Gathering And Scattering

by J. Miller | Category: Voices From The Past - Extracted From Jottings Vol. 1 | Jul 1979

The Lord stated a far-reaching principle when He said: "He that gathereth not with Me scattereth" (Luke 11:23). Ere anyone sets out on the solemn work of seeking to gather others together, they should seek carefully and prayerfully to be guided by God through His Spirit and Word, that they may be gathering with the Lord Jesus Christ, lest it should be found that all their work of gathering has been that of scattering. In effect it involves that they who would gather others must themselves be divinely gathered first of all. God would gather those whom Satan would scatter, and God will scatter what Satan has gathered.

Caiaphas, who was high priest in the year of the Lord's death - that year of years - prophesied that the Lord would die for the nation of Israel. Israel has endured through long centuries the punishment of God, punished by God for shedding the blood of Christ, yet preserved by that same means. The Lord did not die for that nation only, "but that He might also gather together into one the children of God that are scattered abroad" (John 11:52).

There is a time coming when the watchmen of Zion shall all see eye to eye, at the time when the Lord returns to Zion. So shall it be with God's saints at the coming of the Lord for them. Human systems and sects of one kind and another, in which and by which the children of God have been scattered, shall no longer exist among them. But this coming unity should not preclude an endeavour to arrive at a present unity among God's saints, a unity which is only possible by heeding the apostolic commendation: "I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace" (Acts 20:32). And again: "I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgement" (1 Cor. 1:10). To be blood-bought, and to be numbered among those who are called children of God, is something to rejoice in, but it is something more to be blood-gathered, gathered together in virtue of the death of Christ, God's New Testament nation, a holy nation, a people for His own possession (see Tit. 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:9,10).

J. Miller | Jul 1979
Voices From The Past - Extracted From Jottings Vol. 1