REPROACH AND ITS RECOMPENSE
P. Picq
Our brother has made allusion to this verse; it is not difficult therefore to stand up to read it. I was struck by this expression—“Let us go forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach”, that is to say, as I understand it, that the condition “without the camp” is a condition of reproach. There is no reproach in the camp; there are great churches with organs, and various other things; there are also, perhaps, great gatherings with great gifts and very able men. I believe that reproach is something very hard for us, very hard to accept. And yet there is no doubt that it is the only way. Moses knew something of reproach—he esteemed “the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt”, Hebrews 11: 26. He understood that true riches were not in Egypt; they were elsewhere. It is essential to bring that home to the young in order that they may be fully agreed that true riches are not in the world, nor in all that is of the world, whether it be clothes, or cars, or holidays, whatever you would like to choose. All these belong to a world that is ruined. But Moses esteemed “the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt”. Then, as we have been considering, he was made strong as to accepting reproach in pitching his tent outside the camp.
Well, the word here in Hebrews is—“Therefore let us go forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach”. Our brother has spoken of the privilege that belongs to the tent, and it is exceedingly precious to think that there is such a place where we can stand for the Lord and where the Lord can meet with us. But externally it is a condition of reproach, and the scripture continues—“for we have not here an abiding city, but we seek the coming one”. In that sense we are like people who look for something else; they are seeking the city that is to come.
I have simply added these few words in relation to this scripture in order that the Lord may help us so that we may accept the position of reproach—privilege on one hand, reproach on the other. “For we have not here an abiding city”, nothing fixed; we seek that which is coming. May the Lord help us.
Words in meeting for ministry, Valence
13 August 1985
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