Whispers of the New Covenant (1)
"The letter of the Law leads to the death of the soul; the Spirit of God alone can give life to the soul. The administration of the Law which was engraved in stone (and leads to spiritual death) was so magnificent that the Israelites were unable to look unflinchingly at Moses' face, for it was alight with heavenly splendor. Now if the old administration held such heavenly, even though transitory, splendor, can we not see what a much more glorious thing is the new administration of the Spirit of life." (2 Corinthians 3:6-8, Phillips).
There is a very strange malady that affects much of Christendom, a peculiar
disorder that is hard to reconcile with world progress in general. When
it comes to the affairs of natural development, no expense or effort is
spared to advance with the latest techniques. But when it comes to spiritual
development, strangely enough, men are afraid to move on with God, but
they stubbornly cling to old traditions, and insist that the first glory
be repeated over and over again. Jesus faced this in His day, and said,
"No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith,
The old is better." (Luke 5:39).
Let us make it very clear, we have no desire to simply "update religion,"
nor to modernize form and ceremony to keep them in harmony with worldly
times. But we truly desire to follow on to KNOW THE LORD in the reality
of HIS SPIRIT OF LIFE as pertains to the new covenant. Thus we find it
imperative that we walk softly before God, and make the transition out
of the stone age of the first covenant, into the life of the new-- in Christ.
Briefly note the introduction of the administration of that which was written
in stone. "And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to Me into the mount,
and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments
which I have written; that thou mayest teach them." (Exodus 24:12).
"And He gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of communing with him
upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with
the finger of God." (Exodus 31:18).
Two tables of testimony-- literally, OF WITNESS. They were a written declaration
of God's will for man. ENGRAVEN IN STONE as a further confirmation that
they were to be enduring and unchangeable. When God gives a Word, He does
not alter it at a later occasion, adjusting it to a new situation. Because
He is omniscient ( all knowing, infinitely wise ), He knows what all future
happenings, needs and requirements will be, and He has already taken them
into consideration. Thus HIS LAW (His will) shall stand throughout all
generations-- its required holiness is unchangeable. The standard shall
never be lowered. "For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify
yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy." (Leviticus 11:44).
The requirements of holiness are never changed. What desperately needed
changing was the ADMINISTRATION-- so that it would be wrought BY THE SPIRIT,
by the indwelling Christ, and not by the efforts of the flesh.
TABLES OF STONE. Herein lies the limitation of this covenant with man.
The "STONE" becomes a powerful symbol of this ministration of the law.
It was CLEARLY WRITTEN, indeed, by the very "finger of God." There was
no mistaking its message. There were no obscure passages that required
intense scholarly effort to learn what it was that God required of them.
It was clear cut-- do this, and live; don't do this, under penalty of death.
But it was apart from man, it was not internally made apart of his nature,
but written outside of man, on these specially prepared tables of stone.
They could see it, they could read it, but they were dependent upon their
own abilities and strengths to carry it out. This was the WEAKNESS of this
ministration-- of this order. "The Law never succeeded in producing
righteousness-- the failure was always the weakness of human nature."
(Romans 8:3, Phillips).
For this reason, Paul writes, "The commandment, which was meant to be a
direction to life, I found was a sentence to death." (Romans 7:10, Phillips).
For remember, they were called tables of witness, and while they gave testimony
to the right way, they also gave witness against whoever could not meet
the standard. To add to the distress, Paul points out, that it was BY THE
LAW that he gained a knowledge of sin. "I had not known sin, but by the
law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not
covet." (Romans 7:7).
Example, the children are out playing in the yard, blissfully unaware that
their mother is baking cookies. They are not hungry, so the thought of
cookies doesn't even enter their mind. Then mother comes out with a small
plate of cookies to take to a neighbor, and she pauses to admonish the
children, "Don't you dare touch those cookies cooling on the table." At
that moment the law is given-- and suddenly the children are both aware
that there are cookies, and they find they are awakened to a desire for
them. Had mother never mentioned them, they could have kept at their play
without any temptation to go see the cookies. But I now, with the KNOWLEDGE
GAINED BY THE SPOKEN LAW OF MOTHER, sin was waiting to ensnare. "For where
no law is, there is no transgression." (Romans 4:15). But the law gave
knowledge of sin, and the wickedness of the human heart was alerted, and
the flesh was too weak to resist-- so the law was broken. And now the law
was a witness against them, for mother could say, "I told you not to touch
the cookies." But what mother could not do was impart the strength for
obedience. She could threaten them with punishment, but the obedience had
to come from within, and if we could borrow the words, "The spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Evidence of the weakness of the flesh is all about us. Man has the knowledge
of what will happen if he goes against all the laws of nature, the laws
of society; moral laws, spiritual laws, civic laws, etc. Yet the depravity
of the flesh causes disobedience, and the consequences multiply-- the prisons
are overflowing, disease and sickness grip the human race, homes are broken,
abuse abounds, and the wickedness of man is horrendous. Obviously the order
is NOT WORKING-- it is a ministration resulting in death. Yet the LAWS
remain, and are a solid WITNESS AGAINST every one that disobeys. More laws
will not help the situation! Only an impartation of a NEW MINISTRATION
of an INNER SPIRIT OF DIVINE LIFE can bring man into victory.
An interesting event occurred with Joshua and the children of Israel. Brought
into the land of Canaan, ready to establish their homes and settle down
to live in their inheritance, Joshua gave a strong challenge to the people.
"And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for He is an
holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions
nor your sins. If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then He
will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that He hath done you
good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord."
(Joshua 24:19-21). Thus they made their covenant-- choosing to serve the
Lord.
"Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great
stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the
Lord. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be
a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which He
spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your
God." (Joshua 24:26-27).
THE STONE WAS A WITNESS, for it
had HEARD the words of the Lord. As a visible pillar it would remind them
of this time when they covenanted to serve the Lord. To pass by and see
it, they would remember their vow-- how they had chosen to server God.
But it was far more than Just a SILENT WITNESS, for the STONE HEARD-- it
had received and stored into itself the word of the Lord, and yes, the
confession of the people. Should there come a day when they would deny
the Lord, if God chose to release the SOUND VIBRATIONS WHICH WERE STORED
UP IN THE STONE, it would be a witness against them. If they lived out
that which they had covenanted to do, it would remain a witness FOR them.
"Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O EARTH, the words
of My mouth." (Deuteronomy 32:1). The WORD has gone forth, the EARTH, yea,
even the STONES of the earth have heard it, received it, stored it up within
them. Insomuch that Jesus said, at the time the Pharisees complained about
the people shouting praises to Jesus on His triumphal entry to Jerusalem,
"I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, THE STONES WOULD IMMEDIATELY
CRY OUT." (Luke 19:40). And what praises the STONES could give to their
Creator.
The prophet Habakkuk spoke of these things. "For the STONE SHALL CRY OUT
OF THE WALL, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. " (Habakkuk
2: 11 ).
From ancient writings, Juvenal (the Roman poet) has a passage which well
illustrates this:
"Should trembling slaves not dare to squeak,
Beasts, dogs, and posts, and marble walls shall speak."
But from our present day comes another illustration: The report has been
recorded of how a certain man in England watched a program on his television
that was broadcast from the United States. He was so impressed on receiving
a program that originated so far away, that he wrote down the call letters
and location of the station that did the broadcasting, and wrote to them
of the remarkable fact that he had received their program from so many
thousand miles away. But then the astonishing report came back to him that
the station had been off the air for over three years. So the question
was: Where had those electrical sound waves been stored? It is one of the
phenomenon of nature, that those electrical sound waves had been held in
the atmosphere, and with the conditions just right, had been received by
the Englishman's television set.
This certainly gives another dimension of meaning to the scripture, "For
by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."
(Matthew 12:37). If God releases from the earth the sound of our own words,
how often would we stand in shame before Him? Such is the ministration
of the first covenant, with THE STONES retained as a witness, and often
working against us. Yet how precious is the ministration of the new
covenant, wherein He states, "I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,
and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews
8:12). Yea, "Not imputing their trespasses unto them." (2 Corinthians 5:19).
Bless His wonderful name!
How tremendous is the promise, "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy
transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." (Isaiah
43:25). Again, "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions,
and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee. Sing,
O heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth:
break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein:
for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel."
(Isaiah 44:22-23).
BLOTTED OUT-- the Hebrew word is "machah" meaning: to rub or wipe off,
thus, by implication, to erase. Herein is the MERCY and LOVE and GRACE
of our Lord. With the atmosphere filled with the sound of our iniquities,
as thick clouds stored in His treasuries; and with the earth itself, stones
and all, retaining the sound vibrations that will witness against us; He
shall cause "the heavens to pass away with a great noise, and the elements
to melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein
shall be burned up." (AND THEN). "We, according to His promise, look for
new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter
3:10, 13). (Editor's note: We, the children of God, we the body of Christ
are righteous for Christ Jesus covered us by His blood and has made us
righteous. We are the new heavens ( the new order of things) and we are
the new earth). That's redemption!
The first covenant retained the witness in STONE-- a witness that surely
goes against us. But He purposes to WIPE IT ALL AWAY, blot it out, erase
it, till there is nothing remaining which is against us, while GOD HIMSELF
IS FOR US. Then let the mountains "break forth into singing," for it
shall be totally of praise and glory to our God!
Might we insert a special word right here: So often men are prone to document
all their grievances-- writing down so as to have a record, and as the
occasion arises, they bring out this witness against another, in judicial
court, or however used. They follow the ways of the STONE AGE, and use
the evidence to stone another. If you never write those negatives in a
letter to another, it will never be there-- in written record, to condemn
at a later time, and witness against you. Thus, we find the holy Spirit
checking us again and again from all this documenting of events and happenings--
if it is negative, forgive and release it immediately, and there is no
need to keep a record, a score card, a tally sheet. There is no "written
in stone" witness retained against another, nor one that remains ready
to fall on you. BLOT OUT WITH FORGIVENESS IMMEDIATELY-- it is a characteristic
of the new covenant ministration, which does not impute iniquity.
Yes, "Our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers
of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter
killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." (2 Corinthians 3:5-6).
Not of the letter-- significant that the same Greek word "gramma" which
is given as "letter," is also used in the phrase "WRITTEN in stone." The
letter of the stone! When the law was written in tablets of stone, people
have found cause to stone others with it ever since. They throw out their
"thou shalt not," at every twist and turn. But for all their stoning of
another, they cannot change the inner nature. Thus it became a ministration
of condemnation and death.
"Moreover, you shall say to the Israelites, Anyone of the Israelites, or
of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, who gives any of his children
to Molech (the fire god, worshipped with human sacrifices) shall surely
be put to death, the people of the land shall stone him with stones." (Leviticus 20:2,
Amplified).
"A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard,
shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones." (Leviticus
20:27).
While several other passages could be cited, these are enough to reveal
that under this ministration of the law, anyone that disobeyed the specific
laws that were given, "they shall stone them with stones." One of those
explicit laws was concerning adultery. Exodus 20:14, "Thou shalt not commit
adultery." Therefore, "The adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be
put to death." (Leviticus 20:10). The commandment was written in stone,
and those who disobeyed it were stoned with stones.
"The scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery;
and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto Him, Master, this
woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded
us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest Thou?" (John 8:3-5).
How quickly they were ready to stone-- for all they had was the letter
written in stone. By His message and action they knew that Jesus was OF
ANOTHER ORDER, and they would tempt Him, test His way concerning this.
Jesus knew that they were not ready to walk a path of love and forgiveness
BY THE SPIRIT, and so He dealt with them on their own level. "And said
unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone
at her." (John 8:7). He left them on the STONE-LEVEL, but turned them
inward just enough so that their own conscience convicted (or shall we
say, stoned) them, and they slipped away.
All of this action of the stone has one result, it is a ministration unto
death. Stephen had dared to touch the temple, challenging their whole religious
order, how they "received the law by the disposition of angels, and have
not kept it." (Acts 7:53). And what happened? They "cast him out of the
city and stoned him," so that he died. The stone age leads to death!
Even Israel's God, in Old Testament times, was likened unto a Rock. "For
their rock (gods of the heathen) is not as our Rock (God of Israel), even
our enemies themselves being judges." (Deuteronomy 32:31 ).
Certainly one can draw positive applications from this, lifting it up to
spiritual realities, but the figure remains, the types and shadows were
in the outward, the letter, the stone. But Jesus taught, "God is a Spirit:
and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." (John
4:24).
Jesus knew the mentality of those held in the ministration of the law,
He knew of their stony nature, so He used the same metaphor to teach them,
saying, "Whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever
it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." (Matthew 21:44). If you are
in the STONE AGE, you will be dealt with as stones, and the GREAT STONE
will fall on you, and utterly diminish you.
Yes, we know there is a precious message here, and we thrill to the fact
that we can fall on Him, and be broken, and with the sharing of His cross,
the fellowship of His sufferings, also come into the sharing of His life.
But the fact remains-- the terminology is of stones.
From the life of Jacob we draw another illustration. Jacob had fled from
his brother Esau, spent the night in a lonely place, with stones for his
pillows, and went to sleep. He had a dream, and received a tremendous promise
from God, that God would be with him and bring him safely back to his father's
house. "Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he
had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon
the top of it. -And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me,
and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat,
and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace;
then shall the Lord be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar,
shall be God's house: and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely
give the tenth unto Thee." (Genesis 28:18, 20-22).
Over and over this has been lived out by many people. They take the LAW
and try to use it for their pillow (to rest their head, mind, upon) through
the long dark night. It has not been without its visitation of God, yet
whenever they are touched by His presence they are amazed. So they follow
in step with Jacob. They are ready to "make a deal with God." If God will
do such and such, then they will serve Him, He can be their God, and if
He really prospers them, they will even pay their tithes. While this actual
happening to Jacob was "before the law," yet it holds all the earmarks
of that which followed in the stone age. I will serve God, I will do all
my works-- but I will also expect God to bless and honor me for it. And
the ministration of the law worked on that principle. "That the man which
doeth those things shall live by them." (Romans 10:5). On the basis of
their works, men will try to bargain for prosperity here on earth, and
a place in heaven.
"Then Jacob went on his journey, -and he looked, and beheld a well in the
field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of
that well they watered the flocks: and a great STONE was upon the well's
mouth." (Genesis 29:1-2).
The applications are many, and one ought not to press any parable
too far lest they distort the truth. We note there were three flocks of
sheep at the well. Body, soul, and spirit, all three realms desperately
need the water of life from this well. Also, mankind had been divided into
three major races, and it is imperative that all races of men drink deep
of this water of life. Yet there has been a GREAT STONE upon the mouth
of the well. The dispensation, ministration of the law has been as a great
stone which has hindered, more than helped, to obtain that water.
"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the
Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation."
(Isaiah 12:2-3).
Yes, God has been our SALVATION all through the ministration of the law,
and any time we could get past the STONE we could draw water and be refreshed.
Jacob observed the situation, and began asking questions, (most religious
organizations prefer you not ask too many questions, they just want you
to accept their system as it is). But what Jacob wanted to know was: Why
are all the flocks gathered and lying around? Water them, and send them
out to feed, AND GROW. "And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks
be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth;
then we water the sheep." (Genesis 29:8). This was too much for Jacob,
he would not play their games and wait-- he "went near, and rolled the
stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock"
Thank God, He has always had a few, those stalwart men of FAITH, who have
dared to by-pass the religious systems of man, even go past the STONE,
"And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world ( age)
to come. " (Hebrews 6:5). These have truly drawn water out of the well
to water the sheep.
But we are now reminded of another day, and another well to which the thirsty
would come for water, and on this occasion the woman who came to draw,
found that "JESUS... sat thus on the well." (John 4:6). This was no STONE
ministration now, here was the NEW ORDER, the SPIRIT OF LIFE, and while
the woman had to "go through Him," to get to the water, He promised her,
"The
water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up
into everlasting life." (verse 14). No more works, no more DRAWING, but
the reality of His INDWELLING LIFE would cause a springing up-- the out
flowing life of the Spirit, to thoroughly refresh so that one never need
thirst again.
THAT IS THE VICTORY OF THE NEW COVENANT ORDER!
Yes, there is a well-spring of living water, yet for many long years there
has been a STONE, (law-ministration) which has covered the well, and far
too few have been able to partake of its life-flow. Yet JESUS CAME,
fulfilled all the requirements of the law, and SAT DOWN ON THE WELL-- so
that now all of its life-flow is available through Him. He offers no restrictions,
but calls out to mankind, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and
drink. He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38).
"And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take
the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17). Praise God!
There are not a lot of strenuous requirements of DO this, DO that, before
receiving of His life. Men do not have to fashion special buckets, make
long ropes, work hard to get the bucket into the well, and labor even more
to pull up a small amount of water. It is not because of much fasting,
shouting, clapping, praying, singing, and whatever other religious exercise
one might conceive that enables us to have a drink of the WATER OF LIFE.
Hear it, beloved reader, all He says is "COME, and DRINK." The STONE (law-ministration)
has been removed from covering the well, and HE is there to freely impart
of His life to those who believe in Him.
Again an illustration from the life of Moses. WORKS, DOING, was the fundamental
basis of the old ministration, so that even Moses fell into its practice,
and carried it too far. Israel had come into a desert area without water,
"And
the Lord spake unto Moses... speak ye unto the Rock before their eyes;
and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water
out of the Rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts to
drink." (Numbers 20:8). But Moses was hard pressed with the strain of the
murmuring people, "Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly
with his lips." (Psalm 106:33). So when they gathered the people together
before the Rock, "He said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch
you water out of this Rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his
rod he smote the Rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the
congregation drank, and their beasts." (Numbers 20:10-11).
What condemnation Moses uttered against the people. And then almost as
if to think that it was he, by his works, that would fetch out the water,
so that he smote the Rock twice. Ah, we shall not think too negatively
of Moses in this-- he was demonstrating the weakness of the flesh to cope
with such pressures. And it all serves to point out a pertinent truth--
We don't have to BEAT ON THE ROCK to receive His life-giving water.
Just speak-- "Ask, and it shall be given you... for everyone that asketh
receiveth; ...shall our Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that
ask Him." (Luke 11:9-10, 13).
SMITING THE ROCK is still deeply entrenched in Christendom even in this
day. How misguidedly they quote, "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence,
and the violent take it by force." (Matthew 11:12). Supposing that this
gives them the right (authority) to violently DEMAND that God impart to
them the blessings of His kingdom. The Kingdom is HIS, the right to command
is HIS, He is to RULE IN US, we are not to exercise some kind of authority
over Him. HE gives the orders, we yield in obedience. We do not seize it
by force. Well Jesus said, "The good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of
God is being preached, and every one strives violently to go in -would
force his own way in rather than God's way into it." (Luke 16:16, Amplified).
It is this trying to FORCE OUR OWN WILL, OUR WAY, that is doing violence
to the kingdom-- it is smiting the Rock again. But in the ministration
of the New Covenant there is no smiting the Rock, for we bow low before
Him to worship Him for all His ways, and in total surrender from every
atom of our being, we cry out, "Not my will, but Thine, be done. "
It was stated that because of his attitude and action, Moses did not glorify
God at the waters of Meribah, and, faithful servant that he was, because
of this short-coming he was not allowed to lead the children of Israel
into their promised land. Neither does any of the STONE AGE, law ministration
bring us into the fullness of divine life. Yet "Moses verily was faithful
in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were
to be spoken after. But Christ as a son over His own house; whose house
are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm
unto the end. " (Hebrews 3:5-6).
Praise God, the ministration of TAKE IT BY FORCE, "do this, and thou shalt
live," has been replaced with a far more excellent way. CHRIST has come--
not as a stone covering the well, but as a NEW AND LIVING WAY into the
fullness of life. What shall we do? is the often asked question of the old
order. But, "Christ in you" as the well of living water, is the glorious
ministration of the new covenant.
How this was tested at the time of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness.
"The devil said unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone
that it be made bread." (Luke 4:3). There are so many beautiful applications
of truth from the Scriptures, permit us to draw one more from this: "For
the Bread of God is HE which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto
the world." (John 6:33). HE WAS THAT LIVING BREAD. Yet the temptation
of the adversary was that He just cause the STONE to become bread. Carry
on with the old STONE AGE MINISTRATION, don't go on to become that NEW
ORDER BREAD that feeds the hungry and fully satisfies. Jesus answered,
"It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word
of God." Full well He knew that there was a FAR BETTER expression of THE
WORD OF GOD that was being unveiled, and it would feed the hungry of this
world in a way that former things could never satisfy. Stones turned into
bread are not enough. We desperately need to be "filled with all the fullness
of God." (Ephesians 3:19): And where is that fullness to be found? "It pleased
the Father that in Him (Christ) should all fullness dwell." (Colossians
1:19). Yea, "For it is in Him that all the fullness of Deity continues
to live embodied, and through union with Him you too are filled with it."
(Colossians 2:9-10, Williams).
When the stone was rolled away from the tomb, and Jesus Christ came
forth in resurrection life, it truly signaled the end of the stone
age-- rolled away, to release His New Covenant Life. Some may try to roll
the stone back in place, to resume the ministration of the law, but
it is too late! HE IS RISEN, and the Spirit of His Life cannot be confined
in a tomb-- nor restrained by the STONE AGE, but He is free to bring us
into the fullness of His life and glory.
Significant that after Pentecost, and Peter's infilling with the holy Spirit,
that we see in his message a transition also out of the stone age. We read
that we are come "as unto a LIVING Stone, disallowed indeed of men,
but chosen of God, and precious. Ye also, as LIVELY stones, are built up
a SPIRITUAL HOUSE, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2.4-5).
In Him the LIVING STONE all the stones have COME ALIVE, and as soon as
they are FILLED WITH HIS LIFE, we can drop the term "stones," and talk
about being A SPIRITUAL HOUSE, with the offering up of SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES.
Everything is being called to the higher dimensions, no more to be of the
letter, but of the Spirit, the reality of His divine life.
Some try to turn stones
into bread,
And find they feed
on grit instead,
Because they are not
fed thereby--
They pick up stones
and let them fly,
A ministration
of death!
In Christ we have the
Living Bread,
And by His life are
richly fed,
He is within our righteousness,
How fully He doth save
and bless--
A ministration
of life!
The contrast of the
old and new,
Two ministrations stand
in view,
Praise God, the stone
age passed away,
Christ dwells within,
has come to stay,
A ministration
of rest!
That one in Him we
might become,
His grace and mercy
fill the sum,
His holy nature is
our law,
No more from other
wells to draw--
A ministration
of peace!