“THE LORD APPOINTED SEVENTY OTHERS ALSO.”
-LUKE
10:1-11,17-20.-SEPT. 2.-
“The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few.”
OUR LORD HAD
previously sent forth the twelve apostles, as heralds of himself and the
Kingdom. (Luke 9:1-6.) The sending forth of seventy was evidently some little
time afterward, probably in the last year of his ministry. Their commission
reads almost in the same words as that given to the twelve, though they are not
recognized anywhere as apostles on an equality of authority with the twelve.
The fact that seventy men would voluntarily go forth as ministers of the Lord,
without hope of earthly reward or salary, is a sufficient evidence that a
strong influence had already been exerted by Jesus’ teaching. In this
connection we remember the Apostle’s statement that above five hundred brethren
were sufficiently advanced in knowledge and zeal to be accounted worthy of
meeting the Lord after his resurrection, which implies a keen interest on the
part of several times that number. We may reasonably suppose that these seventy
were representatives of a much larger company of deeply interested ones. They
were sent into the various cities and villages, whither the Lord himself would
go. They were to prepare his way by announcing the Kingdom at hand, and by
performing the miracles intended to demonstrate the authenticity of their
message.
An explanation of why they were sent forth is given (verse 2): it was
because the harvest was great and the laborers too few to properly consummate
the work in the time appointed of the Father. All interested were expected to
share in this appreciation of the greatness of the work, and the necessity for
more laborers being sent forth; and it is but reasonable to suppose that the
seventy sent were chosen from amongst those appreciating the situation and
anxious to be commissioned.
There are several lessons for us in this matter: we too are in a harvest
time-in the harvest time of the Gospel age, as they were in the harvest of the
Jewish age. Now, as then, the harvest work is great, and the laborers are
comparatively few; and now, as then, we cannot hope that any would succeed in
doing harvest work unless specially commissioned or sent forth by the Chief
Reaper. Hence, all who appreciate the work now in progress, should pray to the
Lord to send them forth in his service, or if already engaged in it, that he
would graciously open to them doors of opportunity for greater usefulness in
his service. In the beginning of this harvest comparatively few were used of
the Lord in connection with the harvest work; but as we progress we find that
the Lord is graciously pleased to send forth and use more and more those who
are zealously anxious to lay down their lives for the truth.
The expression, “The harvest is great,” does not necessarily mean that the
amount of ripe “wheat” to be garnered is great. It means rather that the
difficulties and oppositions, and multitudes of “tares,” make it difficult to
reach all of the “wheat” class. The work is great here, as it was great in the
end of the Jewish age; yet only a “little flock” will be gathered now, as only
a remnant was gathered from Israel, as the Apostle Paul pointed out. (Rom.
9:27.) The mass of Israel professed to be the Lord’s people, but their piety
was little more than profession. They drew nigh to the Lord in attendance at
the synagogues, and in celebrating the feasts, felt full and self-satisfied,
and looked with pity upon the Gentile nations, and had a great spirit of
missionary aggressiveness, and “compassed sea and land to make a proselyte” to
Judaism. Nevertheless, the Lord, who read the heart, recognized that theirs
was only a formal lip service, and that their hearts were far from him; and we
see conditions to-day very similar to this, in nominal spiritual Israel.
None were fit to be sent out as heralds of the Kingdom except such who
thoroughly believed in the Kingdom-such as had accepted Jesus as the Messiah;
such as believed in his presence-such, therefore, as could speak forth with
earnestness and power the message they were sent to bear. And so it seems to
be in this harvest time. The Lord is sending forth more laborers continually;
yet only such as recognize the Kingdom as nigh, even at the door; only such as
recognize the parousia of the King; only such as have a zeal to tell the
joyful tidings to others, are being used and blessed of the Lord in the
gathering together of his elect,-the ripe “wheat,” his “jewels.”-Psa. 50:5;
Mal. 3:16,17; Matt. 13:39,41.
It is not supposable that our Lord meant that any should appeal to him to
send forth more laborers into the harvest, who at the same time would not be
willing and anxious, to the extent of their ability, to enter this harvest
service themselves. There may be some, but we trust very few, who would be
prepared to pray: “O Lord bless, I pray thee, thy work, and send forth more
laborers; but do not send me. Permit others to sacrifice time and strength and
zeal, that I may rest, and have neither part nor lot in the matter, sacrificing
little or nothing.” Only those are properly qualified to petition the Lord on
such a subject, whose hearts are burning with a desire to do with their might
what their hands may find to do, according to their opportunities. Such, in
praying, would be anxious, first of all, to themselves be used as servants of
the great Chief Reaper; for it is “he that reapeth that receiveth wages and
that gathereth fruit unto eternal life” now, as it was also in the Jewish
harvest. Those who are most zealous to serve the Lord, and most willing to
sacrifice on behalf of his cause, are the ones who will receive the greatest
present blessing of spiritual fellowship with the Lord, and who will be the
best prepared to share the glories soon to be revealed.
The Lord adopted with the seventy the same method that he started with the
twelve; viz., of sending them two and two; and similarly we, at the
present time, encourage the colporteur laborers in this harvest to go two and
two, for mutual encouragement and helpfulness, etc. As the poet has said,
“So when two together work, each for each
Is quick to plan and can the other teach;
But when alone one seeks the best to know,
His skill is weaker and his thoughts are slow.”
It is questionable just why the Lord chose seventy for this work.
However, we remember that Moses chose seventy of the elders of Israel for his
assistants, and that this number, seventy, was from that time onward preserved
in Israel, and known as the “Sanhedrin,” or committee of seventy chief
men and judges. In the light of this fact, it would appear that if the nation
of Israel had been in proper condition of heart to receive the Lord, the chiefs
of that nation would already have embraced his cause, and the seventy members
of the Sanhedrin would by that time have been proclaiming the Messiah through
the length and breadth of Palestine. But since they had not received the King,
and had not prayed him to commission them to announce him, our Lord
commissioned others, and the work went on, the honor and privilege passing by
those of influence and education who might have enjoyed it had they been
worthy. Doubtless the seventy sent forth were, like the apostles, chosen from
amongst the honest-hearted of the common people, and not many, if any of them,
were rich, wise or learned.
Likewise, in this harvest time, there are many ministers, professedly
servants of the truth, and possessed of education, influence, etc., who by now
should realize that we are in the harvest of the Gospel age, and should be
seeking of the Lord an opportunity to engage in the harvest work; but instead,
they are described as “dumb dogs, lying down, refusing to bark”-refusing to
awaken the household under their care, to let them know that the Kingdom of God
is at hand, and that all not received into the Kingdom are about to be plunged
into a great time of trouble. All of the spiritual house of to-day must either
receive a more than pentecostal blessing, in being “changed” and made sharers
of the Kingdom, or else, being rejected from the Kingdom, receive a baptism of
fiery trouble-having their portion with the world, not being accounted worthy
to escape those things coming upon the world.-Luke 21:36.
That the Lord did not expect the seventy to convert and gather in all
Israel is very distinctly shown in his statement, “Behold, I send you forth as
lambs among wolves.” The Master knew that the majority of the professedly
consecrated Israel of God were consecrated to self and selfishness, to sect and
party, and not to the truth. The majority were represented as voracious
wolves, not sheep. Nevertheless, there were lambs and sheep amongst the goats
and the wolves, and these all must hear the message, and thus be prepared to receive
the Messiah, when he should present himself to them.
Special instructions were given to these specially sent-forth ones. They
had a peculiar work to do and the conditions accorded. They were not,
therefore, a criterion for subsequent workers under different circumstances.
They were to carry neither purse, nor valise, nor extra shoes, and were to
salute no man by the way. They would thus be dependent on the generosity of
those to whom they ministered the truth. And the effect of this would be beneficial
in several ways. (1) It would test the faith of those who went forth, and keep
them continually depending on the Lord’s supervising care, and trusting that he
who had sent them knew how to make provision for their necessities while they
complied with his commands. (2) It would furnish an opportunity for
hospitality to those to whom they preached, and who, by reason of the
necessities of the case, would be constrained to reach a decision promptly as
to whether or not they were in sympathy with the message, and hence with the
messengers, and willing to entertain them. The same lesson of dependence on
the Lord was implied in the provision for no change of raiment. Besides, it
was to be but a short tour.
The injunction not to salute any one by the way, may be understood to
refer to the custom in Oriental lands of travelers stopping frequently to chat
with each other respecting the news. The disciples had but one message, the
good tidings, and they were to give all diligence to its promulgation, and not
to be general newsmongers. On arriving at a house they were to take careful
note respecting their reception, and were to anticipate this with a prayer that
peace, blessing, favor, might be upon that house and its inmates. If a son of
peace, a child of God, resided there, they might expect that under the Lord’s
providence they would have a kind reception, and were to accept it as of the
Lord’s arrangement. If they were not so received, they were to consider it as
an evidence that that was not the home of God’s people, living in covenant
relationship with him, and were to take their departure, seeking another and
another place. Peradventure they found no entertainer in the village, they
were, nevertheless, to give their testimony. And it should be given in a
striking manner; viz., by the shaking of the dust from their shoes,
which, to the Oriental mind, would signify a very solemn and final testimony;
and then they were to say, “Notwithstanding, be sure of this, that the Kingdom
of God is come nigh unto you.”
All who are engaged in the present harvest work may learn some very
profitable lessons here, applicable, indeed, to the Lord’s people at any time
while engaged in his service. We have no time for the ordinary converse. The time is short; the harvest work is great; the laborers
are few; our time is consecrated; we must labor while it is called day, knowing
that a night cometh wherein no man can work. We have consecrated our lives
even unto death; we are commissioned of the great Lord of the harvest to seek
for the true “wheat,” and to gather it into the barn. What time have we for
frivolities or worldliness or the many social amenities? Rather, we must
content ourselves with giving very little attention to these things, and must
press along the line, engaging heartily in the work given us to do, if we would
have the approval of our Master, his “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Although it is not customary to-day, as it was in Palestine
nineteen centuries ago, to salute a house and say, “Peace be to this house!”
nevertheless all of the Lord’s people should be peacemakers, peace-promoters,
peace-lovers, and a blessing of peace and restfulness should go with them
wherever they go. Alas! how many of them are slow to learn that God has not called
us to strife, contentions, bickerings, anger, etc., but to love, joy, peace,
etc. How few, comparatively, have learned how to speak the truth in love;
and always to give a soft answer which turneth away wrath; and always to avoid
the grievous words which stir up anger. Like the seventy of our lesson, in our
daily avocations and efforts to minister to others, let the peace of God go
with us, shining in our faces, governing our actions and intoning our language,
so that, as the Apostle expresses it, our speech shall be always seasoned with
grace.
Conditions in civilized lands to-day are very different from what they
were and still are in Oriental lands, so that here and now it would be unusual
to be expected to entertain strangers; nevertheless, all who are of the Lord’s
true people should be on the look-out to entertain hospitably any servants of
the Lord, who they are sure carry his message, the Gospel of the Kingdom. And,
as the Apostle indicates, they should be just as careful not to entertain, not to
assist, and not to bid God-speed to any who are bearing a false gospel, and
denying that the Lord bought us.-2 John 10.
REJOICE IN THINGS UNSEEN.
When the seventy returned from this mission they were full of joy;
saying, “Lord, even the devils are subject unto us, in thy name.” Our Lord
assured them that this was what he expected, and intended, when he sent them
forth, and explained respecting his own knowledge of Satan in his pre-human
condition, that there and then he had been a witness to Satan’s fall from high
glory and privilege and position to his present attitude of chief adversary of
God. “I beheld Satan as lightning [as a bright one] fall from heaven.” It is
for those who deny the personality of Satan and who deny there are any fallen angels,
to explain away these plain statements of Scripture. The true children of God,
the true sheep who hear the voice of the Shepherd, will not be deceived upon
this point any more than upon others. What matters it to us that we did not
see Satan fall from his glorious condition? Our Master did, and he has borne
testimony, not only respecting Satan’s personality, but also respecting his
fall from brightness and honor. What is it to us that others deny that there
are fallen angels, demons, who seek to impersonate the dead, through
spiritualism, etc.? We have the Master’s words, and the words of the apostles,
to the contrary, and as true sheep we both hear and heed the Shepherd’s voice
and follow him. We heed not the voice of Satan, uttered through those whom he
controls, telling us that there is no devil, that there is no Second Death,
etc.
Our Lord proceeded to tell the seventy that it was he who had given them
the power they had enjoyed, and that it included immunity from the bites of
serpents and scorpions, and from all the power of the enemy-all enemies, but
specially the enemy, Satan: the same one mentioned also in the prayer which our
Lord taught, saying, “Deliver us from the Evil One.” It may not be amiss to
note here the fact that these powers and authorities over Satan, poisons,
serpents, etc., were confined to the twelve and to the subsequent seventy, and
were never given to the Church in general. The only Scripture which even seems
to so imply is Mark 16:9 to the end, and these verses are not found in the
oldest Greek MSS., and are evidently interpolations, added probably about the
fifth century: they are omitted from the Revised Version and others. But while
no such immunity from poisons and bites and stings are granted to the Gospel
Church in general, we have what serves every purpose in this respect; viz.,
the Lord’s promise that nothing shall by any means hurt us as new
creatures,-that the Lord will permit nothing to happen to his consecrated ones
that he is not both able and willing to overrule for their good, their
highest welfare.
While rejoicing with the disciples in their increased faith and joy,
resulting from their activities in his service, and in the exercise of the
gifts which he had bestowed upon them, our Lord cautioned them against thinking
too highly of such miraculous gifts, and assures them that their chiefest cause
for joy lay in another direction-in the fact that they had been accepted as
sons into God’s family (John 1:12); in the fact that their names were written
in heaven, as prospective joint-heirs with Christ in his Kingdom-prospective
members of the body of Christ, to suffer with him, and thus attest their
fidelity, and by and by to be glorified with him to all eternity. This is in
harmony with the Apostle Paul’s statement in 1 Cor. 13:1, where he assures us
that the miraculous gifts conferred upon the early Church by the laying on of
the apostles’ hands, such as speaking with unknown tongues, interpretations of
mysteries, etc., are not proofs of spirit-begotten conditions;-that a greater
proof is the possession of the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of love that
never faileth.
The more of the spirit of love we possess the greater is our likeness to
God’s dear Son, our Redeemer, and the more will we be fitted and prepared for a
share with him in his heavenly glories. If, therefore, the Lord permits us to do
some little service in the present harvest, or to bear some burdens in the heat
of the day, or if he grants us the privilege of successfully contending against
the great Adversary and his servants, and hinders us from being stung
or “hurt” by their words or looks or deeds, and if he grants us opportunities
for helping others out of soul-sickness by administering the good medicine of
the present truth, let us rejoice in these privileges and opportunities; but
let us rejoice still more that under the Lord’s providence we are his children,
begotten of his spirit,-that our names have been recorded as members of his
family, and that by and by we may expect to be joint-heirs with our Elder
Brother. Yea, in these good hopes we will rejoice.