The great falling away, leaving a witnessing remnant (Quality: Average)

[0:00] In the book of Malachi chapter 3 and verse 16 The book of Malachi the third chapter and the sixteenth verse Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another And the Lord hearkened and heard it And a book of remembrance was written before him For them that feared the Lord And that fought upon his name

[1:02] Malachi the last of the prophets Under the old dispensation Through the prophets there has been declared that which was relating to the promise Concerning the coming seed The purpose of it The comprehensiveness of it Was so set forth in type and in shadow That the people might be left in no doubt Relative unto its eventual fulfillment Everything that was needful and essential For the instruction of the people unto the coming of the promised seed Has been declared There is no more to be said

[2:02] And for four hundred years or more There is no further revelation Given unto this people When we come to the New Testament We find that wherein there is the appearance of him Who has been foretold and spoken of by the prophet And we find that here is the one in whom God is pleased so to speak Namely in the person of his own son The one who has grown within his bosom from all eternity Who is acquainted with all his will Who has a knowledge of all his purposes And God has spoken unto us

[3:04] In his son Jesus Christ We go along through the New Testament And we come to the fulfillment Of that which had been foretold We see the completion We see the perfection We see the reality of it all Set before us There is no further revelation to be made There is to be a waiting time Even as they of old Did so have to wait for the appearance Of the coming seed So must we wait For the coming of our Lord and Savior And Savior Jesus Christ Yes The final revelation There will not be anything further

[4:05] We do well then to take heed unto those things Which we have heard Lest at any time we should let them slip And we remember too The great salvation That is so set before us In this precious book And how shall we escape If we neglect So great salvation And yet that there are people Who neglect Is obvious Both in the old And in the new We read of our Lord Wherein he so declared Concerning the fathers of old And in that which related Which related unto the present age In which he was found here Upon this earth He said In hearing they hear But they do not understand

[5:06] In seeing they see But they do not perceive For the heart of this people is gross And they are dull of hearing And their eyes they have closed Blessed They should hear With the They should hear in the heart With the understanding Unless Hearing They should indeed hear The word of that salvation Whereby They should be converted And he would heal them But he declares That the whole demeanor And attitude Of that people Is set against The reception Of those things Which had been so Freely declared amongst them

[6:08] But God has a remnant And they shall come The seed that shall serve him And they shall declare They shall make mention Of his righteousness That he has Done this And that is always To be The matter And the substance Of all That relates Unto a A true Christian Even as we have it In our days Then They that Teared the Lord Spake often One to another And the Lord Harkened And heard it And a book Of remembrance Was written Before him For them That feared the Lord And that Fought upon his name When was this word

[7:10] Spoken For we have a time Mentioned in the first word Of the text Then When everything Was favorable When that Which was relative Unto And the people Of Israel Was indeed In a state Of prosperity When everything Was conducive Unto that Wherein True worship Might be rendered Unto Almighty God No We look at The nation And what Do we think They have Turned the back Upon God They will not Give heed Unto those Things Which he Hath spoken Unto them Yes They are Inmity With God A nation Which had Been so Highly favored And so

[8:12] Blessed In times Gone by No It is not For us As it were Tonight To try To enumerate The wonderful Blessings That God Had bestowed Upon this Nation The deliverances That he Had effected On their Behalf The way In which He had Watched Over them And in Justism And in Love Had so Conducted Them And yet This nation Turns Against The blessed Dealings Of God In that Wherein In his Mercy And in His Goodness He had So wrought In their Mist And when A nation Rejects That which Is relative Unto The Lord Then we May depend Upon it That that Which follows Shall indeed Be a picture

[9:13] Of the human Heart And what We find Related In this Very Same Prophecy We see The state Of man's Heart The moral State Of the Nation Yes We see It in All Its Wickedness In that Wherein Adultery And so For Has so Taken Hold Upon the Lives Of this People Everything That was Relative Unto The Commandments Broken Yes Do we Have to Go far As it Were To see Those Same Truths As they May be So Set Before Us In our Very Lives We can Think upon Our own Nation And we Can think Upon the Immorality That has Resulted From the Rejection Of God And of His Word And of

[10:13] His Day Yes And is That all My dear Hearer Good God If it were Not Because I Find That though The Lord Says Return Unto me And I Will Return Unto you Here are People Who say Wherein Shall we Return Here are People Who have Indeed Besmirched And denied Everything That was Relative Unto the True Worship Of God Their Worship Now was Simply the Emanations Of their Own Imagination They Thought They knew Everything That was To be Known Relative To a Way Of Acceptance In God's Sight Little Realizing That in Their Activities They They were Getting Further And

[11:13] Further And Further And Further Away From God Yes The Worship Of the True God Oh Into What a Terrible State Doth Disappear In This Prophecy Of Malachi We Find The Same Thing Illustrated Where Is The True Worship Of God In The Day In Which We Live Do We Not Find That The Imaginations Of Man's Heart Has Contrived All Sorts Of Ways And Things Whereby The Vacuum Which Has Come Into Their Life Through The Acknowledgement Of God How They Try To Fill It Why We Turn Aside Into The Various Colts Of The Present Age We Look At The Various Movements Which Arise From The Nations And If You Examine Any Of

[12:13] Them If You Are Interested In Them You Will Find Like That Which Relates To Christian Science That There Is No Foundation For Them In The Word Of God That It Has No Basis In That Which Is Relative Unto God's Command And That Wherein He So Declares The Unsufficiency Of His Word They Want To Add To It They Want To Bring In Other Things Yes The Truth In The Day Of Malachi You Know Was Not Popular I I Am Reminded Of That By The Fact By Passing By A Certain Place On One Occasion And I Saw Inscribed Upon The Doors Of That Place Of Worship So Called Popular Services My Heart At Once Told Me That There Was No True Worship In That Which Related Unto Such

[13:13] An Assembly Why Not Because Truth Is Never Popular Truth Is Never Popular The Truth Concerning God And His Word It Cuts Yea And When It Comes And Has To Deal With Human Nature It Go Cruces I It Ah We Do Well To Give Heed Unto These Solem Things Because Here Is The Day Then The Day Of Separation The Day Of Refining The Day Of Purging God Is Indeed Going To Make Known That That Word Which He Hath So Spoken Cannot Be Lightly Esteemed Therefore He Speaks Of His Judgment I

[14:16] Was Rather Struck While Meditating Upon These Things Of How That It Is Declared Toward The End Of This Chapter Yea At The Very End Then Shall He Return And Discern Between The Righteous And The Wicked Between Him That Serveth God And Him That Serveth Him Not And When I Turn To The New Testament And I Come To The Closing Words I Find The Saying Fact Declared He That Is Unjust Let Him Be Unjust Still He That Is Filthy Let Him Be Filthy Still He That Is Righteous Let Him Be Righteous Still He That Is Holy Let Him Be Holy Still There Is A Division

[15:16] There Is A Separation And God Will Indeed Perform That Which Is Relative Unto The Truth Which He Has Spoken In His Word How Gly We Can Pass Over The Solemn Words Which Are Continual As It Were Thundering For From The Word Of God Concerning The Sin Of Man And Amidst All That Which Is The Fruit Of It I Wonder If We Consider The Wonder Of The Fact That Not Withstanding God Is Pleased To Have A Remnant A Remnant According To The Election Of Grace A People Whom He Hath Set

[16:16] Apart Unto Himself A People Whom He Hath Formed For Himself And A People That Shall Show For His Praise Even At Such A Time As That Then They Day Oh They Were Dark Days And They Were The Times Where In Hard Speeches Were Being Spoken Look At It You Will Find How The Lord Has Been Speaking In The Way Of Remonstrance He Has Been Speaking In The Way Of Compassion And Of Pity He Has Been Declaring The Words Of Truth Unto This People And Yet Ye Say And

[17:16] Yet Ye Say They Are Putting Their Own Word Before His The Complexion Of Matters Are Indeed More Important In That Wherein They Would So Bring Them For Out Out Of Their Own Hearts Devices Listen To Some Of The Things That They Said It Is Not It Is Notable How That Word Wherein Is Mentioned Again And Again They Said Wherein Has Thou Loved It Wherein Have We Despised Thy Name Wherein Have We Polluted Thine Otter Wherein Have We Robbed It Wherein Have We We Weary It Yes The Lord Has Spoken On Every occasion In

[18:17] A Word Of Remonstrance A Word Of Correction And Yet He Says And Ye Say Ye Say Wherein Oh It Is Indeed A Day Of Dark Things The Language Of Man Denying The Authority Of The Voice That Has Spoken The Disobedience That Is So Transparent In That Wherein They So Put Themselves To The Floor And Relegate God Unto The Rear Yes They're Going To Do What They Will Do And They Are Not Going To Have Any Interference From That Which Is Relative Unto The God Of Truth So They Think So They Proceed Yet What

[19:17] Is The Result And Belief Becomes Rampant Yet Ye Say And As The Result Of It In That Wherein Man Dots So Utter Out Of His Own Dark Heart That Wherein He Has No Understanding Or Knowledge Of The Living God And Belief Spreads On Every Side And What Do We Think In Consequence Of Falling Away Of Falling Away Who Is Going To Deny That In The Day In Which We Live Is It Not In That Wherein Man Has Sought To Take The Foremost Position His Wisdom His Understanding Yea His Way He Thinks Is So Much Better Than That Which Is Relative Unto The Authority Of The Word And That

[20:18] Which Is So Set Before Him In The Scripture Yes The Breed Of Unbelief Bringeth For The Falling Away What Have We Heard From Our Purpets Over The Past Years The Truth Not In A Great Many Of Them A Belittling Yes Of The Word Of God Of Pulling Down Of Those Glorious Cardinal Doctrines That We Call The Doctrines Of Grace Seeking To Elevate Man Telling Man What He Can Do Telling Man What He Is To Do And Then He Is Promised That He Will Almost Find A Utopia What Is Been The Result Of Falling Away My Mind

[21:18] Goes Back Unto A Sudden Time When At Attleboro Coming Out To The Chapel There On One Occasion And One Was Going Up The Road One Past Another Place Of Worship And Outside that place of worship there was a big advertisement for social gatherings of the people and underneath all the fun of the fair.

[21:46] I thought yes. Here is set forth before me that which was so described by our Lord when he went into the temple.

[21:59] When he saw the money changers and so forth he have turned my house into a house of merchandise. Why does man do it?

[22:12] Well man says well we must attract the people in somehow. We must get them in by some means or other. Oh yes. But we find in the case of the instance to which I have referred the place is now empty.

[22:29] It's closed with God. And yet the little cause is still in being. The place where the word of God is honored.

[22:45] Yes how we need to realize that in that wherein there is a falling away there is nevertheless a few who fear the Lord than they that feared the Lord.

[23:07] And they that feared the Lord are obviously by the very reading of the text sustained and upheld by him. And I want briefly to go into this blessed fact.

[23:22] we're told of their description that then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another. Yes a distinctive people a separated people a people that have been gathered and brought together.

[23:46] and there is only one thing that has so brought them together. There is only one that has so caused their language so to be spoken in agreement with God.

[24:06] And that is that wherein God the blessed spirit has so indicted within their hearts the knowledge the testimony of divine truth.

[24:22] They have not only heard but they have understood it. They have not only seen but they have seen the glory of the promised one of the Messiah of the Redeemer.

[24:35] Yes separated and separated in that wherein they had something to talk about. Oh I know there is plenty for people to talk about in these days.

[24:53] Anything but that which relates unto the things of God the natural things the things of their everyday life's existence the things that concern them relative to their welfare and so on and all the gossip that goes on.

[25:11] And I will remember one minister in the pulpit saying gossip or gossip is only lies and so it is. But this people they have no time for that.

[25:27] They do not give a heeding ear unto every tale and rumor that may be brought unto them. They are too fully occupied in other matters. And what are those other matters?

[25:40] Why the things of God this is the substance that they are for? This is that wherein their mind is continually exercised upon the things of God.

[25:54] They find that the things of God are solid. They are real. They are factual. And they are those truths upon which they can trust and depend relative unto their own soul's security and safety.

[26:16] Yet it brings us to this. What then did they speak about? For whatever they spake about, they spake in the fear of the Lord. And the fear of the Lord finds its base in the faith of God's elect.

[26:33] When God regenerates the soul, he gives the gift of faith. faith will always honor God and faith will always go to God and faith will always live upon God.

[26:48] So they had something to talk about. About the one in whom they believed. The one in whom they trusted. And again, where faith is, there is the spirit of love.

[27:05] Faith worketh by love. And where there is love, there is a love for the things of God and an abhorrence of all that which is evil and wrong.

[27:20] Now let us pause a moment. Are you amongst these characters? Do you find in your own heart that wherein you are born and loathed, that which is relative unto the sins of the world?

[27:36] Do you find an opposition within your soul unto all that which is against by God, whether it is spoken in word or in action, or it's done in action?

[27:49] Do you find your whole soul, as it were, raising up in opposition unto that wherein these evil things do so abound? If it doesn't, you know, I very much doubt if you are a Christian, if you are a child of God, because if the fear of the Lord is in your heart, it is anxious light to all that's right and above to all that's wrong.

[28:15] But we are told that they not only feared the Lord, and that in the fear of the Lord they talked to one with another, but that they fought upon his name.

[28:28] They fought upon the name of the great and the mighty, God, the Holy One. And where is your heart to find, as it were, the very center, yea, in the very circumference of all that relates unto any knowledge of God?

[28:51] Is it not found in his Son, Jesus Christ? Is he not the one who is the treasure house of every believing soul?

[29:01] Is he not the one to whom they have to continually go? Yes. They think upon his name.

[29:15] What does that name mean to you? Does it mean what it declares, that he shall save his people from their sin? does it speak to you of his saverhood?

[29:28] Does it speak to you of the Redeemer? Or are they simply terms? In other words, you hear, hearing not.

[29:40] You see, and you see not. You do not understand. But when we are brought to know in the fear of the Lord that we're in our own condition and state is concerned, then the glory and the beauty of Christ becomes more and more evident unto our souls.

[30:03] And it is a subject that can never be exhausted. And they that fear the Lord speak often one to another.

[30:14] yes, they gathered together. They found their own company, they went to their own company. They desired none of us.

[30:27] One is here reminded of those disabled when they were up before the council of how it was declared concerning them when they were let go. They went to their own company.

[30:41] For what's your company? is it the children of God? Do you delight to be in the presence of them who do fear the Lord and think upon his name?

[30:54] Have you the same taste as they have got for those things which are so substantial and solid, discovered and realized in that blessed person of Jesus Christ?

[31:08] Christ? Oh, you'll find it to be a subject upon which you will have to speak often one to another. But what a wonderful thing it is so to be found consorting together in this glorious way.

[31:27] Because it is only as they are united together in the Lord that they are thus brought together. you know how that you have come into contact with people.

[31:42] They have had religion on the tongue. They could speak it. Oh, yes. Until you really felt ashamed of yourself by reason of that knowledge which they did so bring forth concerning the scriptures.

[31:57] And yet, for the life of you, you could never realize any communion with them. You could never feel any nearness to them. It all seemed so dead and lifeless.

[32:13] Yet, ah, you came into contact with another character. The character hasn't uttered a word. And yet, there is a responsiveness within your spirit unto their spirit that are joining together and uniting God.

[32:35] What a wonderful thing this is. Do you know it? Then you are united together in the Lord. It is the same spirit.

[32:49] It is that same glorious indwelling of his Son within your heart, whereby you are renewed in the knowledge of him, whereby you are conformed unto his image.

[33:03] And there is the recognition in your own soul of that which answers unto the other in that wherein his name is indeed glorious.

[33:18] It is precious. It is desirable. And you long more and more to know the glorious mystery of God and his Son, Jesus Christ.

[33:31] And when you come together, this is that which you talk about. These are the things that you love, and if you don't hear them, then mighty hear you feel you've had a very wasted time.

[33:45] You feel it's been of no profit whatsoever. But oh, if you are amongst these characters, what profit you will gain by that wherein they speak often one with the other, the fear of the Lord in their heart and thinking upon his name.

[34:07] Yes, but I see I mustn't stop long upon that point. But let me remind you of this, that we are told of the conversation they speak often and the Lord hearkened.

[34:27] They had one who was very near to them. Yes, and is it not because the Lord indrelleth the souls of his people that there is this speaking so often one to the other?

[34:43] Oh, there is that reciprocation within your heart unto that wherein grace grace is so discernible that wherein the speech is touched by the sweet unction of his power.

[35:00] Yes, then what shall the conversation be all about? I'll tell you, the psalmist tells us, I'm not going to stay upon it, but I'll remind you of it, and it will be the substance of your conversation.

[35:14] They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom. they shall speak of thy power. They shall declare thy love.

[35:26] They shall indeed speak of thy grace. They shall speak of thy blessing, and they shall speak of thy word.

[35:38] Are these the things that occupy your thoughts? This afternoon I was thinking concerning this fact.

[35:51] How often does my heart go up to the Lord in the course of the day? True, all days are not alike, and yet there are days when your heart and your mind and your thoughts are so set upon him that you are continually going to him.

[36:16] you find your delight in the Lord. And finding your delight in the Lord, he gives you the desires of your heart.

[36:34] And all this is that which is the outcome of what God, the Spirit, by the communication of his grace to your soul, has brought you to know that sweet fellowship that existed between the members of his body, as they are all linked together in him.

[36:59] let me quote for my authority that which is relative to the word of John when he wrote his epistle and he says these things write we unto you that your fellowship may be full that it may be with us and our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ and we hear him go on to say concerning the light if ye are in the light as he is in the light then we have fellowship one with another what is the substance of the fellowship in the church it is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ and therein they find the link of their union one toward another herein they have their communion yes they have fellowship one with another and the blood of

[38:12] Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from all sin finally we have a hearer to this conversation the Lord hearkened what an impressive word that is it is as though one is so listening that not a single word is going to be lost every word has got to be heard you mustn't miss anything and that is how the Lord hearkens how near he is unto his people and he not only hearkens but he expresses his commending of the conversation that they have concerning his name and he had it recorded yes it was written in the book of remembrance it was always before him if you are enabled by

[39:27] God's ingrained spirit to speak a word concerning his honor his praise his glory to speak a word for him my friend that word will never be forgotten by God oh he will never forget that which comes out of the heart which he himself has touched it wells up into the language of grace and ascribes unto him the honor and the glory yes written before him and when you think of Job I wonder if we can as it were realize that wherein the same fact and truth is written before him concerning us Job said all that my words were written that they were printed in a book he had his request you know although he never lived to see it they are in this book they are recorded and why are they recorded but to tell us the glorious subject and the theme of all

[40:49] God's people when they are so gathered together in a precious Christ and to speak concerning him what was it that Job wanted to have recorded it is this I know that my redeemer live and that he shall stand a latter day upon the earth and though worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom mine eyes shall behold and not another is that the glorious subject of your conversation one with another speaking of the righteous acts of your God towards you speaking of the grace and the favor that he has had upon you speaking of that glorious fact that it is until until the poor reality shall be so unfolded and reviewed unto you in eternal glory when your eyes shall behold him the one whom your soul loveth yes those who so think upon his name those who so converse in the fear of the

[42:16] Lord those who are so joined together though but a remnant by the spirit of God wherein heart and soul is knit one toward the other for the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above then God looks down with delight upon such oh doesn't this cheer your heart if you are found amongst them God taketh delight in you you say are you sure of that yes they shall be mine said the Lord in the day that I make up my jewels oh much more might have been said but I hope in the little that has been said it is somewhat profitable unto our souls that oh what a blessed thing if we know what it is to be in the text to be a living character so taught and instructed by guarding these things yea so to give utterance unto those things which

[43:34] God is well pleased with which he commands and of which he declares his delight is in you may God grant it may be so amen hour cultural Amen.

[44:24] Thank you.

[44:54] Amen.