REVIVAL (4)
REVIVAL (4)
Nehemiah 12: 27 - 43; Ezra 6: 16 - 22
JT It will be obvious to all that these scriptures are closely allied. It is a question whether we should begin with the house or the wall. It occurs to me we should begin with the dedication of the wall of the city as signifying typically fellowship, coming down to the level of all of us. It is a subject that has a great place with us, profitably. The house is, of course, a more spiritual thought, more inward, which I think we ought to look at secondly. But Nehemiah gives great prominence to the wall, first the building of it which would mean the recovery in our times, the recognition of fellowship. Fellowship is treated of in the two letters to Corinth: the fellowship of God’s Son in chapter 1, the fellowship of Christ’s death in chapter 10, and the fellowship of the Spirit in the end of the second epistle — of God’s Son, of His death and of His Spirit, in the epistles to the Corinthians. John however in his two epistles treats of fellowship with one another, “with the Father” and “with his Son”. If we are helped to go over the ground a little, oft traversed indeed profitably, then we may see the force of the dedication of the wall with these processions and the two choirs of singers, one moving in one direction and the other in another so that they meet. When we come to the house of God, both choirs stood in the house of God (verse 40). It would give us an inlet to the house in Ezra.
Ques Would there be any connection between what you are saying and the fact that Nehemiah is governor, representing the authoritative side in connection with the wall, and Ezra representing the priestly side in connection with the house?
JT That is good, indicating the distinction to be kept in mind in our inquiry, that whilst he is acting [p. 82] under a gentile monarch, he is still acting under divine government. And the fellowship still stands in connection with the authority of Christ, so that it says in 1 Corinthians 10, “Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?”. That stands in relation to the truth of the fellowship.
SMcC What do these choirs suggest to you?
JT A jubilant spirit amongst the brethren — that we are in the fellowship, not in a somewhat disconsolate way, but happily and freely following it and commending it to others, I think that is the idea.
EP Would it be right to say Ezra deals more with their position and Nehemiah with their state?
JT Perhaps you would enlarge on that.
EP I was thinking of the great movement up from Babylon under Ezra; they are moved up from Babylon to the true position, whereas Nehemiah deals more with their condition as in that position.
JT I think that is instructive because Ezra’s movement is linked with the movements under Zerubbabel and Jeshua, though Ezra came in much later, contemporary with Nehemiah. The movement under Zerubbabel and Jeshua is a movement under the direct government of God; the proclamation was by Cyrus according to Ezra that they should return and build. Cyrus is a prophetic monarch: he had been spoken of in Isaiah before he was born, showing that God had had this matter that is indicated in Ezra long in mind, and the movement corresponded with his pre-revealed thoughts. Ezra is positional. The proclamation runs in Ezra 1: 1 - 4, “And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he made a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth [p. 83] has Jehovah the God of the heavens given to me, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whosoever there is among you of all his people, his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Jehovah the God of Israel — he is God — which is at Jerusalem. And whosoever remains in any place where he sojourns, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the voluntary offering for the house of God which is at Jerusalem”. That is a remarkable proclamation and carries direct divine authority, for Cyrus recognises that God had given him the nations. And now he is very precise as to what the position is — it is at Jerusalem: “He has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem”; so that it carries with it, you might say, the authority that David and Solomon had in their building.
SMcC Is it not significant in connection with that, that in Nehemiah 12 Ezra goes before them and Nehemiah after them?
JT I think that is orderly. Ezra would be the more spiritual. Nehemiah is the authoritative side, representative really of the gentile authority. Ezra had come up under gentile authority but he is recognised as a priest. In order to make clear the distinction between the two books, there is no proclamation in Nehemiah in the sense in which we have it in Ezra; Nehemiah is the outcome of one man being concerned about the people of God. It was God that was concerned about the building of the house and raised up Cyrus to do it, according to Ezra; but in Nehemiah it is the outcome of his own exercise. We are told that; the book opens with the words of Nehemiah, meaning that he is a man moved of himself. The meaning of his name, as given in the note, is ‘Comfort of Jehovah’ — a word that should appeal to every brother and sister as to [p. 84] whether one is a comfort to God and to the saints in his service. Then we are told that “Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, Those who remain, that are left of the captivity there in the province, are in great affliction and reproach; and the wall of Jerusalem is in ruins, and its gates are burned with fire”, Nehemiah 1: 2, 3. These verses show that Nehemiah’s building is the outcome of one man’s exercise, but the present revival that God has graciously granted is of Himself, more in keeping with Ezra. God had raised up Cyrus of Himself, spoken of long before he was born, showing that it was a matter of God’s mind, fixed on His calendar, that there should be a recovery of Israel after the captivity; a very foundational thought, for after all everything proceeds from God. But Nehemiah is the side of individual concern about these matters. As to ourselves, it is a question for each of us whether this revival is to continue, and whether we have right feelings about the weakness that exists at the present time — some meetings dying out or discontinuing, others arising — whether we have right feelings. So the two books put together in that way describe our position; God has wrought and He looks for individual concern about matters. Are they to be continued? Can I improve on present conditions? Can I make things better? That is Nehemiah.
EP Would it be right to say that this individual concern awakens mutual concern throughout the book?
JT I think that is the way the matter is. We have observed indeed in our readings since we have been here, that God works in relation to any right movement. One man moves with God and God works in relation to that man; I think there is [p. 85] abundant evidence of that. God works with one man and others are affected to move with him. It is a question of leadership in Nehemiah, one man feeling things rightly, so that the book begins with his words.
GH Would Ezra be more John’s side and Nehemiah more Paul’s, the idea of authority?
JT John’s gospel speaks of God, beginning with “the Word”, everything emanates from that. What you say is right; Ezra presents God moving from the divine side. God moving in Cyrus, a gentile monarch, so that he might build the house of God at Jerusalem and for the release of God’s people. It is all from the divine side; God had spoken about it before; He had spoken about it by both Isaiah and Jeremiah. Nehemiah represents to us what one man can do who feels things amongst the people of God and would have them bettered; Nehemiah represents that side. As such a man as that works, God moves with him and he acquires moral power among his brethren.
SP Would you say it is right for us to inquire as to the different localities, inquire feelingly, not with a sense of being curious but as carrying the interests of the assembly? Should we inquire how things are moving, how the brethren are getting on? It should encourage circulation amongst the brethren.
JT I am sure it would. Any information of common interest that a brother obtains he should pass on because it is of value, pass it on to the brethren in his locality at the beginning of the meeting for prayer so that the saints hear, “And the report concerning them reached the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem”, Acts 11: 22. Tidings came of the work of God far away, and the ears of the assembly heard. The ears of the assembly are characteristic and they hear what God is doing, as we were reminded the other evening, “Let us return now and visit the brethren ... and see how they are getting on”, Acts 15: 36. Why should I not find out and make it known? Nehemiah made inquiry, “I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped ...”.
Rem In connection with what you are saying, this word ‘revive’ is used by the enemy in this book, chapter 4: 2; it is used by the enemy to hinder the work of God. Our brother was saying the positive side should be circulated amongst us, but the enemy would seem to know what is going on and try to hinder it.
JT Yes, he has ears too, and would use them to hinder. He knows what God is doing; that is very striking.
GAT If we have local exercises, troubles we call them, you would say it is fitting that we should let it be known so that we have the prayers of our brethren outside?
JT Even in regard to a meeting for care where there should be liberty for the circulation of all matters relative to the service of God; as it says in one of the hymns suitable for that meeting, ‘Every interest precious to Thee finding in our hearts a place’ (305:2). These interests belong to God, and the needs of the testimony should be our concern. So in the meeting for care they come up and this information ought to be circulated. Sisters will do well to inquire; many of them do not. Their husbands will do well to tell their wives and families what they should know relative to these matters; they are common property. Everyone should know so that the prayers may continue.
SMcC In some localities it has been implied that the brethren would be happier to consider the matter before them if visiting brothers were not present. Do you think that sentiment is right?
JT It is very wrong. It denies the general fellowship. Visiting brethren normally ought to be [p. 87] a help. There is only one fellowship; exclusion of brethren in that way is merely natural sentiment.
SMcC What would you do if you were in a meeting where the brothers said they were not free to go on with the matter until the visiting brother went out?
JT It is distressing. It shows how far natural sentiment enters into our affairs.
CHH In this fellowship indicated in the wall and the choirs going round it, would all these different gates represent the different features of the fellowship which they had to take account of?
JT The points touched on have a spiritual significance; the different gates touched on, even the persons, all have significance. We might notice one or two of them in verse 36 of chapter 12. “And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azareel ...”. These names and the places mentioned by name carry spiritual suggestions that ought to be in our minds in relation to the fellowship. We shall perhaps speak a little later on that, but our present subject is the dedication of the wall. In verse 27, “And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to hold the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, lutes and harps”. That is the great general thought. One has been impressed in these meetings with the great prominence in revivals given to priests and Levites. They represent the operative work of God, operative instrumentally; if God is to carry on His work He has got His own instruments. No one enters into a matter involving operation without suitable instruments, and these instruments are prepared beforehand; they must be. I think that is what enters into the stress laid on priests and Levites in all these revivals; without these instrumentalities the operation cannot proceed. This operation here is [p. 88] a dedication, a peculiar service. It is an operation really but we must have a modus operandi, that is, a means whereby such an operation can go through. It is not for everybody to lead, it is for these persons mentioned by name here; but it says “they sought the Levites out of all their places”, to get them into line, to get them into position. Each should be in position in this great matter.
EGMcA Would you say that is like the apostle bringing it to the attention of the Corinthians in the first chapter, that “God is faithful, by whom ye have been called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” before he brings in the collective side of his teaching? It was in order that the priests and Levites might be stirred up to build the wall.
JT I think so; “so that ye come short in no gift, awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 7). The allusion would be to what was there. You must have workmanship, not just anybody. Corinth must have proper workmanship, not just anybody. Corinth had skilled men, but not the right kind. Men are made skilful in the seminaries and the universities, but they are not the right kind; they do not come under the heading of priests and Levites. Here they are God’s divinely skilled men and the thought is, Let each be in his place. A Levite ought to be at Jerusalem — it says to bring them to Jerusalem; that is their place in relation to the work of God.
Ques Do we get that thought with Barnabas? “And he went away to Tarsus to seek out Saul”, Acts 11: 25. We are not told that anyone asked him to do it, but he saw the necessity to seek out a man that would be ready to help the saints at Antioch.
JT He was the man for the moment, he was the man for the work; exactly. It is very striking in the Acts to note the allusions to levitical skill and instinct. I believe every brother and sister ought to [p. 89] take it to heart. Am I available for this matter? Am I skilled? Because skill is required.
SP Why do things come upon us suddenly? It says in 2 Chronicles 29: 36 that “God had prepared the people; for the thing was done suddenly”. In our localities something might come suddenly. If we are not prepared we might get into difficulty.
JT Quite so; we may have to make special prayer about it as Hezekiah did. We are not to postpone the work if it is a movement of God. Things must be done.
JWD Would you say a little more about bringing the Levites to Jerusalem? What had you in mind about Jerusalem?
JT It is a great position, the centre of everything in this matter, the centre of divine operations; so that the Levites were sought “out of all their places to bring them to Jerusalem”. We were speaking yesterday about the Levites being in their places under Josiah; they were in their places officially. It seems that here they were in the places they had sought out for themselves in the country. There was hesitation to go to Jerusalem. It says in chapter 11, verses 1 and 2, “And the princes of the people dwelt in Jerusalem; and the rest of the people cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts in the cities. And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem”. It seems there was a hesitancy to dwell in Jerusalem; it requires spiritual instinct. And so it goes on to say in verses 3 and 4, “And these are the chiefs of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem; but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities. Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants. And in Jerusalem dwelt some of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin”. It seems as if they were choosing their own [p. 90] places. The priests and Levites belonged to Jerusalem properly, where the house of God was.
Ques In seeking out the Levites, do you not think a locality ought to have in its mind that there are brethren in other places that can help them? That requires that they must support the Levites.
JT The Levites stand related to the tabernacle according to Numbers; they stand round the tabernacle under the supervision of the priests. So they have a universal bearing; they are universal in their service and ought to be availed of too.
Ques Is it not instructive to see the movements of this great servant? He went out and surveyed the scene by night. He went through the valley-gate, “even toward the jackal-fountain, and to the dung-gate; and I viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were in ruins, and its gates were consumed with fire. And I went on to the fountain-gate, and to the king’s pool; ... and turned back, and entered by the valley-gate and returned”, Nehemiah 2: 13 - 15. Would that not suggest the attitude of mind that can be used for revival, a lowly spirit, and returning back in the same lowly spirit?
JT The valley-gate would allude to the death of Christ. Joshua lodged in the valley in taking Ai. Really the line is going down as Christ went down and Nehemiah came back to that point. You can see how the Spirit of God could use a man like that. A man like that acquires moral weight amongst us, and the Spirit of God will use him to assert authority amongst us.
EP So that the dedication of the wall would be the saints arriving at what he had arrived at before.
JT He had the thought of building the wall. And now it is built, so we are entitled to introduce all his exercises into this dedication service. How he rejoiced in the fact of its being finished! He tells us how long it took to build. The great thought of [p. 91] fellowship is established. Now what do we think about it? Are we satisfied with it or are we complaining about the narrowness of it, complaining that the brethren do not want radios or smoking, practices that are defiling? If we are, we are not joining in this dedication; we have no part in these choirs; we shall be out of it. The thing is now settled and established and we are rejoicing in the fact. There is now some security in the fellowship.
EGMcA Speaking of that, is that why the movement of the first choir was toward the dung gate? Is it there that all these things go out?
JT You are referring to chapter 12: 31: “And I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall and appointed two great choirs and processions, on the right hand upon the wall towards the dung-gate”. Very good; that is where all these things belong, at the dung-gate. It applies to mixed marriages too; all over the world there are certain outstanding things that one could mention, such as radios, smoking and mixed marriages. It is a constant battle, all these things have to be cast into this place of filth. We have already had the brook Kidron, typical of the death of Christ; that is how they are set aside judicially. The Spirit of God requires that they should be set aside and the standard is the death of Christ.
Rem In the next chapter conditions seem to come up again that would interfere with this joy. Nehemiah sees them bringing in things to sell on the sabbath, and he finds mixed marriages. He says “I protested”. You know brethren do not like you to protest, but if we see things wrong we should speak to one another and say, I protest.
JT Very good. And now let us see the order of these choirs: “And I ... appointed two great choirs and processions, on the right hand upon the wall towards the dung-gate. And after them went [p. 92] Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah ...”, (verses 31, 32). Now I think that the position ought to be clearly understood, that these choirs are not only choirs, but processions. We do not want to be out of these things; we want to be in them, having part in the choir and in the procession, meaning that I am witness of this thing. I might not be taking much active part but I am in the procession; I am thoroughly in this matter of fellowship and I am glad to be in it.
SP It is not optional.
JT Nehemiah is commanding it.
JH-t It is on the wall too, and over the gates, I was wondering if it would help us to see that the wall and the gates for the choirs and processions to move on must be established?
JT There is liberty of movement; it is a happy occasion. Everyone, even if he is not actively engaged in the choir, is in the procession. The choirs and the processions are distinct thoughts; we may not be all singing, but the idea of the procession is very interesting; I am in line with that.
SMcC Is the choir the idea of giving a lead to the procession?
JT I think so. The song here is jubilance, you know, we are happy in the thing; a great time of joy.
EGMcA Would you say that in the procession there is also the thought of my public identification with this movement? I might be in my spirit in line with the thing, but am I ready to take my place in the procession, which would bring in reproach in connection with this matter?
JT You can understand there would be reproach. These enemies that are spoken of earlier in the book said, “If a fox went up, it would break down their stone wall” (chapter 4: 3). That was when they were building. They would jeer at them in this procession, but there is moral power in it, I think the Lord [p. 93] would speak to us as to whether we are all satisfied about this matter of fellowship or whether we want the walls lowered and broken through.
CHH Would you say that in coming to the dung-gate singing, we should be happy that all these things should be put out? We have authority established to do away with these things, such as smoking, radios and all that kind of thing. If people persist in them we are not obliged to go on with them.
JT That is evil and we are not obliged to go on with evil. God is with us in refusing it. We may be weak but surely He will triumph over these enemies. This compromising is so dangerous! Some say, Let it go; and there it is! The enemy is undisturbed in what he is doing.
Rem The priests and the Levites purified themselves; that is, we cannot take things up with others until we have first cleared our own houses. If brothers who have to take up these matters are not clear themselves, they are not able to do anything for others.
JW Would “Sanballat, and Tobijah, and Geshem the Arabian” be elements that would hold us in compromise? They say, “Come, let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono”. But Nehemiah says, “I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down” (chapter 6: 1 - 3).
JT Very good. We have a sense of the greatness of the work, we know what enters into it. I think that is very fine, “I am doing a great work”. Not simply that the work is great, but I am doing it, I am working at it. Now we cannot take up in detail these names that are mentioned here after verse 31, but I think the Spirit of God loves to bring forward names of those who are in this procession, people who are outstanding as supporting this matter of fellowship. They are happily in it, they are joining in the choir and they are in the procession. And then [p. 94] we find, as already remarked, that they had the musical instruments of David the man of God. It is a very remarkable thing that David is called a man of God in this connection, not in view of any great military operations, but in this connection of the musical instruments of David, the man of God. They have got these, so it is no mean choir.
JRH In connection with these names verse 35 says, “Certain of the priests’ sons”. Why are they spoken of as priests’ sons instead of priests?
JT I do not know, except to bring in the thought of sonship. Earlier we have the word ‘children’, that is in verse 28: “The children of the singers were assembled”. Evidently two original words are used, one purely a family word, ‘children’; the other, ‘sons’, distinguished members of the family alluding to priesthood. Aaron’s sons is a thought that runs through Scripture; that is, we are related to Christ in sonship. Then we have Ezra brought into that section in verse 36 in connection with the instruments of David the man of God: “And Ezra the scribe before them”.
Ques In regard to the two companies, it would be necessary for the choir to have a leader, and the procession having joined in with the choir would follow together co-operatively. Would that not mean that I walk with my brethren and that we find that we have the same objective?
JT I think that is good. The choir is certainly one thought and the procession another, but they are beautifully linked together. There is, I think, orderliness in the singing; singing is the leading thought. There is orderliness too in the procession, we have part in it in an orderly way.
GAT Would this have any connection with the children of Israel marching around Jericho? They did not sing [p. 95] there, but shouted.
JT There is a certain likeness, but there is more to it here. The procession around Jericho was very formal and very solemn; they were to be silent, not talkative. Talkativeness amongst us is harmful, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; but he that restraineth his lips doeth wisely”, Proverbs 10: 19. So that at Jericho Joshua enjoins silence in the movement, but the time will come to shout; we are to be ready for that. But here it is jubilance. The point here is that the saints are happy in the position into which they are brought, involving fellowship, involving the denial of things I like naturally. I am happy to sacrifice these things, I have better things in the fellowship of God’s Son.
EGMcA In the choir there is the thought of training; and I was wondering if the singing of the choir would indicate that our minds are governed by the Scriptures, so that we move in line with the truth not only as it is in the Scriptures but as it is brought out by the Levites. Hence the procession follows and there is no question in the mind of the people as to what we stand for.
JT I think so. Anyone seeing these people, this remarkable performance in Jerusalem, would say, Whatever we may think about it, they are happy people. They are not disconsolate. At some of our meetings in England, these large meetings, the caterers expect that the brethren will buy their wares, cigarettes, drinks, newspapers and what not. And when the time comes between the meetings and the brethren move out, the people look at them and they are not buying those things at all. None of them are smoking; they remark on that. They do not buy newspapers; Cannot you read?, they say sarcastically. But then they have to admit that the brethren are not doleful looking, they are quite happy; that is the idea, we are contented in the things we have got. We have not what they rely upon for their joy,
[p. 96] and we do not use these things at all. We have our own joys.
SMcC Would the fountain-gate suggest something of that inward resourcefulness connected with the Spirit?
JT I think so. There is the fountain, but the word ‘gate’ is also used, I suppose it would be the point where water is secured. The word ‘gate’ to us means what is administrative, that there are administrative occasions. If it is the dung-gate, it would mean that certain things are sent there as judged to be filth; it is the administrative pronouncement as to evil things. But the fountain-gate is another thought; there the brethren are happy and free — we have ministry and things that help us and refresh us.
WMcK Paul says, “I count also all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all, and count them to be filth, that I may gain Christ”, Philippians 3: 8.
JT We can see gain relative to the dung-gate, but here we have the fountain-gate after “David the man of God” is mentioned, so that we are now touching exalted spiritual things. “And at the fountain-gate, and over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even to the water-gate eastward” (verse 37). It is moral ascent after you touch the fountain-gate; we are going up now and it is the stairs of the city of David, an appointed method, the appointed way of going up. We are not climbing up, it is orderly elevation. And it is “at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even to the water-gate”, even that length, the water-gate — where water is administered.
CHH Would that be seen in Psalm 87, “Jehovah loveth the gates of Zion” (verse 2)? Then “As well the [p. 97] singers as the dancers shall say, All my springs are in thee” (verse 7).
JT Quite so, the singers and the dancers say that, “All my springs are in thee”. That does not mean that my springs are in God, but my springs are in Zion; that is an ordered state of things that God has established. That is what is in mind here.
Ques In one company Ezra leads and in the other company Nehemiah goes after, supporting them. Is there any thought in that?
JT That is the next thing to look at, verse 38: “And the second choir went in the opposite direction upon the wall, and I after them, and the half of the people, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even to the broad wall”. We can all see the moral ascent reached in this first movement in relation to Ezra; it is to the water-gate even above the house of David. The second movement is in verse 38, the second choir went in the opposite direction “and I after them”, Nehemiah says. It is a question of authority behind; it is there. The choir is moving of itself, “and the half of the people, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even to the broad wall; and from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the gate of the old wall, and above the fish-gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even to the sheep-gate; and they stood still in the prison-gate”. Now there is not time to go into all these gates or points but they are worth keeping in our minds. “And they stood still in the prison-gate”, as much as to say, Do not forget that! But every gate here has a meaning, I believe. First of all, “from beyond the tower of the furnaces”, which I think would allude to discipline and pressure, the severity of the fire we are put through to refine us; and then “to the broad wall”. Persons thus refined have a good deal of latitude because we are brought to a broad place; we are not tied up under Jewish restrictions.
[p. 98] You can trust persons who have gone through the fire; that is the idea of the broad wall. There is latitude for us in what we are doing.
CHH Would that indicate that you are enlarged under pressure?
JT Quite so, “In pressure thou hast enlarged me”, Psalm 4: 1. You have room and you could be trusted to use it. Some of us have to be watched, but there are others who can be trusted. And then, “from above the gate of Ephraim”, which I suppose is the sort of gate which recognises leadership; Ephraim was the leading tribe at one time. Then, “above the gate of the old wall”; that is, we do not forget old principles or the old wall, what it was like or where the old gate was.
JH Do you get the idea of the choir standing still in the prison-gate in the second epistle to the Corinthians? “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions, and God of all encouragement; who encourages us in all our tribulation”.
JT Quite so. The prison-gate is to be noted — stand still there. We are not of much account unless we are in prison. The Lord says, “I was in prison”, Matthew 25: 36. He is the Leader in everything. The saints are the people who know characteristically what imprisonment means.
CHH The Lord can adjust us in prison.
JT He can use it because He knew what it meant. He used it on Simon. These gates should all be looked into. The tower of Hananeel has a peculiar meaning, a tower always denoting strength or distinction.
SMcC If you just allude to them all — what of the fish-gate?
JT We have got to the gate of Ephraim and then we come to the fish-gate; I suppose it would suggest something brought from a distance to Jerusalem.
[p. 99] But fish, I believe, typify among other things the sovereignty of God. He finds His people sovereignly as in the waters. You cannot find them, of course, though fish can be found. The general thought is that they are in an element that denotes the sovereignty of God. An immense place, the waters! God alone knows the depths of the waters. The Lord said to Simon, Cast in a hook and you will find one fish; it is a question of sovereignty. I suppose the fish-gate would allude to all that; also what marks fish characteristically is that they do not go with the current of things around.
SMcC These gates are very interesting; this second movement is connected with a line of gates. That is not such an exalted level as the first movement.
JT They end on the same level, I think the high level is in verse 37, but this choir brings in other thoughts that are conducive to this high level. Do not let us forget them. We have two towers, “the tower of Hananeel and the tower of Meah, even to the sheep-gate”, which we need not say much about; and then “they stood still in the prison-gate”. And then “both choirs stood in the house of God”, that is the point to reach here. The other ascent is more spiritual, “above the house of David, even to the water-gate eastward”; but “both choirs stood in the house of God, and I and the half of the rulers with me; and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, Hananiah, with trumpets” (verse 41). And then we have the singers in verse 42 and their names given. “And the singers sang aloud; and Jizrahiah was their overseer”. We now have an overseer in the singing in this choir, “And that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and also the women and the children rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off”.
[p. 100] So that we can see the point in all this, the testimony of satisfaction amongst the brethren. We are satisfied with the position whatever others may think about it; brethren are satisfied with the position whatever reproach is attached to it. We find it is so at a time like this; we find real joy in looking into the things of God.
JB The queen of Sheba in 1 Kings referred to Solomon’s men and servants: “Happy are thy men! happy are these thy servants, who stand continually before thee, who hear thy wisdom!”. And then she goes on to bless Jehovah.
JT These are remnant times. It speaks of “the joy of Jerusalem”. Jerusalem as a place is not a delightful place; after all people did not want to live there, they would rather live in the country. But now its joy is heard afar off, “the joy of Jerusalem”.
JWD I believe that God is making the joy of the saints a testimony. These people are happy in the position they are in.
EL In Lamentations 4: 12 it says, “The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should enter into the gates of Jerusalem”, I wonder if we often under-estimate the power of the enemy in bringing in adverse things in relation to administration.
JT Do I understand that you are alluding to the gates?
EL You were suggesting that the gates allude to administration. I wondered if the enemy would attack administration in our localities.
JT The enemy would set aside the principle of administration, and hence spoil all this. These gates alluding to administration are to be much before us; the administrative side begins with individuals and works out through our care meetings to authoritative [p. 101] assembly pronouncements. I believe that is how God is supporting us, so that the truth stands. What I think is particularly noticeable here is the joy of Jerusalem and it was heard afar off.
SMcC “And also the women and the children rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off”. The women and children are brought into it. We might say there is not much for the children in the fellowship; we are negating certain things that would appeal to them. But they are in this matter.
JT Very good.
Ques Would you say the position has to be arrived at? “How should we sing a song of Jehovah’s upon a foreign soil?” Psalm 137: 4. The enemy wanted them to sing but they could not do it.
JT They could not do it there, they could do it in Jerusalem.
CHH In the end of the Songs of degrees they reached the house of God: “Bless Jehovah, all ye servants of Jehovah, who by night stand in the house of Jehovah. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless Jehovah”. Would that correspond to this place, to these different gates? The end that is reached is the house of God.
JT The ‘songs of degrees’ means ‘songs of ascent’, moral elevation, every step going upward. But now in Ezra at the dedication of the house I think we come to the direct link, because here they stood in the house of God. Ezra 6: 16 says, “And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy”, that is, this one, the one they had just built under great hardship. God helped them and it is “this house”; that is to say, what we have to do with answers to the original house; we dedicate that, not the original house but this one.
[p. 102] Ques Referring to the earlier remark in connection with the positional side of the government of God, it is favourable towards this revival as seen in Ezra, Ezra having to do with the positional side and Nehemiah having to do with the state of the people. Is it so today, that God in His government is favourable to the revival, both as seen in Cyrus and now?
JT Quite so, it is the dispensation that is seen in Ezra. The position is clear, and now what marks the dispensation is that it is the dispensation of God that is in faith. The original word ‘dispensation’ involves the house of God; it is the economy house-wise and the house is essential to it. The walls are the protection of it. You cannot have the dispensation of God without the presence of God house-wise, and that is what is in mind here. “This house” is such as we have, and in “this house” God is pleased to be with His people on His own terms. Now the point is to dedicate that, to show that we are thoroughly and fully committed to that. So that it says they “kept the dedication of this house of God with joy; and they presented at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. And they set the priests in their classes, and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem: as it is written in the book of Moses”. So that we can see how the dispensation is here characteristically, the people are committing themselves to it with joy. This house and the offerings are in relation to the twelve tribes, it is a universal thought. The house is always a universal thought.
SMcC It is a remarkable thing that the offerings double as they proceed — one hundred, two hundred, four hundred. The thing is intensified as [p. 103] it goes on.
JT Very good.
SP In Nehemiah it says, “they offered great sacrifices”; here it gives the number. Why is that?
JT It is measurement I think; God is the God of measure. And however much we have got He always keeps to His own thoughts. So we do not bring in everything we have in any assembly service; you would bring in what is suitable because He is the God of measure.
JST I was thinking of John in Revelation, he is given a reed to measure the altar and the house and those who worship. Would that be in keeping?
JT I think so. The idea of measure is most important in the things of God, beginning, as you might say, with Exodus. Exodus is the great central thought of the house, the dwelling place of God. Everything there is according to measure. We now arrive at what belongs to God. The inner side is mentioned earlier, but administration would have more to do with the announcements; the gates would be important at that point. Passing on we come to the offerings, that is what is entirely for the heart of God; that belongs to the inner position. The gates and the walls have to do with what is external, so we rightly have our announcements at first and then we proceed to the inner thought in the assembly service. In order to make clear that the dispensation is in mind, the next paragraph beginning with verse 19 says, “And the children of the captivity held the passover upon the fourteenth of the first month”. They are in keeping with the thought of Josiah, but the house of God comes first here and its dedication. The next thing is the formal ordinance that characterises the dispensation; that is for us the Lord’s supper, but here it is the passover.
JRH The position here is very fine: “For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves as one man”. That is something in advance of what we were reading of Hezekiah yesterday.
JT Quite so. You allude to verses 20 and 21. “For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves as one man, they were all pure; and they killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. And the children of Israel that were come back out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Jehovah the God of Israel, did eat” — these are the people that eat — “and they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for Jehovah had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel”.
SMcC It is interesting how catholic they were in their thoughts; they killed the passover for all the children of the captivity. That would be helpful today; in our outlook we have in mind the whole position.
JT That is, the whole of those who have come out; the children of the captivity would mean we have all been in the captivity. We have learned from it and we take character from it; we are really a remnant restored from the general defection, the general captivity. It is a characteristic word, “the children of the captivity”; we have all had our part in the captivity. We are not there now, we have come back and we have purified ourselves; that is what is meant, these are the ones who ate the passover.
EP Does this thought of dedication mean that the position is made clear? I was thinking of the passage in John 10: 22, “Now the feast of the dedication was celebrating at Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in the porch of Solomon”. I was thinking that the dedication of the walls and the house would mean that the position was made clear and established.
JT And that we have committed ourselves thoroughly to it. We read of persons who have dedicated themselves to the ministry: that is, we have tried the thing out, we have experience with it. We have thoroughly committed ourselves to it. I believe that is what is meant by “this house”; it was not the original house, but such as it is we are committed to it and satisfied so far with it and we are rejoicing. The word ‘dedication’ would mean we have thoroughly committed ourselves to it.
Ques Would this exceed 2 Timothy 2?
JT I think the idea of 2 Timothy 2 is the gateway into 1 Timothy. We have not lost 1 Timothy, but 2 Timothy is the way into it. We do not speak officially, but we do reach the house, such as it is. It is the house nevertheless. God is there and we have committed ourselves to it in the dedication. We are happily in it.
Rem The word ‘purified’ here is the very word used in 2 Timothy 2.
JT We are purified from certain things and that makes room for the house. It means we cannot return to cathedrals or anything officially called a church in this world; we have come to the house, what is according to God, and we are going to stay there. We have thoroughly committed ourselves to it.
EP So there is peculiar significance attached to “this house”; Jesus walking in Solomon’s porch in the feast of dedication would make the position clear in the presence of all the pretension that was there.
JT John gives us the official thing among the Jews only to show that something better was coming in that was the real thing.
JH-t The dedication is kept with joy, which agrees with what you were saying about being [p. 106] thoroughly committed to it. It has been said many times when something is established among the brethren — Well, I will bow to it. That is not the right attitude.
JT That is a miserable thing. It is better to bow to it than to be opposed to it, but I should be able to see with the brethren.
GAT If anyone expresses a desire to break bread, what you look for is what is in verse 21, “And the children of Israel that were come back out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Jehovah the God of Israel, did eat”.
JT Quite so; he is cleansing himself from all the filthiness he had been associated with.
SMcC Verse 22 is most encouraging, that we are now in the position in buoyancy as you have been suggesting: “For Jehovah had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel”. How encouraging that is!
JT There is another thought there, the brethren are doing it. For it says, “Jehovah had made them joyful”; that is, He comes in, it is His doing, “For Jehovah had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel”. God has been operating but that comes in last. We have been doing it, but God shows that He is in the thing too. You can see the position in both these choirs, first in the dedication of the fellowship, and now in the dedication of the house. You can see how the brethren have committed themselves to the two thoughts and God says, I am thoroughly with you in it. You could not have reached this point without Me.