We have seen that in the Lord’s move on earth, there are two areas of function: fighting the battle and keeping the testimony. For fighting the battle the Israelites between the ages of twenty and thirty were useful, but for keeping the testimony the older ones, those above the age of thirty, were necessary. According to the picture in the Old Testament, those in the middle-aged group are the ones most necessary for the Lord’s move.
Chapters one and two of the book of Numbers reveal that the children of Israel were formed into an army because they were surrounded by enemies. This army was necessary for the protection of God’s testimony. Around the church as God’s testimony today, there are many enemies. Because we are an anti-testimony, there are many enemies to the Lord’s recovery. Hence, there is the need of an army to protect the testimony. We have seen that this army does not take care of the tent of meeting directly. Rather, according to the picture in Numbers, the army was encamped around the tabernacle to protect the sphere, the realm, in which the tabernacle was erected. For the keeping of the tent of meeting, there was the need for a peaceful sphere. Because the twelve tribes camped around the tent of meeting, wherever the children of Israel went, there was a peaceful realm in which the tabernacle could be erected. Today in the Lord’s recovery we need the young people to be an army encamped around the church life.
The twelve tribes of the children of Israel not only fought the enemy, but also gained the ground to create a peaceful realm for the setting up of the tabernacle. This ground made it possible for God’s habitation to be safely erected. Today we need the young people to drive away the enemy and to gain more young people to secure the safety of the Lord’s testimony. In every major city there is the need for a peaceful sphere for the establishment of the church life. The gaining of such a sphere is the responsibility of the young people.
By studying the picture presented in the book of Numbers, we can see what the responsibility of the middle-aged brothers and sisters should be. In chapter three of Numbers we see how to keep the tent of meeting. Those related to the tent of meeting were in three sections according to their age: one section for those from one month to twenty years; a second section for those between twenty and thirty; and a third section for those over the age of thirty. We have seen that those between the ages of twenty and thirty were to fight the battle and that those over thirty were to maintain the testimony directly. But what about those between the ages of one month and twenty years? Those in this age group surrounded the tabernacle in order to keep it. The Bible does not tell us the meaning of keeping the tabernacle. Perhaps it meant to protect the tabernacle and to share in its maintenance. As the Lord’s testimony today, the church needs more young ones, more new ones. However, most of us in the church life do not have the way to use the new ones. It seems that the more new ones we have, the more trouble we have. But the more young ones there are, the more the church is protected. How wonderful it would be if the church in Anaheim had a thousand new ones to protect the church life!
In the meetings of the church many times the same ones give testimonies again and again. I am eager to hear new ones speaking in the meetings. If many new ones would testify at the Lord’s table meeting, I would be excited. Some of those who speak often are quite eloquent. But eloquence means nothing. The church is not a place for eloquent speaking. Instead of eloquence, I prefer to hear the childlike speech of the new ones. How sweet such speaking is! We do not want to hear the same voices all the time. If there are no new ones speaking in the meetings, the church life will be under attack. A sister may be sixty years old as far as physical age is concerned, but spiritually, having been newly converted, she may be only a month old. To hear such a one praise the Lord is very sweet. Although her speech may not be eloquent, it is refreshing and encouraging. How refreshed we would be if several newly converted ones would stand up in the meeting and praise the Lord for their salvation! We need the speaking of such babes and young ones. We need more new converts to guard the Lord’s testimony. We need a line of spiritual babes and young ones to surround the church life.
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