MOUNTAIN LESSONS

MOUNTAIN LESSONS

Luke 4: 5-8; Luke 6: 12-16; Luke 9: 28-36; Luke 21: 37, 38

WJH Some of us have been speaking a little together of the instinctive sense that was given to the godly remnant in the beginning of Luke that, in view of the coming in of Christ, they should be found in the hill country. Mary particularly being cognisant of the supreme greatness of the One that was coming, as coming from the Highest, being the Son of the Highest, it says “She went with haste to the hill country.” One believes that the Lord is working amongst His people throughout the world in view of having us characteristically living in an elevation above this world, in view of His own coming again. So one has felt this afternoon the Lord might help us to consider these scriptures in that light, looking at Him personally as found on each occasion on a mountain, where we shall see Him infinitely above the world around, so that we might get the right idea of elevation.

WJY By elevation, you would imply heavenly mindedness.

WJH Yes, and heavenly characteristics in our lives, so that we move further away from the low level of things here.

RHVA Is that suggested to us in its perfection when John is taken to the top of the mountain and shown the heavenly city in its perfection?

WJH That is very good, because you cannot see things in their true perspective on the level around us; so that on the mountain he saw what God is now producing, in its perfection and completeness.

RHVA He was only taken to the wilderness to see the display of the devil’s work.

WJH Indeed that which is evil is often referred to as being seen in the plain. It was a plain in the land of Shinar where Babel was built; and it was in the plain, it says, where Sodom and Gomorrah were. The inhabitants were in keeping with that level.

WJY How do you apply the thought of the devil taking Him up into a high mountain?

WJH I thought of looking behind what the devil did, to see that the Spirit of God brings before our eyes the perfect elevation of the Lord in His outlook here. While the Lord in grace comes down to the plain in this Gospel particularly, He descends and comes where men are, and brings with Him what they need; indeed in the tenth chapter He goes to Jericho. He descends in other scriptures — even to the lower parts of the earth; but so that we may — see Him in His true glory and the elevation of His blessed character, I think these mountains are brought before us.

RHVA Is that the attitude of the Bride at the end of Revelation, when she says: “Even so come, Lord Jesus”? Is that from the mountain?

WJH She is herself characteristically above the scene she is in; she is ready to receive Him. One is struck with the fact that the godly remnant in Luke felt that, if they were to be where they could rightly receive the Lord, they should go to the hill country. I think that is the exercise the Lord is giving increasingly to our hearts.

RHVA Is that instinctive rather than intelligent?

WJH I think it is intelligent, but I think it is not a question of duty or command. It was the sense that they had that that One who was from above should be received as near as possible to what was above — in an atmosphere that was above.

JDU Was His descending into the plain for the purpose of breaking the bond that Held us there, so that we might be able to ascend? You speak of the plain as where the enemy’s citadel is.

WJH Yes. So that in going down as the Lord did, He went to Jericho — that downward road the man was on — He journeyed, carrying with Him what was needed to release that man and bring him where He could take care of him, in view of His coming again.

JDU So that the way is open for us as a result of what He has done to ascend; there is no reason why we should be detained at all.

WJH Yes.

WJY I suppose the superiority of Christ to every temptation is the thought here.

WJH Yes. What particularly comes out on this high mountain is that the Lord Jesus as Man has only one object. Nothing can be presented to Him — not even all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them — to move Him from having one object during the whole of His sojourn here. That is elevation.

Ques You would say He had a single eye for God’s glory?

WJH Yes.. The level of things around us is that the house of God has become the house of merchandise. Divine things are used to secure gain for men on every hand, and we are constantly facing in our own hearts that principle which belongs to the plain; it does not belong to the mountain. Here we see the Lord presented with the whole glory of this scene, and it in no wise affects Him. He says, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. That is one feature of elevation that the Lord would encourage us to be marked for, to have Him only as our object in our lives here.

WJY Is that the only thing that would preserve us from the allurements that the enemy brings before us in this world?

WJH It takes a great deal less than all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them to affect some of us, but the sense of the Lord in this way delighting in God would help us.

WJY It says in Psalm 16 “I have set Jehovah always before me.”

WJH “Therefore I shall not be moved.”

JSB What is it detains so many Christians in the plain country?

WJH I suppose it is the feeble sense we have of the greatness of Christ. Mary had a most remarkable unfolding of who was coming “that holy thing ... shall be called the Son of God,” “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest” — and all that affected her movements. So with Simeon. Think of the light he had in his heart as to the greatness of the One who was coming in!

RMY In this mountain, would you say, the Lord has a sense of the greatness of God; but it brings before us the greatness of Christ as well?

WJH One delights to think of the blessed One treading this scene absolutely controlled by God, as His object alone. That is what God desired from the outset in relation to His people. Thou shalt serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind. God wanted it all. Here was one blessed Man in whom He had it all.

RHVA That morally represents elevation in Man.

WJH I feel we see true elevation here in One who was not interested in anything else but the service of God.

RHVA Is that why the apostle says “For me to live is Christ”?

WJH That would be in accord with it — whether we live or die, whether present or absent, to be acceptable. That was his object.

WJY In looking at Luke’s Gospel as the coming into view of the vessel of grace, this particular passage would show His competency to deal with every condition?

WJH It says when the devil had finished every temptation — every principle of evil in the universe.

Rem He said, I am not alone, because the Father is with Me; He had a distinct sense of the support of the Father in the pathway He was treading.

WJH Here He has one object. That is the first feature we see here — One who has one object. That is the great fundamental feature of true elevation according to God.

JDU There is no lowering of the standard, as is said, to meet the times.

WJH Quite. I am sure you will agree how constantly we have to judge ourselves as to the permission in our motives and hearts of another object. Some of us were saying this morning, Jonathan said to David, “Thou shalt be first and I shall be next,” disclosing that there was an object other than David in his heart.

JSB Are the attractions of the hill country open to the youngest?

WJH I suppose in Mary you would find something more youthful than in Simeon. You have various conditions presented. It speaks of all those that dwelt there; there were not only Simeon and Anna, Joseph and Mary, Zacharias and Elisabeth. It says “all” that dwelt there; evidently there were many there. It is open to the young as well as the old to move in their souls to that which is above this scene. The Lord would help them and keep them there.

RHVA Would this be what the apostle meant in 2 Corinthians 11: 2: “I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ”? That she should not be corrupted — is that what he means?

WJH Yes. So that every other object of our hearts would be rejected in the light of the espousal to the one person.

CHW Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve. Would worship be God-ward and service man-ward?

WJH You get the same thought: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart ... and thy neighbour as thyself. The latter is man-ward, but it springs from what goes upward.

Then, as to the scripture in sixth chapter, it says the Lord went up into the mountain to pray. “It came to pass ... He went out into a mountain to pray ... continued all night in prayer to God.” I believe our prayers want elevating. One feels it for oneself, that the Lord would elevate the character of our prayers. I suppose all prayer from the saints should take character from the prayers of Christ. He goes to a mountain to pray.

WJY I was much struck with what Mr. Ware said when he was here — that we wanted to have more golden altar prayer. That is elevation.

WJH We were referring to Jacob’s prayer as being a fair sample of many of our prayers. Genesis 28:20-22: “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me on this road that I go, 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” — is a pretty good summary of the majority of our prayers. One does not find fault with that prayer itself, but that is not the prayer you hear on the mountain. If a brother is spiritual, his prayers will be elevated.

RMY What is the weakness of that prayer?

WJH His outlook was not high enough. Jacob was the centre of his outlook. Now, take the prayer the Lord taught His disciples “Father, Thy name be hallowed” — that is the first utterance — “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as is done in heaven.” Do you think we pray that way very often?

RMY The Father is the centre; the object there. You would say it is a prayer from the mountain.

WAP Does the mountain suggest solitude?

WJH No, not exactly. It suggests more elevation — above the general character of things around. He was alone there, too, but that is not particularly the point. God in His faithfulness and care desires us to commit our earthly matters to Him, but He wants to hear us pray on the mountain, with Himself and His glory before us.

JDU That refers to our private prayer as well as to prayer in public.

WJH There will not be much elevation in public prayer if there is not any in private prayer.

Ques The nearer we get to heaven, the deeper the sense of the Person we address. I suppose that would affect worship and prayer.

WJH So that it says in John 17, where we have another prayer from a wonderful altitude: “Father, the hour is come. Glorify Thy Son that Thy Son also may glorify Thee.” The whole desire of that prayer is not based upon the glorification of Christ, but on the glory of the Father.

HC He said, what shall I say — save Me from this hour? He chose rather that the Father’s name might be glorified.

WJH When He was going to select His disciples here, going to make a fresh move, it says He continued all night in prayer. One would feel there is a word to us that, if there is a fresh movement either individually or together in any way, the Lord would help us to pray from the elevation of the mountain in relation to that matter.

Ques Is that earnestness?

WJH Yes, and intense dependence.

HC You would say Paul’s prayers were prayers from the mountain.

WJH Surely. How little he brings in himself in them.

Ques Would you say prayers for the blessing of the saints are golden altar prayers?

WJH It depends what you really want, that is, as to how far it is the glory of God and of Christ that is before your soul. A brother who preaches might pray for blessing, but he might be allowing something for himself in it. That is on the level of man.

Rem You can only pray according to your desires. It seems our desires want elevating.

WJH They would be more elevated if we were on the first mountain referred to — with one object before us. Our prayers would be elevated if that were so.

Ques Is there incense in connection with prayer?

WJH The prayers at the golden altar are incense. In Revelation 5: 8, it says: “The elders ... having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints.” Prayers from that altar go up fragrant to God from this scene, and it is a wonderful privilege to present something to God that is fragrant today, with all the corruption around — that there should be a fragrance going up to Him!

WJY Mr. Ware told us he knew of a case where the parents prayed for the conversion of their son for many years, and their prayer was not answered. Then they got some help on the lines we are speaking of this afternoon, and they prayed for his conversion for the glory of God; and their prayer was answered.

WJH You see that with Hannah. How often she had expressed her desire for a son. But when she prays in the temple and makes clear in her prayer that she wants that son for God. Eli says, Thy prayer is heard.

Ques I suppose with a great deal of prayer the motive is wrong?

WJH It was right with Zacharias; it was at the time of incense that he prayed. The light of the coming in of Christ came in connection with the incense. It was at the hour of incense. I am sure it will be in the hour of incense that we shall get the light of the return of Christ. When incense is going up to heaven, we shall know of the coming of Christ. I believe that it is clear from Scripture that the Lord will do nothing without revealing His secret to His servants, the prophets. Everything He does He will make known. I am confident the Lord will give to His people the definite sense of the imminent coming of Christ. It will be connected with incense as at the beginning.

HC It is important in connection with the incense to consider the imminence of His return.

WJH Those who offer incense will know it. Gabriel appears to Zacharias with the announcement of the coming of Christ.

HC It would be a great incentive to offer incense.

WJH Hence the importance of moving away from ourselves.

RMY You feel there will be some preliminary notice in that way?

WJH It is in keeping with what has gone before. God has made known in a spiritual way what He is going to do. It was divinely communicated to Simeon. It was not through the study of Daniel that he knew he should not taste death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

AGF We all have the doctrine of it, but that is not what you refer to, is it?

WJH Everybody in Israel had the doctrine of it, but Simeon had had a divine communication. It is evident that Zacharias and Elisabeth, Simeon and Anna, Joseph and Mary, at least knew, not only in a general way, that the Messiah was coming. All Israel could have the light of that. But they knew something much more definite than that. I believe that is what the Lord will give in connection with the offering up of incense.

GHMcK Would you explain what you mean by offering up incense?

WJH The incense represents the desires in the heart for the glory of God and the interests of Christ. Those odours in the vials in Revelation 5 are not prayers like Jacob’s, “If thou wilt give me bread to eat ... .” Those odours are prayers from the earth for the rights of God to be maintained here.

Ques Those prayers rise to heaven?

WJH They, spring from the sense of the greatness of Christ and the desire for His glory.

JE In the light of incense, are we not tested as to long prayers?

WJH Have we got sufficient incense for them? Take a brother who prays for twenty minutes; has he that much incense? If so, we shall be delighted; heaven will be delighted. It is exceedingly precious, and it is very rare. Are the breathings that are being expressed the longings of heart in relation to the glory of God? Have I these longings in relation to Him? I do not think I could pray for twenty minutes on that line.

RMY Should prayers in public be on any other line? I refer to our prayer meetings.

WJH I believe the normal character of the meeting for prayer would be at the golden altar; even if you are praying for one who is sick, laid aside, it would not be connected merely with earthly circumstances, but with the interests of the Lord in raising up or supporting that one.

JDU Is it significant that the Lord in His deep desires for the will of God to be done in connection with the choice of the twelve would deliberately choose the one who was a betrayer.?

WJH I think so; it was subsequent to being all night in prayer. Nevertheless, the Lord chooses Judas, knowing him. There is no accident, but it was to expose once and for all what our own hearts are capable of.

WJY It is very appealing. Great as the Lord was, He did not make this selection without preface — prayer to God.

WJH It is profound instruction for us.

JSB Do you think that the pressure worldwide, the increased suffering amongst so many of the saints, will bring an elevation in prayer?

WJH One has felt the Lord is using the difficulties of the present time to help us to reach the hill country. I am sure we will admit how much we have borne features in keeping with the world around us. The Lord is helping us to judge this. He is moving us above the level of things around. The present conditions are His servant to help us.

W Going back, I would like to say I think that praying in the Spirit is heard immediately, but, after all, the answer may be delayed. It was delayed in the case of Daniel. The powers of evil have so much influence, that they are permitted to hinder an immediate answer, although it is for our good that the answer is delayed, although the delay comes from the enemy.

WJH That is very instructive. While Daniel did not get his answer at once, what did exist was that he was a man greatly beloved in heaven. He was recognised as greatly beloved.

The Lord chose the disciples on the mount, and came down with them to the plain. He wanted to convey to them the sense that their calling was an elevated one. They were called by Him and chosen by Him. They were above the scene through which they were passing.

RMY What is the third mountain?

WJH I thought that the peculiar connection with the expression “about eight days” indicated to us that on this mountain there is given to us a vision, a picture of that which will pass out of time into eternity, so that we may get before our souls the wondrous elevation of what is eternal.

RMY You view the eighth day as being linked with eternity?

WJH I think it is helpful to see that the eternal conditions are reached in two ways, one on the line of John as connected with the first day, and being therefore wholly new. There is no link whatever with anything that ever transpired; but in connection with Luke, the line of recovery, and the undoing of what sin and Satan have done. God reaches the same day on the line of carrying over what is worthy of a place in eternity. I believe you get one of the fullest unfoldings in Scripture of what will fill eternity in this chapter.

WJY Do you mean in the converse with Moses and Elias?

WJH Partly; more or less in the whole setting of what is brought forward.

WJY Would you go with this? I thought that, in this Gospel particularly, the Lord Jesus, as the Son of Man, was given this taste of glory as a Man in order to strengthen Him and fit Him for the pathway He was taking to the Cross.

WJH That would be right. We would have to observe He took Peter, James and John with Him; so there is something for us to see.

WJY Do you not think in principle that what was true of Him, the perfect Man, must be true of us? It is only a taste and the knowledge of glory and of God’s purpose that will fit us for coming to the plain, and meeting the power of the enemy.

WJH Yes. So Peter, James, and John, after this visit to the mountain, would be prepared for everything, being superior to all in their own souls through the gain of what they saw on this mountain.

Ques Did the Lord have a special purpose in taking these three disciples with Him?

WJH These three needed it most on the line pointed out. They had to face things more severely than the others. They had to face special circumstances, special suffering.

WJY Would you develop a little the thought you had in regard to eternity?

WJH The small way we can take in eternity must disclose to us that whatever is eternal must be unspeakably great. There is nothing that we touch that is earthly that is great enough to occupy anybody for ever. On this mountain you have the unfolding of what is great enough in itself to be a theme and object for ever.

Rem Peter speaks of holiness in connection with this mountain. It says, without holiness none shall see the Lord.

WJH That will be one feature that will pass on for ever — holiness.

Ques Matthew says after six days?

WJH Yes, after six days, meaning that the particular features of Matthew and Mark will be enjoyed on the seventh day in the world to come. Luke gives you that which will be carried over from the seventh day to the eighth day. There is no ninth day in the future. The eighth day is the day of eternity that Peter speaks of.

RMY What are these features?

WJH The first one of them is marvellous — that the Lord Jesus Christ will be Man, in the place of dependence for eternity — on the eighth day. He was seen on this mount on the eighth day praying. He is still Man, therefore still accepts the place of dependence and subjection.

RHVA Is that seen in 1 Corinthians 15 — being subject?’ Yes. The Son is placed in subjection. I do not think our hearts fully take in the great wonder of the fact that the Lord Jesus is Man, and remains a Man throughout eternity.

JSB What did Peter have in mind when he says we “were eye-witnesses of His majesty”?

WJH He was speaking there particularly in regard to His face, which shone as the sun. The seventh day will be ruled by Christ as the sun rules the day now. Luke does not say that. The fashion of His countenance was different. Sorrow and suffering and reproach have passed away for ever on the eighth day, and His countenance is different. His countenance is there for us to see on the eighth day.

JDU The effect will be — worship filling the heart?

WJH Yes. I do not think we will weary of seeing that countenance in the eighth day. It is blessed enough to be looked at throughout the eighth day.

Rem I think it is a good thing for us that He is a Man through all eternity, because when we see Him on the mount of transfiguration, we read that Moses and Elias were quite familiar with Him. They talked with Him, and not He with them.

WJH That is beautiful, as indicating something else that goes on on the eighth day; the mutual intercourse between the heavenly saints and Christ. It says Moses and Elias talked with Him — it is a wonderful word. It is quite different from an official statement. Like we saw yesterday, Elijah, having crossed the Jordan, Elisha with him, it says they went on and talked. They were so together and in such liberty together; such happiness and freedom existed that Elijah and Elisha went on talking. So here it says they appeared in glory. They talked with Jesus. I do not think we shall ever weary of that.

JDU Do you imply then that that wonderful privilege is open for us now as coming into the elevated position?

WJH That is one great feature of elevation — communion with Christ.

GHMcK What is the force of appearing in glory?

WJH I do not know, except to emphasise that this scene belongs to glory, not to the earth at all.

GHMcK The raiment was white.

WJH His raiment was white and glistering. The raiment of the Lord as seen in the eighth day refers to the manifestation of the beauty and purity of every one of his actions. That is what makes that raiment. The apostle John knew that raiment was far greater than anything this world could hold. He says in John 21: 25: “Many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” Those actions, one by one, make up this raiment. Eternity will be the unfolding of their purity and beauty to the adoring hearts of the saints.

TRY Could we say any one position occupied by the Lord Jesus Christ is greater than another?

WJH I do not know whether we ought to compare them like that. What impresses us is that these are themes sufficiently glorious to last for ever. The countenance of Christ is placed first, then the raiment.

WJY You would correct any thought in our minds that these things only belong to the millennial period?

WJH Luke wants to show that the theme is so great, it is more than for the seventh day; it is the eighth day.

JE Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only. The Lord is great enough personally to sustain that worship.

RHVA Does Revelation 21 bring this out: “Behold I make all things new.” The greatness of Christ would be sufficient to occupy us eternally. Is it in that sense ever fresh?

WJH It is ever fresh. Gazing on His countenance, and the contemplation of His raiment, would be always fresh. Think of talking with Him! Who would weary of talking with Him?

Ques Is there anything of that to be entered into today by us? Is there a sight of that glory?

WJH I think it was this that supported John when he was left alone in the Isle of Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. It was this in the heart of James that enabled him to go to the scaffold. This held Peter so that he could face with equanimity his decease.

WJY Do you think a sight of the glory must precede suffering for us? We must have some taste of the glory if we are to face suffering for Christ.

WJH We have no reserves if we have not seen the glory.

RMY Is there a suggestion here that the death of Christ is an eternal theme?

WJH While they talked with Him, they spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem. That is not His betrayal and murder exactly.

RMY J.N.D. speaks of it as departure.

WJH His wonderful exit from this scene.

Ques Why was it Moses and Elias?

WJH They belonged to heaven. Elias was taken to heaven. It says, the Lord would take him to heaven; they were heavenly ones.

HC Have you any thought as to the cloud?

WJH It says there appeared a cloud on the eighth day. The cloud is connected with the presence of God. It symbolizes that God is there. That is a great feature of eternity. God is there. The tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them. How is He with them? Even in the eighth day He is with them in that which in its nature indicates there is something unseen. It tells us that while there is what is seen, there is also what cannot be seen.

Ques Is that the same thought as the cloud received Him out of their sight in Acts?

WJH Yes. In Revelation the Lord is seen clothed with a cloud. Though there is much known and delighted in, there is what cannot be seen or known — He is clothed with a cloud.

JSB What is it to be heavy with sleep?

WJH It brings in the sign of our weakness. The Lord would awaken us to see His glory. This is the time to awaken — just before the Lord comes is the time to wake and see it.

WJY Is there any other Scripture that speaks so definitely of eternity?

WJH There are other passages that give a good deal of instruction about the eighth day — perhaps more than we think — as the light of what will go on in eternity.

WJY I am sure we all need to remember that that which is displayed in the 1000 years in the world to come is not the end of things, and that scripture has given instruction for us as to what is eternal.

WJH The last feature brought forward is the voice out of the cloud, and the voice Peter speaks of as “such a voice” — never was there a voice like it! The voice disclosed to their hearts the unique and supreme place the Son of God has in the affections of the Father. “This is My beloved Son ... hear Him.” I think we shall hear that voice. There will be in eternity the continuance to us of the unique and special place Christ has in the affections of the Father. The divine answer is in the thirty-fifth verse — out of the immediate presence of God. That voice left an impression on Peter’s heart which was never removed. It says “Hear Him.” Who will tell what the Lord will speak about in eternity? You can understand the whole of the new heavens and the new earth will be silent to listen to Christ whenever He speaks.

Rem That is our attitude as we seek to hear Him. All other voices have to cease.

WJH Quite.

WJY At the end of the millennium the Lord delivers up the kingdom, but this is to continue.

WJH The Spirit of God connects it with the eighth day, deliberately.

JDU When everything that is foreign to the presence and the holiness of God is put away, we can understand what He will tell us of — He will speak of the greatness of the heart of God.

Rem There is no mention that the cloud disappears.

WJH The cloud will always be there — even in the eighth day. God dwells there in such a way as will give us the sense that there is something unseen and unseeable.

WJY There is that which is unrevealable — even then.

WJH . The cloud is the symbol of that.

GHMcK What about the last passage we read?

WJH One had in mind that the Lord, having taught them during the day, retires at night to the Mount of Olives, to the spiritual sphere, to what is heavenly. I think there is a good deal of instruction for us in that — particularly for those who seek to serve in any way — that having finished our service we retire to the Mount of Olives. That would keep things properly adjusted.

RMY It may be there is a tendency for servants who have worked hard to retire to what is natural, and find rest there.

WJH We all suffer from that. Having finished the day, we take rest in natural things. He went to the Mount of Olives — as was His custom — to the spiritual elevation where He was in touch with heaven.