REVIVAL (5)
REVIVAL (5)
Nehemiah 8: 1 - 18; Malachi 3: 16 - 18
JT I have in mind that we might finish with the feast of tabernacles, and link it up a little with the verses read in Malachi. In order that we might have the position clearly in view, attention should be called to the year — the spiritual year, and the seventh month. The chapter really begins, “When the seventh month came”, the month of great spiritual events, the feast of trumpets and the day of atonement, the feast of ingathering, or the feast of tabernacles. And what may not have been observed by some of us is the stress laid on the people in the first section of the chapter, the general movement amongst the people to hear the word of God; not a movement arising from leadership, though the leaders come into it and help the people. The word in verse 1 is, “And when the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in their cities, all the people gathered together as one man to the open place that was before the water-gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded Israel”. It seems that particular notice should be taken of this because God would give us to understand that the position, the truth, is not to be carried and maintained only by leading brothers or sisters, but that all are brought into it in the sense that they want to know more about the law of Moses.
CHH Would it indicate that one who held the truth should be subject to a call from his brethren?
JT That is the way it stands here. You mean Ezra was ready, “And they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses”; is that what [p. 108] you mean?
CHH Yes, that servants should hold themselves in readiness where the state is suitable and where they are invited.
JT The question arises at this point as to these meetings that are now annual, you may say, these general meetings, as to what underlies them. Is it a movement of the people in the place? Or is it to have a big affair, the matter of serving the saints being secondary? Or is it that we would know more about the will of God? The point the people make is, “They spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded Israel”. Is that the underlying thought?
SP Does that show a willingness on the part of the people to come under the law and commandments as being morally suitable to this gathering together?
JT That is what I was thinking. It seems to be a movement among the people, a united one; “All the people gathered together as one man”. They have recourse to a man available whom God can use, so that “They spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded Israel”. Then we are told, “Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month”. He is amenable to call, ready, but he moved according to the proposal of the people; a remarkable thing, I believe.
SMcC In the first verse you read it says, “they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses”, and then in the second verse it says, “And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation”. Is there any significance in that?
JT I think the word ‘scribe’ is a characteristic word connected with his name. It is used in chapter 7 of his own book (verse 6). His priestly status is [p. 109] unquestionable, shown to be unquestionable in that chapter, and he also was “a ready scribe in the law of Moses”. It would seem as if the first thought in asking him to take on this service is “the scribe”, that “he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses”; not simply a man that can write well, but a man that can write in the law of Moses, conversant with things relative to the mind of God, ready in that. Evidently the people knew his qualifications.
JRH I suppose the meaning of his name, ‘help’, would have that in view; the people were seeking help from Ezra. It was not like the prophetic word direct from God; it was more the prompting of the people.
JT Seemingly it was a question of exposition, which is not exactly prophetic; an exegetical service to open up, to bring things out that are already there; not a special message from God, but what was already existent in the written page. He is qualified for that, that is the point; it is a question of exposition rather. The Lord Jesus as risen exemplifies this ministry, “he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself”, Luke 24: 27. It was no question of a prophetic word but bringing the Scriptures to bear upon them.
Rem It says in Ezra 7: 12, “To Ezra the priest, an accomplished scribe of the law of the God of the heavens”.
JT Yes, “the law of the God of the heavens”.
SMcC This exegetical service that you alluded to would have a large place in a meeting like this.
JT A very large place. God seems to use these meetings to open up what is in the Scriptures. A prophetic word is of course immediately from God supported by Scripture, but exegetical service is to bring out the thing that is already there, what God has embedded in the Scriptures, the immensity of the resources in the Scriptures.
[p. 110] Ques Referring back to the fact that this was held in the seventh month, had you in mind that the saints should come to this matter spiritually in a locality, according to Leviticus 23? The first day was to be a day of rest, and we were going to consider the matter from that point onward.
JT I thought it would be well to call attention to the periods of the year. It is not the lunar year that is in mind but what is called the ecclesiastical, spiritual and agricultural year. The year is a matter of crops from the divine point of view, “seed time and harvest”, and this month is the harvest month. The idea is therefore to reach the great end in mind in the year, culminating at its end. The year is to be productive. I thought it would be very appropriate that we should finish our readings at the feast of tabernacles, in the end of the spiritual year.
SMcC Is it like the crown in that sense? “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness”, Psalm 65: 11.
JT It would be that exactly. The seventh month is not the twelfth month, though they had twelve months in their year; the seventh month is the end of the agricultural year, and the agricultural year is the year that tells, because the point in the original divisions after the flood was seed-time and harvest. Other things are subservient to this, “Henceforth, all the days of the earth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease”, Genesis 8: 22. Hence the question that arises, What is the harvest in all our exercises? What is the result in the whole matter? If there is no harvest there is nothing gained; there may be a sowing without a harvest. The idea of a harvest is what God brings in. You put your seed into the ground; God causes it to grow; God gives the result.
JWD Do you think these meetings should be on an annual basis, or on the basis of spiritual prosperity in a [p. 111] locality?
JT Annual matters on the basis of the twelve-month year are apt to become crystallised and lose freshness. They just come, and we have to go through with them. I think the thought in this chapter is that they should be the outcome of the state or desire of the people. What are we looking for? What are we aiming at? Here they were aiming at the book of the law of Moses and the best available man to give them an understanding of it. It is a matter of the people. We have other scriptures that stress leadership, but here it is the people’s matter. These annual meetings are apt to give undue importance to the localities in which they are held, and so lose their force; and the localities themselves are apt to gain the least of all from them, because they are occupied with the service and the like. This chapter is to correct that, we are thinking of “the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded Israel”.
EP Do you think the open place and the water-gate suggest the recognised need of adjustment? What is your thought as to the water-gate?
JT I was connecting it with the good judgment of the people. How rightly governed they are in principles! “All the people gathered together as one man to the open place that was before the water-gate”. We are dealing now with local matters in an open, transparent way; we are ready for the will of God; we have nothing else in mind. We are open about it and there is plenty of room; the open place means there is plenty of scope for anyone to come, and then the pulpit of wood is to make the matter thoroughly successful. I mean to say, if we are having a meeting like this the consideration of the brethren is that in all the externals there should be nothing to hinder; the meeting-place, the arrangements and time of meetings, everything should be thought out from our side so that the thing should [p. 112] be a success. This open place suggests there is plenty of room, and the water-gate would suggest that it is a time now for the administration of things that are suggested in water, refreshment, because the promise of old was “Assemble the people, and I will give them water”, Numbers 21: 16. It does not name any man who is to do it, but “I will give them water”. Jehovah promised to do it and the people have that in mind.
EGMcA Would you say the people here in this chapter were in the good of what we had this morning, this wonderful procession that reached even to the water-gate eastward? They were in the good of this and so they called this man to expound the law.
JT I think that is good.
Ques Our brother made reference in prayer to the last great day of the feast, and would there be anything in that in relation to this meeting now and the subject in hand?
JT Well, we are having a great day; we would expect the last one to be that. You would expect an accumulation of wealth in our meeting.
Ques I was thinking, they say to the Lord, “Remove hence and go into Judaea”. He says, “Go ye up”, but He goes up later. The question in my mind is what is in our minds in an occasion like this, whether a set occasion is in our minds. The Lord brings in the water idea, does He not, when He says, “He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water”. Does that enter into an occasion like this?
JT You are alluding to John 7. The feast was running its course and the Lord evidently implied that they were thirsting and there was really no water, so that the water-gate all centred in Him, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink”, John 7: 37. That was the idea. Those who assembled [p. 113] at Jerusalem at that time did not have the right thought. His brethren said, “Manifest thyself to the world”, but the Lord says, “My time is not yet come”; I am going to have a great display but not yet. But then He went up privately, which is the whole present position; it is a question of the dispensation, to be unknown as regards men. The Lord went up in the last day of the feast when they did not have anything to satisfy their thirst. The water-gate, the administration of the refreshment of God, was not there, but it was in Him. He went up privately, that is the position in John. He cried and said, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink” (verse 37). There are several cries recorded, and this is one of the Lord’s cries because it was urgent that there should be water administered.
SMcC The open place was not there either. He went up “not openly”.
JT He went up privately and that is the position today; our position is obscure but the real thing is there, that is the point.
SMcC There may be the thought of inviting Ezra, and yet having reserves perhaps. The open place would stand over against that so that there might be full room for Ezra and his exposition of the law.
JT I think that is the thought. All these external matters are important and I believe they are applicable now at the end of this series of meetings, that we might be reminded what underlies these meetings in the localities in which they are held. Are they according to God? Are we seeking the will of God? The book of the law of God which He commanded Israel — that is what is to be in our minds, and then all the externals should conduce to that; everything should be made conducive to that. We should not leave anything to the Lord which we can do ourselves. People often say as to certain externals, We [p. 114] will leave it to the Lord. It is a very great mistake; we should do it ourselves. The Lord would say, Do it yourselves, you can do it. All the externals that enter into our meeting rooms in a general way should be attended to by us, “And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation ... . And he read in it before the open place that was before the water-gate from the morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and those that could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a high stage of wood, which they had made for the purpose”, Nehemiah 8: 2 - 4. Notice that they are not handicapping him in any way; they made this stage for the purpose and he uses what they made; that is, there is every possible convenience to make the matter a success, to make it what it should be.
JRH So that we ought to be free from everything in the way of formality in meetings such as these. Is it your thought that we should be together in the accumulation of previous exercises?
JT I think the month, as I said, is harvest month, that is the last month of the agricultural year. Obviously they would have that in mind, their minds would be full of this at the end of the year. And as to what has been remarked about externals, things are attended to; there is nothing to interfere so far as external preparations are concerned, all is conducive to the success of the service, even the pulpit of wood. It was prepared for the occasion, it was not an ordinary one that you would get in an ordinary church; it was one suitable for the purpose. There is no ecclesiastical pretension attached to it; it is an improvised thing, and Ezra would say, I will use that.
HB In connection with Peter, Cornelius says, “Now therefore we are all present before God to [p. 115] hear all things that are commanded thee of God”, Acts 10: 33.
JT Very good; they were all there. Cornelius and his friends were all there. It was his thought; he sent for Peter, just as they asked Ezra here, and Peter was available.
SMcC What does this pulpit of wood suggest to you, mere externals or some moral thought?
JT I do not think it is much more than externals. “And Ezra the scribe stood upon a high stage of wood, which they had made for the purpose”; just a thing simply and thoughtfully made for the purpose and he used it, I suppose the idea was that his voice should be heard. This microphone is God’s creature, no matter how it is put together; it is not the devil’s creature; just as a high pulpit of wood or a pair of glasses is God’s creature; you use it simply because it augments the service.
SP Would you say a little more with regard to these meetings becoming crystallised? The pulpit of wood is not something to be put away and taken out next time; it was made for this occasion.
JT It is not a fixed thing at all. I think the less crystallised we are in these things the better. Let everything be fresh and ready for the particular occasion in mind.
Ques What about these thirteen men beside him?
JT You may have in your mind that these are the brothers who sit on the platform. I think there is something in that. There are brethren that are more outstanding in supporting the truth. Why should the Spirit of God go over these hard names, difficult to pronounce, so that they should be read before us in the western world thousands of years afterwards? Why should it be? Well, it is God keeping fresh before us that He is taking account of these names. The idea of ‘name’ is clearly renown, and any little bit of spiritual renown that any one [p. 116] has God honours. He will honour it even to the mention of the name at a particular time.
JRH Would not the pulpit of wood be the exalted place gift is given in the affections of the saints?
JT I think it might be, but it is more that they would like to hear him; as much as to say, We are asking Ezra to give this exposition, we want to hear what he says. It is much more like that.
Rem The open place suggests that the brother would be given liberty and scope as he came before the brethren. And then the water-gate suggests the spiritual aspect, the refreshment.
JT That is good. The water-gate is the idea of the administration of spiritual refreshment, because you must never omit the idea of administration on these occasions, for after all it is a divine administration. We always like to say to the Lord, It is Your matter, but He might say, It is your matter. The great governing thought is that it is the Lord’s matter and it is a question of what He administers; for the Father has given all things into His hand and He is ready to administer to us if we give Him opportunity. The incident at Jerusalem in John 7 is one of the most striking. It was the time of the feast of tabernacles, yet there is no provision made for the water-gate; but it is there in the Man who went up privately: “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this he said concerning the Spirit, which they that believed on him were about to receive; for the Spirit was not yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified”, John 7: 37 - 39. That is, He had not yet gone up into heaven, the place of administering, but even so He is already speaking of it.
JB [p. 117] Would the thirteen men named here with Ezra be in line with him, to support him in connection with this movement?
JT They would. We have these brothers beside him and it says, “And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up” (verse 5). Notice the constant recurrence of “the people” in this section; it is what they are doing. They went to hear Ezra, they have made this pulpit of wood for him and he is on it and they are all listeners, a very fine position. You may be sure God is going to give results and blessing this time.
EGMcA Feasts might become crystallised because of being annual. That is an exercising thought. This scripture would indicate that every external as well as internal condition of the people would make it easy for Ezra to minister. You have thirteen on the platform and thirteen down amongst the people who are ready to minister.
JT “And Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen! with lifting up of their hands; and they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground”. Then we have these others named, and the Levites “caused the people to understand the law; and the people stood in their place”; so these men that are mentioned are all helpers. Whether they are armour-bearers or supporters of Ezra or whether they are doing the work among the brethren they are helpers.
EGMcA The suggestion is that contributions should be helpful, so that the people generally should understand the law.
JT Those down among the people like yourself are to make yourselves heard.
TU In reference to the numerous mentions of the people, it says their ears were [p. 118] attentive.
JT The whole series of facts mentioned shows that the state was there and that it was a movement of God in the people, a most important matter. It is not a question of certain leaders bringing them together, but of their own movement; and the word to everyone here today is, What is my motive in all this?
Ques I was going to remark that Ezra begins in speaking to God at the outset. Would you help us in regard to which One of the divine Persons we should address in opening a gathering such as this?
JT Of course in the Old Testament there was only one Person known; the three Persons in the Trinity were not as yet disclosed, but They are now; and therefore it is a question as to which should be addressed in relation to any given circumstance and that is a question of priestly intelligence. In a meeting such as this, as we begin, it is, I think, in order and seemly to address God. “To us there is one God, the Father, of whom all things, and we for him”, 1 Corinthians 8: 6. That is the great general position of christianity; it is one God, the Father, the great general position. But then John tells us, “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things to be in his hand” (John 3: 35); that of course brings us round to the Person who has the administration in His hand. We have to think of Him because it is a time for administration; whether it be the water-gate or whatever gate it is, it is the time for administration. Every gate refers to Christ and His administrative authority. It is therefore a question of spiritual intelligence as to whether we should address God or the Lord, because they are both God, whether we are addressing One or the Other. In addressing the Lord we are addressing Him in His mediatorial position. Both are right, it is only a question of spiritual intelligence; the Lord may be addressed or the Father may be addressed, God as Father. If it be a matter [p. 119] of immediate administration I should refer to the Lord Jesus in prayer. It says here, “And Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen!”. So that they begin with worship. Whatever form that might take it seems suitable that all should be directed God-ward, because the great general position is, “One God, the Father, of whom all things, and we for him”; and secondly, “one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him”. The word ‘by’ there is administrative, that is, things come in through Him.
CHH Would this indicate the high level on which this revival is? The two previous revivals that we have looked at do not begin with worship but with cleansing and opening doors; but here it begins with worship.
JT I think it is very appropriate. Ezra gives the lead now and the people say, “Amen”; they begin the thing but now he is leading. They put him in the place and he is leading in relation to God first; he is carrying them with him. A very important thing in the ministry is to carry the saints with you. Here they say, “Amen, Amen!”, meaning that they are thoroughly with him in what he is doing.
Rem Would it help for all the people to be standing up? We do much sitting down.
JT That is another thing, the standing up is good. There is a great deal of it now. The Lord seems to stress it, that we should stand up under certain circumstances, but still we do not want to be attitudinarians. Ours is a dispensation marked by liberty, where sonship reigns. It says of David that he “sat before Jehovah” (1 Chronicles 17: 16), which is very unusual; it points to our dispensation, going beyond the old dispensation.
JRH Would you say that the one who leads should promote the spirit of worship in the people who hear the [p. 120] word?
JT I think that is a good suggestion for us. They stood up and assented by the words, “Amen, Amen!”. We cannot always take examples in the Old Testament literally, but I think it is good for brethren to say, “Amen”; it shows that we are listening and are moving in the current of the Spirit.
Ques You mean the sisters too when you say the brethren, do you not?
JT Quite so.
Ques Would the standing represent a priestly sensitiveness among the people to receive the mind of God, as Ezra read from the book?
JT I think so, it marks a priest’s attitude. You are at attention, ready for priest’s service. And then it goes on to say, “And they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground”; that is another attitude. External attitude is stressed here. The lifting up of hands is supplicatory; bowing their heads is submission and reverence. There are remarkable spiritual attitudes here which ought to be noted, because we are apt in assembly to be irreverent.
EGMcA The additional word ‘holy’ in 1 Timothy would have some effect upon the bowing and worshipping, would it?
JT “Lifting up pious [or holy] hands, without wrath or reasoning”, 1 Timothy 2: 8. I think that attitude is supplicatory. If I have anything on my hands contrary to God I cannot hold them up. They must be clean hands.
Rem The man in John 9 was led on to this gradually so that he came to the point where he worshipped, showing that the Lord did not introduce the subject until the man was ready for it, “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?”. He evidently was ready for the reference to the Son of God.
JT Quite so; then he worshipped. I think these are all very important matters in regard of what we [p. 121] call our general meetings, to take away from them all mere officialism and crystallisation and tradition, any thought of adding to ourselves in the way of distinction because we have this great affair. Let it be a question of the will of God, learning the will of God, “the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded Israel”. Then it goes on in verse 8, “And they read in the law of God distinctly out of the book, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading”. This is a word for those who are ministering; all are taken into account here. “They read in the law of God distinctly ... and gave the sense, and caused them to understand”; that is, we must exercise patience with the brethren. If they do not understand we should seek to make them understand, to get them to understand, because after all hearing is not everything, understanding must be present. Philip says to the eunuch, “Understandest thou what thou readest?” Acts 8: 30. If I have not understanding the Lord will give it. The brethren who are able to give understanding to any ought to be ready to do it with patience.
HB Shepherd and teacher seems to be one gift in Scripture, as though teaching has to be done in the spirit of the shepherd.
JT I think that is right; shepherd and teacher is one gift really.
CHH Would what follows in verse 7 take place after such a meeting as this? Would this occur in principle after the general meetings such as today?
JT As has been remarked, it is those who stood among the brethren who caused them to understand. Your thought would be that in the intervals that we should be able to instruct one another, and then to carry the instruction through to our localities. The Lord has helped the brethren generally in attending the large meetings that are being held now, and in [p. 122] carrying back a synopsis of them and going over them with the brethren on a particular night in their several localities. Not that you want to enlarge on it unduly, but it is good to spread the thing abroad; whatever is there let the brethren get the good of it.
CHH I think the reading occurring from morning until midday may be to suggest what might be the outcome of it, that there was time left to assimilate all that came out in the ministry. These thirteen were able to take it back to their localities.
JW Would the verse which says “Send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared”, bear on what you have said?
JT That is the next thing. Verse 9 is more the prophetic sort of thing coming authoritatively, as you might say, “And Nehemiah, that is, the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that explained to the people, said to all the people, This day is holy to Jehovah your God, mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. And he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared; for the day is holy to our Lord; and be not grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength. And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, Be still! for the day is holy; neither be grieved. And all the people went their way, to eat and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great rejoicing. For they had understood the words that were declared to them”. I think it is a very fine passage as bringing out the idea of joy. Christianity involves joyfulness; it involves sobriety, of course, and mourning, but there is a time for everything; a time like this is not a time for mourning or confessing, but rather for joyfulness. What God affords to us on these occasions shows that they are worth while attending; God gives us compensation in the sense of joy in these occasions.
[p. 123] One has been struck with the prominence given to rejoicing and gladness in all these scriptures we have read. The Tirshatha, the scribe and the Levites are spiritual enough and authoritative enough to remind the people of this, so that the matter should not be spoiled by what does not properly fit into it. It might fit in elsewhere, but not here. The people need to be stimulated at this time; we all do. So that we return to our localities in the sense of stimulation, resolving to go in more definitely for the things of God. It is worth while to do so. If we have these happy times at these occasions why can we not have them locally? And we can.
SMcC It is called here “the joy of Jehovah”. Would that be an exalted aspect of this rejoicing?
JT It was not a matter of their own. Jehovah really was giving the stimulation. I think we all feel in these meetings a divine touch that gives us stimulation and causes joy. The Lord says, “Peace be to you” in John 20, and “The disciples rejoiced therefore, having seen the Lord”. Let it be established, this thought of joy. “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, Rejoice”, Philippians 4: 4.
Ques This “mourn not, nor weep” — is there a tendency to droop even with the great ministry we are having? The great tendency is for the saints to droop, so that Ezra and Nehemiah seem to work together to forestall anything like that here.
JT The point was to stimulate the people. It was worth while, it was the people’s matter. They are set for the things of God, and God is honouring them. He wants them to have the best; I think that is the point. God would love to bring us into the atmosphere of heaven and He brings the atmosphere of heaven where we can really enjoy the thing.
SRMcC “Send portions”. Are we to take of that [p. 124] spirit?
JT Carry the thing to our localities; there is nothing prepared for them, they are not here — spread it abroad.
JW In the administration of matters in localities, is there not a tendency in matters of discipline perhaps that the mourning and weeping would overcome us? But would all this result in God getting a greater place as His joy is our strength?
JT I think God would keep this before us, that the dispensation is a victorious one, notwithstanding the great failure in the captivity, the failure of Israel which is not overlooked in this book but is fully confessed. At the same time the dispensation is the dispensation, God is God, the Spirit is the Spirit, the Scriptures are the Scriptures, the assembly is the assembly. Let us make full room for the positive side of the blessing. So that the Lord in opening His mouth in Matthew 5 says, “Blessed” nine times over, as if to stimulate us with blessing.
AHP The Lord’s service in the end of Luke is like this. I am referring to where the Lord opens their understanding and then, “He led them out as far as Bethany, and having lifted up his hands, he blessed them. And it came to pass as he was blessing them, he was separated from them and was carried up into heaven. And they, having done him homage, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God”, Luke 24: 50 - 53. I wondered if that might answer to the saints as in a scene like this.
JT Very much so. It seems to me that in that passage God is rendering a testimony in the temple of what He is ready to give to Israel. It was there for Israel if they were ready for it. The temple was never so joyous as when those saints went into it.
EP Do you think in the first epistle of Corinthians there is the reading of the law, and then in the second the service of Paul to console them, “Lest [p. 125] perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with excessive grief”, 2 Corinthians 2: 7.
JT He speaks much of Titus’ joy and his own joy in what had taken place in Corinth through the first letter.
JST Is the spirit of the dispensation in that verse, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in the Christ, and makes manifest the odour of his knowledge through us in every place. For we are a sweet odour of Christ to God, in the saved and in those that perish”, 2 Corinthians 2: 14, 15?
JT Quite so. The second letter to the Corinthians is full of this thought, over-abounding in joy. Like the new bottles full of new wine, the bottles are not burst. To verse 12 of our chapter it is the first meeting of the conference; the second is in verse 13. “And on the second day were gathered together the chief fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to gain wisdom as to the words of the law”. It is not the people now, only certain ones, the chief fathers of the people and the priests and the Levites. It is a different character of meeting. It is not in the open place and all the people are not mentioned; it is the chief fathers. And now it looks as if there is progress being made, and the elder brethren, invited brethren, spiritual brethren, want to go further. In spite of the great joy of the first day they want to go further. It goes on to tell us, “And they found written in the law which Jehovah had commanded [p. 128] through Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month, and that they should publish and proclaim through all their cities, and at Jerusalem, saying, Go forth to the mount, and fetch olive-branches, and wild olive-branches, and myrtle-branches, and palm-branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written”. This is a very important and interesting meeting that has been [p. 126] taken as a basis for the special meetings in different parts of the world, and I think it is a basis for them, for special invitations to come together, as it says, “to gain wisdom as to the words of the law”.
CHH Would you say we have not arrived at this in this country yet?
JT No, we have not. The first meeting seems to be as far as we can go in this country. It is just as well for us to accept our limitations for if we do we shall get blessing.
JRH Does the thought of understanding come out in connection with the first day, but the thought of wisdom in the second day?
JT That is what we have here. Ezra had done well on the first occasion apparently, and these elder brethren, spiritual brethren, invited men, see that he can do more. God is using this man fully and they come to him now. At the first meeting they ask Ezra to come; the people arrange the matter and then ask Ezra. But this time there is no question of the open place or the water-gate, but of Ezra: they “were gathered together ... to Ezra the scribe”; very remarkable! That is, God is showing that there is more; you can go further and here is a brother who is available. So they say, ‘Let us ask him’. It is a question of wisdom, “to gain wisdom as to the words of the law. And they found written in the law which Jehovah had commanded through Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month”. That had not been mentioned earlier; it had not been spoken of on the first day of the feast of the seventh month; but on the second day they reach the feast of tabernacles.
Rem Deuteronomy would be the opening up of the wisdom of the words of the law. That is a book that saints have been much helped by in matters that have arisen [p. 127] in our day.
JT Well, quite so.
CHH Would you say that in this particular meeting in verse 13 it is a question of finding things out which you would not have found out in a meeting like the previous one?
JT Exactly; the persons present are of greater spiritual depth. Not that there is any reflection on any saint, but there are such things as measure and stature and wealth and princeliness and so forth. All these words denote specialty, and if that specialty affords better conditions for understanding divine things why not employ it? It is a question of using a condition that is conducive to a great end. Then why not employ it? It is only right to employ it.
AHP Some few years ago the Lord used such an occasion as that to bring out the question of His deity.
JT Just that. Many such things have come out in that way. The more spiritual the atmosphere, the more likelihood of reaching deeper things. “The Spirit”, we are told, “searches all things, even the depths of God”, 1 Corinthians 2: 10. And then “The spiritual discerns all things” (verse 15). If you have a dozen spiritual men together you have a means in the hands of God that is of great value. Why not use it? God uses it if you allow Him to.
CHH In accepting our limitations, would you not commend that we have it before us that this might obtain in this country?
JT Quite so. The Lord is ready for anything if you are ready to go in for it. This seems to be the first incident of this kind and God blesses it. It is remarkable that it comes in just here.
WMcK What is the idea of dwelling in booths on the second day? How does that apply now?
JT That is the next thing to consider, what this feast means. Verses 14 and 15 say, “And they found written in the law which Jehovah had commanded through Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month, and that they should publish and proclaim through all their cities, and at Jerusalem, saying, Go forth ...”. That is, there is a disclosure from this scripture, chapter 23 of Leviticus, that they were to provide the booths. There it is, it is brought out now, and let us act upon it. What does it mean? Well, Israel did it when they came out of Egypt; that was when they were in the very best condition that they had ever been in, “When Israel was a child, then I loved him”, Hosea 11: 1. Conditions were good; he went after Jehovah in the wilderness and they dwelt in booths. It means they dwelt near one another. They did not need large houses; they could live together. The whole point is that we love one another so that we can be near one another. We notice it here, the getting together in each others’ houses after the meetings. How the brethren like it! How happy it is!
WMcK Uriah the Hittite says when David wanted him to go down and dwell in his own house, “The ark, and Israel, and Judah abide in booths; ... shall I then go into my house?” 2 Samuel 11: 11.
JT That was in war time, meaning that they were in uncomfortable circumstances as compared with houses. Here the thought is that they so loved one another that they could dwell near one another, the nearer the better.
EP Would this apply to the breaking of bread being in houses instead of one large hall?
JT It might. It really applies more to the saints’ houses. You notice here where the booths were made, they “made themselves booths” (verse 16). They are not concerned about palatial conditions such as you get in the book of Amos; you will find the allusion there to palatial conditions, commodious, well-furnished, well-appointed houses. They are not [p. 129] concerned about that here; they make booths on the roofs of their houses, in the courts of the house of God and in the open space of the water-gate. They are not concerned about any palatial grandeur or comfort; they are concerned about getting together, getting the saints together. We want to be together whatever the accommodation. The saints are there; the joy is in the presence of the saints.
CHH The prophet Haggai stirred them up by a prophetic word on this occasion, for they had been dwelling in their own ceiled houses previously.
JT They could provide their own houses but they could not build a house for the Lord.
SMcC This getting together in connection with the thought of booths in relation to our households, would promote love in a very practical and simple way amongst us. It is very much needed.
JT Very much needed. It would be a great victory if the Lord obtained this at the end, because it is the last feast of the year. It brought about conditions in which the saints are happy with one another whatever the external conditions might be. It is not a question of special friendships here, persons I like particularly, but the saints; because they are the saints I love them.
EGMcA I was wondering if these booths in these conspicuous places would indicate that in every locality there are houses open for the brethren as they move through?
JT That is right. They are not concerned about appearance, palatial or sumptuous conditions; it is a question of the saints being together near one another. It is the last feast of the year and what does it mean? It is going into eternity; the feast of tabernacles is going into eternity! It is the saints loving one another. We are not fit to go to heaven if we do not love one another. This feast means we come near to one another and we do not want to go up without one another. God “has raised us up together, and has made us sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus”, Ephesians 2: 6.
EP In 1 Corinthians 11: 22 the rich were putting to shame those who had not; but in the second epistle under the ministry of the new covenant and reconciliation they would all be rich in the precious thoughts of God.
JT Very good. The rich made much of their riches according to the first epistle and they were despising the poor, contrary to the feast of tabernacles.
Rem God Himself indicated this nearness in Christ coming down in flesh Himself, God Himself dwelling among men.
JT He tabernacled amongst us. The word ‘tabernacled’ is used, which is the idea of the booth, “The tabernacle of God is with men” (Revelation 21: 3); God comes near to them, living amongst them.
EGMcA Would James have the thought of the booth, the tabernacle, in his second chapter, in his reference to the rich man with the gold ring?
JT Quite so.
SP You do not go down to Cyprus as Barnabas and Mark did in Acts 15; Paul and Silas go through Syria and Cilicia to see how the brethren are getting on.
JT Very significant. In a future day anybody that does not come to the feast of tabernacles will get no rain; there is no love unless you come to the feast of tabernacles. There is much more that could be said about how these booths were made; it says, “Go forth to the mount” (verse 15), and then we are told that “all the congregation of them that had come back from the captivity made booths” (verse 17). So that we are back nearer to the beginning in this feast than in any of the others we have considered.
[p. 131] CHH Would that suggest the testimony of the assembly’s history, that it comes back to apostolic days?
JT Well, I think so; it would be as at the beginning; love now is the same as love at the beginning. It is the same thing; I think that is the idea, that the dispensation should end with that; the saints loving one another, getting near one another, going up together. We “shall be caught up together” it says.
Ques Would these branches be the features of Christ?
JT I think each one has its own meaning. We can weave into the olive branches features of the Spirit. Myrtle branches would allude to evergreens, the freshness of life. Palm branches would refer to victory, and we have thick trees for protection.
Ques This great spiritual height must be reached as a direct result of this meeting of the brothers. Would you say how this might work out today in these meetings such as you have in England, how they might affect the whole assembly to such a point as this?
JT It has been suggested that we might have them in this country or in Canada, but we have not been able to reach it as far as I can see. The character of our general meetings is more like the first day. I am sure God would be with us in helping us to reach the second day, to get to the higher level the Scriptures afford, “Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they observed the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance”. I think the eighth day leads into what is beyond.
JRH I suppose it is possible to enjoy the feast of booths without having the second day as we have been looking at it together?
JT [p. 132] I think it is. I think we do enjoy it, love is amongst us, thank God. It indicates, I think, a definite point reached when we are able to do something because of love. This gathering is built up on the fact of love, not in the abstract but in actual love. The Lord says, “By this shall all know that ye are disciples of mine, if ye have love amongst yourselves”, John 13: 35. That alludes to it as having a quantity of it. If you have got that then you can proceed with this feast.
JW Would the result be seen in Malachi, in the book of remembrance being written?
JT I think it would be well to finish with that. The verses read speak of persons answering to the mind of God in a state of things which is wholly adverse to His mind. The word “Then” in verse 16 calls attention to the contrast, to conditions at a given time; ‘then’ is an adverb of time; the sentence begins with it. The early part of the chapter describes the external conditions. How objectionable to God they were! In verse 13, “Your words have been stout against me, saith Jehovah; but ye say, What have we been speaking against thee? Ye say, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we keep his charge, and that we walk mournfully before Jehovah of hosts? And now we hold the proud for happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and they escape”. That is what marked the time. The word “Then” is to call attention to a particular time, and how abominable to God the conditions were! But then there are those, very few but seen by God, those few in that time, in that particular time, those “that feared Jehovah” and “spoke often one to another”. It is a well-known passage. I think it is well to call attention to the adverb “Then”; it is God putting things against each other. What delight He has in the saints who fear His name and speak often one [p. 133] to another!
WGT It seems to correspond with the feast of booths. The real thing is right here, getting the actual branches, the doing of the thing.
JT We are not told what they say, it is just that they are dwelling close to one another, brethren talking with one another about what is profitable.
CHH Would it fit in with the second prayer of the apostle, “being rooted and founded in love”?
JT Quite so. And how the divine thought is reached in this last book! How God comes back to the thought of sonship, which He began with in those few, the greatest thought, “They shall be unto me a peculiar treasure, saith Jehovah of hosts, in the day that I prepare; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him”, “His own son”, very precious!
HB Would the expression, “I will spare”, link on virtually with the words, “I also will keep thee”?
JT Quite so. God will do His best to protect us from everything that is against us. It is a comfort that the Lord has made that promise; I think we ought to reckon on it; “I also will keep thee out of the hour of trial”. We are entitled to count on that promise, we are to be kept out of it.