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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/jim-beattie/the-glory-of-the-lord/
I appreciate very much what our brother has spoken on and all that he said, but especially that last point that he made about single arguments, because you see it again in various writings of Paul, a book of Romans, for example, you see that he takes up one point and it leaves you with a question and then he answers the second point later on, but that was a very, if I can say without embarrassing my brother, a very skillful way of pointing out the difference between 1 Corinthians 11 and 1 Corinthians 14.
I want to follow on a same general theme of our brother, Exodus chapter 40, and we're going to, let me just say, we're going to look at some verses, I will comment on them very briefly, and we're not going to talk about them again.
I want to get to where I really want to spend a little time, but I'm going to preface this, what I have in mind by several scriptures, read them, make one point, move on to the next until we come to the passage that I want to stay with.
So Exodus chapter 40, this is Moses building, rearing up the tabernacle, and there's a list of things that he did, and verse 33 is the end of that, and he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar and set up the hanging of the court gate.
So Moses finished the work. Verse 34 is vital, then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle and Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation because the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
I just want to say that we know, and our brothers have been emphasizing the importance of divine order, the goal of every gathering is that we might see the glory of God. That is why we are here, and I would say in this generation, and partly in mine, we have lost sight of that, and we come together without reverence.
I have been, I've offended people because I've said, you know, we sit down at the breaking of bread, and we are in awe, so called, of the Lord, and we tell him how wonderful he is, and the breaking of bread is over, the first thing that comes out is baby pictures.
If we are in awe of something, or the men with their farm equipment, if I can say that in rural Iowa, and I say to myself, how is it that on this side of the door, we're just overwhelmed with God, and that side of wooden doors we've completely forgotten?
It doesn't make sense. If you and I were to visit a dignitary, let's say for some reason a dignitary was allowed to use this building for whatever he was doing, and you got a chance to talk to him, and shake hands with him, and spend a moment or two talking to him, when you get outside the room, what would you be doing?
You'd be still thinking about that, but we have got into, some of us, and me too sometimes, such a routine that we forget the glory of God. I was in age reading last week, this young scientist, 29 year old young lady, has been the first one to write a logarithm about how they can see a black hole, and it doesn't affect my life very much, but I was amazed about it, because light travels at 186 ,000 miles per second, it can go around the earth 7 times in a single second, you multiply that by 60 to get a light minute, and then 60 to get a light hour, and so on, light travels at 6 trillion miles in a year, a staggering figure, and where that black hole was, was 50 million light years out in space, that is the God we're serving, isn't that amazing, that he would ever think about us?
And as I read that story, tears came to my eyes, and I said, this God is my God, and he has made me his child, beyond comprehension, that we can call ourselves the children of God, and that's why John says, behold, he was a Hebrew, and he likely, in his own mind, he said the Old Testament Hebrew word, Henei, and he said, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God, I'm looking at the children of God, it's a wonderful thing, and when we come together, there is one thing we want to see, and that is the glory of God, there's a story told about a preacher, and he was very occupied about himself, and every time he preached, it was all about him, and one older sister, anonymously, which isn't always the best thing, but she put a little sticker up with the words on it, on the pulpit, Sir, we would see Jesus, well, he took it to heart, and they listened as he gave the glory of God to the audience, and she was very kind, he got up this next time, and the sticker was gone, and another sticker was in its place, and it said, then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord, that's what we want, that is why we're here, and here, the glory of the Lord so filled the place, that Moses couldn't even enter.
Let me show you something else, Numbers chapter 10, so the simple lesson, and we'll see it again, although I won't dwell on it, we'll see it again in other places, the simple lesson in Exodus 40, is we do not need human wisdom to guide us in the gatherings of God's people, Moses built according to the plan that God had given, and when we hear people say, and we hear it a lot these days, you know, they do this over at this place, and it really works, and I think we should try that, well, I think we should simply try what's in the Word, I think that's the best, just try what's in the Word, and as our brother has mentioned, these extra gatherings, non-meeting meetings, and that kind of thing, are a violation, not only of the Word of God, but you know what they're saying?
They're saying, I'm smarter than God, why didn't he think of this? Because I thought about it, and I think it's a great idea, and it's not in the Word, but really, I don't think God would mind. More recently, my wife and I were praying over a particular thing that we were burdened about, and I was praying day after day with her about it, and suggesting what I would like to see the Lord do.
Well, the Lord did the opposite, and when we found out, my wife said to me, so God didn't do what you told him, did he? Sometimes we need our lives to shake us up a little bit. Well, God isn't interested in what you and I think, he's interested in you and I doing what he says.
Let's go to Numbers chapter 10. Numbers chapter 10. I don't mind speaking about Moses' failure, although he was a better man than I'll ever be, but he did fail sometimes, and I think this is a time of failure.
I sit carefully, I sit carefully and humbly, because I don't like saying anything about Moses, but verse 29 of Numbers chapter 10. And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Millionite, Moses' father-in-law, we are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you.
Come thou with us, and we will do thee good, for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel. And he said unto him, I will not go, but I will depart to my known land and to my kindred. And he said, Moses said, leave us not, I pray thee, forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and now mayest be to us instead of eyes.
Moses had got his eyes off the Lord. Notice verse 33. And they departed from the mount of the Lord three days' journey, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days' journey, what for?
To search out a resting place for them. And so the Spirit of God, through the cloud, I believe in a way is rebuking Moses mildly. You said Hobab, he would guide. No, I'll take care of it myself. And they were told whether it was by night or by day, whatever the circumstances, they were to keep their eye on the cloud.
In fact, my own thought is that they had watchers at night. They would have to have night shift. Night shift didn't start with factories in the modern age. They'd have to have someone watching because they were told whether it's by day or by night, if the cloud moved, they were to move.
One other thing, by the way, God invented air conditioning. It was fire by night and cloud by day, and the cloud covered the camp. So I believe that the first air climate control took place back in the wilderness when God said, I'll keep you warm at night, deserts get cold, and I'll keep you cool in the day when there's a cloud that will go with you and cover the camp.
So God had these inventions figured out before we ever got here in this modern age. But the point is, human wisdom is not to guide the assembly. Just that one point. God will guide his people. Let's go over then to 1 Chronicles, the second last chapter.
1 Chronicles 28. The point that I will be making at the end will be very brief, so that's why I'm willing to read a number of scriptures, because it will all fit in very quickly without any effort on my part or yours.
Verse 11, 1 Chronicles 28. Then David gave to Solomon. Now we're leaving the tabernacle behind and we're coming to the temple. Then David gave to Solomon his son, the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasures thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlors thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat.
Notice verse 12, and the pattern of all that he had, how? By the spirit of the courts of the house of the Lord, and so on. So it came from God. Let's go over to chapter 7 of 2 Chronicles. They have done everything according to the pattern that David gave to Solomon, and it came from the Lord.
Verse 1, 2 Chronicles 7 and 1. Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices. Notice, and the glory of the Lord filled the house, and the priest could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house.
What a wonderful experience. The glory of the Lord filled the house. That's what we want. When we come together, we want to see the glory of the Lord. Go with me to the book of Ezekiel chapter 43. If Mr. Paisley would hear, he'd say it's in the clean part of your Bible, where your thumb has never gone.
So chapter 43 of Ezekiel, verse 1. You might remember, if you've read Ezekiel, I'm sure you have, that the glory departed around chapters 10 and 11, little by little, because of their departure, the glory of the Lord departed.
Now here we have the glory of the Lord coming back. Verse 41 of chapter 43. Afterward, he brought me to the gate, even to the gate that looketh toward the east. And behold, the glory of the Lord of Israel came from the way of the east, and his voice was like the noise of many waters, and the earth shined with his glory.
Wonderful. Here again, the temple is built, and the glory of God is filling the house. Now go way over to Revelation chapter 21. What I have in mind, and just a review for a moment, every time they built according to the pattern, the Lord's glory was seen.
And if you and I want to lose the glory of God in the local assembly, do things our own way. Rationalize and say, well, I don't see anything wrong with that. And sometimes we even use preachers as an example, because they're perfect.
We know that. And so, brother so-and-so does it, or brother so-and-so, and he's been in the work for many years, and he doesn't see anything wrong with it. I talk to him about it. And I say to that, so what?
If it's not in the word, don't do it, no matter who says it. And don't quote me as an authority, because there's only one authority, and I'm holding it in my hands. I'm not an authority. I might be a voice for God, I hope I'm that, but more than that, I have no authority.
There's only authority in this book. Revelation chapter 21, verse 11. First, let's read it, verse 9. And there came unto me one of the seven angels, which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, and I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. Notice again, having the glory of God. And a light was like unto a storm most precious, even like a jasper clears crystal.
Now let's go down the chapter to verse 22. And I saw no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Notice especially verse 23. The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. You know what that tells me? It did not need earthly illumination.
Even what God created, and he's created us with wisdom. But here, even what God created was not used to bring the glory of God. Neither the sun nor the moon were needed. Earthly illumination unnecessary.
And when it comes to a local assembly, we have to use wisdom to understand the word of God, of course. But it's not earthly ideas and earthly illumination we need in the assembly. We need the glory of God and his word to give us what he wants us and how he wants us to behave and conduct our gatherings.
Let me take you back to the verse before where our brothers started in 1 Corinthians chapter 14. We'll start at verse 23, three verses before. But it's verse 25 I'm thinking of. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place and all speak with tongues and there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
But if all prophesy and there come in one that believeth not or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all, and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest. And so falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth.
Here, a man comes in, a visitor, a stranger, and he sees the gathering if it's ordered properly. It wasn't being done that way in Corinth, but if it's ordered properly, he'll fall on his face and he'll say, God's here.
That happened in our family's experience. 1949, my mother was kind of anti-brethren. She was, as she called herself, a spiritual tramp. She went everywhere where she could hear the word of God. And she even preached in the open air.
And I said to her one time, Mother, God wouldn't help you when you preach in the open air. He'd never help a woman preach. And she said, he helped me in my ignorance at that time. And she and he, a father, they ran a little Baptist mission and they loved it there and they were loved by the people.
They didn't leave because of trouble. They actually got a letter of commendation from the Baptist church to the Gospel Hall. The hall didn't read it, but they wanted to know, are you people that are troublemakers and that's why you're leaving?
Or are you good standing there, the brethren in the Gospel Hall, where Brother Lavery is going to be in the near future. Parkgate Gospel Hall was the first place my parents met in Belfast in Northern Ireland.
So mother was a bit anti-brethren and father went out to the Parkgate Gospel Hall in Belfast. And the first visit makes me emotional because I thank God for my parents. He came back and he said, dear, I have found the place.
I have found the place. And she said, oh no, not the brethren. But she went along with him. She told the brethren, I don't believe that this is the right place, but I believe my place is beside my husband and I'm coming because of him.
And little by little she saw that this was her place. But my father that morning saw the glory of God in Parkgate Avenue Gospel Hall. The glory of God was in the place. That is what Paul has in mind in his writing.
Now I'm going to be very quick and down just in a few minutes because this is the main point I want to make, but I want to take you back to chapter one and go through this very quickly. Chapter 21, the first four chapters, you will notice, maybe not with me, but if you review it, you'll notice that the first four chapters are about the world.
The next three chapters are about the flesh. And then up to chapter 10, it is the idol's temple. It is the devil. The three enemies of the believers individually are the enemies of a local assembly as well.
Notice with me down, for example, let's start at verse 20. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? You'll notice the word world appears time and time again.
Verse 21, for after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. Let's go down the chapter further to verse 27. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty.
Now in chapter two, which we will just mention because I want to conserve time for another brother. In chapter two, Paul talks about his preaching. Chapter one, he talks about the gospel and it's a foolish message to the world.
So the preaching of the gospel, the preaching is not from this world. Chapter two, the power to preach the is not from this world. When you come to chapter three, he points out that the pattern is not from this world.
It is God's pattern. And he actually warns that if anyone affects that temple, verse 17, if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which temple he are.
And so the pattern is not from the world. Now let's go down to verse five of chapter four. Therefore, judge nothing before the time until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the heart.
Then shall every man have praise of God. Paul had said earlier in verse three, it's a small thing that people would judge him and be judged by man's judgment. And what is Paul saying? He's saying the praise is not from this world.
So the preaching is not from the world and the power is not from the world. And it's not innovation, trying new things that might work since the work's not going as well as we would like. It is getting back to the power of God in the local assembly.
And so the preaching is not of the world and the power is not of the world and the pattern is not from this world. And the praise will not be from this world. You will get opposition sometimes by going by the word of God.
Briefly, five, six, and seven. Five, it's the flesh. Chapter five, it has to be from the assembly. Chapter six, it has to be regulated within the assembly. And in chapter seven, you have what the medical profession calls prophylaxis, preventative medicine, before it even starts.
The regulation of the marriage relationships so that you don't have the flesh rising up. And then you go to eight, nine, and ten, and it's the idol's temple and the idea is fellowship. So what do we have?
Well, starting in chapter ten at the beginning, we have baptism. And then in chapter ten, what you have is a breaking of bread illustrating, not being carried out, but illustrating the idea of fellowship.
And that's why you have the cup mentioned before the bread. So you have, first of all, a person who's saved and some measure of departure from the world, controlling the flesh, and separation from the religious error and confusion of the world.
And now you have baptism and you have fellowship. And then when you come to chapter eleven, you have the breaking of bread. And that is the pattern. So just one thing, fellowship in the local assembly comes before the breaking of bread.
It's not an open table at the breaking of bread. A person has to be in the fellowship of the assembly. And then after you have the breaking of bread, of course, you do have the exercise of gift in the assembly, 12, 13, and 14.
And it goes on to the hope of the assembly in chapter 15, and the practical manifestation of ministering to one another and to others in chapter 16. This is a pattern of the New Testament, how things ought to be carried out.
But going back to my main point, if we carry out those things in the enjoyment of the Lord, the glory of the Lord will fill the place and we will be all around beholding him. And beholding him will make us change.
For a second Corinthians chapter three, we beholding the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image.