HOW CONTENTION IS MET BY MINISTRY
HOW CONTENTION IS MET BY MINISTRY
JT I have been thinking of the book of Numbers as having a peculiar application at the present time. The original title of the book was, In the Wilderness, which is a good title; it states a fact that the people of God are in wilderness circumstances. In those circumstances we find that there is the spirit of complaint. It is seen in the book both in the mass of the people of God and also in their leaders. This chapter helps us as to this. It says, “And there was no water for the assembly, and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people contended with Moses, and spoke, saying, Would that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah!” The thought of contention occurs in the passage and elsewhere in the book. In an earlier chapter it says that Moses complained to Jehovah about his burden, that it was too great for him.
Here, the people complained against Moses and against Aaron — their leaders, whom Jehovah had provided for them. And the leaders themselves failed in the designation they used of the congregation, for they called them rebels. But Jehovah intervened on behalf of His servants “and the glory of Jehovah appeared to them”. It was because Moses and Aaron had gone from before the congregation to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and had fallen upon their faces.
Our consideration may help us to see how God considers for his servants; and then, how He expects them to consider for Him.
FHL What about the lack of water underlying the [p. 37] murmurings?
JT That would be a governmental condition that God was ready to take up. The lack was only to bring out the resource; for that is a point on which the Lord will help us — what resources there are. God’s resources came to light notwithstanding the failure of the leaders.
AR Would the circumstances bring to light their corporate state? It is a question of water for the assembly, is it not?
JT Yes; it says: “And there was no water for the assembly”. This wilderness circumstance would bring out what God can do for us — what He can be to us in the wilderness. It is not in the land, but in the wilderness.
JS Do we see what God could be to His servants in meeting this condition?
JT Quite so; we shall see that they failed in their use of the means that were available to meet the situation, and in their methods, too. But the resources that were there are prominent in the beginning. Also, God took account of the attitude of His servants in the way they met this attack; it says: “Moses and Aaron went from before the congregation to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and fell upon their faces”. God honoured them, because His glory appeared.
RWS Were they provoked by what the people were saying, “Why have ye made us to go up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place?” Instead of answering the people they went to God about the matter.
JT Yes; the attitude of Moses and Aaron seems to cover the whole matter, and God accepted it. Whatever the assembly thought and said, the attitude of the servants was fully accepted; that is evident in that the glory appeared. “The glory of Jehovah appeared to them”.
ANW Is there something to be noted in that both Moses and Aaron were involved? It says, “And the people contended with Moses”.
JT I suppose we have to humbly accept the fact that the more responsible we are, the more we are liable to be the objects of attack, if we are on God’s side. Moses was the leading man as representative of God and His service; and it was against him that the attack was directed. Then the next thing is whether we are equal to meeting the attack graciously, as they did here.
CN Does being on their faces suggest their priestly state and attitude?
JT Yes; it would imply that, their priestly state; they are fully representative, in this sense, of God.
AAT Paul, the leader, was attacked at Corinth, which represents our position in the wilderness.
JT Yes. Chapter 1 of the first letter to Corinth would indicate that God had provided for all that was needed, had richly provided. “Ye come short in no gift, awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ”, 1 Corinthians 1:7. But in the presence of that wonderful supply there were divisions among them. And what is now to be raised in our minds is whether we are united in the truth; are we accepting the truth and feeding on it? And then, “We have the mind of Christ”, 1 Corinthians 2:16. That is the means by which we meet conditions. These are the faculties by which we may be served in the things of God, “that we may know the things which have been freely given to us of God”, 1 Corinthians 2:12. These questions should challenge our hearts now. Then it says, “Do ye not know that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16. We have the temple of God among us, the Spirit of God being here. And then, as to the leaders, it is said of them that they are ministering servants: “Let a man so account of us as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Here, further, it is sought in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But for me it is the very smallest matter that I be examined of you or of man’s day. Nor do I even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing in myself; but I am not justified by this: but he that examines me is the Lord. So that do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord shall come, who shall also both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and shall make manifest the counsels of hearts; and then shall each have his praise from God” 1 Corinthians 4:1 - 5.
[p. 39] It is well to bring these verses forward in connection with our brother’s comment about the attack on the apostle Paul. The attack here in Numbers was on the leaders: “There was no water for the assembly, and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron”. That is the position. The general idea is that the ministers were attacked, but it was because there was no water.
AI What special features of the truth do Moses and Aaron represent?
JT Together they represent Christ. Christ answers to both; He is “the Apostle and High Priest of our confession”, Hebrews 3:1. The “Apostle” represents the authority of God. The “High Priest” is representative of grace and consideration. It is said, in Exodus 16, in relation to a circumstance similar to this, when the children of Israel wanted to return to Egypt, that Moses suggested to Aaron that he should speak to the people. And as he did so the glory appeared. The people, instead of turning their faces toward Egypt, turned toward the wilderness, meaning that they accepted the wilderness. That was in connection with the grace of the high priest. Priestly grace enables us to accept wilderness circumstances. These are important remarks for the brethren at the present time. How are we to be induced to accept wilderness circumstances? If it be through ministry,
[p. 40] it involves the grace of the priest. So that Moses represents the authority of God, and Aaron the grace of priesthood in Christ.
AR In verse 8, it says: “Take the staff, and gather the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes”. Does that speak of the grace of Christ?
JT That is the second section where we come to the mode of meeting the crisis in the ministry. The ministers have been marked by humility; they have been formed in the truth and are seen as holding the position: “Moses and Aaron went from before the congregation to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and fell upon their faces; and the glory of Jehovah appeared to them”. That shows what these two men were, that they were prepared to meet the attack. But then, can they be sustained on the high level at which they have begun? The high level, properly, was at Pentecost, but then the level was also reached in ministry. The question is whether it is touched now, whether we are on that level — or, in principle, on it — and whether we are sustained there.
CFE When the people contended with Moses, they said, “Why have ye made us to go up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink”. Is it because of the lack of water that there is no growth?
JT Well, now, are we to accept this as a fair statement? They are complaining of the wilderness. Is their report accurate? It is important when receiving ministry from God, to report accurately, because so much is retailed in the way of complaint that sometimes we cannot be sure of what is said. This report was not accurate. They said, “Why have ye made us to go up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place?” Well, what was Egypt if it was not evil? They say, “It is no place of seed”. But it was [p. 41] never intended to be a place of seed. According to an earlier chapter, there was wonderful growth, for some went up into the land. And we can do that at any time. We do not need to stay in the wilderness; there was a way out. The spies found a way out, and they found wonderful fruit in the land. So that there was unfair criticism, and unfair statements were made as to those who minister and what is amongst the saints in the way of privilege. I think we should acknowledge that there is a danger of complaint and unfair and untrue statements being circulated amongst the brethren.
ANW They were soon to learn that water was there in the rock.
JT Quite so.
JHE Quite a few have turned aside. They may say that there was no food or water, but it is not the fact, for there are those here who are in spiritual vigour.
JT Yes; there is a tendency for constant complaints which may serve to discourage. But often the details are not mentioned accurately.
FNW Are we inclined to be occupied with our present circumstances, or past difficulties, whereas, those who represent God were engaged with entering the land? So that God says, in verse 12, “Therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land that I have given them”. God was thinking of the land.
JT There is access to the land; but then these criticisms and complaints should be analysed, to see if they are so; and whether the present circumstances and the advantages of the saints are, at least, equal to earlier days. There is a tendency to refer to earlier days as if they were better than these, and to forget that we perhaps have advantages at the present time that some of us have not [p. 42] realised earlier.
FHL The presence of God proves to be the test here, does it not? The Lord stood by His servants, and the glory appeared.
JT Quite so; the glory is really more, in a way, than the Lord’s presence, because the Lord may be present in a concealed way, but when the glory appears, then there is something to attract us. It says that they “fell upon their faces; and the glory of Jehovah appeared to them”; that is, the glory was there. Why should there be complaint after that?
RWS They were nearing the end of their journey, were they not? Do you think the enemy is especially intent upon diverting us as we are getting to the end of our journey, and the Lord is about to come?
JT That is true; and whilst you would avoid any eulogy of those who are ministering, yet we ought to be true and fair as to what God is providing for us in our day. We ought to take account of whether or not He is providing in keeping with the circumstances, and whether we are making the most use of the ministry He is providing. How much do we read? how much use do we make of what He is providing? how much value do we attach to what is placed in our hands? There can be no doubt but that we have proved, from time to time, in this district, the appearance of the glory — manifestly so! The question is whether all that we have had vouchsafed to us is valued, or whether we are looking for something else and passing by what is in our very midst.
But then the next point is the ministers themselves; and how they acted. It says: “And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Take the staff, and gather the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock, and shall give the assembly and their beasts drink”.
[p. 43] This is the direction of Jehovah. It is all very plain and clear. And then it says, “And Moses took the staff from before Jehovah, as he had commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, ye rebels: shall we bring forth to you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his staff smote the rock twice”. Well, you see, the ministers are at fault. The water comes, nevertheless, and that is a point that ought to be of great encouragement to us. Plenty of water came, nevertheless; that is to say, God is acting in spite of the defection of His servants.
ANW Was the appearing of the glory to rally the people or was it to reassure the ministers?
JT I think it was an anticipative provision of God to maintain the ministers on the level on which they had begun. God anticipated that the ministers needed this glory to come in, because it says it appeared to them; as if they were in mind. Those that are in any way serving need encouragement so that the level taken up might be maintained.
Ques God helped the leaders in Acts 6 to be maintained on a high level, did He not?
JT I think He did. We get the first murmurings there. The Grecians complained because their widows were neglected, and the complaints seemed to be reasonable, but what came out was the wisdom of the leaders. Their ministry was in relation to the word of God. It was on the highest level. But what was needed now was a lesser service but nevertheless a needed work. And that is a point that comes into this inquiry, because there are many who may not have ability to serve on the highest level, but there is something they can do. The question is, Are they ready to do it? Peter said, “It is not right that we, leaving the word of God, should serve tables”, Acts 6:2.
[p. 44] There are those here today who will serve tables, and it is an important service, and what we are saying should encourage them.
ANW In the acceptance of the service there was room for Stephen to develop in the ministry.
JT Well, that is the next thing. Christianity is a wonderful institution, with varied and rich features which come out as opportunity is given. And these special occasions offer opportunities for ministry that is needed; and it should draw out our appreciation.
TEH Philip also was one of the seven, and he became an evangelist, and had four daughters who prophesied.
JT Just so; so that those who take on the menial services today may be doing something on a higher level tomorrow, because the system is of such magnitude that it affords these things. God is always ready to advance us. Therefore, the word is, “purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith”, 1 Timothy 3:13.
Rem In Acts 7 Stephen was able to give a whole summary of the history of the people of God.
JT Just think of what one brother may do! Stephen unfolded, in most remarkable order, certain features which marked the people of God up to the moment of his service. He purchased to himself a good degree and great boldness in the faith. And then Philip, also, purchased to himself a good degree of evangelical gift and power. It was not exactly what God endowed these two men with, but what they purchased to themselves. That is, they gave the Lord reason or cause to give them gift. And the four daughters of Philip were remarkable women. There seems to be an absence of such sisters at the present time.
FHL What would the staff represent today?
JT I suppose Moses’ staff would refer to his gift. But the word is, “Take the staff, and gather the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock, and shall give the assembly and their beasts drink. And Moses took the staff from before Jehovah, as he had commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, ye rebels: shall we bring forth to you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his staff smote the rock twice”.
[p. 45] We have to consider whether it is Moses’ staff, or the staff. I would think that perhaps the staff refers to Aaron’s staff. That staff had acquired this place. It had budded, and blossomed, and ripened almonds. And the rock was to be spoken to. The staff was not to be used to smite, meaning that it was now a time of speaking.
FHL God had maintained a high level up to this point. “Moses took the staff from before Jehovah”.
JT I suppose the staff is the one to be considered now. It would be Aaron’s staff, I think — the priestly staff; so that what is to be done is to be in the power of the Spirit of God.
AR Would it be like Paul’s ministry in the second letter to Corinth?
JT Yes; he had said to them, in 1 Corinthians 4:21, “What will ye? that I come to you with a rod; or in love?” Paul would come to Corinth in love and in a spirit of meekness — the priestly grace of Christ.
EEH What is the thought of speaking to the rock?
JT Well, Moses was told to take the staff and to speak to the rock. “The rock was the Christ”, 1 Corinthians 10:4 we are told in 1 Corinthians 10:4. In a word, that is the whole point.
[p. 46] RD Is there a distinction between the rod and the staff? The word in Psalm 23 is, “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me”, Psalm 23:4.
JT Well, the word “staff” is used here. Moses had an extraordinary experience with his staff. It was his own staff — an ordinary thing — something that he had in his hand that he used to look after the sheep, I would think, for he was a shepherd. And that was the staff that God took up — what he had in his hand. It was a staff, and that is the principle we are dealing with now, except that the staff referred to here was the staff of Aaron.
AI Is there a difference between the staff mentioned in verse 8, and the one in verse 11?
JT Verse 8 reads, “Take the staff”. In verse 11, it says, “And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his staff ...”. The staff of verse 8 was to take precedence now over all others. It is the staff. But verse 11 says, “And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his staff smote the rock twice”; that is to say, Moses should not have used his staff. The staff should have been used; and that is clearly Aaron’s staff, the priestly staff. It was a question of life. It is not the hard spirit that is often seen in service. We are apt to be hard in our spirits at times, but the staff of Aaron never represents that. It is a living thing: it is a question of life.
ANW He was not told to smite the rock, was he?
JT He was to speak to it. That was the point — God’s speaking had been demonstrated in Aaron before. God had said of Aaron, “I know that he can speak well”, Exodus 4:14. God selected him for that purpose. And now Aaron’s rod is to be used. In Exodus 16, as we have said, when Aaron spoke to the people, they looked toward the wilderness. Aaron’s rod budded and blossomed and bore almonds. The almonds have a voice in themselves, and I believe [p. 47] that we have reached (I am speaking of ourselves) a period when we may expect life to prevail amongst the brethren in the ministry. We should look for it, and we should aim at it, that what we are ministering is living.
PC In Exodus 34, Moses’ face shone when he came down from the mount. Is there something like that to affect the ministers in their service?
JT Quite; that shows what nearness to God implies in ministry, and how the ministers need to be near to God in their service.
RWS There are times when the servants might speak to one another if there is a fault, but grace is to operate in the whole realm?
JT Quite so.
JTJr Would that come out in Acts 15 where the apostles had the meeting at Jerusalem?
JT Yes; that, we might say, was the last general council of the assembly. It was a general matter. It was held, not at Antioch, but at Jerusalem, as if God would have the final word in Jerusalem as to what He has to say in christianity Paul said, as to it, I went up by revelation. Revelation is a great feature of christianity. And he also says, I took Titus with me. Titus was a gentile, but he was an excellent example of the work of God through the ministry. He was Paul’s son in the faith. He was there to go in and out among the brethren in Jerusalem. There would be many there, but could they find a better example of God’s work in a young man at Jerusalem, than Titus was? He had come in from the gentiles, an evidence of Paul’s work. So that it is a question, therefore, of what any brother may be in the effect of his ministry.
TEH Would James be the kind of brother that used Aaron’s staff in a difficult situation? He said, “Brethren, listen to me”, Acts 15:13.
JT [p. 48] Very good; a man that can say that would have something very definite to say to such a remarkable congregation. But then, what he has to say links on with Peter. Peter has a place before him; therefore, the thought of personnel or persons comes into this matter, as to what their characteristics are and how they bear upon the ministry and the general work of God; because that is what they are set for, it is a question of the work of God.
AI Is the idea of the personnel seen in Titus?
JT That is right. Paul tells us that they did not demand that Titus should be circumcised, although he was a gentile. Circumcision could not add to the work of God that was there.
FHL Why did Moses act as he did in calling the people rebels? Was he not in line with God’s great thoughts?
JT I think he was affected unduly by their naughty ways. But we should be above that, and able to minister in grace in spite of it.
RDG Would the reference in Psalm 106 help? “They moved him to wrath at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account; for they provoked his spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips” Psalm 106:32,33.
JT Quite so; amongst the people of God there is often a tendency to provoke those who minister.
CN Is there a suggestion that stability and freshness are afforded the assembly on the principle of speaking? Moses was to speak to the rock instead of smiting it.
JT And then the beautiful, gracious thought, that in spite of the failure of Moses and Aaron and the complaints of the people, the rock yields its water; that is to say, the rock is Christ. Christ is the same as always: He is always ready to afford water.
JS It says “much water”.
JT Well, just so; not only for themselves but for their cattle. There was plenty of it.
Ques Was God affording water to the Corinthians in that Paul could say, “I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling; and my word and my preaching, not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith might not stand in men’s wisdom, but in God’s power”, 1 Corinthians 2:3 - 5?
JT Well, that was it exactly. And it brought out what his spirit was. I think we should rest on the thought that in spite of the errors of those responsible in christendom, the Rock gives its water. In one sense, Moses and Aaron, here, depict the state of christendom. Then there is also the viewpoint that Moses suffered on account of the state of the people. We must not forget that God is still dealing with christendom. There is a remnant, but He is still dealing with christendom; He has not given it up. In spite of things that there are in christendom — some of them terrible and dreadful things — it is most affecting that the water still flows. It is not so much a question of the personal conduct of Moses and Aaron, in this sense, but, typically, the state of christendom with its hundred or more sects and its low state. But, in spite of that, God is causing the water to flow.
ANW So that it becomes a kind of mediatorial service in their bearing the brunt of the error?
JT Very good; and then it says, “And the assembly drank, and their beasts. And Jehovah said to Moses and to Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to hallow me before the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land that I have given them”. Moses and Aaron have to suffer, but verse 13 says, “These are the waters of Meribah where the children of Israel contended with Jehovah”.
Notice that it says, “The children of Israel contended with Jehovah”.
ANW What about that further word that Jehovah hallowed Himself?
JT I think it is very comforting, that in spite of all that has happened in christendom God is asserting Himself. He is causing a testimony to be maintained as to His holiness.
JS And maintaining the glory on a high level?
JT Quite so; why should we not, therefore, go on, on the highest level and with the greatest things before us? God is bent on hallowing Himself, as it were, by what He is ministering, and what God is giving in ministry is to be read by the brethren. Let us understand what God is doing, what He means; that He is to be testified to and hallowed in spite of all that is happening.
TEH Is there not a suggestion of this in Revelation, in relation to the Lord’s return? It says, “And let him that is athirst come”, Revelation 22:17.
JT That is right. And, therefore, the point in these meetings is to keep the truth on a high level, and freely before the brethren, and that it might have a living character.
AAT While endeavouring to keep the truth on a high level, yet would you not pray for the prosperity of the gospel message in the churches or mission halls throughout christendom?
JT Quite so; but we are concerned immediately with what we have on the Lord’s day. The privilege of the Lord’s day has a hallowing power in spite of what goes on in christendom generally.
AAT The water flowed out freely from the rock.
JT Quite so; but we seek to go on with what hallows God on the Lord’s day, and as God gets His place we touch the abundance there is at [p. 51] that time.
TNW If Paul is forced to call attention to himself, such as at Corinth, is the fault with the leaders or with the people?
JT I would think that much lay at the door of the leaders, but also, fault lay with the people. Moses and Aaron were provoked by the people, in this case, according to the psalm. They would not have failed had they been left to themselves. They were affected, adversely, by the unreasonable attitude of the people.
FSC In Deuteronomy, Moses says, Jehovah was angry with me on your account.
JT He was angry with Moses because of the people.