The Stone of Stumbling

The Stone of Stumbling

“Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.” 2 Thess. 3:5.

The masses have never been on the Lord’s side, nor can we expect that they ever will be. Do not be afraid or impatient when you are called to examine your own ways, but love the Lord and wait patiently for Him. God has never led His servants into glory and triumph here on earth, but He has purified them in the furnace of humiliation. He has separated them from the masses so that He can personally train them. When He has succeeded in breaking them down, He is able to bring His thoughts to their remembrance.

“But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.” Verse 6.

Paul was a master when it came to spiritual upbringing. He declared to them a doctrine that gave them a backbone as well as guidance, and then he exhorted them to avoid all those who did not live according to this doctrine. Separation sanctifies—you hear better and get more insight. Do not be afraid of separation; the safety that is in numbers only provides rest for the fearfulness of the flesh. He who trusts in the Lord is greater than ten thousand. Besides, what can the masses contribute to our salvation or our eternal well-being? Did not Christ tread the winepress alone? He alone can save. Was not Paul a firebrand who, by the mighty arm of the Lord, was hurled out among the base and ungodly Gentiles who sat in darkness? Joseph was despised by his own people, but it was through this rejection that God brought salvation. God led things in such a way that the least became the greatest. Moses had no advantage over his brethren; but it was the Lord, into whose presence he fled, who trained him to become a great leader of his people.

Truth comes up from the earth, and righteousness comes down from heaven, and these two kiss. So also servants of the Lord come up from lowliness, up from an unimpressive place. They grow up under opposition, but because the Lord has placed His seed and the power of life within them, they grow up without fear. They blaze a path through all human desire for things that are highly esteemed, desire which causes other people to exalt everything that can make them feel that they are something, in spite of the fact that they are nothing.

When the cloud rests over the tabernacle, let us remain at rest as the children of Israel did and attend to the things the Lord wants us to attend to. Num. 9:19. Do not be in a hurry to move on; be faithful in the thick darkness, for the Lord has said He will dwell with you there. 2 Chron. 6:1. But when the cloud lifts, then you can emerge and do your works in the light. If we are not faithful while the cloud is resting over our tent, we cannot be personally trained for our task of attending to the things the Lord wants us to attend to—things which are intended to prepare us. Consequently, we will not be found faithful when the cloud is removed and revival comes, and it is time to lead others forward into the Promised Land.

Dear soul, be content to remain in quietness. Rest as an unshakable stumbling stone in Zion, so that those who have proud eyes can stumble over you and be crushed when they fall on you. Do not be hasty. He who believes does not act hastily. Let the religious expositors show off all their glory—all those things that will be led away to Babel—but you remain steadfast in your place, hard as a rock and quiet as a stone.

God will set you free if you attend to the things He wants you to attend to. Let the masses go. And if a thousand fall at your right hand and ten thousand at your left, just do your service in quietness for the Lord. Then you will observe that those who are foremost in promoting their religiosity will also be the first in line to be dragged off to Babel.