The Assembly of God Part 5

Thus, for example, when we turn to Ex. xiv., we find Israel in the deepest distress, and almost overwhelmed with fear. It would seem as if they had for the moment lost sight of the fact that they had been under the cover of the blood.

Let us look at the pa.s.sage.

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.

For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them: and I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so. And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, _that we have let Israel go from serving us_?"--mark these words:--"And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with a high hand. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his hors.e.m.e.n, and his army, and overtook them, encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were _sore afraid_: and the children of Israel _cried out_ unto the Lord."

Now, we may feel disposed to ask, Are these the people whom we have seen so recently feeding, in perfect safety, under the cover of the blood?

The very same. Whence, then, these fears, this intense alarm, this agonizing cry? Did they really think that Jehovah was going to judge and destroy them, after all? Not exactly. Of what, then, were they afraid?

Of peris.h.i.+ng in the wilderness after all. "And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians! For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness."

All this was most gloomy and depressing. Their poor hearts seem to fluctuate between "graves in Egypt" and death in the wilderness. There is no sense of deliverance; no adequate knowledge either of G.o.d's purposes or of G.o.d's salvation. All seems utter darkness, almost bordering upon hopeless despair. They are thoroughly hemmed in and "shut up." They seem in a worse plight than ever. They heartily wish themselves back again amid the brick-kilns and stubble fields of Egypt.

Deserts sands on either side of them; the sea in front; Pharaoh and all his terrific hosts behind!

The case seemed perfectly hopeless; and hopeless it was, so far as they were concerned. They were utterly powerless, and they were being made to realize it, and this is a very painful process to go through; but very wholesome and valuable, yea, most necessary for all. We must all, in one way or another, learn the force, meaning, and depth of that phrase, "without strength." It is exactly in proportion as we find out what it is to be without strength, that we are prepared to appreciate G.o.d's "due time."

But, we may here inquire, "Is there aught in the history of G.o.d's people now answering to Israel's experience at the Red Sea?" Doubtless there is; for we are told that the things which happened unto Israel are our ensamples, or types. And, most surely, the scene at the Red Sea is full of instruction for us. How often do we find the children of G.o.d plunged in the very depths of distress and darkness as to their state and prospects! It is not that they question the love of G.o.d, or the efficacy of the blood of Jesus, nor yet that G.o.d will reckon their sins to them, or enter into judgment with them. But still, they have no sense of full deliverance. They do not see the application of the death of Christ to their _evil nature_. They do not realize the glorious truth that by that death they are completely delivered from this present evil world, from the dominion of sin, and from the power of Satan. They see that the blood of Jesus screens them from the judgment of G.o.d; but they do not see that _they_ are "dead to sin;" that their "old man is crucified with Christ;" that not only have their sins been put upon Christ at the cross, but _they themselves_, as sinful children of Adam, have been, by the act of G.o.d, identified with Christ in His death; that G.o.d p.r.o.nounces them _dead and risen with Christ_. (See Col. iii. I-4 and the sixth chapter of Romans.) But if this precious truth is not apprehended, by faith, there is no bright, happy, emanc.i.p.ating sense of full and everlasting salvation. They are, to speak according to our type, at Egypt's side of the Red Sea, and in danger of falling into the hands of the prince of this world. They do not see "_all_ their enemies dead on the sea-sh.o.r.e." They cannot sing the song of redemption. No one can sing it, until he stands by faith on the wilderness side of the Red Sea, or, in other words, until he sees his complete deliverance from sin, the world, and Satan--the great foes of every child of G.o.d.

Thus, in contemplating the facts of Israel's history, as recorded in the first fifteen chapters of Exodus, we observe that they did not raise a single note of praise until they had pa.s.sed through the Red Sea. We hear the cry of sore distress under the cruel lash of Pharaoh's task-masters, and amid the grievous toil of Egypt's brick-kilns. And we hear the cry of terror when they stood "between Migdol and the sea." All this we hear; but not one note of praise, not a single accent of triumph, until the waters of the Red Sea rolled between them and the land of bondage and of death, and they saw all the power of the enemy broken and gone.

"Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-sh.o.r.e. And _Israel saw that great work which the Lord did_ upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord and His servant Moses. _Then sang_ Moses and the children of Israel."

Now, what is the simple application of all this to us as Christians?

What grand lesson are we to learn from the scenes on the sh.o.r.es of the Red Sea? In a word, of what is the Red Sea a type? And what is the difference between the blood-stained lintel and the divided sea?

The Red Sea is the type of the death of Christ, in its application to all our spiritual enemies, sin, the world, and Satan. By the death of Christ the believer is completely and forever delivered from the _power_ of sin. He is, alas! conscious of the _presence_ of sin; but its power is gone. He has died to sin, in the death of Christ; and what power has sin over a dead man? It is the privilege of the Christian to reckon himself as much delivered from the dominion of sin as a man lying dead on the floor. What power has sin over such an one? None whatever. No more has it over the Christian. Sin _dwells_ in the believer, and will do so to the end of the chapter; but its _rule_ is gone. Christ has wrested the sceptre from the grasp of our old master, and s.h.i.+vered it to atoms. It is not merely that His blood has purged our _sins_; but His death has broken the power of _sin_.

It is one thing to know that our sins are forgiven, and another thing altogether to know that "the body of sin is destroyed"--its rule ended--its dominion gone. Many will tell you that they do not question the forgiveness of their past sins, but they do not know what to say as to indwelling sin. They fear lest, after all, that may come against them, and bring them into judgment. Such persons are, to use the figure, "between Migdol and the sea." They have not learnt the doctrine of Rom.

vi. They have not as yet, in their spiritual intelligence and apprehension, reached the resurrection side of the Red Sea. They do not know what it is to be dead unto sin, and alive unto G.o.d through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And let the reader particularly note the force of the apostle's word, "_reckon_." How very different it is, in every way, from our word, "_realize_!" This latter word may do very well where natural or human things are concerned. We can realize physical or material facts; but where a spiritual truth is involved, it is not a question of realizing, but of reckoning. How can I realize that I am dead to sin? All my own experience, my own feelings, my inward self-consciousness seems to offer a flat contradiction to the truth. I cannot realize that I am dead; but G.o.d tells me I am. He a.s.sures me that He counts me to have died to sin when Christ died. I believe it; not because I feel it, but because G.o.d says it. I reckon myself to be what G.o.d tells me I am. If I were sinless, if I had no sin in me, I should never be told to reckon myself dead to sin; neither should I ever be called to listen to such words as, "Let not sin, therefore, _reign_ in your mortal body." But it is just because I have sin dwelling in me, and in order to give me full practical deliverance from its reigning power, that I am taught the grand enfranchising truth, that the dominion of sin is broken by the death of Christ in which I also died.

How do I know this? Is it because I feel it? Certainly not. How could I feel it? How could I realize it? How could I ever have the self-consciousness of it, while in the body? Impossible. But G.o.d tells me I have died in the death of Christ. I believe it. I do not reason about it. I do not stagger at it because I cannot find any evidence of its truth in myself. I take G.o.d at His word. I reckon myself to be what He tells me I am. I do not endeavor to struggle, and strive, and work myself into a sinless state which is impossible. Neither do I imagine myself to be in it, which were a deceit and a delusion; but by a simple, childlike faith, I take the blessed ground which faith a.s.signs me, in a.s.sociation with a dead Christ. I look at Christ there, and see in Him, according to G.o.d's word, the true expression of where I am, in the Divine Presence. I do not reason from myself upwards, but I reason from G.o.d downwards. This makes all the difference. It is just the difference between unbelief and faith,--between law and grace--between human religion and divine Christianity. If I reason from self, how can I have any right thought of what is in the heart of G.o.d?--all my conclusions must be utterly false. But if, on the other hand, I listen to G.o.d and believe His Word, my conclusions are divinely sound. Abraham did not look at himself and the improbability, nay, the impossibility of having a son in his old age; but he believed G.o.d and gave glory to Him. And it was counted to Him for righteousness.

It is an unspeakable mercy to get done with self, in all its phases and in all its workings, and to be brought to rest, in all simplicity, on the written Word, and on the Christ which that written Word presents to our souls. Self-occupation is a deathblow to fellows.h.i.+p, and a great barrier to the soul's rest and progress. It is impossible for any one to enjoy settled peace so long as he is occupied with himself. He must cease from self, and harken to G.o.d's Word, and rest, without a single question, on its pure, precious, and everlasting record. G.o.d's Word never changes. I change; my frames, my feelings, my experience, my circ.u.mstances, change continually; but G.o.d's Word is the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.

Furthermore, it is a grand and essential point for the soul to apprehend that Christ is the only definition of the believer's place before G.o.d.

This gives immense power, liberty, and blessing. "As He is, so are we, in this world" (I John iv. 17). This is something perfectly wonderful!

Let us ponder it: let us think of a poor, wretched, guilty slave of sin, a bondslave of Satan, a votary of the world, exposed to an eternal h.e.l.l--such an one taken up by sovereign grace, delivered completely from the grasp of Satan, the dominion of sin, the power of this present evil world--pardoned, washed, justified, brought nigh to G.o.d, accepted in Christ, and perfectly and forever identified with Him, so that the Holy Ghost can say, as Christ is, so is he in this world!

All this seems too good to be true; and, most a.s.suredly, it is too good for us to get; but, blessed be the G.o.d of all grace, and blessed be the Christ of G.o.d! it is not too good for Him to give. G.o.d gives like Himself. He will be G.o.d, spite of our unworthiness and Satan's opposition. He will act in a way worthy of Himself, and worthy of the Son of His love. Were it a question of our deservings, we could only think of the deepest and darkest pit of h.e.l.l. But seeing it is a question of what is worthy of G.o.d to give, and that He gives according to His estimate of the worthiness of Christ, then, verily, we can think of the very highest place in heaven. The glory of G.o.d, and the worthiness of His Son, are involved in His dealings with us; and hence everything that could possibly stand in the way of our eternal blessedness, has been disposed of in such a manner as to secure the divine glory, and furnish a triumphant answer to every plea of the enemy. Is it a question of trespa.s.s? "He has forgiven us all trespa.s.ses." Is it a question of sin? He has condemned sin at the cross, and thus put it away. Is it a question of guilt? It is canceled by the blood of the cross. Is it a question of death? He has taken away its sting, and actually made it part of our property. Is it a question of Satan? He has destroyed him, by annulling all his power. Is it a question of the world? He has delivered us from it, and snapped every link which connected us with it.

Thus, beloved Christian reader, it stands with us if we are to be taught by Scripture, if we are to take G.o.d at His word, if we are to believe what He says. And we may add, if it be not thus, we are in our sins; under the power of sin; in the grasp of Satan; obnoxious to death; part and parcel of an evil, Christless, G.o.dless world, and exposed to the unmitigated wrath of G.o.d--the vengeance of eternal fire.

Oh that the blessed Spirit may open the eyes of G.o.d's people, and give them to see their proper place, their full and eternal deliverance in a.s.sociation with Christ who died for them, and _in whom they have died_, and _thus_ pa.s.sed out of the power of all their enemies!

PART III.

Having glanced at two of the leading points in our subject, namely, Israel freed from guilt under the shelter of the blood, and Israel freed from all their enemies in the pa.s.sage of the Red Sea, we have now to contemplate for a few moments Israel crossing the Jordan, and celebrating the paschal feast at Gilgal, in which they represent the risen position of Christians now.

The Christian is one who is not only sheltered from judgment by the blood of the Lamb, not only delivered from the power of all his enemies by the death of Christ, but is also a.s.sociated with Him where He now is, at the right hand of G.o.d; he is, with Christ, pa.s.sed out of death, in resurrection, and is blessed with all spiritual blessings, in the heavenlies, in Christ. He is thus a heavenly man, and, as such, is called to walk in this world in all the varied relations.h.i.+ps and responsibilities in which the good hand of G.o.d has placed him. He is not a monk, or an ascetic, or a man living in the clouds, fit neither for earth or heaven. He is not one who lives in a dreamy, misty, unpractical region; but, on the contrary, one whose happy privilege it is, from day to day, to reflect, amid the scenes and circ.u.mstances of earth, the graces and virtues of Christ, with whom, through infinite grace, and on the solid ground of accomplished redemption, he is linked in the power of the Holy Ghost.

Such is the Christian, according to the teaching of the New Testament.

Let the reader see that he understands it. It is very real, very definite, very positive, very practical. A child may know it, and realize it, and exhibit it. A Christian is one whose sins are forgiven, who possesses eternal life, and knows it; in whom the Holy Ghost dwells; he is accepted in and a.s.sociated with a risen and glorified Christ; he has broken with the world, is dead to sin and the law, and finds his object and his delight, and his spiritual sustenance, in the Christ who loved him and gave Himself for him, and for whose coming he waits every day of his life.

This, we repeat, is the New Testament description of a Christian. How immensely it differs from the ordinary type of Christian profession around us we need not say. But let the reader measure himself by the divine standard, and see wherein he comes short; for of this he may rest a.s.sured, that there is no reason whatsoever, so far as the love of G.o.d, or the work of Christ, or the testimony of the Holy Ghost, is concerned, why he should not be in the full enjoyment of all the rich and rare spiritual blessings which appertain to the true Christian position. Dark unbelief, fed by legality, bad teaching, and spurious religiousness, rob many of G.o.d's dear children of their proper place and portion. And not only so, but, from want of a thorough break with the world, many are sadly hindered from the clear perception and full realization of their position and privileges as heavenly men.

But we are rather antic.i.p.ating the instruction unfolded to us in the typical history of Israel, in Josh. iii.-v., to which we shall now turn.

"And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from s.h.i.+ttim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they pa.s.sed over. And it came to pa.s.s, after three days, that the officers went through the host. And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your G.o.d, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. _Yet there shall be a s.p.a.ce between you and it_, about two thousand cubits by measure: _come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not pa.s.sed this way heretofore_" (Josh. iii. I-4).

It is most desirable that the reader should, with all simplicity and clearness, seize the true spiritual import of the river Jordan. It typifies the death of Christ in one of its grand aspects, just as the Red Sea typifies it in another. When the children of Israel stood on the wilderness side of the Red Sea, they sang the song of redemption. They were a delivered people--delivered from Egypt and the power of Pharaoh.

They saw all their enemies dead on the sea-sh.o.r.e. They could even antic.i.p.ate, in glowing accents, their triumphal entrance into the promised land. "Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth the people which Thou hast redeemed; Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation. The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them: all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them: by the greatness of Thine arm they shall be still as a stone; till Thy people pa.s.s over, O Lord, till the people pa.s.s over which Thou hast purchased. Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in; in the sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established.

The Lord shall reign for ever and ever."

All this was perfectly magnificent, and divinely true. But they were not yet in Canaan. Jordan--of which, most surely, there is no mention in their glorious song of victory--lay between them and the promised land.

True, in the purpose of G.o.d and in the judgment of faith, the land was theirs; but they had to traverse the wilderness, cross the Jordan, and take possession.

How constantly we see all this exemplified in the history of souls! When first converted, there is nothing but joy and victory and praise. They know their sins forgiven; they are filled with wonder, love, and praise.

Being justified by faith, they have peace with G.o.d, and they can rejoice in hope of His glory, yea, and joy in Himself through Jesus Christ our Lord. They are in Rom. v. I-11; and, in one sense, there can be nothing higher. Even in heaven itself we shall have nothing higher or better than "joy in G.o.d." Persons sometimes speak of Rom. viii. being higher than Rom. v.: but what can be higher than "joy in G.o.d"? If we are brought to G.o.d, we have reached the most exalted point to which any soul can come. To know Him as our portion, our rest, our stay, our object, our all; to have all our springs in Him, and know Him as a perfect covering for our eyes, at all times, and in all places, and under all circ.u.mstances--this is heaven itself to the believer.

But there is this difference between Rom. v. and viii., that vi. and vii. lie between; and when the soul has traveled practically through these latter, and learns how to apply their profound and precious teaching to the great questions of indwelling sin and the law, then it is in a better state, though, most a.s.suredly, not in a higher standing.

We repeat, and with emphasis, the words "_traveled practically_." For it must be even so, if we would really enter into these holy mysteries according to G.o.d. It is easy to talk about being "dead to sin" and "dead to the law"--easy to see these things written in Rom. vi. and vii.--easy to grasp, in the intellect, the mere theory of these things. But the question is, have we made them our own--have they been applied practically to our souls by the power of the Holy Ghost? Are they livingly exhibited in our ways to the glory of Him who, at such a cost to Himself, has brought us into such a marvelous place of blessing and privilege?

It is much to be feared that there is a vast amount of merely intellectual traffic in these deep and precious mysteries of our most holy faith, which, if only laid hold of in spiritual power, would produce wonderful results in practice.

But we must return to our theme; and in doing so, we would ask the reader if he really understands the true spiritual import of the river Jordan? What does it really mean? We have said that it typifies the death of Christ. But in what aspect? for that precious death, as we are now considering, has many and various aspects. We believe the Jordan sets forth the death of our Lord Jesus Christ as that by which we are introduced into the inheritance He has obtained for us. The Red Sea _delivered Israel from_ Egypt and the power of Pharaoh. Jordan _brought them into_ the land of Canaan.

We find both in the death of Christ. He, blessed be His name, has, by His death on the cross--His death for us--delivered us from our sins, from their guilt and condemnation, from Satan's power, and from this present evil world.

But more than this: He has, by the same infinitely precious work, brought us _now_ into an entirely new position, in resurrection and in living union and a.s.sociation with Himself, where He is at G.o.d's right hand. Such is the distinct teaching of Eph. ii. "But G.o.d, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, _hath quickened us together with Christ_, (by grace ye are saved;) and _hath raised us up together_, and made us _sit together in the heavenlies_ in Christ Jesus" (vers. 4-6).

Note the little word "_hath_." He is not speaking of what G.o.d _will_ do, but of what He _hath_ done--done for us, and with us, in Christ Jesus.

The believer has not to wait till he pa.s.ses out of this life to enjoy his inheritance in heaven. In the person of his living and glorified Head, through faith, by the Spirit, he belongs there now, and is free to all that G.o.d has given to all His own.[VI.]

Is all this real and true? Yes! As real and true as that Christ hung on the cross and lay in the grave; as real and true as that we were dead in trespa.s.ses and sins; as real and true as the truth of G.o.d can make it; as real and true as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the body of every true believer.

Mark, reader, we are not now speaking of the practical working-out of all this glorious truth in the life of Christians from day to day. This is another thing altogether. Alas, alas! if our only idea of true Christian position were to be drawn from the practical career of professing Christians, we might give up Christianity as a myth or a sham.

But, thank G.o.d, it is not so. We must learn what true Christianity is from the pages of the New Testament, and, having learnt it there, judge ourselves, our ways, our surroundings, by its heavenly light. In this way, while we shall ever have to confess and mourn our shortcomings, our hearts shall ever, more and more, be filled with praise to Him whose infinite grace has brought us into such a glorious position, in union and fellows.h.i.+p with His own Son--a position, blessed be G.o.d, in nowise dependent upon our personal state, but which, if really apprehended, must exert a powerful influence upon our entire course, conduct, and character.

FOOTNOTE:

[VI.] [There are three very distinct aspects of the death of Christ which, to apprehend clearly, is of unspeakable value to the soul.

1st. That which is typified in the blood of the paschal lamb on Israel's doors in Egypt. This is the judgment of G.o.d against the sinner in the person of the Subst.i.tute provided for him. Rom. iii. 23-27 applies to this.

It brings peace to the soul who believes, for his judgment is pa.s.sed.

Christ has borne it in our stead.