DIVINE INTERVENTION IN DAYS OF DIFFICULTY
DIVINE INTERVENTION IN DAYS OF DIFFICULTY
It is before one, dear brethren, to speak a word this afternoon, on divine intervention, having in mind that our thoughts may be enlarged in relation to God and our knowledge of Him, and His faithfulness, especially as it appears over against the dark background linked with days of brokenness publicly. This prophecy has to do with conditions analogous to our own, but light is brought in in this prophecy to stimulate the remnant in faith, and our faith needs to be stimulated, and the more we read the prophets, the more our faith will be stimulated. So that however difficult the circumstances, the sense of the faithfulness of God to His people, should help each and all of us to go forward with Him in what He is doing. It is a wonderful thing to be with God in what He is doing in the finishing days of the dispensation. It is a sorrowful thing not to be with God in what He is doing, but it is important to see that God takes account in this book of those that are with Him.
You will remember that in one part of this book there were certain persons who were returning from the captivity, whose names are given. God has taken account of them, He must have taken account of what they were thinking and what they were saying, their conversations together; for you will remember what God said to Zephaniah, when He gave his servant the prophet a word in relation to these persons to take gifts to them of the captivity of Heldai, of Tobijah and of Jedaiah, and he was to enter into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, whither they were come from Babylon. He was to take gold and silver and make crowns, showing how God takes account of where we are in matters. And these persons are honoured, but why are they honoured? They are honoured because they are persons who are prepared to make way for Christ in the type, because the crowns that are made from the silver and the gold were to be put upon the head of Joshua the High Priest, type, as he is in this particular section, of Christ, sitting as a priest upon the throne, and bearing the glory. I mention that to show how God is taking account of persons. This book opens with references to God taking account of persons, and of the truth. He is in this book taking account of the powers that be, the mountains of brass and the horses and the chariots, of all that is linked with His indirect government, among the nations. All that is coming up in His mind and before Him; so that in itself, dear brethren, should impart a sense of restfulness to us. Especially as we think of the difficulties among the nations, we are always to be reminded and to keep in our minds that God has things in control. The 6th chapter opens up with that, to impress our minds, that all that is linked with the powers that be, whatever may transpire amongst men, however dark it may seem in some parts. God has things in hand, and He is also taking account of persons. As you will note for instance, in this book the prophet is instructed to “run, speak to this young man.” What a word for some of the young men here. You will remember that it is not any young man, I suppose there were a number of young men, but the word is, “run, speak to this young man” saying, “Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls.” Think of a word like that coming into the ears of a young man, and I may say by extension a young woman. Jerusalem! You will remember how Jeremiah says, “Let Jerusalem come into your minds.” And think of God marking out young men for this interesting word, this word of vital importance, that would bring the assembly into our minds, for Jerusalem is a type of the assembly. You will see how while God is going on with great things in this book, He is not forgetting any one of us and our interest in divine things, and if we are standing by in relation to the prophetic service, and the prophetic ministry, rest assured that God will have a word for us. He will give us a word. You will recall that it says of Joshua, “he did not depart from the tent of meeting” and that he was Moses’ attendant. I would say to the young brethren that it is an important thing to cleave to the saints in the light of the tent of meeting. It is the place where you will get light from God. It is the place where you will get confirmed in relation to the truth. Do not keep away from the brethren. Do not isolate yourself from the assembly, from the tent of meeting. Here is a young man, he must have been standing by, just like you young men and women here, you are sitting by and God is thinking about it. He is taking account of it. He says “run, ... “ It is an urgent matter “speak to this young man,” someone that had come under His notice. “Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein; and I, saith Jehovah, I will be unto her a wall of fire around about and will be the glory in the midst of her.” This is a word for a young man. Think of the faithfulness of God knowing as He knows, as no other knows the ramifications of evil, especially in the times that are referred to here, and yet considering for what a young man would represent in the testimony, and giving him a direct word as to Jerusalem, as to the assembly. And I would encourage the hearts and minds of the young brothers and sisters, as to the joy that divine Persons have in their presence here in relation to the truth, going on with the truth, the assembly coming into their minds, the great governing and paramount interest in their lives. It is said of Jerusalem - “They shall prosper that love thee.” And so the word to the young man comes. Then we may remember how as the book proceeds we have a man coming up before our view and the enemy standing to resist his being clothed with festival robes. It is remarkable how this book brings up these matters, because this book has in mind, as all prophetic ministry has in mind, stimulation, that our hearts may not be bowed down under pressure or difficulty, but stimulated in the light of the prophetic word, in the assurance that divine thoughts are not falling to the ground, that God is caring for His testimony, and He will bring the testimony through, and those that are linked with the testimony through with it. And the enemy Satan the adversary, has the boldness to resist the reinstatement of the person I refer to in the 3rd chapter, namely Joshua the High Priest. It says that “He stood by to resist,” to resist, not just to accuse. In the Revelation, the adversary is spoken of as the accuser of the brethren, but he is the resister here. It is one thing to accuse, but it is another thing to resist, and the enemy is resisting here. But God is taking the matter on. It is delightful to see in this book, how God takes matters on, and He takes that matter on. And Joshua resumes his place, the enemy is defeated.
Then we get another personality projected on to our view, Zerubbabel, the man in whose hands is the plummet, the man who has the truth, the standard of the truth before him, a man that God is using in relation to the dignity and the glory of the house. His hands laid the foundation, as God says, and his hands shall finish it. It says that “This is the word of Jehovah to Zerubbabel.” How God comes in to speak this word to Zerubbabel! He is the Governor,
he is a man who has got the administration in his heart. He is the man who understands rule, the principle of government in the house of God, and God says, in principle, I am going to strengthen that person. And He will do to every person, who has got the welfare of God’s house at heart, and he says, “This is the word of Jehovah to Zerubbabel.” We have had a word for the young man in the second chapter, from God; we get a word from God in the 3rd chapter to Joshua, the angel of Jehovah gives him a word as to walking in God’s ways, and now we get this word to Zerubbabel. We get the word to the young man, whom we might think of not much account, but who is under the divine eye; then we get the word to the Priest; now we are getting the word to the Governor, as if God is suggesting to our minds and hearts in a time and day of revival and recovery that He is going to strengthen through a prophetic word every vital feature in the testimony essential for the maintenance and carrying forth of the testimony. And the word to Zerubbabel is “Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain, before Zerubbabel thou dost become a plain and he shall bring forth the headstone with shoutings: Grace, Grace unto it.” This is all entering into the completing of matters in relation to the house, his hands laid the foundation and his hands shall finish it. We are reminded you see, of the strength and power of resource in the Spirit in the completing of things. You will see the analogy to our times, dear brethren, how God is stressing this matter of the Spirit, that it is not by might, not by force of argument, not by a way of human intellect, or specious human argument. It is, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah.” We may get occupied with numbers, but it does not matter whether there are ten, fifty or ten thousand, the multiplication of numbers never makes right anything that is wrong. So God would remind us of this word, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith Jehovah.” And then the headstone is brought forth suggesting that the dispensation is to be completed in the glory of grace. He shall bring forth the headstone with shoutings - not ordinary words. Zerubbabel represents government in the house of God, right administration according to God. Bringing forth the headstone with shoutings, suggests exultant feelings among the saints, and then the words “Grace, grace unto it,” give us the keynote; and I believe that is what the dispensation is finishing with. You will remember that it is said at the outset that great grace was upon the brethren, and the dispensation is ending with that touch.
And now I come to what I have in mind to speak about in this chapter. I had not intended referring to these others, but they came into mind, and I think they serve to stimulate and encourage us in dark and difficult days, because we can see as we look around in the profession, how the truth is given up on every hand, and how the enemy would weaken our minds, weaken our hands, and discourage our souls by the external difficulties of the position, just as in Zechariah’s time. But we have to see that however small the position may be publicly, however weak numerically, God is in the position, and the prophetic word is in the position, the priest is in the position, and the Governor is in the position. These elements are not lost, dear brethren, they are there and God would open our eyes to see them, so that we may be encouraged to go forward in view of the completing of the dispensation. The headstone is brought forward, in the hands of a true and right administration, with shoutings, not defeatism - its shoutings mean exultant feelings among the brethren, among the saints, “Grace,
Grace unto it.” It is a time of salvation, Babylon with all its scope and its pretension might lay claim to much. How many have been ensnared in it, and are still held in it, but we can thank God that through grace we find ourselves in spirit out of it, while publicly linked with all the shame and disaster connected with the breakdown of the church publicly. We can thank God for the moral road that leads us in spirit out of it, as pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace. And God is filling our minds with thoughts of salvation. As it says, just before the chapter we read, “Jehovah their God shall save them in that day as the flock of His people.” See verse 16 of the previous chapter. “And they shall be as the stones of a crown lifted upon his land.” He is not just saving them as brands from the burning. His work is coming through in all its distinctiveness as the stones of a crown. Think of the beauty, the glory, the radiancy that is linked with the stones of a crown, and as it says “lifted up upon his land,” adorning the whole scope and realm of what is linked with the purposes of divine love, God’s hand, “Lifted up” as it says, “as the stones of a crown upon his land.” What thoughts these are! God would bring them into our minds in difficult times, so that we might see that He has great thoughts in mind in the completing of things. And so this is what I want to draw attention to in this chapter, how God comes into the position, and how He saves as come into the position. The chapter opens with the time of the latter rain. Need I remind the brethren of the time of the latter rain? We are all conscious I am sure, of the wonderful ministry that we have been brought up under, the distinctive features of it, how wonderful it is; and it is the time of the latter rain here. But then the word is to “ask of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain.” The rain is still coming, dear brethren, and will come. And it says, “Jehovah will make lightnings, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone grass in the field.” That is, the pastures are not ended, God is bringing into our minds thoughts of the flock in this section of the word, and stressing the thought that there still will be rain, and promoting a desire for the rain. Do not let the enemy bring into our minds that the time for ministry is gone, the time for spiritual ministry is gone, we are in the time of the latter rain, and we are to ask for more rain. “Ask of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain.” And it says, “He will give them showers of rain, to everyone grass in the field.” It is important that our souls should be kept under the influence and power of spiritual and heavenly ministry, because, as it says, “The teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams: they comfort in vain.” We know the error that is abroad, we know how the truth of the incarnation is denied, the truth of the atonement is denied, the authority of the scriptures is denied, the truth as to Person of the Holy Spirit and His service is denied. We are in the midst of all these things publicly, the teraphim that have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams. God has taken account of all these matters; He has taken account of the distress of the flock; He has taken account of the leader of the shepherds and the he-goats that are responsible. Think of those that are responsible in the profession for what has come in upon the people of God. God has taken all that into account - men that occupy positions in the public professing body, positions in which they are intended to help the flock but in which the flock is robbed and the flock is left in distress. God says, “I will punish the he-goats; for Jehovah of hosts visiteth his flock, the house of Judah, and maketh them as his majestic horse in the battle.” I want especially the younger brothers and sisters to listen to this word of God, for however despicable the saints may seem in the eyes of men, however poor the position may be in our cities and in our towns in the eyes of the world, God would bring into the mind and view of faith, the saints in this glorious light - the house of Judah as His majestic horse in the battle. So that, as you see a few saints, it may be in weakness and in smallness, but they can stand against an association of tens of thousands. They can stand against men congregated together and united together to achieve their ends, united it may be in numbers of thousands and hundreds of thousands, and you will see one believer, two believers, in weakness it may be outwardly but like God’s majestic horse in the battle. I would like to bring into our souls, or rather that the Spirit would bring into our souls the sense of victory in this section, because the victory is ours. God has given us the victory; “and this is the victory which has gotten the victory over the world, our faith” - the importance of faith! It says God makes the house of Judah as His majestic horse in battle. The house of Judah in the prophets represents the area and the sphere where the light of Jerusalem and God’s thoughts are cherished. It would find its answer today in those who are walking in the light of the assembly; not in any way assuming to be the assembly - far be the thought, we can never assume to be the assembly; but walking in the light of it. God regarding as it were the house of Judah in a day of public weakness and breakdown, in all its majesty and dignity. It says He makes them as His majestic horse in battle.
And then it says, “From him shall come forth the corner-stone, from him the nail, from him the battle bow, from him every exactor together.” That is, all that is required and needed to meet the circumstances is divinely supplied. We want to understand that, dear brethren, more and more. The supplies are not cut off. If God comes into the position, all that is needed for the position will be divinely supplied. Think of the corner-stone; think of how it is alluded to in scripture. I suppose in some way we could think of Christ as the corner-stone; Peter indeed refers to Him in this light. Isaiah refers to Him as the corner-stone, what is laid in Zion. You remember how it is brought in over against the lies and the covenant with death, the overflowing scourge in Isaiah 28. God brings into the thoughts and the minds of His people touches as to the glory of Christ, in the way of the corner-stone, the sure foundation. I suppose the corner-stone would be seen in John’s gospel and John’s ministry, the backbone and foundation of all, especially in difficult days. Then it says, “From him the nail.” How essential the nail is; how essential that there should be someone or something to support the varied features of divine glory in the position. You remember that in Isaiah we are told as to Christ typically, that He is fastened as the nail in the sure place. I suppose Luke’s gospel would bring into our minds and our thoughts Christ in this way, the hope of humanity, coming in on the side of men, every hope hinging and hanging upon Him, whether small or great. It is “from him the nail” and then it says “from him the battle-bow.” The battle bow brings in the matter of the conflict and the thought or suggestion of the victory. We can thank God for the sense of the victory, not that we shall get it but that we have it; victory is on our side as with God in these matters, and the battle bow is needed and it is coming forth. I suppose Mark’s gospel corresponds with that in its teaching and how well Mark is equipped and furnished as having been revived in his own soul, to speak of the battle bow. He had turned aside from the work because of the strenuous character of things; he had not gone forward in the work. Oh, is there any one of us who is not going forward in the work? You say, What do you mean? Why, the work refers to what God is going on with in the testimony; whatever it may be, here or elsewhere, we want to be going on with it, not to be drawing back as John Mark. As he writes his gospel, how the thought of victory comes into it. You cannot but feel as you read the 16th chapter what a sense of victory Mark has in his soul as he records the scene of the resurrection. The sun had already risen, the stone is rolled away, the young man sitting clothed in a white robe; Mark is bringing in the features that speak of the victory, that the battle bow as it were has secured the victory. We think as we read in Mark of the seriousness of the sufferings of Christ and the intensity of them, His depth of holy feeling and conflict in the garden and what He entered into in death. It reminds us of the battle bow and what has been secured through it all, and Mark would leave an impression with us of the victorious side of things, so that he gives a touch that none of the other evangelists do. He says that the Lord went to the right hand of God. “The Lord, therefore, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat at the right hand of God. And they, going forth, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs following upon it.” That is, the principle of the battle bow. When the enemy thought that everything was gone, everything was lost, Mark in the great ministerial gospel, the gospel that gives us the prophetic ministry, would leave us with the impression that the victory is ours. The Lord is in the victorious position at the right hand of God, the ministry is going forward. Who says here that the time for ministry is over? The ministry is going forward and will go forward to the end of the dispensation. Then it says “and from him every exactor” or it might read “ruler.” The thought of exactor as used here means ruler or administrator. “Every ruler together.” That is a good word. It is important that the rulers, the administrators should be together. How often the enemy would operate to bring about divergence in those that have a part in ruling, a part in ministry, but it says “from him every exactor” - or ruler, or administrator, “together.” God is bringing in what is needed, you see. He would bring the rulers together, those that give a lead in administration and influence among the saints - not those that lord it over God’s heritage as abroad in the profession, the he-goats and the false shepherds that leave the flock to distress and disaster - but those that have got Jerusalem at heart, every exactor or ruler together.
Then it says “And they shall be as mighty men, treading down the mire of the streets in battle.” That is what is needed, dear brethren. Oh, the mire that would clog our feet, impede our movements forward in the testimony; it has got to be trodden down, and who are to tread it down? Every ruler together. The principle of the corner-stone, the principle of the nail, the principle of the battle bow, the principle of every ruler together, to tread down the mire so that the saints may not be impeded in their movements forward. Oh, the awfulness of the mire; how it would hold us, how it would hold our feet. You remember how Jeremiah in another set of circumstances sank in the mire. You remember how the Psalms speak of the mire. All these backbitings, wrong speakings, dishonouring of the saints, all that kind of thing is the mire of the streets and needs to be trodden down in the battle. How can we go forward in the victory, in the sense of enjoyment of the victory if the mire is not trodden down. And it says, “and they shall fight, for Jehovah is with them,” and then it says “and the riders on horses shall be put to shame.” What do they suggest? The riders on horses, we know what the scriptures speak about them; they that trust in horses and go down to Egypt for help; they will be put to shame. In the glorious matter, dear brethren, of revival and recovery that God is drawing our attention to there is no room for the riders on horses, just as in Isaiah there is no room in the streams of Zion for the galleys with oars or the gallant ships. Jehovah is to be supreme, God is to be supreme in all these matters. It says, “And I will strengthen the house of Judah.” That is, God will strengthen assembly features among the brethren - that is what the house of Judah means. David is linked with the house of Judah. God will strengthen the best side of things amongst the brethren. “And I will save the house of Joseph.” Oh, how much that brings into our minds as we think of Ephraim and how the prophets speak of Ephraim, how God says he is a dear son unto Me, child of delight; how the feelings of God enter into that matter of Ephraim. “I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them back again; and I will have mercy upon them.” “And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their hearts shall rejoice as through wine.” You remember that in Hosea Ephraim was referred to as a cake not turned - but not so here. It shows what God can do; when God comes into matters, what He can do, how He can make people stand on their feet, stand by the truth - “they shall be like a mighty man, and their hearts shall rejoice as through wine.” Stimulation is there. Holy jubilance is there in the sense of the victory that is linked with God in the position. Then it says “and their children shall see it.” Our children need to see it, dear brethren. How are they going to be held if the mire of the streets is not trodden down; we want to tread down the mire of the streets in our conversations in our houses; do not let us talk about the brethren in a way that will bring them down into the dust; do not let us make room for the mire of the streets. It says “and the children shall see it.” See what? See what God is doing, how He is turning Ephraim, making him like a mighty man, strengthening him in the conflict. “And their children shall see it, and rejoice; their heart shall be joyful in Jehovah.” That is how our children are going to come into things, by seeing what we are in the testimony as mighty men standing by the truth, going on in the truth. Our children will see it, and it says “their hearts shall be joyful” - in Ephraim? No, their hearts shall be joyful in Jehovah. It is delightful in the prophetic word to see these touches as to what transpires when God comes into the position. God says “I will hiss for them and gather them; for I have redeemed them; and they shall multiply as they used to multiply. And I will sow them among the peoples, and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children and return. And I will bring them again out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. And he shall pass through the sea of affliction, and shall smite the billows in the sea, and all the depths of the Nile shall dry up; and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. And I will strengthen them in Jehovah; and they shall walk in his name, saith Jehovah.” Oh, the dignity, dear brethren, of the position. As every department of man’s strength, man’s pride and glory is brought down, the name of Jehovah in all its renown covers the position and we with our children walk in the light of it. May God bless the word.