ALL THINGS CARED FOR IN THE DIVINE PLAN

ALL THINGS CARED FOR IN THE DIVINE PLAN  

"Everyone according to his service, and according to his burden" Num. 4:49

"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." 2 Tim. 1:9

In this chapter we have a continuation of the instructions concerning the Levites. It gives a minute account of their work in connection with the marching of the people. The duty of carrying all the holy furniture was that of the Kohathites. This furniture, however, they were not permitted to look upon, or touch. Aaron and his sons first entered the Holy Place and covered each sacred piece, affixing the staves which were to rest upon the shoulders of the Levites. On the march these holy vessels were in charge of Eleazar, who carried also the anointing oil and the sweet incense. The curtains and the tents which constituted the Tabernacle itself were carried by the Gershonites. They were under the charge of Ithamar. To the Mera­rites were committed the boards and bars and pillars, and other things which formed the foundations upon which the sacred hangings rested. These also were under the charge of Ithamar. All this is instructive, as it reveals the DIVINE THOUGHT AND CARE for EVERY DETAIL of the life and worship of His people. It is of particular value too as it teaches us that in the thought of God every detail is SACRED. These men were in this regard the "caretakers" of the House of God. How often we are prone to think meanly of "caretakers" in these modern times! Such thinking is utterly wrong. The men and women who have charge of the houses of our worship are rendering holy service. And all of this part of the meeting before the foundation of this earth in that Trinitarian meeting (Eph. 1:11; 1 Pet. 1:20; 2 Tim. 1:9). See article titled “Triune meeting before the Beginning.”

BLESSING OR CURSING

BLESSING OR CURSING 

"Hear ye peoples, all of you. . . ." Micah 1:2

Micah was a prophet to the people of God, contemporary with Isaiah and Hosea. His messages were concerned with Samaria and Jerusalem, the capitals respectively of the Northern and Southern kingdoms, as being the centers of national thought and action. Their burden was that of authority. He denounced the false, and announced the true. The book contains three discourses, each commencing with the same formula "Hear" (See 1:2; 3:1 and 6:1). The words we have emphasized constitute the introduction to the first of these. Necessarily the message was for the nation to which he spoke, but he couched it in the form of an address to ALL NATIONS; and to the WHOLE EARTH. The burden of the message is that of declaring THE COMING JUDGMENT OF GOD UPON THE CHOSEN NATION ON ACCOUNT OF ITS APOSTASY. The other nations are called upon to listen to this message, and to WITNESS THE DIVINE JUDGMENT. Micah recognized the Divine purpose of the chosen nation. It was to be THE MEDIUM THROUGH which God bore witness concerning Himself to all the other nations of the world. Israel, OBEDIENT to the Divine government, realized the blessings of the Divine government, and revealed its kindness to the world. Israel DISOBEDIENT to that law must be judged and punished as they were to be the blessing giver to the rest of the nations (Gen. 12:3), and thus the RIGHTEOUSNESS of the Divine government would be manifested to all the nations of the earth. Either in blessing or in blasting (Gen. 12:3), Jehovah reveals Himself to the nations by His dealing with His ancient people. This is still so, if men have minds to apprehend. Let the rulers among the nations consider the history of the Hebrew people; let them ponder the reason of their long-continued suffering and scattered condition. God is speaking yet to the nations through the Jewish nation.

SAVED BY GRACE AND TRUTH

SAVED BY GRACE AND TRUTH 

"Founded upon the Rock" Matt. 7:25

In the closing sentences of His ethical statement, our Lord claimed full and final authority for all He had said; and that matchlessly, by thus declaring that to hear and to do, is to build upon a rock foundation, so securely that no storms can destroy the building. This figure of building may be applied in many ways. Indeed, in every way in which men are attempting to do constructive work, in individual character-building, in every phase of social realization, in national affairs, and in all international and racial matters. His words are fundamental and final. They result from His perfect understanding of all the deepest facts concerning humanity. TO ORDER ONE'S OWN LIFE ACCORDING TO HIS TEACHING IS TO REALIZE ALL ITS MEANING AND STRENGTH, AND SO TO MAKE IT PROOF AGAINST ALL DESTRUCTIVE FORCES (John 13:13). To obey His law is to realize the true kingdom of human lives, and so to ensure the order which abides, and in which righteousness issues in PEACE and in JOY. All this, however, is only possible as we are brought into living relationship with Him by the way of the Cross. We may hear His words, and even admire them; but we cannot do them EXCEPT IN THE POWER OF THE LIFE HE BESTOWS when we trust Him first as our Savior. The Mount of ethical proclamation reveals the need for the Mount of the Cross. Yet once more let it be said that the GIFT OF LIFE RECEIVED THROUGH GRACE must be wrought out to its full realization by OBEDIENCE TO THE LAWS OF LIFE GIVEN IN TRUTH. We are saved by GRACE AND TRUTH. You need the TRUTH to learn of the GRACE He offers. Therefore all our building, if it is to abide, must be sure-founded on the rock of HIS TEACHING. 

ISRAELS’ MANY ENEMIES BROUGHT DOWN IN THE END

ISRAELS’ MANY ENEMIES BROUGHT DOWN IN THE END

"The Kingdom shall be Jehovah's" Obadiah 21

That has always been the ultimate hope of the men of faith. The prophets of God have always insisted upon His PRESENT AND ACTIVE SOVEREIGNTY; but they have also declared with perfect unanimity that the day will come when that sovereignty will have its PERFECT VICTORY in the subjugation of all things to Himself in the MIND and HEART and WILL of man. That victory is not yet. Men are in His Kingdom, but not WILLINGLY. Therefore, they know nothing of the PEACE AND JOY which are His will for them. They fight against RIGHTEOUSNESS, and so fail to find PEACE AND JOY, because RIGHTEOUSNESS fights against them. When in the final order, RIGHTEOUSNESS is the condition of human life; PEACE AND JOY will inevitably follow. That is what we pray for when we say, "Thy Kingdom come." Faith is the assurance that this prayer will be answered. These final words of Obadiah's prophecy are the more remarkable, seeing that the burden of his message was that of the doom of Edom, the people who had persistently opposed Israel, and practiced cruelty towards her. For this sin God would bring her down from her high and proud place and all the others in the end that amass against her, and utterly despoil her and her accomplices; and Israel should be given possession of her rightful inheritance, the Promised Land. Having uttered this message, the prophet rose to a greater height, and saw the outworking of the DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY, bringing deliverance even to Edom. Out of Zion saviors would come to judge the Mount of Esau, and then "the Kingdom shall be Jehovah's." That remains the one hope for the world; and it is the one sufficient secret of confidence in all the days of darkness and travail which lead to the victory after the seven years of great tribulation for Israel.

NOTHING HIDDEN FROM HIM

NOTHING HIDDEN FROM HIM 

"Thy Father Who seeth in secret" Matt. 6:4

That is in some sense the central light upon a section of our Lord's ethical teaching. He had warned His disciples against doing righteousness to be seen of men; and He applied that warning in the matters of offerings, prayer, and fasting. The one conditioning motive in each case must be that of the DIVINE APPROVAL. This being so, we are to remember that our Father SEES IN SECRET. In this assurance there is great seriousness, and great comfort. The soberness is created as we remember His holiness. NOTHING CAN BE HIDDEN FROM THE EYES OF ETERNAL PURITY. He knows why we give or pray or fast. We may deceive others, and unless we are ever conscious of the watching eyes of God, we may deceive ourselves. Him we cannot so deceive. ALL THINGS ARE NAKED AND OPEN TO THE EYES OF HIM WITH WHOM WE HAVE TO DO (Heb. 4:13).

All this is most solemnizing, and yet its chief note is that of COMFORT. The very sense of fear which the statement creates in the soul is of the nature of health. It makes us afraid of the base, the shameful, the impure; for He approves the high, the decent, the pure. And more, it is good to know that HE SEES IN SECRET, and understands when men misunderstand. That great confidence has enabled men and women to endure with courage and cheerfulness in terrible hours of criticism and suffering. The certainty that OUR FATHER SEES IN SECRET is a sanctuary into which we may retire at all times, for correction, for encouragement, and for comfort. Let that knowledge be at all times and under all circumstances the INSPIRATION and STRENGTH of our lives.

LOVE MASTERED BY RIGHTEOUSNESS

LOVE MASTERED BY RIGHTEOUSNESS 

"Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness" Matt. 3:15

"Thus." How? What is the real significance of this first recorded word of our Lord as He approached His public ministry? The answer is to be found in a consideration of the reason for the protest of John, to which it was a reply. John's baptism was to repentance and remission of sins. As he looked at Jesus, he knew that He had nothing of which to repent; no sins to be paid. Why then should He submit to this baptism? The answer to that question our Lord gave. The reason for His baptism was that through all which it symbolized He would FULFILL RIGHTEOUSNESS; and only through such action could He do this. In baptism He confessed, as His own, sins which He had not committed, and REPENTED OF THEM BEFORE GOD. He was numbered with transgressors (Mark 15:28) and bore the sins of many (Heb. 9:28). It was at once the prophecy and interpretation of His coming passion-baptism.

The most arresting fact here is that in this word we have the revelation of A NEW ELEMENT IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD—new that is, in the sense that it had not previously been revealed. Included in the Divine righteousness is the determination to make it possible, by the way of vicarious suffering. Thus LOVE IS SEEN, MASTERED BY RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND SUFFERING, IN ORDER TO MAKE THE UNRIGHTEOUS RIGHTEOUS. Thus RIGHTEOUSNESS IS SEEN, ACTING IN LOVE, THAT MAN MAY BE BROUGHT INTO THE PLACE WHERE LOVE CAN BESTOW ALL ITS GIFTS. That is the righteousness unveiled in the Gospel. That is the righteousness which exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 5:20). How far have we entered into the personal experience of it?

MAKE SURE GOD AGREES WITH YOUR PLAN

MAKE SURE GOD AGREES WITH YOUR PLAN 

"Amen: Jehovah, the God of my lord the king say so too" 1 Kings 1:36

As the days of David ran out, trouble arose in the kingdom through his son Adonijah. A remarkable statement is made concerning the training, or lack of training, of this man, which throws light on his action: "His father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so?'" He now sought to secure the kingdom for himself and was joined in his rebellion by Joab and Abiathar. David took prompt action, and Solomon was crowned king. When David gave his instructions to his loyal men, he said concerning Solomon: “I have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over. Judah." To this Benaiah replied: "Amen: Jehovah, the God of my lord the king say so too"; thus showing himself to be a man understanding the matters which are of real importance. This should be not only the prayer we pray in connection with all the arrangements we make for our service, but the principle upon which we act in making those arrangements (John 13:13). In this case it certainly was so, for it was within the Divine purpose (predetermined in the plan from before the foundation of the world) (Eph. 1:11) that Solomon should succeed David. According to Nathan, there were of the people who had already said, "Long live king Ado­nijah!" Now others of them would say, "Long live king Solomon!” In these words Benaiah appealed to the Divine answer. His "Amen" signified his personal agreement; but he knew the importance of the Divine approval. No elections are really valid, and no choices of any lasting value, except the Lord say so too! His plan was made before the foundation of the earth with the other two members of the Godhead and will not be obstructed by the bad decisions of men (Eph. 1:11).