FEATURES OF MAGNIFICENCE (1)
FEATURES OF MAGNIFICENCE (1)
WJH I thought it might be helpful if we looked at three or four features that the Spirit of God brings forward as marking that which was so delightful to heaven at the coming of Christ. While surrounded by a great deal that was obnoxious to God, and which He would judge, yet in the way Luke presents things, the Lord is received suitably, in an atmosphere suitable to Him. I felt there was a great deal of correspondence to the position we are in today, that while there is that which the Lord will spue out of His mouth as being so abhorrent, there is, I am sure, and there will be right to the moment of His coming, that which heaven delights in. As is seen in Malachi, there is that which remains, so much so that it says a book of remembrance was written, to permanently establish a record of that which was so pleasing to God in those days. While I had no thought of going into many of the details, I was struck with the way the Spirit of God brings forward the existence and reality of the temple as being preserved in the midst of the breakdown, and with that the remarkable devotedness coming to light on the part of those who were in touch with God. And the third feature I felt the Lord might help us to look at is the definite recognition and power of the Spirit of God as seen at the end. Those three things were in my mind. I am sure the Lord would help us to be preserved in that which the temple represents, so that there should be an increase of devotedness, and a more distinct recognition and giving of place to the Spirit of God. These being three of the great features to which the Lord came first, and to which He will come when He comes again.
AGF What is the distinction between the temple and the house? Was that in your mind in speaking of it? We read: It groweth to a holy temple.
WJH I think the main thought connected with the house of God is that it is the place where God dwells, and where He is known. But with regard to the temple, while that thought is included, yet it emphasises also the particular feature of holiness and magnificence. Both these thoughts attach to the house of God also, but perhaps are more prominent in the temple. When you think of the house of God, you have in mind the place where God dwells and is known, but when you think of the temple you think, as the prime thought, of a structure that is exceedingly magnifical and awe-inspiring. There was that here in Luke 1 and 2 that was morally magnificent as in accord with the temple.
RHVA That which will be carried into the world to come is also set forth in the temple.
WJH Yes.
CB The temple is in relation to the kingdom.
WJH Yes. It has that connection with us. One was concerned a little with the maintenance of what heaven would regard as magnificent.
RHVA Does the application of the magnificence today lie in the essence of the thing or in the exterior?
WJH In the essence. We may not see anything externally, but the thing is here, and it is interesting to see how the Spirit of God brings forward the temple without any comment as to the literal state, because I believe what the temple represented morally and spiritually was there.
AGF You have the thought of what the saints are to God.
WJH In Isaiah 60: 7, it is spoken of as “the house of my magnificence” (N.T.).
CB How does that apply at the present moment?
WJH It applied literally in the gold and the silver and the brass and the iron and the wood and the glistening stones that all went into it. If you walked into the temple, you would see the wood covered with gold. You would get a sense of what a magnificent place it was. I think the temple is intended to impress us with the sense of what true magnificence is.
RHVA Is that suggested in Philadelphia “Thou hast not denied my name”?
WJH That is very good. “I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.” He will have a place in that wonderful structure.
CB How are you going to apply that in regard to the saints, as to the magnificence of the thing? How does it work out for us? Paul, writing to the Corinthians, speaks of them as the temple of God. They were that characteristically, I suppose, but as to the magnificence of what you speak, how is that viewed in the saints today?
WJH I suppose it is by the presence livingly amongst us of what was set forth by the materials of which the temple was made. You could not have any magnificence without gold or without silver or without brass. Then there was the iron, beyond weight. There were the cedar trees and the fir trees and the glistening stones, the stones to be set, and all manner of precious stones. All these you would look for. The Lord maintains (one would encourage our hearts) true magnificence on earth as in the previous dispensation.
AGF That is in moral features.
WJH Surely.
GG Do you think they were found in Zacharias?
WJH He was in the temple.
GG I thought the sixth verse (Luke 1) implied that.
WJH Yes. He was a man who could burn incense. It was his lot to do it. He had liberty to do it, and he did it; so that from the temple of God there came up to God this incense. That is magnificent — true magnificence — that from the earth there should arise to God a savour of the incense.
Rem It was pleasing to God. Noah was pleasing to God.
WJH It says of Noah’s offering that God smelt a savour of rest.
JSB You spoke of holiness as the first feature marking the temple, and it is in that character that the Lord addresses Philadelphia — would you say more about that? Is it not holiness the enemy is attacking?
WJH You could not have any real magnificence without holiness. You could not have any real greatness without holiness. Nothing is great in the sight of God that is unholy. It is in the sight of men. Men have greatness that they value, and they do not question the moral character of a person regarded as great. Take a hero, for instance. No one questions his moral condition. You could not have that in the sight of God. You must have holiness.
HC Is that what we get in Ephesians 2: 21: “Fitly framed together ... . “?
WJH Yes. That is one of the great thoughts of the temple. It is all united together — hence the iron for nails secured by David. In the house of God you are at home, and it is where you know God and enjoy His company. When you come into a temple, it is a shrine, a sanctified place.
JH The temple is greater than the house?
WJH No, I would not say that. It is a distinct thought. It is intended to impress you with magnificence. It is a great thing that God dwells with men. You cannot compare one thought with the other. The temple is intended to impress us with holiness and what is magnificent according to God.
WAP Would you say the magnificence is not visible to the eyes of men of the world?
WJH It is not what the world calls magnificence, but I believe they ought to see it. I believe what is truly great according to God ought to be visible in Melbourne.
RHVA I thought that what was suggested there in the simplicity of the form of a babe — all the magnificence that belonged to the temple — was only awaiting display.
WJH So that David proposed to build the temple in the first instance purely and simply to receive the ark. He would build a house for the ark. The ark was Christ in lowly, small conditions, but in His infinitely great and holy person; that wonderful building that took so long to build and cost so much was simply constructed to receive the ark. That is what existed here. There was a condition on earth of such true greatness that the ark could be received. Simeon received Him in his arms. He received Him suitably.
CB The temple is not said to be built when we come to the New Testament teaching. It grows. I was thinking of what our brother said as to the conditions being agreeable to God being seen in that Babe. He comes there as a stone cut out without hands.
HC It does say it is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ the chief corner stone.
CB But that is the finish of the thing in Ephesians 2 in connection with the kingdom; that is why the Lord is brought in. It does not say anybody builds it.
WJH You are looking at it there in its finality. There is a sense in which the temple of God exists in any one locality. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God,” is said of the assembly at Corinth. You would look for the same features in Melbourne, and I believe they are here. The Lord would encourage our hearts to see they are maintained; for it is the thought of God that every local assembly should be the temple of God.
Ques Would that temple be apprehended by those other than the saints of God?
WJH Not in its real greatness, but many would get the gain of it.
JSB Do you suggest that if seen livingly in Melbourne the features would be attractive to those around?
WJH I think that any heart longing for something satisfying would take account of it. Corinthians speaks of the man coming in, falling on his face, and saying, God is among you. You would like to feel that there was something like that amongst us, would you not?
JU Was the thought of magnificence seen in the Lord when the Jews wondered at the gracious words they heard?
WJH Every feature was seen in the Lord personally. He says: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” This He spake of His body. It was there in Him personally. In this setting, Simeon, Zacharias, Elisabeth, Joseph and Mary, and others really formed the true temple that received the ark suitably.
HG What is your thought with regard to where the material came from that produced this magnificent house?
WJH It was the great object of David’s life to gather material; it was what he sought in every battle. His object was to get spoil to bring in and make available for this wonderful structure. It must have been exceedingly magnificent. That indicates how we get material.
ABJ The magnificence of the house depended upon the occupant. Morally it is magnificent. So that, in a local assembly, if the Lord is not the centre, then the magnificence could not be seen — as, for instance, Laodicea.
WJH So that, where these features represented by the gold, the silver, and so on, are, there are conditions to which the ark can come. David had instinctive knowledge — indeed knowledge by the Spirit — of what would be suitable to receive the ark. He did not regard the tent as suitable, although in grace the ark was there. He said “That is not sufficient.” The ark should have a most magnificent place, and be received there. Spiritually, you have that here, though publicly the conditions are dreadful.
RHVA Would you say that, in a peculiar and living way, we touch the blessedness of the thought of the temple in the appreciation of the affections of the saints for Christ?
WJH Yes, I would. Now I believe, where the conditions are suitable, the Lord would come spiritually, as He did literally here, so that if you have the saints in any little measure corresponding with the temple, the ark will come. Then you find that Zacharias had a vision in the temple. They perceived that he had had a vision. If the temple is really here there will be incense and a vision. One would like to encourage our hearts to make room for both.
AGF Do you think there should be an exercise on our part to gather up material?
WJH David’s history would tell us it should be the controlling thing in our lives to have material suitable for Christ.
AGF What would that be — moral attributes or seeking to gather it by ministry or serving others?
WJH I suppose, in many ways, David gathered it. He particularly gathered it in conflict. When the question of good and evil comes up in any connection, the result of the battle will be, there is more material suitable for the temple of God.
RHVA The Psalms suggest the way in which David gathered it. The exercises he went through, and the effect upon his soul, prepared him morally for it.
WJH In these exercises he learned to know God.
RHVA He wrote the Psalm 22.
AGF What an effect it would have if we thought of the result for God!
WJH As far as I can see that is the basis of the conflict for David. It was the goal he had in view. You will remember he had his eye also upon what was dedicated by one and another — what Abner dedicated, and what Saul dedicated, and what Joab dedicated. He put it all aside and kept it waiting for the day when it would have a place in this wonderful building.
THG Would you say in connection with the receiving of the ark that those features that you referred to in Luke 2 would set forth the gold. In regard to Anna, who speaks of redemption, would that be the silver?
WJH You could not conceive that the ark could be rightly received without what the gold represents — divine love — so that Simeon received Him into his arms. It was an embrace. There was love there. You could not expect the ark to come in, the conscious sense of the presence of Christ, if love is not present. The Lord’s presence is known in an atmosphere of love. Everything that is different to that, the Lord would help us to judge and refuse. The gold covers everything. The cedar is all covered with the gold.
JSB Would you tell us something about the incense and visions of which you spoke?
WJH One has felt a little the feebleness of our meetings for prayer, that if we were more on the line of incense there would be a condition in which the Lord could give the sense of His presence, and support and prepare the way for a vision, the incense being an odour that is acceptable to God, being the expression of desires for His glory. You examine the tone of our prayers. How much incense is there?
JH The desire is there, Psalm 88: 2, “Let my prayer come before thee,” would that not be incense?
WJH That was David.
JH We take up David’s desire.
WJH Well, let us take it up. The Lord would help us to take it up.
HC Where two or three are gathered together there am I in the midst.
WJH That has the prayer meeting primarily, in view. But it is “in My name” — that is the incense.
HC The conditions are there.
WJH We want to see it is “in My name.” That is what marked Zacharias. He was there in the name of the Lord. The incense is prayer in relation to God’s name.
JH Why do you speak of the prayer meeting?
WJH That is what a prayer meeting would be — a place where incense would go up.
JH These are days of brokenness.
WJH We do not want to lower the standard. Zacharias could have said: Will things ever be right? But he drew near and offered incense.
AGF What is involved in the name? If I use a person’s name, it must be as in accordance with his mind.
WJH You want it on his behalf or you would be stealing. You have no right to use my name unless you want something on my behalf. If you go to the bank and use my name, it must be as for me. Prayer is in relation to the interests of Christ and of God.
WAP If the atmosphere you speak of and the conditions are right outwardly, the incense will go up.
WJH I am sure the Lord would get incense.
JSB You mean we get past our own needs.
WJH Yes. You take Jacob’s prayer. I have felt how expressive it is (Genesis 28: 20-22). “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me on this road ... and will give me bread to eat and a garment to put on, and I come again to my father’s house in peace — then shall Jehovah be my God ... .”
JSB Our prayers should be in relation to the interests of Christ.
WJH I do not mean that we should not pray for bread or raiment. We need to pray for it more now than ever. But this prayer in the temple is on a higher level. Here is a man whose lot was to burn incense, and he did it. It was acceptable to heaven.
JH You are making a great deal of incense.
WJH One loves to think that, while from this Egypt world there arises the stench of the blood and frogs, there should be incense in every local assembly going up to God at the present time.
JH There is, is there not?
WJH I trust there is. One would encourage it more. Take the prayer meeting where there are 15 brothers. Are they all taking up their lot? Zacharias took up his lot and burned incense.
Ques Would you say that John 17 is an example of incense from the golden altar?
WJH Perfectly. Every one of the Lord’s prayers were prayers of incense from the golden altar.
THG What should be the features of incense in our prayers? Could you help us in that way so that we might be encouraged on the line of offering incense?
WJH The prayers of the Lord were compounded together with the fragrance of a life wholly devoted to the divine interests of God. You are affected by it. Your life is in accord with it. In the life of your soul, you are wholly devoted to the interests of God. You draw near to God. There is a smell delightful to heaven.
THG Simeon had his hands full of incense.
WJH Yes. Then he says: “Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace ... .” He delights in the greatness of that blessed Person who had come. Think of the incense going up to heaven.
THG Simeon is prepared to go out of sight now.
JH I suppose everyone should offer incense.
WJH Surely.
JSB Would you tell us about Anna as a feature that would mark closing days?
WJH She touches in a peculiar way another line I had in mind — the peculiar devotedness that marked this company. She served day and night with prayers and fasting. Her home was in the temple. She lived there.
THG Would she answer to Psalm 27? “One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after.”
WJH Yes, to “Behold the beauty of the Lord and enquire in His temple.” She was doing all that.
RHVA Would you say Anna suggests to us the spirit in which the local assembly preserves conditions for a place suitable to the ark?
WJH You nearly always find — particularly in Luke — that a woman is linked up with a man. If a man is brought forward, there is a woman near him — Zacharias and Elisabeth, Joseph and Mary, Simeon and Anna. That runs through the gospel, that there is hidden away in the subjective condition what will correspond with the public position taken. Otherwise there is no power. Anna is the subjective side of Simeon.
JSB She was a prophetess. Would you suggest she had visions?
WJH She frequented the temple, and anyone who frequents the temple will get visions. Zacharias had had a vision, and it was perceived he had had a vision.
CB Paul had a vision, but he would not talk about it.
WJH Yes. He kept it for 14 years. If there is no vision the people perish. If we do not get visions in Melbourne, we are going to perish.
JH What is a vision? Will you explain it?
WJH A glimpse of what is in heaven. What Zacharias saw was a messenger from heaven who announced to him what was going on in heaven. “I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God.” The movements of heaven were known in a vision. It brings down to the conscious knowledge of the saints what is in heaven.
GG Is that linked with Luke 2?
WJH Again a movement from heaven — the heavenly hosts are there. They say: Glory to God in the highest.
RHVA Does it suggest in a practical way what is vital in my soul communion? Do I get a living impression of being there?
WJH You will never forget a vision. It is not a dream. You see something. It was the secret of Paul’s spiritual life. He says he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
AGF It is the direct communication of the mind of God to an individual — something I have learned for myself from God.
WJH You will get it generally in connection with the temple.
AGF For us, dwelling in the temple would be devotion to the interests of Christ here.
WJH You can understand how Zacharias would regard the temple. It would be the subject of his life’s interest. Zacharias was an old man, but he does not shirk his service. He regards it as his great privilege to serve in God’s temple. Even when he was dumb, it says he continued until the days were finished. He does not go home until they were completed.
HC It says he tarried long in the temple.
WJH All connecting itself with the devotedness of Zacharias to the Lord’s interests.
AGF You can understand how sweet it must be to God in a scene like this to see one wholly devoted to God.
WJH A feature of magnificence is that there is whole-hearted devotedness to Christ. I am sure He will give His presence to that.
TRY The true thought of the temple would preserve us in unity; preserve us from being merely local.
WJH That is particularly a feature of the house of God — universality. The temple of God is something to be maintained in the locality in the light of what is universal. All the building fitly framed together groweth to a holy temple in the Lord. When you come to Simeon, you see the feature of devotedness also, and he, too, has had communications from heaven (it does not say a vision), but it is the same principle; he knows what is going on in heaven; the Lord’s Christ is about to appear. His life is devoted to the Lord. He speaks of himself as “thy bondman.” That is what is going to be when the Lord comes. There are going to be bondmen on earth as well as priests who offer incense.
RHVA Does that suggest to us that in the affections of the assembly the assembly waits for Christ? Is that the suggestion in the attitude of Simeon?
WJH I think so. His whole life was devoted to the One he knew was coming. You can understand every morning that his outlook would be “Is this the day the Lord’s Christ will appear?” He will see Him. It says “He should not taste death till he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” What an impression that would make on each day!
GG The Holy Spirit was upon him; it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death — that came by the Spirit because he was a bondman.
WJH I think you have the additional feature that he was one who was in touch with the temple; he came into the temple. Here is a man in touch with the temple as Zacharias and Anna; in addition he is devoted to the extent of being a bondman. I believe that is what the Lord wants now. He wants the temple features. He wants incense, but He wants bondmen.
ABJ It says he came in the Spirit into the temple. What God looks for is in the Spirit.
WJH Quite so. In contrast to the flesh. There are no fleshly motives.
GG The proof of that was the wonderful revelation he got — the greatness of the Person taken in his arms. All God’s pleasure was in Him.
WJH You would like that, if the Lord were to come today, He should be received suitably. You would like to form part of that which would receive Him.
J.U. Is that service?
WJH Yes, it is. But intense service. A bondman is a man who is entirely at his master’s service. Not like an ordinary employee whose service begins at a certain time and ends at a certain time. A bondman is a man who is entirely at the disposal of his master for the whole of his life.
JSB It is beautiful to see that “it is according to thy word.”
CB All that was seen in the Hebrew servant.
THG The apostle Paul could take it up in the true sense when he speaks of himself as the bondman of Jesus Christ.
WJH Most of the apostles speak of themselves like that. As controlled by the Master, and as delighting in Him, they have accepted the place of bondmen.
WAP It is the same thought as the slave, who never moves except according to his master’s word.
WJH Are we prepared for that? Is the possibility of having Christ amongst us so great that we are really prepared to be bondmen?
HG Is the consolation of Israel that idea? Nothing would satisfy him short of that.
WJH That would be the comfort of his heart, that the Lord is coming.
CB It says it was revealed unto him. You spoke of the vision. Paul says visions and revelations of the Lord. Does revelation follow a vision?
WJH I do not know.
CB It was revealed to him that he should not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
AGF The thought of revelation is the thought of unveiling something unseen before.
WJH In that sense revelation is complete. We do not look for revelation in that sense. In Amos it says the Lord will do nothing He will not make known to His servants. He will do nothing. Here is a man that knows what the Lord is doing, but he is a bondman, and I do not think anyone will get the secret of the Lord who is not a bondman.
AGF There is no chance for volunteers?
WJH No. Nor for hirelings. If we are serving for wages, the Lord, who is righteous, will give them to us; if my service is for present or even for future reward as its motive, then I will not get the secret.
JSB None can bless God except in the appreciation of Christ.
WJH The word “bless” is a very interesting word; it is to speak well of. As Simeon took Christ in his arms, and saw by the Spirit what was there, and Who was there, how he could speak to God. The secret of all blessing God is the apprehension of Christ. I believe we would be helped if we saw that part of this magnificence is the bondman. It would meet the lawless, democratic day we live in. God wants the magnificence in Melbourne.
WAP The true bondman has no thought of reward.
WJH The slave is simply and entirely at the disposal of his master.
HC I delight to do Thy will, O My God.
AGF I love my master. That is the reason he decided to stay in the service.
WAP He would not be free if he could.
WJH Have we got to that? The master is so loved — though his will is absolute — that I would not be free if I could.
EGS The company at the close of Luke answers to Simeon.
WJH They continued in the temple praising and blessing God. You find them going out in Acts as His bondmen. “Lord grant to thy bondmen that with all boldness they, may speak thy word,” they say.
JH Ye are not your own, but bought with a price — is that the sense of bondmen?
WJH I am sure we can quote many scriptures to show that that is the thought of God. Are we prepared to enter into the position of bondmen? To surrender entirely any will of our own, and simply to be at the disposal of the Lord?
Ques “Whatsoever things ye do ... . do all to the glory of God.” Fulfilling one’s daily routine and one’s daily duties one may still be a bondman.
WJH You might be a master in the things of this life, and yet be a bondman. You might be least in the social scale of this life, yet be the Lord’s bondman.
Ques “Take my yoke upon you ... .” Is that a bondman?
WJH The yoke is something like acceptance of a bondman’s place. You are meek, and you do God’s will.
GG Abraham took up the bondman’s place, and he is called the friend of God.
RHVA Would it work out in its bearing in relation with each other as brethren — particularly in our local setting?
WJH It enables us to come into the house to be together in these magnificent features. You have no will, and I have no will: The sisters have no will. This position is supported by Anna. Mary says “Be it ... according to Thy word.” She is subjectively what marks Simeon publicly. She says, in effect: “I am only on earth to do the will of the Lord.” Anna is night and day in the temple. Never any time off, never any holidays, her whole life entirely devoted to the will of the Lord. If you have those conditions anywhere, you have conditions where the Lord will come in.
Rem Peter and John would be a setting forth of that. They went together.
WJH That is very good. They went up to the temple together. They are both spoken of as His bondmen. John says “His bondman, John.” Peter says “Bondman of Jesus Christ.”
Rem The absence with Peter of silver and gold would be a testimony.
WJH They had the silver and gold of God’s holy temple.
AGF Well, we do not serve for wages.
WJH What better wages could Simeon have than having that blessed Person in his arms? It was worth a whole lifetime of service. The Lord would come in if we were prepared to accept the bondman’s place. We shall have a sense of His presence and His glory.
CB What do you say is the secret of this devotedness? What brought it about in these people in Luke?
WJH I have no doubt it lay in an apprehension of Christ. We find that all these people had an apprehension of Christ. David, who built the temple, or rather provided the material for the temple to be built, had an apprehension of Christ. The Psalm speaks of the initial movement. We heard of it (the ark), he says; we found it in the fields of the wood. He says, I will not sleep till I find a place for the ark. All this material came out of an appreciation of the ark.
RHVA Don’t you think in that way the bearing of things on my spirit should work out not simply that I am relieved, but that I am in the conscious enjoyment of the One who relieved me?
WJH The Lord, having relieved us, would fill us with a desire to have a suitable place for Him; one that is magnificent.
RHVA Is that suggested in Romans 12, where you are set free from the relief side, and you now present your body — is that a bondman?
WJH Yes. There is the answer in triumph on the part of the Lord. What marked the body at the beginning of Romans is removed so that, in the 12th chapter, you have the body presented holy and acceptable to God.
Ques Starting young, I suppose, is a great thing?
WJH David started when he was a lad in his father’s house; he got an impression of the magnificence of the ark, and what an unworthy place was provided for it. He says: “We found it in the fields of the wood.” Out in the open, with no suitable place to receive it. We found it in the fields. He says, I will never sleep until the ark has a suitable place. That is the spring of everything that is magnificent on our side. We want a place for Christ, and want to serve Him. We accept the bondman’s place.
Ques There was great joy when the ark was brought up to Zion.
WJH Yes. But a tent did not meet David’s desire. It was provisional. What David really had in mind was the temple.
Ques They were able to sing when the ark was brought in, but not before.
WJH Yes.
Rem The act of the widow that cast in the two mites would be magnificent. She had a sense of true magnificence.
WJH You can understand the Lord’s delight in her. She cast in all she had in devotedness to the temple.