CHAPTER 25
What we see men doing, the Lord does. He uses the human instrument that is nearest to hand. It is a principle of conduct which applies in both the business and moral world. No one who gives a thought to the matter but can and must approve. God uses the man closest to Him. This is the great truth of the passage! From it we draw several reflections.
First, the mystery is explained of the Divine favor and use of certain men in the Church and world.
People who have wondered why God blesses some persons so
abundantly, and why He employs them so constantly, need marvel no longer with such Scripture before them. The Divine Hand is laid on the nearest head. the Lord speaks to the man closest to Him.
Of course, there were good people in the congregation of Israel that day, as there are in religious gatherings today. But some were nearer to God than others. The good King Jehoshaphat was closer than the people; but Jehaziel was nearer still than the king. He was the nearest, and so on him the Spirit of God fell.
We have often beheld similar scenes in Sabbath audiences and
revival-meetings. There are good people in the congregation, and some are better, and there is the man or woman who is best or nearest to God. On that soul the Holy Ghost is certain to descend. It is as fixed, unchangeable, and faithful a Divine procedure as God working in His great natural laws.
Indeed, it is a law.
Whoever stands nearest to God will be most blessed and honored of God.
Nothing else can happen to one in such a moral position. Wonderful place of grace and glory! Who would not occupy it?
For sidelights to this blessed truth, let the reader turn to the description of the Last Supper, and observe that John heard the Savior say things which escaped Peter and the other disciples. The explanation was that he was nearest to Christ.
Let him look again on the banks of the river Jordan, and see the Dove alighting upon Him who spent whole nights in prayer, and who said, “My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me.” To this day the Dove comes to the Lamb, to the soul most like Christ.
Another reflection drawn from the occurrence which befell Jehaziel, is that here is a Divine testimony to human faithfulness. The Spirit of God only falls upon prepared hearts.
This fact utterly demolishes the hope of spiritually lazy people, who expect to be blessed, and yet fail to put themselves in the heart, mind, and life position to be thus honored of God. They wonder why the glow they see in other faces is not in their own, and why the spirit buoyancy, inward exultation, liberated tongue, and unmistakable unction of life is not theirs.
The explanation is that the condition of praying, life emptying, believing, and waiting has not been met by them. They have been spiritually indolent, have failed to plow, harrow, plant, and cultivate, and yet are looking for a waving harvest and full granaries.
Nothing is said in the passage about any special devotion of time and energy to God by Jehaziel; but the Bible has so clearly taught this to be the indispensable condition of spiritual manifestation and revelation, that to state God’s Spirit fell upon the man is tantamount to saying that he had been waiting upon, and living close to God.
The flames of fire, shining countenances, and wondrous, rapturous utterances of Pentecost, were preceded by ten days of patient
supplication to God in the Upper Room. The visions of Daniel came; but not without weeks of fasting and prayer upon his part on the banks of the river Hiddekel.
Some affect to be surprised and even hurt at the sudden outbursts of joy;
and the Divine use of certain persons in religious services. Why not themselves? is the fretful query often asked inwardly, when not uttered to others. The answer has already been given, and is also embraced in the Bible statement — the man who prayeth secretly shall be rewarded openly. The private devotion is the explanation of public heavenly honor.
The closet of prayer is the place where the crown and robe are obtained which make a man appear as a spiritual king when standing before the Church and world.
A young preacher rebuked a large company of gamblers on a steamboat with such holy power that it not only awed the men, but led the rebuker to a great national honor. The secret of his ascendency was that he had
spent a couple of days in his state room in tears and prayer over the matter. Any one could have had a kind of brute courage sufficient to have condemned the transgressors, and still have accomplished nothing. This kind of reproof is cheap, and obtained at little cost; but few are willing to pay the price of two days’ humiliation and prayer to secure the heavenly backing and the Divine favor and power this man possessed.
A prominent minister of the gospel ridiculed the doctrine of a second work of grace in a large concourse of people. There were many good persons present who disapproved his utterances, but could not or did not speak in reply. The Spirit fell that morning upon a young preacher to answer the denier of sanctification by faith in the blood of Christ. For thirty minutes by the clock this suddenly appointed defender of a great Bible truth fairly flamed and glowed in his presentation of the doctrine and proclamation of the experience, while love to man and gratitude to God was heard in every utterance, and tears of joy welled into his eyes and fell fast upon his cheeks. To many the thought doubtless came, that this man was a chosen instrument to protect the ark, and so settled back in the old condition of spiritual laziness. The real explanation was that the young preacher had spent several days in special waiting upon God. He, in other words, happened that morning to be nearest the Lord, and so the Divine Hand w as laid upon him, with the command, “Speak for Me.”
Nothing in nature occurs in a haphazard way. Law regulates everything. A Divine Hand guides and controls according to perfect wisdom, truth, and faithfulness. In like manner in the kingdom of grace there is nothing like moral accidents. The same God presides in both realms. Law is in both worlds.
We talk about the lightning striking at random. It is not so: the electric fluid falls on the object nearest to it, and most favorable for its reception.
So does the heavenly lightning. The Spirit comes upon people who are prepared for Him.
A brief final reflection we draw is, that none of us can afford to miss standing in the place nearest to God. We can without much hurt be cast out of social circles, synagogues, and places of earthly honor; we can be displaced from favored positions near the rich and great; but we can not, without irreparable injury to ourselves both now and forever, live at a
distance from God. We must for our present and future highest good stand close to the Heavenly King, where His hand can touch us, and His voice reach us at any and at all times.
It is this spot where is ever to be found the flaming speech, transfigured countenance, unctuous life, and beautiful influence, more powerful at times than words and deeds themselves.
Here John lived, and talked about opening heavens, and said, “Hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches.” Here Paul abided, and spoke about not knowing whether he was in the body or out of it. Here Jehaziel must have dwelt. And here may we all dwell. There is room for us all. But let us remember that it is not the man who is near to God who is most honored, but the man nearest to God.