297: Pete Owen - Exhortation: The Dew of the Morning

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:13

   Welcome to good Chris selfie and talks. I’m Levi. And I’m Chris. And I’m Brian, thank you for joining us this week. On this podcast, we select one talk a week to help us get the Bible in our Daily News feed. We post a new episode at the start of each week, with the short intro beforehand to kind of set the stage for the talk you’re about to listen to.

2. 0:33

   And now let’s talk more about this week’s talk. Hello and welcome back. This is brother Chris. This week we are listening to an exhortation which is actually the. 4th. Class in A5. Class series that was. Given by Brother Pete Owen at the Pershore UK Ecclesia on a study that overall looked at what Judges teaches us about the work of Jesus and his coming.

3. 1:11

   This particular class, which as I said before is an exhortation, is the 4th class in the series, is entitled The Dew of the Morning and is looking at the story of Gideon. This is one of those types of expectations that I always really enjoy because it is something where the brother is taking a look at a Bible story that we all know very well with Gideon and the putting out of the fleece in the sword of the Lord and the Gideon in the battle against the Midianites.

4. 1:37

   But then takes it one level deeper to find the symbolism that is embedded in the scriptures and in the story that points forward to Christ in a way that is really, really cool. I won’t go into any more detail about what and how he points it out in the interesting things that he pulls forward from the story that I had never heard before and I thought was really, really fascinating to listen to so that you can enjoy it when you hear it, because Brother Pete does a spectacular job at doing this. This exhortation and the series was sent in as a recommendation and was originally hosted on the Christadelphian Isolation League, which is found on isolationleague.org. So it is a fantastic resource if you have never heard of it before.

5. 2:22

   You can work with either your recording brother at your local Ecclesia or even just go to the website and there’s information there via the Contact us link of the Isolation League website to be able to find out how to register. There’s a registration code that you need to get to be able to sign up, but it is a fantastic website with all sorts of recordings. This recording in particular, I’ll make sure to include the link in the description.

6. 2:46

   Obviously you’ll need to be registered to access the link, but if you are curious to want to see any slides or there’s also a video recording of these talks If you want to be able to see brother Pete while he’s giving the classes you. Will have access to. Those as well. We will also put the entire five classes on the good Crystal Living Talks extended feed as well.

7. 3:04

   But I also wanted to mention where we got these from as it was sent in as a suggestion. And I wanted to mention, especially if there’s anyone listening who is in more isolation or is not able to regularly attend, meeting the Isolation League is a fantastic way to still be able to have that sort of spiritual community that I know everyone who’s able to attend on a regular basis loves and appreciates.

8. 3:27

   So I hope that you find this exhortation to be encouraging as we listen to Brother Pete Owen look at the story of Gideon with his exhortation entitled The Dew of the Morning. Well, we try, don’t we, generally, to give an exertation from the readings. And I was thinking, well, you know, we’ve got this series that we’re trying to work through this weekend on the Judges. So I did feel exceptionally well blessed when the readings were Psalm 110 and 2nd Corinthians 4, which I think we’re going to be able to tie in to the character of Gideon and to that story. But I would like you to turn first, please, to Judges Chapter 6.

9. 4:06

   And I wonder if if you’ve ever noticed, I haven’t until recently, that before Gideon, there’s a prophet. And, and if I asked you the name of the prophet, none of you would know because none of us do know. So, so just jump to verse seven of Judges chapter 6 where we read that it came to pass when the children of Israel cried to the Lord because the Midianites, the Lord sent a prophet.

10. 4:31

    And the end of the record of that prophet is verse 10. And so prophet is sent before Gideon, who we come across in verse 11. And immediately and in our studies this weekend we’ve been trying to unpick what it is that the judges teach us about the work of the Lord Jesus both at his first coming and his return and a prophet going before.

11. 5:01

    Well, we think don’t we immediately of and I could ask you and it’s perhaps inappropriate in an exhortation so I won’t but all of your minds are at John the Baptist aren’t there. And if I said to you, what about the time of the end. Well who is the prophet that’s going to go before the Lord Jesus at the time of the end and I can see all of your minds are at Elijah.

12. 5:23

    I’d like you to keep a marker. But when you come to John chapter one where we read of John the Baptist coming onto the scene and the elders, the Jewish elders are challenged by John the Baptist and they ask him, who are you? John One verse 22. They said to him, Who are you?

13. 5:48

    That we may give us answer to them that sent us. What says thou of thyself? And he answers to them. I am the voice. At no point does he say I am John the Baptist. Well, have you still got your marker in Judges? What do you read at the end of Judges 6 and verse 10 regarding that unnamed prophet?

14. 6:12

    He is, well, he’s just a voice. They’ve got obeyed God’s voice. He says I John the Baptist back in John one says I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness makes us straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah. And so he quotes, doesn’t he from Isaiah chapter 40.

15. 6:37

    And you remember that in Isaiah 40, the prophet who is the voice of one crying in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord, that prophet, the great shout of that prophet, is all flesh, is grass as the flower of the field. The only thing the prophet goes on to explain that will last forever is the word. We’ve seen in our studies this weekend, the significance of the word.

16. 7:13

    All flesh is grass, the prophet says in Isaiah 14. But the word of the Lord endures forever. Now the reason John the Baptist is sent is to prepare the way of the Lord. And so when in John chapter one, now we see the Lord Jesus Christ come on to the sea, John is going to exit. And so we see, don’t we, in verse 29, that where John is baptising, he sees Jesus coming to him and says, behold the Lamb of God, behold the Lamb of God.

17. 7:54

    And so John’s key message to the world is to tell everyone all flesh is grass. The only thing that will last is the Word of God. Verse 14 of John one that is the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who’s been made flesh to dwell among us, who will behold his glory. And he introduces him now to the world, Behold the Lamb of God. Now, why is that so significant in relation to the story of Gideon and the story of Gideon that you could do a whole Bible school on?

18. 8:36

    So we’re going to have to do some jumping. And I apologise for that, but you’ll be thrilled to know that I’m going to try and behave this morning in terms of time. I want you to come back to Judges chapter 6. And I want you to just cast your eye and I’ll give you a clue.

19. 8:52

    Perhaps go towards the end of the chapter, see if you can find a lamb. Can you find a lamb? It’s not all that easy, is it? But I suspect that most of you, a penny is dropping because actually, we find a fleece, don’t we? How do you get a fleece? Is that what you’ve got? Is that what you’ve got?

20. 9:23

    How do we get that fleece? Well, Alam has perhaps had to be sacrificed to have a fleece. And as soon as you get this, I find what I’m about to tell you now spine tingling, because up until really recently I thought the story of the fleece, well, it was simply an extraordinary miracle that gave Gideon assurance of the fact that God was with him.

21. 9:57

    Well, it is that, but it’s altogether marvellous because look carefully. If we apply the principle here that the lamb, the fleece is a lamb and that the lamb is pointing forward to the Lord Jesus Christ. Let S read verse 36. Gideon said to God, if if you will save Israel by my hand as you said, behold, I LL put a fleece of wool on the floor and if the dew be on the fleece only and if it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you VE said.

22. 10:33

    Now, first of all, let S just pick out a couple of words here. The fleece. Well, I’m sure that you VE already made a note and brother Steve’s already pointed out the fact that I can’t help myself. Can I say get your pencil out? But all they’re saying I’m going to tell you again.

23. 10:48

    Look next to the word fleece, put John 129. It’s the lamb. OK, the fleece is of wool. Well, the two references I’m going to give you, I’m going to suggest that you make a note of for the wool. I’ll tell you them and then we’ll look at them. Isaiah one verse 18 and Revelation one and verse 14.

24. 11:18

    So I’m going to turn there. You might want to make a note. Isaiah 1 and verse 18. What do we read about the wool? Come now, Isaiah 118. Let’s reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be a scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as wool. So the wool is going to somehow point forward to the idea of sin being forgiven.

25. 11:51

    Isaiah 118 give you the other one, Revelation chapter one. Now we turned here yesterday young people, because in Revelation chapter one, we saw, didn’t we, the the multitudinous Christ or the one man or the rainbowed Angel. And we saw, didn’t we, in verse 16, the sharp 2 edged sword coming out of his mouth. But this picture of this immortal man of us as Saints, well, look verse 14.

26. 12:26

    His head and his hair were white like wool as white as snow. Well, we know immediately from Isaiah 118 that Speaking of the fact, sin has been dealt with. That’s why this is an immortal man. OK, come back to Judges 6. Keep moving with our clues. And our reading today or one of our readings is Psalm 110. And we looked at some length yesterday at Psalm 110. But I want you to turn there for this, if nothing else, for our brothers and sisters who are joining us this morning, because in Psalm 110 we read this, this Kingdom Psalm. And we read, Thy people will be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of holiness.

27. 13:22

    From the womb of the morning Thou hast the due of Thy youth. From the womb of the morning, the womb. This is about birth, isn’t it? The womb of the morning thou hast the Jew of thy youth. What is this metaphor? Getting at the womb of the morning, the Jew of thy thy youth. Well, when is our youth going to be renewed? At the resurrection?

28. 14:00

    Come on, come to Isaiah 26 and verse 19, Isaiah 26 and verse 19. Thy dead men shall live. Now, if that’s not a clue, nothing is. What are we talking about in Isaiah 2619? The resurrection? All right, I’m sure you’ve made a note already. If you haven’t, put a note next to verse 19, The resurrection. Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise.

29. 14:35

    This is resurrection language, isn’t it? Awake and see ye that dwell in dust. For thy Jew is thus the Jew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. So the Jew is a symbol of the resurrection. Psalm 110, verse three, Isaiah 26, verse 19. The Jew in Scripture is the symbol of the resurrection. Now I want you to keep a marker in Isaiah 2619, or at least remember this phrase as the Jew of herbs, the earth. That word earth is elsewhere translated. We’ll get to it in a minute.

30. 15:29

    In Judges 6 ground, it’s the same Hebrew word we’re going to see in Judges 6 ground. So you could read the ground shall cast out the dead. Come back to Judges chapter 6, please. So with these types echoing in our mind, let’s look again at verse 37. I will put a fleece of wool on the floor.

31. 15:58

    Who is the fleece of wool pointing to who is the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ? And if the Jew be on the fleece, only the Jew is speaking about the resurrection.

32. 16:16

    And if it be dry on the earth or on the ground, then shall I know that you’ll save Israel by my hand as you’ve spoken. So it’s speaking first of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. But then Gideon says, I hope you don’t. Could I have another sign this time? Could the Jew just be on the ground, but not on the fleece? Isaiah 26 Thy dead men shall live together, thy Jews as the Jew of herbs and the earth.

33. 17:05

    The ground will cast out the dead. So now look Judges 6 verse 39. It was so he rose up early in the morning on verse 39. Rather Gideon said to God, let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak with this once. Let me prove, I beseech thee, but this once with the fleece, let it now be dry on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.

34. 17:35

    Now here is the clincher reference. I said to the children this week when we were doing the readings, and I won T get them to call it out, but they should be able to tell you. You can ask them afterwards, what is First Corinthians 15 about? And all of us should know should be that when we say First Corinthians 15, we know the resurrection.

35. 17:56

    So of course, when we’re looking at the resurrection, we go to 1st Corinthians 15 and we’re told the order of events of the resurrection in First Corinthians 15, verse 20.

36. 18:10

    Do you know for time? I’m going to say verse 23 straight away. Each man in his own order, Christ the first fruits, where was the Jew first? The Jew was only on the fleece afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. The Jew in the second miracle was only on the ground. Well, what an amazing sign being given to Gideon. I don’t know if he understood him. I’m sure he’s a more spiritual man than most of us, and he probably got it and could see that before he was going into battle he had nothing to worry about. Now come that to Judges 6, because when the final hair on the back of my neck stood up, looking at that, I found myself thinking, well, I’ve got to look at this more and, and look carefully now at verse 38.

37. 19:22

    Because he rose up early on the Morrow. Well, that’s resurrection language, isn’t it? Rising up early on the Morrow. And he thrust the fleece together and ringed the Jew out of the fleece. He rung the Jew out of the fleece. Now in our first readings, at the moment we’re in Leviticus, aren’t we? And in the sin offering, a note to make next. The word ring here is Leviticus 5, verse nine. I’m not going to turn there because of time, but with the sin offering, they rung the blood out of the sin offering. They rung it out.

38. 20:05

    So imagine Gideon with this fleece. He’s picked the fleece up and he’s wringing every last drop of water to fill up this bowl full of water. But this fleece is speaking to us about the Lord Jesus Christ. And what was it that he did? Will He come to Philippians chapter 2? Keep your marker.

39. 20:34

    Come to Philippians chapter 2. The Lord Jesus, we read in verse seven, made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant being in the likeness of men. Now we reflected on aspects of the atonement, didn T we yesterday, particularly in the livelihood, But this captures what we looked at yesterday in terms of that aspect of the atonement being made in the likeness of men.

40. 21:11

    But I wanted to concentrate at the beginning of that verse where the Revised Version says He emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant. He emptied himself. What did they do with that fleece? What did He do? He wrung it out until the fleece was empty of water. What did they do with the sin offering? They wrung it out until it was empty of blood. And now I ask you the question,

41. 21:49

    when the Lamb of God gave himself as the sacrifice to deal with the problem of our sin, when he hung on the cross, that’s where we see him empty, empty himself. Before we go back to the recording, Judges, will you come to the Gospel of John to chapter 19? We’ll come back to Philippians two in a bit if we have time, so keep the mark. In John 19, the Lord Jesus has emptied himself. He’s sacrificed himself.

42. 22:42

    There’s just the fleece, as it were. He’s died. He’s fallen asleep just like that fleece. The Lamb of God has emptied himself, and as he’s emptied himself, the soldiers came and they broke the legs, didn’t they, Of those who were crucified alongside the Lord Jesus. But when they got to the Lord Jesus, so clear, he was already dead. It’s a break of bone of his.

43. 23:21

    This was the Lamb of God. This was the Passover lamb. A bone would never be broken. So what they did? Verse 34, one of the soldiers with a sea spear pierced his sigh and forthwith came out blood and water. The sin offerings being wrung out. The fleece has been wrung out. Why you and I might sit here this morning knowing whatever we’ve done this week, whatever we’ve done in our life, our sin can be dealt with and forgiven.

44. 24:13

    What an extraordinary sign that fleece was. Forgive you. Will you come back to the record in Judges to Judges Chapter 7? You know the story very well. We’re not going to go into this story in any depth. You remember that many are called, but few are chosen. That the number has to be whittled down, doesn’t it, of the faithful? There’s a refining process.

45. 24:45

    We’re not surprised. We’ve seen the importance of a refining process that takes place for those who are called out and, and, and, and we read then, don’t we, that the 300 men with Gideon go. And he divided verse 16 of Chapter 7, the 300 men into three companies. And he put a trumpet in every man’s hand with empty pictures and lamps within the pictures. And he said to them, look on me and do likewise. And behold, I when I come to the outside of the camp, you do what I do.

46. 25:16

    When I blow the trumpet, I and all that with me will blow the trumpet on every side of the camp and say the sword of Yahweh and of Gideon. So what do they do? Well, they do exactly as he says. They they stand there with the with their torches in the earthen vessels. When the call comes, they break the earthen vessels and they shout and cause chaos, don’t they, in the camp, the sword of the Lord in the Gideon.

47. 25:51

    Now come to Isaiah chapter 10, because in Isaiah 10 we’re told that when the latter day Assyrian will come to the land of Israel. So we’re talking now about Gog, the king of the North, coming down against Israel. He will be destroyed, and we’re told in verse 26 that the Lord of hosts will stir up a skirt of him according to the slaughter of Midian at the Rock of Orim. So look at Imagine Judges Chapter 7. So this battle that Gideon fights is compared with sown in Scripture to the time of the end when the battle of Armageddon takes place.

48. 26:43

    It’s going to be the same thing. Now wonder what’s happening here. Will you come to Zechariah 14? Zechariah chapter 14? This is a chapter, isn’t it? That’s an Armageddon chapter where we see the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ and the rainbowed angels stand verse four upon the Mount of Olives and the great earthquake goes off and the earth is shattered as we currently know it.

49. 27:14

    We reflected yesterday, didn’t we, on the earthquake we’ve seen in Turkey and Syria and the awfulness of the destruction and realise it is as nothing compared to when this earthquake goes. Look what happens the end of verse four. There shall be a very great valley. The the earthquake just going back a bit cleans cleans the the mountain towards the east and the West and there’ll be a very great valley and it will remove the mountain will remove toward the north and toward the South.

50. 27:46

    So this is how enormous this earthquake is. Not only does it open up to create a valley east and West, half the mountain goes N half it goes S we’re told that when this earthquake happens, it will create devastation the earth like never seen before. But you and I, we hope and pray.

51. 28:07

    Well, we, we, we’re going to be as the Jew of the morning. We’re going to be as youth having energy. We’ll, we’ll be immortal. And so as the mount of all his breaks and dust and rubble goes everywhere and at the slaughter of Gideon, do you remember that they fought against each other in Ezekiel 38? We’re told that they start to fight against each other. But what will we do?

52. 28:37

    Will we just stand there now? What will we do? Well, verse the end of verse five, the Lord my God will come and all the Saints with you, we’re going to go and help and save those left in the city. It will come to pass in that day that the light shall not be clear nor dark.

53. 29:00

    And we ask ourselves, well, what does that mean? The light will not be clear nor dark. Well, in my mind I’ve got an authorised version and a revised version, and the Revised Version margin says this. So that phrase, the light shall not be clear nor dark. It suggests that the Hebrew could mean this.

54. 29:22

    There shall not be light. The bright ones shall contract themselves. Now think of our story. What have they done with the lights in the time of Gideon? The lights are hidden. The light is hidden, isn’t it? Until the call goes, there shall not be light. The bright ones will hide the lights.

55. 29:59

    And then the call goes. And what will we do? Well, I believe that we’ll go in, we’ll go in to Jerusalem. We come to Isaiah 30 for the people, verse 19, that dwell in Zion at Jerusalem. Thou shalt weep no more. He’ll be graciously at the voice of thy cry when he shall hear it. You will answer thee and know the Lord did give you the bread of adversity in the ward of affliction. Yet shall not thy teachers be removed in the corner anymore? Thy eyes will see thy teachers, and your ears will hear a word behind you saying, this is the way, walk in it. So we’ll, we’re immortal.

56. 30:40

    We walk through the dust and the rubber as every wall collapses and we get into Jerusalem and we say, hold my hand, come on, this is the way. Walk in it. Go to the left, left, right. We bring people out. Just come up to chapter 40 of Isaiah. What did the prophet call? Well, Elijah has gone ahead of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the messenger that goes before. And what was it that he called out? All flesh is grass.

57. 31:15

    That’s what the Jews have got to learn, isn’t it? Inside Jerusalem, the grass Withers. Verse 8 The flower fades, but the word of our God shall stand forever. O Zion, that brings good tidings, Get up into the high mounted. Why? Zechariah 14 Half the city’s been taken. The high mounted is Zion. Get up into Zion. O Jerusalem, that brings good tidings. Lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up.

58. 31:42

    Be not afraid. Save the city of Judah. Behold your This Is Us now coming, going to save the tents of Judah, getting into the city, the inhabitants of Jerusalem to save them as they look on the Lord Jesus Christ and they realise that He’s their Saviour. The whole, the Lord God will come with strong hands. His arm will rule for him.

59. 32:07

    His reward is with him and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd. He shall gather the lambs in his armor and carry them in his bosom. And she’ll gently lead those that are with young. Isn’t that such a lovely picture that you say, listen, pass me to that mum who’s broken and she’s got a baby in her arms. You say I’ll hold your baby for you. I’ll take your little lamb.

60. 32:39

    Yeah, but I’ve got a I’ve got another little girl here and a little boy. I’m immortal. I can carry as many people as you want. And you scoot these lambs up in your arms. And as the rubble falls and as the dust is so thick they can’t see you gently leave those that are young.

61. 33:02

    And you say, come on, come on, I’ll get you out the city. It’s going to be OK. What a privilege is ours, brothers and sisters, to be there even after.

62. 33:22

    Will he come finally, It’s the Second Corinthians chapter 4, you see, for all of us today, well, we’re trying to fight that battle. We’re trying to deal with the Midianites in our life, but really we’ve got this treasure. What’s the treasure we’ve got? Well, it it was the torch on fire. Some of you might have a marker in Philippians 2. What are we told later on in Philippians 2? We won’t go there because of time. You’ve got to shine as lights in this Dark World. Well, we’ve got this light.

63. 34:06

    It’s on your lap or your table. We’ve got it. It’s in US. It is the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. This is it. It’s the sword of the hood. It’s the water dropping out of the clouds of Deborah and Blair. This is it.

64. 34:31

    It’s even the dew of the morning. Deuteronomy 32. We won’t go there. This is it. And it’s the light that’s shining. But at the moment, well, this earth and vessel, it keeps messing up day on day, week on week. I’ll be thrilled of it. If I get home this afternoon without an argument taking place in our car, I’ll be delighted. It’ll be the first ever.

65. 35:03

    And that’s just me and Beck. Not really. Do you know We’ve got it in earth and vessels? Do you see? We’re going to keep messing up. That is what we do. It’s the problem of the flesh in US. You’ve got to keep the light shining and be so thankful for God who command you.

66. 35:27

    The light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who we’re going to come to remember. Now we do have this treasure on earth and vessels. Why, that the Excellency of the power may be of God, not of us. So, so long as in your life, you say, I’m so grateful to God for those of us who take the emblems now be so thankful to God to provide the Lamb that he’ll deal with the fact that we’re in earthen vessels.

67. 36:18

    He wants us in earthen vessels that we might never think that anything is of our strength. And so we can know that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, this ecclesia is thought today of Sister Williams, where she lives in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection. That fleece he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. And so as we leave, or as we take him shortly, we reflect on our earth and vessel, and we do that, and we look back at the weak, and there are things to say sorry for. We should be encouraged.

68. 37:08

    We need faint, because though our outward man perish, yet the inward man, the light shining in the earth and vessel, the sword of the Lord, is renewed day by day for our light affliction. It’s just for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen, the things which are seen in a temple, the things which are not seen.

69. 37:46

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70. 38:23

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71. 38:43

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