The
Spirit of the Word
"The words that
I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." Jesus
"The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." Paul
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by Ray and Doris
Prinzing
No. 37
WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE─OF
MERCY
Belshazzar made a great feast for a
thousand of his lords, and proceeded to drink wine out of the golden vessels
which they had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, while they praised their own
idols. Suddenly their appeared the fingers of a man's hand writing on the wall,
and the king was greatly troubled. When none of his own astrologers, Chaldeans,
soothsayers and wise men could read what was written, and interpret it, they
finally sent for Daniel, who was able to give the message to the king. Our
particular interest right now is in just one of the four words written: Daniel
5:27.
"Te-kel; you are weighed in the balances, and
art found wanting."
Out of deep concern for a certain individual, I was praying one day, and out of
my mouth came the words, "weighed in the balance," and I spoke this several
times, when suddenly the Spirit finished the sentence, "of mercy," and I knew it
was the word of the Lord. Certainly there is a sense in which we all "are found
wanting," "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Rom.
3:23). But the Spirit was imparting a message beyond this, giving tremendous
encouragement, that this one for whom I was praying was "WEIGHED IN THE
BALANCE OF MERCY." out of this quickening came the following thoughts to
share.
The Hebrew word for "balances," is "moznayim" meaning: a pair of scales. It
speaks of a beam supported exactly in the middle, having a scale suspended on
either end. On one scale is placed a certain weight (be it a pound, or
whatever), and on the other scale they place what is being weighed out to that
amount. When both scales are in perfect balance with each other, they know that
the commodity being measured out is exact with the weight on the other scale.
Often, the first time a word is used in the Scripture sets its meaning, or
standard. The first time "balances," is used is in Leviticus 19:35-36, "You
shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length or weight or
quantity. You shall have accurate and just balances, just weights, just ephah
and hin measures. I am the Lord your God." (Amplified).
9God set the standard, there must be ACCURATE AND JUST BALANCES. "A false
balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is His delight." (Prov.
11:1). God Himself is the final Authority on weights and measures, for HE IS
RIGHTEOUSNESS PERSONIFIED. There were those corrupt men that would place a
false bottom in a measuring vessel, and thus not give a true measure. Or, they
had false weights which might be marked for a certain weight, but were actually
less. Such balances of deceit are truly an abomination to our God who is
righteous and true. His righteousness, His holiness, His glory IS THE WEIGHT on
the scale on one side, and all else must be weighed over against this standard.
And He has purposed a day when all shall be brought into account. For
Belshazzar that hour had come— and when he was placed in the DIVINE BALANCES, he
was found wanting. The Hebrew word is "chassir" from a root corresponding to
"chaser" which means: to be deficient, lacking. Belshazzar was given over to
having "party-time," making mockery of the sacred vessels of the temple,
directing worship to his own idols, he certainly was coming far short of
holiness and giving glory to God, suddenly it was reckoning time, and he was
called into account.
In distinct contrast to this, David declared, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall
not want." (Ps. 23:1). I shall not be deficient, be lacking. Or, to use the
New Testament phraseology, "I shall not come short of the glory of God." How can
this be? Because the LORD, who is my Shepherd, will make sure that all is in
balance— He will lead me beside the waters where I might be refreshed, He will
cause me to lie down in green pastures where I am richly fed. Yes, my Shepherd
will make sure that I do not COME SHORT. The responsibility to make sure that
there is no lack is on the Shepherd's part— "For He is our God; and we are the
people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand." (Psalm 95:7). The challenge
on our part comes in the next line, "Today if you will hear His voice, harden
not your heart." There is a responsive action on our part— He speaks, we LISTEN
AND OBEY. When He puts forth His sheep "He goes before them, and the sheep
follow Him: for they know His voice." And He said, "I am come that they might
have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:4, 10). Thus,
in using the analogy of the scales, HE FILLS UP OUR SIDE OF THE SCALE until it
overflows— guaranteeing that there will be fulness— fulness that meets all the
requirements of the DIVINE weights and measures.
But let us consider some more the phrase, "Come short of the glory of God." The
Greek word is "hustereo" and means: to be later, be inferior, to fall short, be
deficient. All of-these meanings hold their own illustrative application. To
be later would signify the time element. How often golden opportunities of
enrichment are missed because we have been "too late" to yield to His calling.
No matter how you look at it, man continually comes short— as the proverb goes,
"always a day late, and a dollar short," and so he is found wanting. To be
inferior would not measure up in quality. To be deficient or fall short
bespeaks of lacking in quantity. So in regards to quantity or quality, in
himself, man is surely "found wanting."
The same word is used in Heb. 4:1, "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being
left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to COME SHORT of it."
An obvious indication that we are falling SHORT of His rest would be our
continuing in our own works, for "He that is entered into his rest, he also has
ceased from his own works." (v. 10). This is a very interesting thought. HIS
REST is on one scale, and our self-effort works are on the other scale, and our
works are utterly deficient, inferior, and cannot balance out. But as soon as
we cease our own works, and put our trust in HIS WORKS, and by faith enter into
HIS REST, then our side of the scale matches His, for it has become HIS REST ON
BOTH SIDES. The challenge is TO BELIEVE. When you HEAR HIS VOICE, believe it!
Believe in the promise that HE is our righteousness! Then as we BELIEVE INTO
HIM, He fills the scale on our behalf— and "you are complete in Him." (Col.
2:10).
Significant also that the same word is used in Matthew 19:20, where the young
man says, "All these things have I kept from my youth up; what do I still LACK?"
For all his keeping of the law, and doing those things required of him, he
sensed, he knew that he was COMING SHORT, deficient, because he was not enjoying
the peace of inner knowing that he had age-abiding life. LIFE was on one scale,
all his "doing" was on the other scale, and it was not coming into balance— the
lack was so apparent that he questioned, "What good thing shall I do, that I may
have eternal life?" But when Jesus told him what he must do to balance it out,
he couldn't do it— for it required that he sell all that he had, give up all the
possessions which he thought were necessary for "life." He knew not that "A
man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses."
(Luke 12:15). Yet it would only be as he followed Christ, that he would ever
enter into LIFE. Somehow he did not see that CHRIST HAD TO FILL UP HIS SIDE OF
THE SCALE. It was time for him to jettison all the things of earth, and let
Christ fill his heart. Yet how hard it is for some to relinquish everything— be
stripped of all that self would hang on to— for they are afraid it will only add
to their lack, not knowing that it is in CHRIST ALONE THAT WE FIND FULNESS. You
will never come short of the glory of God when you are dwelling in Christ, and
Christ in you, for HE IS THE BALANCE. It matters not what you put as the weight
measure on the one scale, righteousness, joy, peace, etc. when Christ fills up
your side of the scale, it will balance with all the blessings on His side.
Full weights and measures are IN HIM!
The second time the word "balances" is used in the Scripture is found in Job
6:2-3, where it is used illustratively. Job and his three friends had just sat
on the ground for seven days and nights without uttering a word, for Job was
suffering greatly from the many calamities that came his way, including being
smitten with boils. Finally he spoke out with a very heavy complaint— cursing
the day of his birth, wishing for the ease of death, etc. Eliphaz gave answer
reproving Job for his hasty censure of the Divine Providence, and his
intemperate language. Job was hurt by the speech of Eliphaz, which was devoid
of sympathy and tenderness. And then he offers his own defense— that his
calamities should be duly weighed and then his speech would not seem to be so
out of line.
"Oh that MY grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances
together! For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my
words are swallowed up." Job felt that all of his grief far outweighed the words
he had uttered, though he admitted that his words had been rash and wild.
We make no justification for Job's outburst, but there is a valuable lesson to
be gained here. People make judgments using their own standard of weight and
measure— and then are swift to condemn another. Job then offers a very
interesting point, verse 5, "Does the wild ass bray when he has grass? Or does
the ox low over his fodder?" In effect, he was saying to his friends that they
were abounding with the blessings of life and had no need to weep and complain.
They were strangers to this whole area of trial, and so they could well stand by
and argue about his afflictions but how could they know what he was going
through, when they had it so good? Yet now his body was tortured with pain, and
his mind was in turmoil because of all that had befallen him. They might judge
him, but not righteously, for they could not understand where he was coming
from, since they were not experiencing the severity of his grief and pain.
But there is One who does know— "For we have not a high priest which cannot be
touched with the feeling of our infirmities; BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TESTED like
as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb.
4:15-16).
Read it carefully, not one hint of condemnation, not one negative word, but
because He was tested in all points— all He offers is MERCY AND GRACE! HE knows
the way that we take, and all He places in the scale to which we are measured,
is MERCY. Weighed in the balance of MERCY! And ever finding "grace to help in
time of need." Herein is the answer to every deficiency and coming short, the
answer for every lack— HIS GRACE AND MERCY! When they are present to fill up
our scale, it will balance us out with the standard of the other side. And so
the writer to the Hebrews cautions us, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man FAIL
(fall from, come short) of the grace of God." (Heb. 12:14-15). Since GRACE
ALONE will fill up our side of the scale, if we come short of His grace— we are
found wanting. But there is no need to fall from, be short on grace, it is the
GIFT OF GOD, freely given, and all we have to do is believe and receive. "As
many as received Him, to them gave He power (the right, the privilege) to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.- And of His fulness have all we received, and
grace for grace." (John 1:12, 16). Praise
God!
Again we return to Job, for in 31:6, he says, "Let me be weighed in an even
balance, that God may know my integrity." And the margin reads, "Let Him weigh
me in the balances of justice." His three friends had thoroughly taken him to
task— miserable comforters, all of them, and their balances were not just— they
had their own standards by which they measured him and Job knew some of their
accusations were false. So he appealed to the JUST BALANCES OF GOD. God knows
the integrity of the heart. "For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks
on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Sam. 16:7).
Herein is tremendous consolation, that on those occasions when we are quite
misjudged by man, we can trust in the just balances of God, and know that HE
understands our attitude, motivation, desire, etc. and then, even when we do
fall short, He just weighs us in the balance of mercy— and His love covers a
multitude of sin. Who could ask for more than this? "And He is the
propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the
whole world." (1 John 2:2)
Propitiation— the Greek is "hilasmos," meaning: atonement, or appeasement, the
MERCYSEAT, or place of mercy. A derivative of the word, "hilasterion," has been
translated as "propitiation" in Romans 3:25, and as "mercy seat" in Hebrews
9:5. The message becomes clear— HE, THROUGH HIS MERCY, makes atonement for our
sin— therefore all of our sin is dealt with by MERCY! We have sinned and come
short of the glory of God, HE KNOWS THAT, therefore in grace and mercy HE has
become the atonement for us— forgives us of our sin and proceeds to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness, and fill us up with Himself. Then place us on the
scale, and how does it balance out? Exactly as God requires, for THROUGH HIM,
IN HIM, BY HIM we shall be brought "unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ." (Eph. 4:13). And of this stature the Father
declared, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (2 Peter 1:17).
The STANDARD IS CHRIST! He is on the one side of the scale— the righteous
weight and measure which is the criterion for all else. But, knowing that we,
in ourselves, come far short of that measure, HE CLIMBS UP ON OUR SIDE OF THE
SCALE TOO, and so we, IN HIM, HE IN US, measures up to the Divine Standard—
that's MERCY!
We note that the word "balances" is only given once in the New Testament, in
Revelation 6:5. Speaking of the Rider on the "black horse; and He that sat on
him had a pair of balances in His hand." Undoubtedly this bespeaks of the Christ
RIDING WITHIN, to bring us into balance. It is in HIS HAND, it is HIS
HANDIWORK— that "every valley shall be filled, and every hill and mountain shall
be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall
be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of the Lord." (Luke
3:5-6). The ultimate goal is total restoration for every creature! And only He
can FILL UP that which is lacking in every man. "He makes peace in your
borders, and fills you with the finest of wheat." (Ps. 147:14). He is the One
that "binds up our wounds, pouring in oil and wine." (Luke 10:34). In His
abounding mercy He is our Physician, our Healing Redeemer! He is riding
prosperously to bring us into balance!
We note that the Greek word translated here as "balances" is "zugos" and
elsewhere is translated as "a yoke." The reason is obvious, for a yoke is
actually a BALANCING BEAM— used individually, it was a frame of wood fitted a
person's shoulders for carrying pails, etc., suspended on each side. Or, that
bar or frame of wood which joined two animals together for drawing a plow, and
fitted so that the load was evenly distributed between them both. So the
thought of "balances" is easily transferred to a "yoke."
When certain men began to teach that "Except you be circumcised after the manner
of Moses, you cannot be saved," (Acts 15:1), it caused a dissension, and so Paul
and Barnabas went up to Jerusalem for counsel. When the elders and apostles
came together, Peter stood up and gave answer— "Why tempt God, to put a yoke
upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to
bear? But we believe that through the GRACE of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall
be saved, even as they." (v. 10-11).
There is no way that adding works of the flesh would balance out the scale of
salvation. Whether it was circumcision, keeping the sabbath, eating the right
foods, speaking the right terminology, none of these things could be added in to
merit salvation— it was/IS BY GRACE, and grace alone. We are weighed in the
balance of mercy, not in the balance of works. As already noted earlier, works
will always fall short, leave you wanting, lacking. A true balance can only be
accomplished through the grace of our Lord. When He fills up our side of the
scale we will balance with the measure on the other side. This cannot be
emphasized too strongly, it is GOD ALL THE WAY!
Paul admonishes us, "Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what
fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light
with darkness." (2 Corinthians 6:14). How can we ever be balanced out with
unbelievers? How can they who are lacking in themselves help to fill up that
which is lacking in us? What input can darkness give to the light, to increase
the light? What input can the unrighteous, corruptible, give to that which is
righteous? NOTHING! Therefore, trying to measure up by the help of that which
is unholy is utterly foolish, and only increases our coming short of the glory
of God. Be not so unequally yoked!
Again Paul instructs, "Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us
free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Gal. 5:1). BLESSED
LIBERTY is not enhanced by entanglements that bring us into bondage and TAKE
AWAY, rather than adding to our life in Christ. Peter also affirms this,
stating, "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of
corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in
bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning." (2 Peter 2:19-20). The message becomes clear,
any man/ministry that would bind you unto itself, to lord it over you, and to
become the standard by which you must measure up— such entanglement leads to
bondage, not to freedom. IN CHRIST ALONE is there total liberty, as He leads
onward step by step.
In contradistinction to being yoked with unbelievers, or with those who impose
their laws and regulation, and bind you to their cause, etc. we have a precious
word from Christ Himself. "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am
meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke
is easy, and My burden is light." (Matt. 11:29-30).
"Learn of— literally, the Greek text reads, FROM Me." How we need to take His
yoke— be balanced HIS WAY. This is more than just learning about Him, an
accumulation of knowledge and facts, it is an experiencing Him, coming to know
Him intimately, and finding in Him all that we need, and HE brings us into
rest. He does not add to our load, HE LIGHTENS OUR LOAD, for His yoke
(balancer) is an instrument of mercy. Take the general burden of life itself,
we all carry too much. For some, weariness; for others, failure; or tragedy;
some struggle with pain. His solution, carry it as I do. Take My yoke, learn
of Me, you will find it fits right to the shoulder and it is easy. HIS GRACE,
HIS MERCY are clearly seen as we are balanced in Him. In Him is both the
EXAMPLE and the PRESENT HELP. The people were burdened, not only with a heavy
law of rites and ceremonies, but still more grievously with traditions of the
elders, which scribes and Pharisees bound on their shoulders. Though these
leaders could not follow their own teachings. "For they say, and do not. For
they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's
shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."
(Matt. 23:4). They were worthless as examples for the people, and they had no
desire to ease the load the people carried. But in Christ we find THE MERCY for
He is the initiator of the new covenant wherein He makes promise both for
Himself, and for us— and becomes IN Us THE ENERGY FORCE for its fulfillment.
Oh, to experience more of Him!
"God, who is rich in MERCY, for His great love wherewith He loved us ... has
quickened us together with Christ, by GRACE are you saved." (Eph. 2:4-5).
"For God has concluded them all in unbelief, THAT HE MIGHT HAVE MERCY UPON ALL."
(Rom. 11:32).
"And that the NATIONS might glorify God for HIS MERCY; as it is written, For
this cause I will confess to You among the nations, and sing unto Your name."
(Rom. 15:9).
Yes, the judgments are necessary for the cleansing, but they are not the end of
the matter— for while under the dispensation of the law, "he shall have judgment
without mercy, that has showed no mercy," yet now under the ministration of the
new covenant, "mercy rejoices against judgment." (Jam. 2:12). LET MERCY MAKE
HER BOAST, for mercy triumphs over judgment, turning all sorrow into joy.
Weeping may endure for the night of judgment, but JOY comes in the morning of
that "nevertheless afterwards." "In a little wrath I hid My face from you for a
moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have MERCY on you, says the Lord
your Redeemer." (Isa. 54:8).
"For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and PLENTEOUS IN MERCY unto all
them that call upon You." (Ps. 86:5). Plenteous— the Hebrew word is "rabah" and
has also been translated as: be in authority. Not only shall His mercy be ever
increasing to cover our every need, and surpass it, but MERCY SHALL BE IN
AUTHORITY! Mercy has the final word! Praise God!
To be weighed in the balance— it is an awesome
word,
And shall I be found wanting? what deep emotions
stirred.
The standard is so holy, the weight and measure
true,
How can I face the challenge? what works can I
yet do?
When yoked with unbelievers, there's nothing they
can add,
Self-righteousness means we are with filthy
garments clad.
The darkness has no substance to give unto the
light,
It but increases lacking, with shadows of the
night.
In Christ alone is balance, in Him the scales are
met,
No more will there be asking, "what am I lacking
yet?"
He fills our scale with mercy— and then when we
are weighed,
We shall not be found wanting, for love and grace
pervade
With life that's more abundant, no more in sin to
fall.
Yes, He will be the fulness that filleth all in
all!
_________________________________________________
(1) Prinzing, Ray and Doris "Letters of Truth"
Boise, Idaho 83705, P.O. Box 5822
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