Martha and Mary

The text we are meditating upon is from Luke 10:38-42. It is a scene from Bethany, the little village not far from Jerusalem. The home of Martha and Mary, two sisters who loved the Lord, along with their brother Lazarus.

Martha invited Jesus into her home. She was busy preparing many things for the Lord. She was distracted with all her preparations. The hustle and bustle of the kitchen was too much for her. She was annoyed that her sister was not helping her, but was sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to His word. She complained to the Lord, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Tell her to help me.'

The Lord's reply was rather strange. He said, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things! Only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.'

I wish we could understand this. The Lord Jesus is saying, 'Only a few things are necessary.' He doesn't stop at that; He says, 'There is really only one thing necessary.' What is that? To sit at the feet of Jesus; to sit at His feet and listen to His word. We are so restless; so troubled about many things; so worried. We never stop to wait on the Lord, to sit at His feet [as it were] and hear His still small voice. Be still and know that I am God; or 'cease striving' and know that I am God, Psalm 46.10

If only we could be still, sit still, wait in His presence, be silent in the presence of the Lord. If only we could hear His voice, if only our ears were attuned to His still small voice. Lord, speak to me, give me ears to hear. We rush through our morning meditations. We don't wait for the Lord to speak to us. His are the words of eternal life. We live not by bread alone, but by the words He speaks, by hearing His voice. Faith comes by hearing His voice.

O Lord, give me a circumcised ear to hear Your voice; give me a circumcised heart to love You and desire You only.

Gilgal

I was preaching on 2 Kings chapter 2, the journey that Elisha took with Elijah down to the Jordan. They began at Gilgal, proceeded to Bethel, went down to Jericho, and finally crossed over the river Jordan. There must be some meaning to these names. They speak of spiritual principles and the journey itself speaks of spiritual progress. I meditated on this chapter, especially the portion relating to the journey.

Then the Lord spoke to me.
Gilgal means 'no place for the flesh';
Bethel means 'no place for idols';
Jericho means 'no place for the world';
Jordan means 'no place for the self'.

Gilgal is where the Israelites first camped when they crossed the Jordan and came into the Promised Land. This is where the 12 stones taken out of the Jordan were set up, presumably in a circle because Gilgal means 'circle of stones'. Those 12 stones speak of identification in death, burial and resurrection. We note that 12 stones were taken from the river bank and placed in the Jordan. Those stones speak of the 12 tribes and of us.

Gilgal is where the Israelites were circumcised. The flesh has to be put away. The circumcision was done with 'sharp knives'. It must have been painful. Gilgal is where they celebrated the Passover. This is where they ate the produce of the land; unleavened bread and parched grain. The manna ceased. Gilgal is where the Lord said, 'I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.' The reproach of the flesh. We know how carnal were the Israelites who roamed the wilderness for 40 years; they longed for meat and the food of Egypt. Egypt is a symbol of the flesh, Isa 31.1, 3.

Gilgal was the base camp for Joshua's military operations. It is as if every time we must start from the Cross, because Gilgal points to the Cross.

Speaking of the flesh, we are reminded of Saul. In 1 Samuel 15, we find that he kept the best of the sheep and cattle and did not destroy them. He also spared Agag the Amalekite. It was Samuel who hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal. The flesh cannot be spared.

The reproach of Egypt is contrasted with the reproach of Christ. In Hebrews 11.26 we find that Moses chose the reproach of Christ instead of the riches and pleasures of Egypt. Do we identify ourselves with the Cross of Christ. Paul tells us there is the offence or reproach of the Cross. The Cross is so sanitized and sentimentalized today that we forget the 'sharp knife'.

Gilgal speaks of all this. We cannot enter into our heavenly inheritance without going through the experience of Gilgal, which is the experience of the inward cross.

Bethel

Continuing the subject of Elisha's journey with Elijah down to the river Jordan. We have already seen the meaning of Gilgal. Let us now look at Bethel.

Bethel is seen clearly in the life of Jacob. In Genesis chapter 28 we know how Jacob had a vision at Bethel. He saw a ladder or stairway to heaven. He saw the Lord standing above the ladder. He received certain wonderful promises in vv 13, 14 and 15. The promise of Gen 28.15 is especially significant, because it reflects the wonderful grace of God. God says He will do everything. Jacob need not struggle and strive for the blessing. What God has promised He will perform.

Jacob declared that this stairway is the gate of heaven and this place is none other than the house of God. Our Lord explains it this way in John 1.51. Speaking to Nathaniel He says, 'You shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.' So that ladder/stairway speaks of the Cross, of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The Cross is the entrance to the House of God. Of course, Jacob has a glimmer of light, but his faith is not strong. His mind is set on earthly things, despite the vision of heaven.

In Genesis 35, the meaning of Bethel is made more clear. It is here that Jacob tells his family to 'put away the foreign gods [idols] that you have with you'. He says, 'Purify yourselves and change your garments.' He testifies to God's faithfulness. Here he builds his first true altar to God, and he calls the place El Bethel, which means 'God of Bethel'. His eyes are upon God, even more than the House of God. Here God confirms his new name, Israel. Here God gives him a special promise, Gen 35.11, which speaks of fruitfulness. Fruitfulness through the inward work of the Cross; the same fruitfulness which Jesus speaks of in John 12.23. The same fruitfulness that Abraham experienced after he was 'emptied'; the same fruitfulness that Job experienced after he was 'broken'.

God did not appear in a vision at El Bethel, but He came and talked with Jacob and went up to heaven, Gen 35.13-15.

It is another matter that Bethel became a place of idolatry in the history of Israel. Here Jeroboam set up his golden calf.

If we want to serve God in His house, we must be crucified Christians, and there must be no place for the flesh or for idols. The reference made by Jacob in Gen 35.2 is to Rachel's favourite household gods [she wanted to have a claim on the property of Laban]. The TV can become a household god; property can become an idol in the heart. Apollos can become an idol in the Corinthian church, just as any celebrity speaker in evangelical circles. We need to come into direct contact with God, into intimate communion with Him. But this is not possible without the inward work of the Cross.