Schoolmaster to Christ
GENESIS CHAPTER 18
Schoolmaster to Christ
GENESIS CHAPTER 18
Scripture Reading: Genesis 18 (KJV)
This chapter offers a beautiful exemplification of the results of an obedient, separated walk. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20), and "Jesus answered, and said unto him, If a man love me he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (Jn. 14:23). These New Testament passages, taken in connection with our chapter, teach us that an obedient soul enjoys a character of communion unknown to one who moves in a worldly atmosphere.
This does not touch the question of forgiveness or justification. Under the eye of God, all true believers are clothed in the same spotless robe of righteousness-all stand in one common justification. The one life flows down from the Head in heaven through all the members on earth. This is plain. The above important points are fully established in the Word of God; and we should always remember that justification is one thing; the fruit thereof quite another. To be a child is one thing, to be an obedient child is something else. For example, a father loves an obedient child, and will, no doubt, make such a child the depository of his thoughts and plans. And is this not true, in reference to our heavenly Father? Unquestionably it is. John 14 puts this beyond dispute, proving that for one to speak of loving Christ, and not to "keep his words," is hypocrisy. "If a man love me, he will keep my words." So, if we are not keeping Christ's words, it is a sure proof we are not walking in the love of His name. Love to Christ is proved, not by merely saying “Lord, Lord,” but by doing the things He commands. It is of little avail to say, "I go," while the heart has no idea of going.
However, in Abraham we see one who, however he may have failed in detail, was, nevertheless, mainly characterized by a close, simple, and elevated walk with God. In the interesting section of his history now before us, we find him in the enjoyment of three special privileges: providing refreshment for the Lord, enjoying full communion with the Lord, and interceding for others before the Lord. These are high distinctions; because they are the result of an obedient, separated, holy walk. Obedience refreshes the Lord, as being the fruit of His own grace in our hearts. We see in Jesus Christ (the only perfect man that ever lived), how He constantly refreshed and delighted the Father. Again and again, God bore testimony to Him from heaven, as His "beloved Son; in whom he was well pleased." The path of Christ furnished a continual feast to Heaven. His ways constantly sent up fragrant incense to the throne of God. From the manger to the cross, Jesus always did the things that pleased His Father. There was no interruption, no variation, and no salient point. He was the only perfect One. Only through Him can the Spirit trace a perfect life below. Here and there, as we follow along the current of Inspiration, we occasionally find one who refreshed the mind of Heaven. Thus, in the chapter before us, we find the tent of the stranger at Mamre affording refreshment to the Lord Himself – refreshment lovingly offered, and willingly accepted (vv. 1-8).
Then we find Abraham enjoying communion with the Lord, first, in reference to his own personal interests (vv. 9-15), and, secondly, in reference to the destinies of Sodom (vv.16, 21). What confirmation it must have been to Abraham's heart in the absolute promise, “Sarah shall have a son!" Yet this promise elicited only a laugh from Sarah, as it had from Abraham in the preceding chapter.
There are two kinds of laughter spoken of in Holy Scripture. First, there is the laughter which the Lord gives, when, during some trying crisis, He appears for our relief. "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them; the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad" (Ps. 126:1, 2).
Then, there is the laughter with which unbelief gives, when God's promise is too magnificent for our narrow hearts to take in, or the visible agency is, in our judgment, too small for the accomplishment of His grand design. The first of these we are never ashamed or afraid to avow. Zion's sons are not ashamed to say, "then was our mouth filled with laughter" (Ps. 126:2). When Jehovah makes us laugh, we may laugh heartily. "But Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid." Unbelief makes us cowards and liars; faith makes us bold and truthful, enabling us to "come boldly," and to "draw near with true hearts."
Abraham is also made the depository of God's thoughts and counsels about Sodom. Though Abraham had nothing to do with it personally, still, he was so near to Lord that God let him into His thinking about Sodom. The way to know God’s purposes about this present evil world is not to be mixed up in its schemes and speculations, but to be entirely separated from it. The closer we walk with God, the more we are subject to His Word, the more we shall know our Father’s mind. We do not need to study the newspaper, in order to know what is going to happen in the world. God's Word reveals all we need to know. In its pure and sanctifying pages we learn about the character, course, and destiny of the world. If, however, we go to the men of this world for news, we may expect the devil to use them to cast dust in our eyes.
Had Abraham visited Sodom to obtain information; had he asked some leading men about what they thought of Sodom's present condition and future prospects; what would he have learned? Doubtless, they would have called his attention to their agricultural and architectural schemes, the vast resources of the country; they would have placed before his eyes one vast, mingled scene of buying and selling, building and planting, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. They would never have dreamed of judgment, and if anyone had made mention of such, they would have surely heard infidel laughter. So, it seems obvious that Sodom was not the place to learn about Sodom's end. No; "the place, where Abraham stood before the Lord," afforded the only proper place from whence to take in the whole prospect. There he could stand entirely above the fogs and mists gathering on Sodom's horizon. There, in the clearness and calmness of God’s presence, he could understand it all. And what use did he make of his knowledge and his elevated position? How was he occupied in the Lord's presence? The answer to these inquiries leads us to the third special privilege enjoyed by our patriarch in this chapter: intercession for others before the Lord. He was able to plead for those who were mixed up in Sodom's defilement; those in danger of being involved in Sodom's judgment. This was a happy and holy use to make of being in the place of nearness to God. It is always true. The soul that can "draw near to God," in the assurance of faith, having the heart and conscience perfectly at rest – that soul will be able and willing to intercede for others. The man, who has on "the whole armor of God," will be able to “pray for all saints." What a view this gives us of the intercession of our Great High Priest, Who has passed into the heavens! What infinite repose He enjoys in all the Divine counsels! With what conscious acceptance He sits enthroned amid the brightness of the Majesty in the heavens! And with what efficacy He pleads, before that Majesty, for those, who are toiling along, amid the defilement of this present scene! Ineffably happy and secure are those who are the subjects of such all prevailing intercession! Would that each of us had heart to enter into personal communion with God, so that we might take in more of the infinite fullness of His grace and the suitability of His provision.
In this chapter, we see how blessed Abraham's intercession was, yet, because the intercessor was only a man, it was limited and did not reach the need. Abraham stopped short by saying, "I will speak yet but this once," as if afraid of presenting too large a draft at the treasury-store of Infinite grace. It was not that he was straitened in God. No; there was abundance of grace and patience in God to have hearkened to His dear servant, had Abraham proceeded. But the servant was limited; no doubt afraid of overdrawing his account, he ceased to ask, and God ceased to give. Not so our blessed Intercessor – Jesus Christ. Of Him it can be said," He is able to save to the uttermost . . . seeing he ever liveth to make intercession." In all our need, weakness, and conflict, may our hearts cling to Him.
Before closing, we offer a personal observation. In the study of Holy Scripture, it is of the utmost importance to distinguish between God's moral government of the world, and the specific hope of the Church.1 The entire body of Old Testament prophecy, and much of the New, deals with the former, and, in so doing, presents a subject of commanding interest to every Christian. It is interesting to know what God has done and will do with the nations of the earth. For instance, it is interesting to read God's thoughts about Tyre, Babylon, Nineveh, and Jerusalem; about Egypt, Assyria, and the land of Israel. In short, Old Testament prophecy demands the prayerful attention of every true believer. But, we do not find contained therein the proper hope of the Church. How could we? Since the Church's existence is not directly revealed in the Old Testament, how could we find there the Church's hope? Certainly, as the ‘schoolmaster to bring us to Christ,’ the Church can find there a rich harvest of God’s moral principles, which she can happily and profitably use. Though her proper existence and specific hope are not to be found in the Old Testament, still, by neglecting the study of prophecy, the hope of the Church, which hope is not about what God is going to do with the nations of the earth, but about meeting the Lord Jesus in the clouds of heaven, to be forever with Him.
Some may say, ‘I have no ability – no heart – for a detailed study of prophecy.’ Perhaps not, but have you a heart for Christ? Surely, if you love Christ, you will love His appearing, though you may have no capacity for a detailed, in-depth prophetic investigation. An affectionate wife may not have a desire to enter into her husband's affairs; but she has a heart for her husband's return. She might not be able to understand his work; but she knows his footstep, and recognizes his voice. With an affection for the Person of the Lord Jesus, even the most unlettered saint can entertain the most intense desire to see Him; and this is the Church's hope. The apostle could say to the Thessalonians, "ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven" (1 Thess. 1:9, 10). Obviously, at the moment of their conversion, those Thessalonians probably knew little about prophecy; and yet they were, at that very moment, put into the full possession and power of the specific hope of the Church – the coming of the Son. Thus is it throughout the entire New Testament. There we have prophecy and God's moral government. However, numberless passages prove that, in apostolic times, the common hope of Christians was, The Return of the Bridegroom. May the Holy Spirit revive "that blessed hope" in the Church of our Lord – may He "make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
