THE WORLD TO COME
[p. 175] THE WORLD TO COME
We get two great thoughts in the epistle to the Hebrews; the first is the Israel of God, and the second is the service of God; and both are essential elements of the world to come. Divine thoughts in relation to the earth are connected with Israel, and hence if we get the establishment of divine thoughts, it is in connection with the Israel of God. In the first part of the epistle we get the Israel of God, and from the seventh chapter onwards we get the service of God. But there must first be the Israel of God if there is to be the service of God. The Israel of God today are the companions of Christ, those of whom He says, “Behold I and the children which God hath given me”.
The thoughts of God are identified with the Israel of God. In chapter 1 there is the throne of God; in chapter 2 the Apostle and High Priest; in chapter 3 the house of God; and in chapter 4 the rest of God, and all these thoughts are identified with the Israel of God.
Ques Would the expression “the Israel of God” in Galatians suggest the same idea?
Yes; the Israel of God is in contrast with the spurious Israel; the companions of Christ who form the house of God are the true Israel. We have the light of the world to come today because all is established in connection with the Israel of God. David’s throne was God’s throne; then the apostle and high priest take up the thought of Moses and Aaron; then the house of God and the rest of God were connected with Israel, and when we get the Israel of God we get all these divine thoughts established, and in that way we anticipate the age to come. There is a little difference between the thought of the world to come and that of the age to come. The world to come means the habitable earth to come, but [p. 176] the age to come is in contrast to the present age. The world to come gives the idea of the sphere, and the age to come the moral character. In the world to come there will be the establishment of every divine thought, but then we have these things all established now in Christ and His companions — the true Israel. Very much that we find in scripture is really anticipative; we enter anticipatively, as having the Spirit, upon many things which strictly belong to the world to come. If we get hold of the thought that christians are the companions of Christ, it lets in a great deal of light, and we see how we can anticipate the world to come.
Ques Will you say something as to the service of God?
Well the first thing is to apprehend that the conditions of the service of God are completely changed by the fact of the change of priest. One important point in regard to the priest now is that all the propitiatory work is over; the priesthood is founded on the fact that there is no more offering for sin. The priesthood is entirely changed, and on the other hand the disposition of God is made known, and therefore the whole conditions of the service of God are changed. Priesthood in the past was connected with offerings for sin, and the disposition of God was not known, but now all is completely altered. God Himself is declared, His disposition is made known, and with the change of priest everything is changed. The priest subsists although the propitiatory work is all done, and now we have the new covenant, and the will of God established in Christ. We commemorate in the Lord’s supper that the propitiatory work is all over on the one hand, and on the other the disposition of God is made known to us. The mind of God has been completely met in Christ; God has been glorified in Christ in regard of everything.
The service of God is worship, but if we do not apprehend the changed conditions we cannot approach God or serve Him according to His mind. The introduction of [p. 177] a priest after the order of Melchisedec changes the whole character of the service of God. The Aaronic priesthood is set aside; the propitiatory work is all accomplished, and the disposition of God is declared.
Ques What is the connection between the throne of grace and the world to come?
The throne of grace is characteristic of the world to come. God’s throne is established in Christ; “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever”. The Psalms often speak of the throne, and God’s throne and kingdom are established in Christ; we have the light of the throne in Christ; it is not yet displayed, but it is established in Christ.
Rem It is a throne of grace.
Yes. Grace and righteousness are not opposed principles; grace reigns through righteousness. The heavenly city is the seat of the kingdom; grace is identified with the city, and the throne of God is there, but all is connected with Christ; He will take up the throne and the kingdom with His saints. But we have not to wait for the day of display; it is true for God and for us that His throne is established in Christ. We have both the kingdom and the city in Christ.
Then in the second chapter we have the Apostle and High Priest — the true Moses and Aaron. Moses and Aaron were connected with Israel, and not with any other people, just as the throne was connected with David. Now Christ is both Apostle and High Priest, and the children whom God has given Him are the true Israel. Israel was God’s house, but we are God’s house now, and the companions of Christ. The Israel referred to in chapter 4 could not enter into rest, but we who believe do enter into rest.
Ques What is the thought in “companions of Christ”?
It is those who share in His rejection who are looked at as His companions. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to [p. 178] them gave he power to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on his name”. Those who believe on His name come into the place of His companions.
Ques Is the thought in this chapter that we enter already into rest?
It does not raise the question exactly of whether it is present or future, but it is we who believe who enter into rest. This point is to see that there is a circle where every divine thought can be made good, that is in the circle of Christ and His companions. “Behold I and the children which God hath given me”, refers to those who are companions of Christ in His rejection. The disciples were in that place, and we come into it now; it is a place of great blessing and favour. It is the true Israel of God, and God’s thoughts are made good there.
The importance of the house of God is that there we come under the influence of God; God dwelt among Israel that they might be under His influence. We are formed by coming under the influence of God as being His house.
All the mind of God is communicated by the Apostle, and He is the One who inaugurates God’s system of blessing. The “great salvation” began to be spoken by the Lord as the Apostle; then at the end of chapter 2 we see Him as the High Priest.
The universe of bliss is dependent upon the Sun of righteousness arising with healing in His wings; He is the centre and bond of the universe of bliss. The heavens will speak to the earth, and the earth will respond to the heavens; the heavens will speak to the earth in the heavenly city, and communion will be established between the heavens and the earth. The earth will learn the surpassing riches of God’s grace in the heavenly city, and will respond to it. God will “shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” Ephesians 2: 7. The nations will walk in the light of the city.
Ques What is “the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints”? Ephesians 1: 18.
All that which God takes up in virtue of redemption constitutes His inheritance; it is all that into which the church comes; God takes it up in the saints.
It is a point of great interest to me to see where Israel is at the present time; the line of promise is continued in the saints today. It is very important, because it is in the Israel of God that His mind is established. The apostle and high priest, and the house of God, and the rest of God are all in connection with a people. There is a people to whom these things have application, and they constitute the Israel of God.
Ques Does the expression “the Israel of God” occur more than once in Scripture?
No; but the value of it, to my mind, is that it suggests that every divine thought is established at the present time; we have not to wait for the millennium; all God’s thoughts are established now in Christ and in the Israel of God.
Ques How do you connect the thought of the rest with Israel?
The idea of entering into rest came out in connection with the calling of Israel.
Ques Why does the word of God being “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” come in?
Because what is superficial has to be cut away. We have to distinguish between what is external and the real thing. People are addressed in this epistle on the ground of their profession, but all through there is the recognition of the real thing which lies under the profession. Profession and the real thing are not necessarily commensurate.
The companions of Christ are those who cleave to Christ in the time of His rejection. The godly remnant of Israel was brought into the church, and the true Israel is there.
[p. 180] Ques Is there not the same thought in Romans 2: 28, 29?
Quite so; we get there the true Israel and the true circumcision.
Rem And then the apostle goes on to show how the gentile can come in on the same ground.
Yes; God can establish all His thoughts now. We do not need to wait for the world to come, for it is anticipated in connection with Christ and His companions. The things which are now anticipated by faith will be displayed in the world to come, but the point for us is that in the Israel of God we get the light of the world to come now. Christendom does not understand fellowship in Christ’s death and rejection here, and therefore knows nothing of a heavenly Christ, nor of the world to come; people are well content with the world as it is. If christians were in the light of Christ and the world to come they would entirely refuse this world.
Rem Then we should be as distinct morally as Israel was nationally.
Exactly. Christianity has been adapted to the world as it is; it has become a great mustard tree.
Ques Is it not well to see the distinction between the King and the Lord?
Yes. Christ is not exactly King now, because that title involves the kingdom being manifest, but we own Him as Lord. Then Christ is the Head of all principality and power; it may not be very apparent yet, but it is so. Christ has authority and power which is superior to the power of Satan; the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe. For deliverance, and safety and strength we must stand in the power of the Lord; we should be overcome by the power of evil were it not for the power and strength of the Lord.
Ques What distinction is there between the thought of the Lord and the thought of the priest as we get it in the first part of Hebrews?
Christ as Lord is on the side of God; it is grace to us,
[p. 181] but it is power and authority on our behalf. But the priest is on our side; He is sympathetic; He intercedes for us and succours us. We cannot separate the two thoughts, for it is the One in whom all the power and authority of God are expressed in grace who alone can intercede for His people. The two things must go together. The Shepherd is the leader of the sheep; it is not so much the idea of power and authority; it is more connected with the priest.
We might now pass on to the latter part of the epistle, to consider the service of God. The whole christian system depends upon Christ being Priest; all hangs upon the One who can appear before the face of God for us. Man would be incapable of approaching God but for the Priest, and that Priest must be Himself a divine Person. In the question of approach all must hang upon the Priest; it was so in Judaism. Now the Son is constituted Priest to bring in the intelligent service of God. The One who is Priest is the One who has declared God, and now He is the One to lead in approach to God. Aaron could only worship according to certain conditions which were laid down, he could not inaugurate intelligent service. But now we can worship intelligently because we approach God by the One who has declared God.
Rem There is response on our part to the revelation. Yes. The man who knows God best is most capable of approaching God. The One who now leads us to approach God is the One who perfectly knew and declared God. The Leader must be Christ; He not only sings praise to God in the midst of the church, but in the midst of the great congregation also; He must be the Leader of praise in every circle, or there could not be liberty and access. The only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared God, and now He sings praise to God. He is the most suitable One to do so.
The change of priest changes the whole conditions in regard to approach. The mind of God is completely met [p. 182] in regard to all that dishonoured Him; man in the flesh is removed, and God is declared; and this changes all the conditions of the service of God. Christ gives character to the praise of every circle, whether the church, or Israel, or the nations.
Ques Why is Christ called the Mediator of the new covenant?
Because He has declared the disposition of God; He entered into death not only that God might be met sacrificially in regard to all that dishonoured Him, but in order that the love of God might be declared. In the Supper Christ is before us as the Mediator of the new covenant, but then we go on to appreciate Him as the Minister of the sanctuary.
Rem It is a point of the last moment that we should rightly apprehend the import of the Supper.
Indeed it is; the great object of the Lord in the Supper is to put us in touch with Himself and with one another, and then we are prepared to be led in by Him as the Minister of the sanctuary.
Ques When you speak of God being met sacrificially do you mean that there was something due to God?
Yes, amends had to be made to God, and all amends were made in the death of Christ, but then at the same time His disposition was declared. There can be no more offering, for all amends have been made to God, and the believer has a perfect conscience; on the other hand, the disposition of God has been declared. These things are the foundation of worship and service, and they will hold good for Israel as well as for us.
Ques Is the man removed for Israel?
Yes, or otherwise they could not have the law written in their hearts. The lawless man has been removed in Christ, and they will partake in Christ, and come under the Spirit of Christ, and have the law written in their hearts. The nations, too, will come under the influence of Christ and of His Spirit. The worship of Israel will depend upon their knowledge of God. We have a [p. 183] wonderful opportunity at the present time, for we are brought into intimate relationship with God, and the Spirit is here to form us according to God; we have extraordinary privilege. We are privileged to enter into the holiest, where we can learn all the secrets of God before those secrets are made manifest. It is a wonderful, but solemn, privilege.
Ques Is the thought of the great priest over God’s house the same as the minister of the sanctuary?
Not quite, to my mind; I think it indicates the place of Christ in regard to the universe of bliss; He has the ordering of everything.
The first thing to apprehend in this epistle is the true Israel, and that every thought of God subsists there; then we see next that the change of priest alters all the conditions of divine service; all now takes its character from what has come in in connection with Christ; the two great points are that the propitiatory work is over, all amends have been made to God, and, on the other hand, the disposition of God is declared.
The first tabernacle, “wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread”, has no standing today.
Those things refer to the public relations of Christ with Israel which will have place in the coming age. Every thread of divine purpose has been gathered up in Christ and is maintained in the church, and will be displayed in glory.
Ques What does it mean to enter the holiest?
It is entering intelligently into the secret of God’s purposes in Christ; when you come into the holiest, you come into the presence of the ark of the covenant and the mercy-seat.
Rem When we are there we have entered into rest.
Yes. Entering into rest is entirely dependent upon our condition; when our condition is entirely according to God, we enter into rest.
Ques Is not that true when we enter into the holiest?
Yes; we are there in virtue of the work of God [p. 184] simply; all the contrary part has been removed in the death of Christ.
Ques What is the thought in the mediator?
The mediator bridges the distance between God and men, but here the thought is more limited, He is the Mediator of the new covenant to a people already in relationship with God. The new covenant will be established with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah that all the world may get the benefit of it. Whatever is established in the heavenly city is for the good of Israel, and what is for the good of Israel will be for the good of the whole earth. The earth will be in the light of the heavenly city.
When we are established in the knowledge of God’s disposition towards us, we approach Him. Righteousness and love are the terms of the new covenant. God has a right to the supreme place in the affections of every intelligent being, but it is equally within the rights of God to remove every lawless man, and that is what has been effected in the death of Christ. God gets His proper place in the heart of every intelligent creature by the Spirit of Christ, and perfect love casteth out fear.
Ques What is the difference between the holiest and the Father’s house?
The holiest is a moral idea; the Father’s house is a place.