for true servants!
[p. 213] Well, this is the result of a message typically from Christ to those who really belong to Him; those of whom He can say, “my bone and my flesh”. There is a distinguished one here, Amasa, who was personally near to him, and David says to him, “Art thou not my bone and my flesh?” What an appeal! This is one of the greatest thoughts. Not simply bought, or redeemed by Him, but of His bone and His flesh. That is the position in the reconstruction period. Everything must begin with Christ and His supremacy or nothing will be right. While that is lacking; and it includes His servants, for in truth the Lord is never (I am not speaking in any way than to glorify Christ) more attractive than in the midst of His house and His servants. Why should I rob myself, and rob Him of His pleasure and His glory? Why talk so much of the Lord personally yet disregard His servants and His people?
Well, in this period where reconstruction is proceeding, all kinds of people will be moved, so, as you will observe, we read here that “Judah came to Gilgal”. I should say something about that before I go on to Shimei. Scripture says, “the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan”, verse 15. The king, we are told, returned and came to the Jordan. That is the way he comes. The meeting is to be there. Jordan I need not enlarge on; it is a type of death, but it is finality. In Jordan things are dealt with in a final way, but the accompaniment of Jordan on the Jerusalem side is Gilgal, and Judah went to Gilgal. Dear brethren, if reconstruction is to include us all, this the way. Go to Gilgal, The king has come to Jordan. He is coming that way. There is a ferry there. We do not know who supplied that ferry or who worked it. I suppose it refers to the underlying, unpretentious love ready to serve the Lord as need arises — here is an important way. Judah [p. 214] was at Gilgal. David was at the Jordan. Why not let us take that way? It is the true way, the spiritual way. If Christ is to be in His house truly, I have to go that way. I have been speaking of getting things right in my own soul, and Gilgal is the place for adjustment. It is through sharp knives, no compromise or reserves. It is a place of sharp knives. That is to say, things are dealt with at their roots at Gilgal, and hence I am suitable to come to Gilgal and conduct the king over the Jordan. What a fine combination of spiritual things you get here! It is the way of reconstruction, so that each of us should have his place in the structure. Christ is supreme in the assembly, “Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone(Ephesians 2:20)”. It is a question of His supremacy, and thus of ornamentation by Him. We must have Christ first. He must have His place if there is to be a final state of things, and one that God can approve.
Well, Shimei comes, and so does Ziba. They want to make their peace with the king. Why did they not do it before? One of them, a blasphemous sort of man, cursed the king. He has now the heart to come, and he comes; and the sequel shows he is not to be turned aside; and so does Ziba come. They both come with display; the former with a thousand men of Benjamin. That is no way to come to make a confession. I am not saying that Shimei was not pardoned. In result it is only a provisional pardon that he gets, whereas what is needed is a plenary one, such as will carry the penitent through. The sequel proved he did not judge himself. Solomon tested him, and the test brought out that he was not subject, and he lost his life.
Then we have Ziba with his fifteen sons and twenty servants, but that is not the way to come to confess, to put things right. He was a slanderer. In all difficulties amongst us you maybe sure there are men like Ziba and Shimei, and when the king is coming back they want to get right, to be reinstated. These two men are [p. 215] to be taken notice of — I touch again on Shimei because his case brings out another type, namely, one of the sons of Zeruiah, Abishai, a man that was on David’s side always, but a very hard kind of man. All these things come out in this crisis, as Simeon says to Joseph and Mary: “that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed (Luke 2:35)”. That is the king, and so, here is a man that is always on the side of David, a hard man, as I said, and he would dissipate grace. He would ignore the dispensation as illustrated in what was said in the assembly in Jerusalem: “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon”, (Luke 24:34). A man like Abishai would make little of that. He would say, if he were there. Why Simon, why appear to Simon, who denied the Lord? Why has the Lord appeared to him first? Abishai says to David, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” verse 21. You say. It is obvious, but is it obvious? Is a man like this son of Zeruiah, Abishai, to be the judge? What is his history? That of a hard man, as I said. David says I am not going to submit to that judgment. Whatever reputation a man has of being loyal to the truth, reading all the ministry, and able to give a good lead in the readings, if he is a hard spirited man he is not to be trusted for judgment; maybe for doctrine, but not for judgment.
What one needs for judgment is spirituality: “ye that are spiritual”. David says, “What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me?” verse 22. Think of a man who has a reputation of being one of David’s men; yet David says “ye ... be adversaries unto me”. Such a man who has a good reputation as being out and out for David is an adversary to David through the hardness of his heart. He does not know grace, and so David further says, “shall there any man be put to death this day, in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?” verse 22. That is the point. Typically it is the Lord asserting His authority. It is “this day” we are dealing with. It is a question of principles now, not persons, and David is king, and his judgment stands, not Abishai’s. We want to get the Lord’s mind. If any man speak, let it be as oracles of God, 1 Peter 4:11. I may have a certain judgment, but coming into the assembly, my judgment may become changed, God being there, and I ought to be ready for that. The spirit of a hard man is utterly incompatible with the assembly of God. In this respect the truth marking the assembly is, “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon” (Luke 24:34) — the one who offended most seriously. It is a question of grace, and David is stressing this point. He says, “I am this day king”. It is not what anyone else says. In the antitype it is a question of the Lord, what His mind is. We want to be in line with that and able to convey it as needed. If we are to have reconstruction we must have grace, and what goes with that is the breaking of bread. That is what marked the assembly in Jerusalem according to Luke 24. David says, “do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?” It was a triumph. Thus Shimei’s matter is settled. David is establishing principles. Shimei had come down with a thousand Benjaminites. One can see that he had not fully judged himself, but it is a question of Christ and the principles governing that particular time. He is establishing principles; to set up again the dispensation, as it were. The king said to Shimei, “Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him”. That is a landmark as to principles. So under all circumstances we must have the character of the dispensation maintained.
Then we have Mephibosheth; another man appears. He does not go to Jordan. He meets David “as Jerusalem came to meet the king”, verse 25. He is a Jerusalem man. He is a man that belongs to the place. “He had [p. 217] neither washed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace”. That is to say he indicates he is not making any show at all. His external appearance indicated his internal love for David. In that sense he was perfectly dressed. In Mephibosheth there was unswerving affection for the king, and desire that he should be in his own place, that is, in his house. David had his own place in Mephibosheth. That is the next point, so that Mephibosheth says to the king in verse 30, “Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house”. Not simply into Jerusalem, but into his own house. Nothing will be right until he is in his own house, on the throne, too. In the antitype it is that Christ should have His full place in the assembly — in the hearts of His own.
If a local company is to be right, the supremacy of Christ must take effect in every heart in it. He is thus in His own house. He has come back to it. He has been in it, but ousted from it. Now He has come back to it. Is not the Lord speaking to us in this so that we may renounce our self assertions, our self vindications, and let the Lord have His place, and all will be right? So Mephibosheth crowns the reconstruction here when he says. Let Ziba have all. I am not concerned about the land, I am concerned about the king, in his house, for as far as I am concerned he has always been in it, that is, in my heart. He wants the king in every heart in Jerusalem. He is a Jerusalem man, and a Jerusalem man wants all the saints in Jerusalem, that the king may have his full place in his house. It is a question of the assembly, and each being in it, and allowing the Lord His place in his heart, so that He may have it in a collective way.
Now to finish, just a word in regard to John 21, to show how Peter was brought to this. I need not go [p. 218] over the chapter, but it is a reconstruction chapter. Seven of the disciples had gone off fishing, after the Lord had manifested Himself to them, setting them up in the assembly. Peter’s own name means “stone”. The Lord had been striving to set these men in the building, now they have gone off fishing. So that there has to be recovery, and it is seen in this chapter. I do not go into the details of the Lord’s searching of Simon’s heart, but it is really a heart matter, as indeed in 2 Samuel 19. Seven of them went off fishing and they caught nothing. The Lord was on the shore with a dinner ready for them — a regular meal, not simply something to eat; for such is Christ. He would take His place again in their hearts in His own dignity, through the way He provides for them. “Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine”, (John 21:12), for that is the word; it is used for the chief meal of the day; and as they dine, the Lord speaks to Peter. In the end of verse 17 He came to final probing of Peter’s heart. It was a heart question. I suppose Peter was never more tested in his heart than at this time. It was in the presence of the Lord. The Lord was here carrying on a transaction to secure Peter’s heart, so that He could confide in him, not doctrine here, but persons. Think of the value of the saints to Christ! “My lambs”, He says, “my sheep”. In effect He says to Peter, I am going to trust you with them, but you must let Me into your heart, you must let Me settle all these things in your heart that you have been going on with: all your self-confidence and pride. It is a heart matter, and so finally the third time — more than twice — the Lord says to him, verse 17, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him. Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him. Feed my sheep (John 21:17)”. One has often called attention to this verse. There are two words in the [p. 219] original for know. Here the first is what is called conscious knowledge. Peter says to the Lord, “Thou knowest all things”. He recognises His deity, which is all-important, and especially at the present time. One who knows everything is God, for only God knows everything, and Peter acknowledges this. He knows it consciously, not only by observation; he is aware of it in every respect. But then Peter adds another word for know, and he says, in effect. Is there not something about me to show You that I love You? That would be objective knowledge. Peter is calling attention to himself as before the Lord, saying: Lord, is there not something in me to show You that I really do love You? That is the point, and it finishes the matter. The Lord did not deny what Peter implied. There was something in Peter’s manner that indicated his love for Christ. The Lord knew the love was there, but it had been hidden, beclouded by his conduct. All the clouds are now gone and the Lord intimates that the matter is settled, and hence Peter can be entrusted with the sheep and the lambs. The Lord will not trust us until we are thoroughly transparent and it can be seen that we love Him.
Now I refer for a moment to the verses I read, “Jesus says to him ... When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him. Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said. Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him. If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me”, verses 18 - 22. This is a question of the Lord’s will -”if I will”. It is again the supremacy of Christ; Peter must recognise it in regard to the Lord’s servants. “If I will”. The matter is settled that the service of the loved one (that is, John) is left open; as if the Lord were to say. Peter, you cannot manage everything. It is a question of My will, as to what this or that one must do. Peter was wanting to be in the know of things about everybody, but the Lord reserves His own rights as to whom He will use. Can I tell whom the Lord will be using twenty years from now? He has His servants, and foresees every emergency. My business is to follow Him and recognise that the Lord has His rights, and not seek to know or control everything. Leave the matter open. Let the Lord dispose of His servants as He will, and it will always be to the best advantage for the testimony. So, I would emphasise that in all these scriptures it is a question of the supremacy of Christ amongst His people, and nothing will be right until everyone of us accords Him that place in our hearts, and then collectively as in the assembly.