Streams Of Divine Purpose (1)

by T.W. Fullerton, Melbourne | Category: Streams Of Divine Purpose | Aug 1975

"Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: but in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee" (Deut. 12:13,14).

"Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God" (Deut. 27:6). "Hezekiah ... hath said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem" (2 Kings 18:22).

"The altar of the LORD in Jerusalem" (2 Kings 23:9). "And builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon" (Ezra 3:2).

The above are but a few selected scriptures which serve to illustrate the principle that is found in the law given to Moses, that Jehovah had made provision for but one place, and one altar of burnt offering for Israel where

He was to be served and worshipped. It was His prerogative to make the choice of that place, and where that altar should be found.

As we proceed in our study of this line of truth, we must emphasize the fact that although to the superficial reader of the Old Testament there would appear to have been times when He departed from this principle laid down so definitely in the law of Deut. 12, we will discover that at no time was there any departure therefrom, or from the obligation of His people to observe it.

Running through the pages of the Old Testament can be found:

(1)What has been called "the mainstream" of the purposes of God among men.

(2)Secondary streams of His purposes, due to the weaknesses and failures of His people, in which He has exercised His sovereign prerogative to succour and bless them despite their waywardness when they have gone astray and wandered far from Him.

(3)Further streams of His purposes, when divine mercy and blessing have been extended to nations that were outside the pale of Israel. An example of this can be seen in His mercy extended to Nineveh through the ministry of His servant Jonah. 'Apart from this comment we do not propose to deal further with this aspect.

The mainstream of His purposes

This began to develop with the call of Abram, and increased in volume as He brought Israel out of Egypt, constituting them a holy people for Himself with a dwelling-place in their midst, an altar of burnt offering and a divinely chosen priesthood. The nation, the dwelling-place, the altar of burnt offering and the priesthood being inseparable.

We pass over a portion of the first book of Samuel and observe a further development and widening of this divine purpose. Psalm 78:60-72 reveals the choice of a tribe in Israel, a city, and a royal line. The stream has now widened. The tribe of Judah, the city of Jerusalem, and the royal line of the house of David are included. God also reveals His purpose to bring from David's line the Messiah, who is to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5:2); He whose "Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6).

The festivals of Jehovah were seven (Lev. 23). For the keeping of three of these all the males of Israel were to appear before the Lord in the place which He had chosen. The experience of such as they journeyed from all parts of Israel towards the place of His choice is described in Psalm 84:1-7. Verse 3 of this psalm refers to both the alter of burnt offering and the altar of incense. As they journeyed towards Jerusalem the men of Israel would sing the songs of Zion, and when they arrived it was their joyful experience to offer to Jehovah, through the priesthood, burnt offerings upon His altar.

To go elsewhere than to the place which He had chosen; to offer burnt offerings upon any other altar than "the altar of the LORD" in the courts of His house, was contrary to His revealed will. The word was clear and plain, "In the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen" and, "Thou shalt not offer thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest, but in the place which the LORD shall choose ... there shalt thou do all that I command thee".

At the dedication of the temple built by Solomon there was great joy in Israel (1 Kings 8:66). The nation was in the mainstream of the purposes of God. But alas, even here there was a tendency to maintain tradition by recognizing other altars rather than to wholly obey the word of the Lord. These altars had apparently been established during the days of the Judges, and by the time Solomon came to the throne, had, because they were altars to the Lord, become venerated by the people of Israel. It appears possible that some of these continued to exist until the reign of Hezekiah.

But a further departure from the law of the Lord is recorded in 1 Kings 11 where we are told of the erection of high places for the worship of the gods of the nations; and this by Solomon who so shortly before had completed the building of the house of the Lord in the place which He had chosen. It was the solemn responsibility of the king who ruled for God to see that the stream of divine purpose was kept from pollution. This Solomon failed to do, with the result that in the days of his son judgement fell upon the nation.

Following the death of Solomon the nation tell apart. Judah and Benjamin alone remained in the mainstream of divine purpose. The ten tribes lapsed into idolatry. But for the present we briefly trace the history of the two tribes.

Of the twenty rulers upon the throne of Judah over the next three hundred and sixty years or so, thirteen of them tailed almost completely to enter into God's purpose for them. Nevertheless God maintained His purpose despite the failure of these rulers. Under their reign idolatry was rampant, and altars were erected to pagan deities, some in close proximity to the altar of the Lord in the courts of His house.

Of the seven remaining rulers it is recorded to the credit of some that the idolatrous high places were taken away. But the high places devoted

to the service of Jehovah were allowed to remain. There was failure in carrying out the word of the Lord, "Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest; but in the place which the LORD shall choose . .

When Hezekiah came to the throne it is recorded that he took away all the high places. We should note the reproach of the servants of the king of Assyria, "Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and upon it shall ye burn incense" (2 Chron. 32:12). Hezekiah had purposed in his heart, despite the power of tradition and antiquity over the minds of men, that he would carry out the word of the Lord given in the law of Moses. Because of his confidence in the Lord, and his obedience to His word in these things, it is recorded of him, "And he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD He removed the high places.... He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among them that were before him. For he clave to the LORD, he departed not from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses" (2 Kings 18:3-6). Thus Hezekiah purified the mainstream of the purpose of God in his day of opportunity.

During the period of captivity in Babylon Judah was completely cured of idolatry, and so far as we know, never again in the courts of the house of the Lord were altars other than the altar of the Lord erected for burnt offering. Since then no king has occupied the throne of Judah. The next to do so will be God's King, the rightful King of Israel and the Ruler of the kings of the earth.

Although only a small remnant of Israel returned from Babylon to rebuild the house of the Lord, yet the work which they did revealed a high degree of appreciation of the mainstream of God's purpose. His people laid the foundations of the house and set the altar of the Lord upon its base in the place which He had chosen (Ezra 2 and 3).

From the close of Old Testament record until the appearance of the One who came unto His own, and they that were His own received Him not, there was serious deterioration in response to God's purposes. Nevertheless the royal line of the house of David was preserved. His dwelling-place among men, the Levitical priesthood, the services of the house and its festivals were still acknowledged by God until that sad day when the Lord Jesus had to say, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. 23:38). There was terrible confirmation of this shortly after, when "the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom" (Matt. 27:51). From this point onwards for an undefined period of time, the mainstream of God's purposes was to be directed into a new channel. There would be a new nation, a new dwelling-place, a new priesthood, and a new altar.

The ten tribes

Jeroboam, the first king of the Northern Kingdom of the ten tribes, devised a new form of religious service for the nation. Full well he knew that if the tribes were permitted to go up to Jerusalem to the altar of the Lord, and the place which God had chosen, they would return before long to the king of Judah. He was also well aware of the law of the Lord regarding the place which God had chosen, and the altar of burnt offering for Israel. He therefore decided that at Dan in the north, and at Beth-el in the south, an altar would be erected and also a golden calf. The eye could see and feast upon these carnal pleasures, and they would take the place of the altar of the Lord and the place which He had chosen. He then proclaimed, "Behold thy gods 0 Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt" (1 Kings 12:28).

From this point onwards, like a refrain in the history of the kings of Israel, we hear the awful words, as a summary of their lives, "He walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin". Idolatry had become the national religion of the ten tribes.

But Jehovah was not prepared to be without witnesses in their midst. They were away from the place of divine service, and away from the mainstream of His purpose. But for the sake of Abraham His friend, and the covenants made with him and his seed, Jehovah exercised His prerogative of grace and mercy to raise up prophets in Israel. Amongst these were Elijah and Elisha. So far as we know neither of these had ever been to the altar of the Lord at Jerusalem, in the place which He had chosen. Here we see the sovereignty of God. The words of Deut. 12 had not been withdrawn or altered, but in mercy He came down to meet His backslidden people where they were. There were some who mourned Israel's idolatrous condition, and evidently erected altars in opposition to those of Jeroboam and the altars of Baal. This does not indicate that the law of the Lord had changed. But in an idolatrous land the Lord exercised His divine prerogative to acknowledge those who, although away from the place of the Name, wished to acknowledge and honour Him. Here we find not the mainstream but a secondary stream of His purpose in the witness of the prophets He had raised up and of those seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal.

T.W. Fullerton, Melbourne | Aug 1975
Streams Of Divine Purpose