Two
things are the effect of being in the presence of God - alarm of
conscience, and encouragement. The presence of God keeps the conscience
thoroughly alive, but it is strengthened to look above the evil while
seeing the character of it.
God
brings us into His presence to judge all that is contrary to Him and to
strengthen us against it, and that is encouraging. He delights in us,
and He delights in conforming us to Himself; thus grace comes in so
blessedly, making us partake of His nature. It is of what He is He
would have us partakers, not merely partakers of holiness, but of His
holiness. He does not say, You must be holy, that is, it does not come
out in that form: but He communicates the holiness - His own nature.
See the contrast of grace and law. Does not God require holiness in His
presence? That is true, but it is law. Grace means, that He delights to
give it.
Separation from evil and power of good is the character stamped on all
God's dealings down here - chastenings, etc. We have the secret of His
ways and dealings, if we are near enough to Him to see. The Hebrews
were declining in spirituality; therefore they had not the key to
understand His ways. The hairs of our head are all numbered. When once
the heart has hold of that, it must apprehend that it is of God's grace
that He is so occupied with us. It is a wonderful check on will to know
that He is so occupied. As in Job it is said "He openeth the ears of
men and sealeth their instruction that he may withdraw man from his
purpose, and hide pride from man."
We
have seen the apostle had named all the worthies in chapter 11; but
then he says "looking unto Jesus." Christ had run the whole course
through, the others only a little bit of it. He despised the shame and
has sat down; He has reached the end, having gone through the whole
course of trouble and difficulty.
Verses
3, 4. Addressing them, he says, You are set here in God's behalf in the
place where sin is, to get the better of it. We are all set here in a
witness of divine good in the midst of evil in this world, and that
with a power greater than the power of this world. Greater is He that
is for us that he that is against us. We are called to be the epistle
of Christ - to glorify God in all circumstances; not to be apostles.
We
fail here and we fail there; but we are set according to His will here
or there in this world to manifest Christ in it, and not merely to do
the work.
In
saying this, one immense truth is supposed, namely, that we have this
life. Another is, that all questions between us and God are settled;
then, whether we eat and drink, or whatsoever we do, do all in the name
of the Lord Jesus. To use His name I must be authorised by Him.
All
questions connected with us as sons of Adam are entirely done with.
"Wherefore, if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world,
why, as though alive?" etc.; Col. 2. You are not alive in the world at
all; "reckon yourselves dead." That is the reason we are freed from the
law. We are dead; and the law cannot have authority over our dead man.
This position in which we are set as bearing witness, and all God's
dealings with us, go on this ground - we are born of God. This is more
than receiving life in nature. We do not read of being born of God as
creatures, but as a Christian I am born of God. The effect of the
communication of this life is having done with all the old life; we
have a life "hid with Christ in God." All is settled; not only we have
the nature, but perfect peace. "My peace I leave with you" - Christ's
peace. No cloud of any sorrow was on Him. He has cleansed us to be
without spot, and His righteousness is ours.
We having this nature, born of God, which has to be manifested (and
alas! we find in nature many hindrances - temper, etc.), God sets about
to do it for us, when we fail to resist "striving against sin," by
chastenings, etc. We are set in the place of children and we must look
to what God's thoughts are about us. "Whom the Lord loveth he
chasteneth." I get the discipline, or chastenings, that God sends to
those He loves. There is my will to be broken, perhaps, and tendencies
to be found out in myself that I did not know of before, to humble me.
I become exercised about good and evil. He hates the evil and loves the
good, and is breaking us down, subduing the evil, wearing it out, etc.
He is bringing us nearer to Himself. God is educating us as children.
Sometimes when we do not see what He is doing, we get the blessing.
Will works in us; He comes in to smash the will; and we see afterwards
that we have got the blessing through it.
A
babe does foolish things which perhaps we may be amused at, but it has
not been taught better. A Christian is like a babe, to be trained and
instructed. God's patience in taking such pains with us should cheer
us. It is strange to talk of affliction cheering us; but if our wills
are broken, that is a good thing.
There
are various ways in which as saints we get tried (though we live in
great quietness: there might be more persecution if there was more
faithfulness); but through all circumstances God is threading our way,
occupying Himself with us, our particular characters, etc., to break us
down and instruct us. What we want is to realise that God loves us so
much - we are of such value to God (more surely than many sparrows) as
that He should take much pains to make us "partakers of his holiness."
We are apt not to believe the activity of His love. Some trouble comes
on us; God has been watching us individually for years, weeks, etc.,
watching us to bring this trouble which He sees needed.
It is of the greatest importance that there should be the consciousness
of God's constant dealing with us in love. We are of that family,
belonging to Him, God's family, and not of the world; therefore He
deals with us as sons. "No chastening for the present seemeth to be
joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterwards," etc. This is all to
encourage Encouragement is given, founded on the bond of grace between
us and God. Then He gives us this blessed privilege of being the
witness for God in this world. Everything that makes the condition of
the heart better is good, and all is grounded on grace. Therefore it is
said, "looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God" -
"lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you," etc. Why does
He press this? No profane or impure person! Oh, because we are come to
God. Grace puts us in His presence, makes us partakers of His holiness;
then He says, "looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace,"
etc., that is, should lose this entire confidence in God's love. This
is the present practical enjoyment of what God is for you. If you lose
that, you fail. There is nothing that links up the heart with God but
grace. "Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under law,
but under grace."
Walk
in the sanctuary of His presence. You are not come to the terrible
mountain Sinai; but having come to the perfect grace of God in the Lord
Jesus Christ, take care how you walk. Grace must be the character of
our walk; v. 22. This is true blessedness. There is no hindrance of
evil by terror. The effect of the fire from Sinai was that they
"entreated the word should not be spoken to them any more." Was that
getting on with God? We are not to terrify people by our lives. We may
warn them if needful and use the law to hammer at people's hard
consciences - all is well in its place; but we cannot be a witness in
our walk of this. We are come to a different thing. We may speak of the
law, but that is not where we are.
Now
we must be living witnesses of what we are, and where we are. We are
come unto Mount Zion, which represents grace. This is the result,
speaking of the place we are brought to. It is to God. He speaks of
what will be on this earth, and that is as it were looking down. Zion
came at the end of the whole course of responsibility. As to the law,
the result was, "Ichabod," for the ark was in the enemies' hand. The
only link with God was broken. Then God came in and chose David, of the
tribe of Judah - not Joseph (which was significant of a full tide of
blessing in nature). The Jebusites conquered and gone, David founded
the temple on Mount Zion. See 2 Samuel 5: 7, and 6: 16, 17. This was a
new link with God in grace when responsibility was ended.
But this is not nearly all: the whole of the heavenly, and of the
earthly part is spoken of here. Now we have something more - that which
was in the purpose of God, which man never had before in any way. God
is glorifying Himself in a way angels never thought of. We are come to
the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem - to heaven. Then,
when there, we find ourselves in the whole company of angels - the
universal company of heaven; then "the church of the first-born" - a
special assembly registered in heaven. We are that - not merely
creatures as the angels are, but those registered in heaven, as having
this special privilege - an assembly whom God has identified with
Christ, the First-born. It is remarkable how they are singled out here.
In the general muster, He cannot let them pass without distinguishing
the "church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven." We
are come to that; it is all the grand result. These are all sitting
around Him. Then there is another characteristic of the scene, "to God
the Judge of all."
There
is Zion on earth, the heavenly Jerusalem above, the general company of
angels, and the church of the first-born; then God Himself, and in the
way of government, "the judge of all"; then the "spirits of just men
made perfect," saints of the Old Testament in the character grace had
given them, "or just men." They had run their course and they are
there. Then begins what is connected with the earthly part - looking at
the effect. We are come "to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant." We
are not come to the new covenant, but to Jesus the Mediator of it. I am
associated with Him who is the Mediator; that is a higher thing than if
merely come to the covenant. He will make this new covenant with Israel
on earth. But there is added "And to the blood of sprinkling." The
earth will be benefited by the shedding of the blood of Christ: it
cries peace instead of vengeance, as Abel's did.
Having come to the Mediator, I am come to the prospect of all the
blessedness for earth. It is sweet to know earth will have it, but ours
is the better part. We are to be a witness of whence we are. We come
from heaven. In spirit it is true now. What is true in spirit is more
real and palpable than what we see. What is passing in our hearts and
minds is more what we are really, than what our bodies are occupied in.
Christ was a carpenter (as really as any other carpenter), but that was
not what He was. So with us, we are brought into all these things with
God. Then the thing is to be always a witness of the place to which He
has called us in grace. We are come; then we have God dealing with us
in respect of this place to which He has brought us.
Do
you say, this trial or that is enough to discourage me? But no; it is
God who is bringing you into it and God is with you in the place,
dealing with you in grace, according to the place He has brought you
into.
In the midst of the company of heaven, one company is singled out - that is, ourselves. Surely this is enough to make us humble.