T. Austin-Sparks · 1 of 4
Chapter 1
The consideration upon which we now enter follows immediately upon the former one, or runs parallel to it, namely 'Horizoned by Christ'.
When we speak of purpose being the horizon of all things, there is no contradiction of the other. We are not changing Christ for some thing called Purpose, we are only bringing into view the complement of Christ.
The Person and the Purpose are complementary, they form one whole. To rightly see the Person is to understand the Purpose. Purpose is not an abstract, detached, and impersonal thing, it is the extension of the Person, albeit something very definite.
We are now and here going to cite and link together two couplets of Scripture - Ezekiel 1:26; 48:35, and Eph. 1:9-12; 3:21: - "...above the firmament... was the likeness of a throne, and upon... the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above." "And the name of the city from that day shall be the LORD is there." "Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him [Christ] unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ... according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will..." "...unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus..."
In each of these two Scriptures two things are noticeable.
In Ezekiel, the beginning is a throne in Heaven and its Occupant - "a likeness... of a man upon it." The end of all the history contained in the book is a House, a Kingdom, and a City, with the final statement, "The LORD is there."
In 'Ephesians' (so called) the features are similar. The Letter begins with Christ exalted to the heavenly throne, and proceeds to the House, the Church, the Body, and the Lord as there - "...glory in the church..."
In Ezekiel, all that is between the beginning and the end is the expression of that throne. The end is the issue of the throne-activities, and it shows what all those throne-activities are leading to. The beginning is individual - one Man glorified and governing. The end is corporate, a people with the glory and the dominion.
The same is true of 'Ephesians'. The One in Heaven leads to the corporate Body in ascendency.
These two main features of the books explain and our bringing them together although there are many more corresponding features in them.
There are two factors which stand out in clear relief in Ezekiel and 'Ephesians' (and in many other places):
(a) All-governing purpose.
(b) The mighty energies of the Holy Spirit in relation thereto.
The connections, of course, are different, but they are one in principle.
ISRAEL = historical, earthly, temporal.
THE CHURCH = eternal, heavenly, spiritual.
Both were chosen - - for one thing in their respective realms; namely, the testimony of God in the universe.
The dealings of God with both are shown to be with that purpose in view.
From the history of Israel and the history of the Church one thing springs into light and is unmistakably evident, that is that
There is no Substitute for Light Once Given by God
Unfaithfulness to light once given by God results inevitably and unavoidably in confusion, weakness, bondage, limitation, and tentativeness.
These are clearly the features of Babylon in Israel's case, and of the Church's case in the twentieth century.
Someone has said that "The Church of the first century was power-conscious. The Church of the twentieth century is problem-conscious."
We could not improve on that, but we might paraphrase it by saying that
The Church of the first century was PURPOSE conscious. The Church of the twentieth century is perplexity conscious.
'Ezekiel' is peculiarly the Old Testament book of God's reaction in judgment to lost distinctiveness of purpose. 'Revelation' is its New Testament counterpart, with many similar characteristics in symbolism.
When anything becomes something in itself, turning, in doctrine and practice, into a circle instead of a way and a means, confusion, frustration, and bondage become its characteristics; limitation and powerlessness will mark its existence.
We are now going to look more closely at this matter of lost distinctiveness.
That distinctiveness of life and testimony is demanded by God is self-evident in the whole Bible. A word frequently used to express God's thought as to His people is the word 'peculiar'.
"A Peculiar People"
"...ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me" (Exodus 19:5).
"...the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people" (Deuteronomy 14:2).
"...they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day that I do make, a peculiar treasure" (Malachi 3:17).
