Jottings

by J. Miller | Category: Jottings | Feb 1959

Isaiah 56.1-8 is a paragraph of exhortation to such as do right and one of encouragement to strangers and eunuchs. It has the day of millennial glory in view, for the LORD says, in the light of men keeping judgement and righteousness, "My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed." It is God's will for us too, in this dispensation of grace, to keep judgement and to do righteousness, in the light of the Lord's coming again, for that day of Christ is fast approaching, when each man's work shall be tried by fire and revealed as to what sort it is. Alas, if; through failing to keep judgement and to do righteousness, the fiery trial of that day should consume all with the eternal loss that will mean to whomsoever it may be. The solemnity of the judgement seat of Christ, one fears, does not bear as heavily on the conscience of each of us as it ought. The Lord's coming and His judgement seat should have a corrective effect on all our lives.

In this matter of doing right two things are particularly mentioned, (1) the keeping of the sabbath, and (2) keeping one's hand from doing any evil. The Lord often breached the Pharisees' conception of the sabbath day. Theirs was a rigid sanctimonious observance of the day, without any holiness of heart befitting a day set apart to the LORD. The Lord showed by His actions that it was proper to do good on the sabbath, and this He often did in healing in synagogues and in the streets where He found the diseased and afflicted people. Evil-doing is against all laws, the law of conscience, of Moses and of Christ.

Certain strangers were strictly banned under the law from entering into the assembly of the LORD, the Ammonite and the Moabite, for instance (Deuteronomy 23.3, 4). God said, "Even to the tenth generation shall none belonging to them enter into the assembly of the Loan for ever". The reason for this ban is given, and that was because they met not the children of Israel on their journey from Egypt to Canaan with bread and water, and hired Balaam to curse them. Ammon and Moab were the children of Lot's daughters, born as the result of these daughters' incestuous agreement. For a period of limited duration, for more than two hundred years, they were to be kept outside Israel and the service of God.

Then the eunuch, too, under the law (Deuteronomy 23.1), could not enter into the assembly of the Loan. The eunuch was not to say, "Behold, I am a dry tree," because it was impossible for him to bear fruit in the procreation of the human species. He could not comply with that command of God, "Be fruitful, and multiply" (Genesis 1. 28; 9.1, 7). The eunuch could only look forward in hopelessness that his name would one day perish from his people and from the gate of his place (Deuteronomy 25.5, 6; Ruth 4.10). But this will not befall the godly eunuch in the future, when that order which was according to the flesh shall perish and that which is according to the Spirit shall remain. The eunuch's name will not perish.

"Far thus saith the Loan of the eunuchs that keep My sabbaths, and choose the things that please Me, and hold fast by My covenant: unto them will I give in Mine house and within My walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters I wilt give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off (Isaiah 56.4,5)."

This is something very much better than having sons and daughters to perpetuate tile name of a man in Israel and in tile gate of his place. Within God's house and walls the godly eunuch will have a memorial and a name in days of millennial glory, yea, he will have an everlasting name which will not be cut off Here is the spiritual order which will succeed the natural, and the eternal which will succeed the temporal.

Was Daniel one of the eunuchs in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon? With his companions he was under the care of Ashpenaz the master and prince of the eunuchs (Daniel 1.3, 7, 8). The sons of Hezekiah were to become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon (2 Kings 20.18). If Daniel was a eunuch, was this the reason that we do not read of his return to Jerusalem with the Remnant? or was it because of age he did not return? He will nevertheless enjoy to the full the blessedness of Isaiah 56.4, 5.

Besides eunuchs that are made by men, "there are eunuchs, which made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it let him receive it" (Matthew 19. 12).

Having been concerned with the encouragement and promises given to strangers and eunuchs, in Isaiah 56.1-8, especially paying attention to what is said about eunuchs, I wish now to say a little about strangers joining themselves to the Lord.

"Neither let the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Loan, speak, saying, the Loan will surely separate me from His people" (verse 8).

What does it mean, this strangers joining themselves to the LORD? The Hebrew word for "join" is Lavah, which means to adhere, to be joined closely, to entwine, unite, cleave. It is used first of all by Leah when she gave birth to her third son, "Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi". Levi is derived from Lavah and is of similar meaning.

The words of Jacob on his deathbed, concerning the action of Simeon and Levi in slaying the men of Shechem, were, "Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel" (Genesis 49.7). Thus the tribe of Levi was scattered in all the tribes of Israel, dwelling in the cities with their suburbs assigned to them; when the land was divided among the tribes they were given no land. Yet it is pleasant to think that the Levites, and the priests of the house of Aaron, who were also of the tribe of Levi, were joined together.

"The Loan said unto Aaron ... thy brethren also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou near with thee, that they may be joined (Lavah) unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall be before the tent of the testimony ... and they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, far all the service of the

Tent:and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.

And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar" (Numbers 18.1-5).

Thus we see this scattered tribe beautifully joined in divine service, the priests, the sons of Aaron, having the service of the Sanctuary allotted to them, the vessels, and the altar, whilst the Levites attended to the Tent and all external matters which pertained to God's dwelling place. The Levites were scattered yet joined.

Similar to this is the fact of the scattering of mankind into tribes and nations (Genesis ii. 1-9). The causes of the scattering of the nations and of Levi were different, but the results were similar, they each were scattered in their families and dwelt far from each other. But whilst this was so, yet it was God's ultimate will that they should be joined together in divine service.

Certain restrictions were placed upon the Ammonites and the Moabites from entering the assembly of the Loan, even to the tenth generation none belonging to them could enter the assembly of the Loan. But in the case of Ruth the Moabitess the truth of redemption triumphed, and she, a Moabite stranger, found redemption's rest in Israel, and there she became the great grandmother of David, but it is doubtful whether she lived to see her fair great grandchild who was to become so illustrious a servant of the Lord.

The Edomite and the Egyptian could enter the assembly of the Loan in the third generation (Deuteronomy 23.3-8).

As far as I am aware, there were no other restrictions upon strangers of the nations joining themselves to the LORD and to His people. Should strangers join themselves to the Loan to be part of Israel, then all the males must be circumcised. Then the same law applied to them as to the Israelite.

"One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you" (Exodus 12.49).

It is a delightful subject, the stranger joining himself to the Loan and His people, but because of lack of space we can only make quotations.

"Far the LORD will hove compassion on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the stranger shall join (Lavah) himself with them, and shall cleave to the house of Jacob " (Isaiah 14.1).

"And many nations shall join (Lavah) themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be My people: cod I will dwell in the midst of thee" (Zechariah 2.11).

Thus the words of Isaiah 56. 6-8 will he fully fulfilled.

J. Miller | Feb 1959
Jottings