Preaching The Kingdom Of God

by Archibald, M. | Category: General | Aug 1991

I see people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations

How beautiful are your tents, 0 Jacob, your dwelling places, 0 Israel! Like

valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the

LORD, like cedars beside the waters (Num. 23:9; 24:5,6 NIV).

So the Spirit-given words sounded out from the prophet Balaam, to the dismay of the Moabite king. But although Israel seemed small among the nations - a nomadic people before the settled strength of the Canaanites their effect on those who encountered them was strangely powerful. Whether against the might of Egypt, or the pride of the Amorites, Israel had the victory. Further, Balaam was now impressed with the striking order of their encampment round the dwelling place of their God. It testified to an outstanding way of life, as well as to a force in battle with a reputation which travelled before them to the alarm of war-trained nations.

What was the secret of their power, their remarkable health and prosperity, and their distinctive order? It lay in being separated by obedience to the commandments of the true and living God. So also today, those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, who see the divine pattern of service in one house for God, and who humbly aspire to put it into practice, are faced with the challenge of being separated to a positive ideal: to have true fellowship with those who prize this unity, and to devote their all to this fellowship.

This challenge, then, is involved in the preaching of the kingdom of God according to our Lord's command. As in His last instruction to those who would follow Him:

Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations ... teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you (Mat. 28:19,20).

The Lord with all authority required those disciples to be taught to observe all His commands. The vision of His preachers was to include all nations, not just those that might be more ready to receive the gospel. They were not free to select just some of His commandments, whether so as to avoid disagreement over doctrine or to make the path easier for newcomers.

Some may say, however, that the issue for Israel at the plains of Moab was a moral one - to keep themselves from the temptations of the wanton women of a barbarous culture. True, Numbers 25 records the cost of that part of the danger. But there we see evil at its crudest. The enticement to carelessness in sexual immorality was directly connected with other distortions of good conduct practised by the Moabites and other peoples of the area (e.g. Lev. 18:21), and they were all given licence by the misconceptions of deity which formed their religion. Departure from the truth about God leads sooner or later to the corruption of proper respect for our fellow-men. The doctrine of man's relationship to God is inseparably linked with the practicality of holy living. Surely this was set forth in the Ten Commandments; and is one message from the Lord's prayer of John 17. He prayed that His disciples might be united by love. founded in divine truth, for these belong together and support each other. The appreciation of the character of the true and living God that Israel enjoyed through His "oracles" of His holiness and His love - was a foundation for the moral standards of daily conduct.

Returning to Israel's relations with the peoples around them, it is instructive for our preaching to note the responsibility the priests had to teach God's law among His people and any who, after the first purging of the land, wished to enter their congregation. In the wilderness there was a "mixed multitude" that had joined the exodus from Egypt, increasing the task for the teachers. Yet there was the daily marvel of the pillar of cloud going before the marching column, or rising from above the Tent of the presence of God. Many times the priest would be strengthened by appeal to the wonder of that sacred Tent in the centre, when calling the people to sanctification, consideration for one another, and loyal separation to an ordered service.

In the Land, each course of priests went home to their cities from the Tabernacle service chastened by the experience of the daily flow of offerers seeking covering for failure, and also elevated by worshippers bringing free will and whole burnt offerings in appreciation of their God. They could reinforce their instruction of the Law (or teaching) with. memories. of that noble service in the place that God said he had chosen, to cause His Name to dwell there. With what delight would later generations describe the music of the Temple where everything said glory!

Thus a people tutored in the justice and mercy of Jehovah were to bear testimony to the nations around them, and to' those Who came to learn their ways and live among the blessing enjoyed i)y the faithful. in "the pleasant land". It was with. this vision in the large heart of their king that the Temple was dedicated:

concerning the stranger, that is not of Thy people Israel, when .he shall come out of afar country for Thy Name's sake; For they shall hear of Thy great Name and Thy mighty hand. and of Thy stretched out arm) that all the peoples of the earth may know Thy Name to fear Thee (1 Kings 8:41-43)

Yet as early as the reign of Asa in Judah when it was recorded that Israel had been for long seasons... without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law (2 Chi. 15:3), the prophet Azariah reminded Judah that "The LORD is with you, while ye be with Him". So may it be today that

we hold fast to the principles of the Faith. For what would God think of a people that profess to serve Him according to the scriptural pattern of His house, yet doubt that He will supply all our need? We must guard young disciples from worldly ways and false teaching or we stand to lose our spiritual character and our young people as well.

Yes, we may fear when numbers are very small and saints may become discouraged. There is also the danger that assemblies could become "at ease in Zion" and no longer reach Out to the unsaved, or cease to go after believers that are seeking more truth. But let our response be to humble ourselves before the Lord, and give ourselves to prayer, that we might learn again how to preach Christ so that listeners are convicted and disciples won; how to care and provide for our youth so that they may value the assembly meetings and conferences; how to minister the Word so that saints are edified and exercised in faith!

This was the call from Hezekiah to those of the northern kingdom to return to Jerusalem to keep the passover at one altar:

yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into His sanctuary . . for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and, will not turn away His face from you. if ye return unto Him (2 Chr. 30:8,9).

There were many who laughed the royal messengers to scorn and mocked, but others out of the three tribes:

humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. Also in Judah was the hand of God to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of the LORD (2 Chr. 30:11,12).

What though there were only a few generations till faithless men lost the house, city, land and kingdom? Those who prized the divine way of service, and the call of the king, had gladly obeyed. There was great joy in Jerusalem, and their example shone in Scripture to encourage the remnant that returned in 530 BC, and the remnant of this dispensation in the 1890's. Shall this remnant in the 1990's not take courage, to build, and to preach the whole counsel of God in faith?

Archibald, M. | Aug 1991
General