"Now when these things were done the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, . . . have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, . . . for they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons . . . and when I heard this thing, I rent my garment, . . . Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of God of Israel and I sat down astonied until the evening sacrifice.
"And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness, and having rent my garment and my mantle I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God, and said, O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee, . . . Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass . . . and now for a little space grace hath been showed from the Lord our God. . . . And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken the commandments, which Thou hast commanded, saying . . . give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons. … O Lord God of Israel . . . behold, we are before Thee in our trespasses. Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children:for the people wept very sore" (Ezra. 9:1-10:1).
Nothing is more plain in Scripture than that God forbids His people to form any alliance with the world. Israel was a type of us, as we know-and we have besides the teaching and the commandments of the New Testament; the unequal yoke forbidden of old, is forbidden, of course, to the Church-and if Israel's responsibility was great, how much greater is ours. If Ezra and those with him wept, and chastened their souls-what becomes us when souls turn aside to the world and despise the commandments of God?-now, with so much greater light.
We need to be aroused to the encroachment of the world. We must be awakened from self-indulgence to allow exercise to be produced that will lead to confession and crying to God. We must deplore any lack of united exercise; we should indeed pray for it, that deliverance and blessing may not be hindered; for it is never God's will that we should be delivered to do the will of the flesh, but that we should glorify Him; and therefore, that we should be delivered from every snare of Satan that would dishonor Him, and hinder the blessing of His people. We can count upon His help, but we are to diligently seek it, confessing our real condition. Note the deliverances to His people of old when they felt their condition, and cried to Him with sincere hearts and broken spirits. We have a notable case before us in Ezra; and there are many as we know, and very touching they are, as in the book of Judges, and in the books of Kings and the Chronicles.
Never did the Lord turn away from His people when they cried to Him. In Gideon's time (Judges 6:), "Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites," (the encroachments of the world) "and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, and it came to pass that when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites that the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel." The prophet rebuked them. God would not answer Saul at all even by ?. prophet, but He answered Israel's cry; better to be rebuked than to be left to ourselves. And then, after the rebuke, the Lord raised up Gideon, the "cutter down," as a deliverer; self-judgment was produced; idols were overthrown and the enemy was overcome.
Admonitions must be given, of course, and at times a rebuke; and parents are to govern their children; and when the assembly is, in the main, walking with God this will be done with effect and with blessing from God; but when the assembly has become enfeebled and the enemy has gained a foothold, confession and prayer is called for, unitedly, that deliverance may be wrought. We are all interested in one another, and in every family connected with the assembly, that all may be able to "keep rank."
When alliances with the world occur among us in marriage, in business, in joining benefit societies; when souls are turned by Satan in any way, Ezra's example tells us how we should be exercised that the Lord may deliver us from our peril and our shame.
But what can keep us from turning back to the world but having our hearts satisfied with Christ, finding joy in Him, as at first? "Seek those things which are above " and "mortify our members which are upon the earth."
This is our Gilgal to which we need ever to return. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth; for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God; when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth." The cross closed our life in the flesh; and we are risen with Christ, and are soon to appear with Him in glory. How deep and high and precious is the ground of this exhortation. In the power and blessing of this word, we can deny the lusts of the flesh. Can we think of Christ as our life and of our being dead with Him, and risen with Him and about to appear with Him in glory, and then indulge the lusts of the flesh, and turn aside to the world? The joy of this precious truth in the soul is victory over all temptations, as Israel went forth from Gilgal, where they were circumcised, to victory after they had crossed the Jordan.
May we turn again to the Lord with true hearts and present our bodies a living sacrifice to Him and be not conformed to the world. The world can only delude. God will fill the soul with joy and make Christ to be so precious to us that the heart will be preserved by its secret joy from all unrest, and from every snare of Satan.
Are we finding joy in the Lord ? If we are, we can contribute a portion towards the worship and happy service of the assembly. . If not, we are like a city with walls broken down and open to the enemy on every side. If not devoted Christians, we wrong one another, we hang like a dead weight on those who are faithful, and the marks of decay are seen in many ways. Ministry that is faithful, and with the comfort of the Spirit is lacking; gifts are not developed, meetings forsaken, and children seek satisfaction elsewhere, when they might have been led on in the way of deepening peace and joy by the knowledge of Christ.
May the Lord confirm what is true and faithful in the lives of any among us, and as to what we lack, may His grace work in us suitable exercises. If we do not judge ourselves, we must be judged. May restoring grace work blessing far and wide. The Lord make us so happy in the expectation of glory with Christ that we shall pass on undefiled by the world.
Are we willing to be exercised in soul before God as to our condition and the condition of the assembly? We are not called to self-indulgence, but to deny ourselves and to take up our cross and to follow Christ. We are soldiers of Christ, called to conflict, and His discipline and rebuke and chastening is to purify and lead to great blessing and usefulness. If we know the afflictions of Christ, we will know the consolations of Christ. May we love the Lord, and His people, and count upon His delight to bless them. E. S. L.