It is evident from Scripture that there are two distinct companies, both saved by the Blood of Christ; one company on earth (Israel), and the other company within the veil in heaven (Church).
Christ’s work for the earthly company is represented by the two goats, the blood of the one goat carried into the holiest and sprinkled on the mercy-seat, while the live goat, as representing the effectual sacrifice of the first goat bore away their sins into the land of forgetfulness.
This is always and forever the beginning of divine grace, but this is the measure vouchsafed to God’s earthly people (Jews who believe in God but not Christ – Jn 14:1)—NC). There is much more given to the heavenly, to those who are Christ’s own in the day of His rejection (Mat 13:57); they are represented by Aaron and his house. Christ’s work for His own is represented by the bullock which Aaron offered for himself and his house.
Now while Christ’s work, represented by the two goats—for it was all one work on the Cross, the greater including the lesser—sets the believer on earth in full forgiveness and in peace with God, the work of Christ as represented in the bullock gives everyone of His own a position in and with Him in the holiest of all. This is the day of His rejection, and the blessing for man on the earth has not yet come. In Christendom, as a rule, there is no apprehension of grace beyond forgiveness of sins, or what is typified by the two goats (besides rebirth there is no greater blessing than forgiveness, two of which entails God’s forgiveness and one His judgment: Justice – receiving what we deserve; Mercy – not receiving what we deserve; Grace—receiving what we don’t deserve—NC).
The fact that Christ has been rejected here is overlooked. Hence that all His own must be blessed with Him where He is—exalted to the Father’s right hand, and a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec—is also overlooked. Because His rejection is not seen. The Gospel is limited to the work represented by the two goats.
But when His exaltation consequent on His rejection is seen, then the Gospel of the glory, via Paul, is the rest and delight of the believer’s heart. It is that He has not only cleared us of everything that was against us, but that we have boldness through His Blood and our position to enter in, to share with Him in His own blessedness in the presence of the Father.
Everyone who has seen His glory inside the veil (2Co 3:18) is progressively transformed in taste into moral correspondence with Him. We must begin with God, and then we can truly bear the reproach of Christ here. It is because I have fellowship with Him in His Life up there that I seek to have fellowship with His in His death down here (2Co 4:10).
We can have no sense of the blessedness of Christ but as we are in the holiest. We have no power in the lower circle but as we are furnished from the highest. No man ever rises higher than his altar, that is, he can only be for Christ here in the measure in which he knows Him where all the glory of the Father rests on Him (2 Co 4:6)
—James Butler Stoney (1814-1897)
MJS daily online devotional excerpt for March 26
“When self reacts correctly in a difficult situation, it can only result in the sin of self-righteousness. In order for Christ’s righteousness to be manifested, the Holy Spirit must hold self inoperative by means of the Cross.
“Accustom yourself in everything that happens, to recognize the hand of the Father. Before you fix your thoughts on the person who did it, first be still, and remember, God allows me to come into this trouble to see if I shall glorify Him in it. This trial, be it the greatest or least, is allowed of God, and is His will concerning me. Let me first recognize and submit to God’s will in it. Then in the rest of soul which this gives, I shall receive wisdom to know how to behave in it. With my eye turned from man to God, suffering wrong is not as hard as it seems.
“The Lord Jesus knew that His Father would care for His rights and honor. But he who lives in the visible, wants his honor to be vindicated at once here below. He who lives in the eternal, and as seeing the Invisible, is satisfied to leave the vindication of his rights and honor in God’s hands; he knows that they are safe with Him. Giving one’s all into God’s keeping brings rest and peace.” Andrew Murray (1828-1917)
Christ’s work for the earthly company is represented by the two goats, the blood of the one goat carried into the holiest and sprinkled on the mercy-seat, while the live goat, as representing the effectual sacrifice of the first goat bore away their sins into the land of forgetfulness.
This is always and forever the beginning of divine grace, but this is the measure vouchsafed to God’s earthly people (Jews who believe in God but not Christ – Jn 14:1)—NC). There is much more given to the heavenly, to those who are Christ’s own in the day of His rejection (Mat 13:57); they are represented by Aaron and his house. Christ’s work for His own is represented by the bullock which Aaron offered for himself and his house.
Now while Christ’s work, represented by the two goats—for it was all one work on the Cross, the greater including the lesser—sets the believer on earth in full forgiveness and in peace with God, the work of Christ as represented in the bullock gives everyone of His own a position in and with Him in the holiest of all. This is the day of His rejection, and the blessing for man on the earth has not yet come. In Christendom, as a rule, there is no apprehension of grace beyond forgiveness of sins, or what is typified by the two goats (besides rebirth there is no greater blessing than forgiveness, two of which entails God’s forgiveness and one His judgment: Justice – receiving what we deserve; Mercy – not receiving what we deserve; Grace—receiving what we don’t deserve—NC).
The fact that Christ has been rejected here is overlooked. Hence that all His own must be blessed with Him where He is—exalted to the Father’s right hand, and a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec—is also overlooked. Because His rejection is not seen. The Gospel is limited to the work represented by the two goats.
But when His exaltation consequent on His rejection is seen, then the Gospel of the glory, via Paul, is the rest and delight of the believer’s heart. It is that He has not only cleared us of everything that was against us, but that we have boldness through His Blood and our position to enter in, to share with Him in His own blessedness in the presence of the Father.
Everyone who has seen His glory inside the veil (2Co 3:18) is progressively transformed in taste into moral correspondence with Him. We must begin with God, and then we can truly bear the reproach of Christ here. It is because I have fellowship with Him in His Life up there that I seek to have fellowship with His in His death down here (2Co 4:10).
We can have no sense of the blessedness of Christ but as we are in the holiest. We have no power in the lower circle but as we are furnished from the highest. No man ever rises higher than his altar, that is, he can only be for Christ here in the measure in which he knows Him where all the glory of the Father rests on Him (2 Co 4:6)
—James Butler Stoney (1814-1897)
MJS daily online devotional excerpt for March 26
“When self reacts correctly in a difficult situation, it can only result in the sin of self-righteousness. In order for Christ’s righteousness to be manifested, the Holy Spirit must hold self inoperative by means of the Cross.
“Accustom yourself in everything that happens, to recognize the hand of the Father. Before you fix your thoughts on the person who did it, first be still, and remember, God allows me to come into this trouble to see if I shall glorify Him in it. This trial, be it the greatest or least, is allowed of God, and is His will concerning me. Let me first recognize and submit to God’s will in it. Then in the rest of soul which this gives, I shall receive wisdom to know how to behave in it. With my eye turned from man to God, suffering wrong is not as hard as it seems.
“The Lord Jesus knew that His Father would care for His rights and honor. But he who lives in the visible, wants his honor to be vindicated at once here below. He who lives in the eternal, and as seeing the Invisible, is satisfied to leave the vindication of his rights and honor in God’s hands; he knows that they are safe with Him. Giving one’s all into God’s keeping brings rest and peace.” Andrew Murray (1828-1917)
