Garments of the High Priest: Robe of blue and Ephod — John Stubbs

This is our second night of ministry concerning the high priestly garments of the Lord Jesus in the book of Exodus. And if the Lord be not come before you know it, the week will be over. Time glides very quickly by.

The way time speeds by is rather frightening, humanly speaking. But the coming of the Lord draws nigh too. Remember the meetings tomorrow night, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday is the final night when we'll turn the chart around to look at the high priest, the same high priest Aaron on the day of atonement.

Pray for these meetings that God may bless the teaching. Now notice as we did last night, turn to the book of Exodus please. The book of Exodus and chapter 28. And we'll start to read in verse 31. Our subject tonight is the blue robe, the robe of blue, or otherwise called the robe of the ephod.

The Blue Robe and the Ephod in Exodus 28

And if there's time we'll touch a little of the ephod itself. Exodus 28 verse 31. And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue, and there shall be a hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof.

It shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an abaddon. Let it be not rent. And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet round about the hem thereof, and bells of gold between them round about.

A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate upon the hem of the robe round about. And it shall be upon Aaron to minister, and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out that he die not.

Now turn to an earlier part of Exodus 28. Let us turn to verse number 6 please. Verse number 6. And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet and fine twine linen, with cunning work.

It shall have the two shoulder pieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof, and so it shall be joined together. And the curious girdle of the ephod which is upon it shall be of the same according to the work thereof, even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet and fine twine linen.

Now we'll just leave the reading of the word of God at this stage, and we do trust that God indeed will bless the very reading of scripture. Now I do trust that last night you were quite impressed, if that's the right word, and helped by the introduction to and the consideration of these garments of Israel's first high priest, namely Aaron.

We tried to make it clear last night that these garments point on or foreshadow the greater glories of our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven as our great high priest. He's not only our saviour, but he's our great high priest representing us in heaven.

What a wonderful, uplifting, comforting thought that is, just to know that there's one for us, functioning on our behalf before the Father in heaven. So, we look primarily at the coat worn next to the skin, the very body of Aaron, which speaks of the inward purity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ’s Threefold Purity in the Linen Garments

Now we're going to think very especially this evening on this robe of blue. But before we do so, let's make some more introductory remarks about this fascinating subject, clothed from head to foot with these garments of glory and beauty.

It is interesting, in Hebrews 2, we read that the Lord Jesus is crowned with glory and honour. Now, whether we think of that in relation to his life, or more especially in relation to his exalted position in heaven, crowned with glory and honour, why do I refer to that in Hebrews 2?

Well, beloved, actually, it's the very same words that are found in the Septuagint version, the Greek version of the Old Testament, the very same words, for glory and beauty that these garments were to be for Aaron, for glory and beauty.

So, in Hebrews 2, crowned with glory and honour, we have an immediate link with the garments of the book of Exodus of the High Priest. Now, I wanted to notice very especially, and I really have enjoyed this, and that is, there were three items in his clothing or garments that were made of linen.

First of all, the coat which we looked at, and then underneath the robe of blue, an unseen girdle, that was made of linen, and then we have the pure linen mitre of the High Priest. Now, linen generally in the Bible speaks of righteousness, or purity, or holiness.

What do I see in these three things? In the headdress, the mitre made of pure linen, we have in type that in the Lord Jesus Christ there was no sin, but he thought no sin. That is, the Bible tells us he knew no sin.

So, the white mitre would speak to me of the pure mind of the Lord Jesus, his mental purity. Come down to the coat itself, this speaks of the moral purity of our Lord Jesus Christ. The unseen girdle underneath the robe of blue would speak of the ministerial purity of the Lord Jesus.

Do you follow that? His mental purity in the mitre on the head. His moral purity inwardly pure. The girdle underneath the robe of blue, his ministerial purity. How wonderful to see that threefold testimony in the New Testament illustrated in the garments of Aaron.

He knew no sin, the mitre, the linen mitre. In him is no sin, the white coat worn next to the body of Aaron. He did no sin, his work, his ministerial purity, the unseen girdle. As if that wasn't enough and fascinating and lovely and very suggestive and significant.

Christ as King, Prophet, and Priest

Do you know, I can see in these garments, set forth in type and picture, the fact that Christ is King and Priest and Prophet. You see, this golden crown fastened securely by a blue ribbon to the mitre of Aaron, the word is usually used in the Old Testament for a regal crown, a kingly crown.

So I suggest in the crown of gold, the regal crown, we have a type of the kingship of the Lord Jesus. When we come down to the breastplate with all the twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel, and in it there's kind of a pouch or a pocket, and in it the olive stones, at least two stones I believe, I'll not anticipate too much ministry on another night tomorrow.

But I believe there were two stones and the mind of God through the High Priest Aaron was consulted, questioned the difficulties that the people had when they came to the High Priest. And the High Priest Aaron was expected to shed light on the matter, give guidance, enlightenment and an answer to the question.

And that sets forth the Lord Jesus as the Prophet, as the one who speaks to us. So he's King, he's Prophet, and then thirdly, this ephod, this is essentially the priestly part of his garments. In other words, apart from this ephod, he couldn't function as a priest.

He had to wear it. He needed it. It was very, very important. So, let me say this again, apart from the ephod, he could not function as the High Priest of Israel. It was essentially, officially, the insignia of his office, the essential priestly garment.

So I can see, in these lovely garments, foreshadowing the glories of our great High Priest in heaven, why I can see lovely truths concerning the Lord Jesus. He's the King, he's the Prophet, and he's a priest.

All these functions and offices could only combine in one blessed person, no other, than our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. When we think of these garments, beloved, it's interesting, isn't it? The head, the intelligence of Christ, the wisdom of Christ, the shoulders, the power and strength of Christ, the breastplate upon the heart of Aaron, the affection and love of Christ.

Isn't it wonderful to think how tremendously uplifting it is, dear child of God tonight, that his intelligence, his wisdom, his power and strength and affection functions for us, for our good, for our blessing.

What would we do without our great High Priest in heaven? Now, touching this robe, we do not know what kind of material it was. We'd love to know, get our curiosity somewhat satisfied. But the Spirit of God has not revealed to us the actual material of which this robe was made.

What we do know is this, it's colour. So, we're going to think of the blue, then we're going to think of the binding, then we're going to think of the border, and finally we're going to think of these bells, the golden bells with the hem of his garment, all of blue.

The Blue Robe as a Sign of Christ’s Heavenly Kingship

Let's think of the blue robe. It's the first time it's mentioned in the Bible, a robe, a blue robe. In other parts of the Old Testament, it's a robe of regality or a robe that a king would wear. So, immediately again, we have the thought of the kingship of our Lord Jesus.

Wonderful to think that in the future day when the Lord Jesus comes back, he's going to be vindicated in the very scene of his rejection. We sang just now, our Lord is now rejected, and by the world as a whole.

But he's coming back. And God is going to see to it in his program that the Lord Jesus will be the King of the kings and the Lord of lords, and he will have universal sway and dominion, and kings will lick the dust before him.

Let's think then, child of God, of the blue, the symbol of the blue. If we thought of the sinlessness of our Lord's priesthood, and then in the garden underneath, the unseen garden underneath the robe of blue, the service of our Lord's priesthood, may I suggest to you the robe of blue speaks of the sphere, the sphere of our Lord's priesthood.

We have no priest on earth. We need no priest on earth. Hebrews chapter 8 reminds us, if he were on earth, he would not be a priest. Where does our Lord Jesus Christ function in his high priestly ministry for us?

In heaven, not on earth. He's there exalted in the right hand of God. He's there interceding for us, to succour us. How wonderful is the ministry of our Lord Jesus, his ongoing ministry in God's right hand in heaven.

So when I think of the colour blue, blue is the predominant colour of the tabernacle, I think of the heavenly ministry of the Lord Jesus. What a wonderful thought this is. We are, as Christians, a heavenly people.

Heaven born and heaven bound. Paul reminds us in Philippians, our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour. We are a heavenly people. We can well afford to tread the world under our feet because we have a better world above our heads.

Is that not true? I remember reading about a brother in Christ passing a building and outside on the side of the building was this. Dwelling place above, workplace beneath. Dwelling place above, workshop beneath.

I thought, you know, that's true. Christ dwells in places in heaven. We belong to him and we're linked with him. Wonderful thought. Soon where he is, we will be. For this I shall find, for such is his mind, he'll not be in glory, leave me behind.

Our destiny is heaven. We belong to the Lord Jesus. We're heaven bound indeed. Thank God for the title. The symbol of the blue. Bring before us, child of God, the sphere of our Lord's high priesthood ministry.

The Unrent Robe and the Unchanging Priesthood of Christ

Not only the symbol of the blue, but what about the strength of the binding? We read it was to be made, this Roman blue, in such a way that it be not rent. On no account was this priestly robe of blue to be rent.

God was very particular about this. So much so, Leviticus 21 verse 10, God prohibits the priests, the high priests, from ever renting their garments. It would be offensive to him. And disobedient to him.

These garments in those Old Testament times for Israel and in the tabernacles were very important. They signified a great and important office for Israel. Beloved, we should remember these things. Not only the symbol of the color blue, but the very strength of the binding.

Put together without a seam, one whole garment, lovely. It reminds me of what John's Gospel tells us in his narrative of the crucifixion in John 19. What does he say about the coat of the Lord wore? It was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

I'd love to know who made that. Who was the maker of that coat? The weaver of that coat? Thank God I know the wearer of the coat. That seamless coat that John mentions in John 19 tells us of the perfection of the person of Christ.

He is not only a man, he is divine. He is equal with God. Thank God for the essential, eternal deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. That it be not rent. It had to be bound in such a way that it be not rent.

Let me take you to Matthew 26. We read a very significant event there. We read of the high priest Caiaphas when he thought the Lord Jesus had spoken blasphemy. What did he do? He ought to have known better.

He shouldn't have done it. What did he do? He rent his garments. Two things I want you to observe about Caiaphas the high priest at that time. In John 11 we have what he said. What did he say? Significant.

It is expedient that one should die for the nation. He didn't realise that really he was pronouncing a prophecy of rule by God. It's expedient that one should die for the nation. What he said was significant.

But I want to highlight what he did. He rent his garments. If what he said in John 11 was significant, I say to you tonight, beloved, what he did in renting his garments was significant. What does this signify?

The end of Jewish system. The end of religion. The only religion that God gave to the world was the Jewish religion and then he took it away at Calvary. Put an end to it. We don't need Jewish altars now or incense or anything else pertaining to Judaism.

Christendom out there is just a patchwork of Judaism. Let us remember that. Christendom still has its vestments and incense and altars and all the other things that are foreign to the New Testament Scriptures.

Wherever we look in the New Testament, we have utter, complete simplicity with the Christians. Gather to the Lord's name in assembly, fellows. The churches of God were simple. Not stereotyped, not legal, not formal, but gathered very, very simply with none of the trappings of the religious world and that's how it should be today.

How sad that he rent his garments. Do you know that Israel today in Jerusalem, the Orthodox Jews, have what they call a temple treasury. They're waiting for the Messiah to come back. They believe he'll come back very soon.

They're hoping this. They're praying for this. They're blind to the fact, of course, that Jesus as a ring was the true Messiah and they put him on a cross. As Isaiah 53 says, they saw no beauty in him, that they should desire him.

How tragic is the rejection of Christ by his very nation, Israel. I've been twice at least, maybe three times to that temple treasury in Jerusalem. They've got the vestments of the high priest. They've got the silver trumpets.

They've got the incense, the altar of incense. They've even managed to produce a red heifer. They're getting ready for the Messiah to come back. But there's one thing lacking. When I talked to a Jewish rabbi, I said, there's one thing lacking here.

I know he said, the Ark of the Covenant. I said, will you find it to complete your temple treasury and all the things you need to prepare for the coming of the Messiah? Oh, we don't know where it is, where it is hidden, but we'll find it.

We'll come across it. God will help us to find the Ark and then things will be complete, ready for the Messiah. I said, look, have you read the last reference to the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament?

The Jewish rabbi thought a little. No, no, what is it? He must have thought I was pretty acquainted with the Old Testament as a Gentile. I said, the last reference to the Ark of the Covenant in Jeremiah 3 is, it shall no more come to mind.

I can't remember that scripture. Well, I said, look at Jeremiah 3 in verse 16 to 17. It shall never come to mind. Why is that scripture there, I said? The reason is, the Ark of the Covenant, even if it's found, will not be needed.

That Ark typified Christ. And when He comes back to the earth and restores the nation of Israel, He will not need any of these Jewish things. He will not need the Ark of the Covenant. The one whom the Ark typifies will be here, Himself, the Messiah.

I like to think about that, he said. I'll have to look at that scripture again. Sad, isn't it? Making all his preparations, waiting for the Messiah, so that He will have everything He needs when He comes.

How blind they are! Thank God the scales have been removed from our eyes to behold the beauties of the Lord Jesus. One day, Sanctuary 3, the veil that is upon the hearts of Israel, God will take away.

And according to Zechariah 12, they'll recognize the one whom they crucified was none other than their Messiah. So the symbol of the colour, blue, points to the heavenly ministry of our great High Priest.

The field of His ministry, not another. The strength of the binding will tell us of our Lord Jesus Christ. His ongoing, unchanging ministry for us. He will never be replaced. Old Testament, Israelitist, Levitical priest, Hebrews 7 tells us, could not continue by reason of death.

Those who study these things, the Jews, reckon there was about a hundred priests from Aaron downwards to Caiaphas. I don't know how true that is. Still a lot of priests. They could not continue by reason of death.

But this one is death as our Lord Jesus. He'll never be dethroned. He'll never give place to another. He never will have a successor. He continues ever after the power, says Hebrews, of an indissoluble life.

That's the Saviour you have. And not only a Saviour, not only your Lord, not only your Advocate in Heaven, but your Great High Priest representing you in Heaven and interceding for you. That would be not right?

Brethren and sisters, listen. No one, I repeat, no one can strip the Lord Jesus of the glory that is His. Neither the devil nor any man, however powerful he may be. The symbol of the blue? The robe. The strength of the binding?

Bells, Pomegranates, Testimony, and Fruitfulness

What about the shape of the border? Bells in the pomegranate, bells in the pomegranate, all the way around, quite consistent. What does the bell speak of? Testimony. Bells. Testimony. What does the imitation of the fruit of the land of Canaan speak of, represent?

Fruitfulness. Fruitfulness. Not only do we have the sound of the bells, we'll remark on that a little later, but we have the pomegranates. Can I put it this way? With some, it's all boom, and no bloom.

With some, it's more noise than real activity for God and fruitfulness. Are you fruitful in your life? To use the language of the Lord Jesus, the true vine in John 15, are we bringing forth fruit and more fruit in our lives for God?

God is looking for fruit spiritually in our lives. What about us individually in our testimony? What kind of witness do we have? What about fruitfulness in our lives? Can I take you to Acts, chapter 2, verse 1, the day of Pentecost?

Suddenly there was a rushing mighty wind, the sound of a rushing mighty wind, and the bells. The descent of the Holy Spirit, fulfilling the promise of our Lord Jesus, he's in heaven. How do we know he's in heaven?

The Spirit of God descended, and the church age began on the day of Pentecost. The noise of a sudden rushing wind, telling us the great high priest is in heaven. But you see, not only do we have the sound, but we have the bells and the pomegranates.

Pomegranates speaking of fruitfulness. Was there fruitfulness on the day of Pentecost? Was there fruit seen? Was there results from the preaching of the gospel by Peter in Jerusalem? Yes. Three thousand souls were saved.

The very opposite to three thousand perishing, being put to death at the foot of Mount Sinai, Exodus 19. What a contrast with the Day of Grace. So I see and suggest to you what answers to the bells' testimony and also the pomegranates' fruitfulness, I see it in Acts 2.

The sound of a mighty wind, the rushing wind, the Spirit of God descended. As promised by the Lord Jesus, and in heaven he's fulfilling that promise to his disciples, who are assembled in that house on the day of Pentecost.

And fruitfulness? Three thousand souls were saved. Some may have a kind of testimony but no fruit. It's good to have both, isn't it? There was a lovely consistency all round the hem of the garment of Aaron.

A bell and a pomegranate. A bell and a pomegranate. Years ago I came across this. With holy awe and reverent pace, the priest approached the holy place. Attired in garments that became the place where God had set his name.

His efforts shone with golden gems while softly from the wreath and hems the mellow music rose and fell from a pomegranate and a bell, a pomegranate and a bell. Is there a balance between our profession and our practice?

Perfectly seen in our Lord Jesus Christ, what he taught is how he lived. He's our example. He maintained and fulfilled his claims in the life he lived of sinless perfection and devoted service, obedient service to God even to the death of the cross.

Tell me, is there a consistency between what we profess, what we believe and how we live and what we practice? Some time ago there was a young lady that was greatly blessed and challenged by the preaching of a certain doctor of theology.

Evangelical, saved man. She was so filled with it and her life was changed she thought she would track this man down. But she knew he had a brother who was a medical doctor. Somehow or other eventually she tracked her doctor down with this particular name she had.

Knocked at the door and when he opened it this is what she said. Are you the doctor that preaches or are you the doctor that practices? Changes life you know, changes life. Do we practice what we believe?

Are we consistent in what we believe and how we live? Does our life bear out and confirm give evidence of the reality of what we believe and preach? Everything was perfect in our Lord Jesus Christ. Are you following?

Very full subject. Very beautiful subject, very fascinating subject. The resplendent, mystic representative. Costly garments of this high priest of Israel. I suppose there would come the time when they would get a little bit grubby and you know, a little dull.

I'm sure though the Bible doesn't tell us Aaron would have had somebody after many years to do a number of washings, to wash these garments. Nothing needs to be cleansed as far as our Lord Jesus is concerned.

The Sound of the Bells and the Rapture

But let's come now not only to the symbol of the blue and the strength of the binding and the shape of the border, the hem of his garment. Blue rope. But let us think. Let us think of the sound, the sound.

The sound of the bells. Did you notice what we read? In the book of Exodus chapter 28. This is interesting. Verse 35. And it shall be upon Aaron to minister and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord and when he cometh out that he die not.

His sound was heard when he went in. That's Acts 2. And his sound is heard when he comes out. What's that? 1st Thessalonians 4. In 1st Thessalonians 4 from verse 13 to verse 18 we have the doctrine of the rapture.

The early moment coming of our Lord Jesus he descended from heaven to the earth for his bride, the church, for every born again believer to take them, to catch them up by supernatural power to the air, to meet him in the air and thence to be taken to heaven.

Are we listening for the voice? He descended from heaven with a shout. Doesn't that link with verse 35? When he cometh out that he die not. His sound will be heard when he cometh out. We're going to hear the sound of his voice.

It will echo and reverberate all around the world. And only believers who are tuned to that heavenly frequency if I can put it that way, will respond. It's wonderful to think. Even deaf believers, deaf believers even believers that are stone deaf will hear his voice when he comes out and descends to heaven to take us to be forever with him.

So what a prospect child of God. One wife of a husband who believed in the rapture said to him, prove from the Bible there's going to be such a thing as a prior coming of Christ a first phase of his second coming that there's going to be a rapture.

What did he say at first? He said only four. You know what she said? That's about the noisiest chapter in the Bible. Dear me. Only believers will respond to that sound. Only believers. These are lovely things.

The Ephod as a Picture of Christ’s True Manhood

The garments of Israel's high priest. There is time for the next few minutes just to briefly consider this beautiful resplendent ephod. This blue robe is called the robe of the ephod because it was underneath the ephod.

The ephod was placed upon the robe of blue. So the first thing Aaron did in his daily service was put on would be the coat then the blue robe not forgetting the girdle and then the ephod. This is the essential, I've already said this the essential priestly garment.

And this points typically to the suitability of our Lord's ministries our great high priest. The sinlessness of his priesthood the service of his priesthood the unseen girdle underneath the robe of blue the sphere of his priesthood the robe of blue.

But the suitability of his priesthood is seen in the like a glorious waistcoat, isn't it? In what way do you say are we to think of the suitability of our Lord's priesthood in the ephod? I believe that the ephod in type speaks to us of the true real manhood of our Lord Jesus.

Can I say this? Just as the high priest Aaron couldn't do without this thing of his office this priestly part of the garment. The ephod. He couldn't function as a preacher without it. Beloved, does that not let us see this?

Our Lord could never represent us in heaven were he not a man. Had he not been here he understands our trials our difficulties, our temptations our testings the pressures of life. He's real. He's caring.

He loves us. He serves us as we shall see tomorrow night in heaven as our great high priest. He serves us in wonderful undying, unchanging love. Do remember that. Our Lord Jesus could never be in heaven representing us in his priestly ministry.

If he were not a man, a true man he has every sympathy towards us. He suffers us. He knows our trials. He cares. He's been here. He has trod the path down on earth here before. He's lived that lovely life of his.

Thank God for his Godhead or Godhood. Thank God for his deity. But let us not forget he's a true man. This was most beautiful, this effort. Most beautiful and most costly. The dear Christian lady that did this job for me as I said last night worked on this effort with a small loom.

Nice work. I'm indebted to her. For many Christians in different parts of the world it's a long time since I used this chalice. I've been blessed and benefited by the illustration of the garments of the high priest pointing to many truths concerning our Lord Jesus Christ.

It's helped them. That dear sister in Christ who did it two other chalices for me will have her reward in heaven. I'm quite sure. It was costly and beautiful. Can I tell you tonight, reverently speaking the Lord Jesus was the most beautiful man ever seen.

Think of the attractiveness of his life of character. Think of his absolute sinless perfection. His supreme loveliness. Do we not read in the song of songs He's all together lovely and so is. We find that to be true every day, don't we?

What a saviour. What a personal saviour. How our hearts should go out to him more and he should endear himself more to us. How we should love him more for who he is and alone for what he has done. It says about the Lord Jesus in Isaiah 4 a wonderful prophecy.

When the Lord comes back as the Messiah and the millennium commences. He's 1 ,000 years old. It says this. In that day, I love these words. In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful. How beautiful is our saviour.

How truly man he is. He's the only man in the glory of heaven with a body. Do you ever realise that? Our bodies are going to be glorified. They are going to be conformed to his image in the future when the Lord comes.

But every one of the dear ones, your fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters have gone through the art of death. They've died in Christ. They're with Christ which is far better but not in body. Their souls, thank God, are saved but then our bodies will be renewed.

Not a new body. Not a body different to this. Remember that. This body. This body of humiliation, says Paul in Philippians 3. It's going to have a different character. This same body even may be composed for years, centred in the grave are going to be physically brought forth from the grave.

Not a new body. Understand the doctrine clearly tonight please. It's very important. Same body. It's sown in weakness. It's raised. Same body. It's cursed. It's sown in dishonour. It. Same body. It's raised in glory.

Sown in natural body. It is sown in natural body. It. Same body. It will be a spiritual body. Think of the Lord Jesus in true manhood. God has taken through the Lord Jesus or where better we should say the Lord Jesus has taken sinless manhood to the right hand of God.

What a tremendous truth this is. How we should rejoice tonight. Most beautiful. But do you know about this? Waste thought or air thought? It's that golden wire all the way through it. That gold wire skillfully woven into somehow the texture of the effort by the skillful workers God appointed and God gave them wisdom to do it.

It was worked into the garment of the effort. That gold speaks of the eternal deity of our Lord Jesus. Listen. If you try to take the gold from the effort you will destroy the whole fabric of the material.

Men try to take the gold from the Saviour. Rob him of his deity. Impossible. Cannot be done. You deny his deity. Take away from the Lord of glory his essential eternal deity. He is the Son of God. Equal with God.

Then you destroy the whole doctrine. The fabric of doctrine. Touching the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank God for the true manhood of our Lord Jesus too. Can I say this to you? Our Lord Jesus when he was here in true manhood was not not a dying man.

If he was the seeds of death were in him. He was never a dying man, beloved. At the cross of Calvary he laid down his life freely in love to us. He gave up his life. No man, he said, could take his life from him.

He will lay it down of himself on the recorded works of the Saviour in John's Gospel. And he will take it again. Wonderful to think, beloved. The seeds of death were not at work in the Lord Jesus in his manhood.

What a Saviour. I repeat. What a Saviour. Touching the effort to be practical. Do you remember Gideon? And do you remember he made an effort in Judges 8? And the whole of Israel went to whoring after it.

Was that right? Did God take pleasure in Gideon doing that? Very sad, isn't it? Gideon was a good, godly judge. Delivered the people from bondage. The bondage of the Midianites. He went on well. But sadly and tragically there's an older man.

Be careful. Especially you older ones. Don't give up. Don't let your Lord down. Don't do something that will wreck and spoil your whole life. How is it that Gideon could do that? Make an effort. It was to his undoing.