Page 101 - The Christian Life and the Church Life_Government of God

Living under Authority and Representing God 100

In being angry when God was not angry, Moses failed to represent God
rightly in His holy nature, and in striking the rock twice, he did not keep
God’s word in His economy (vv. 10-12).
Moses Offending Both God’s Holy Nature and His Divine Economy; His
Condemning the People as Rebels, but His Being the One Who Rebelled
against God’s Word
Moses offended both God’s holy nature and His divine economy; he
condemned the people as rebels, but he was the one who rebelled against
God’s word (vv. 10, 24; 27:12-14). God twice at least said, “You are the
rebel.” Then we know where Moses is in a very special status, he would
be one of the two in Revelation 11, but he could not enter the good land. In
Deuteronomy he asked the Lord, “Can I just go in and just take a peep and
then come out?” “No! And do not ask me about this again.” At the age of
one hundred and twenty, he did not wear glasses. He was strong. He was
energetic. His health was excellent. There is no physical reason for him to
die but God said, “Come up to the mountain and you will die.” Then we read,
“Moses died at the word of Jehovah.” That is government. That is a pattern.
One time. It is up to God to determine what is a sin unto death, what will
cause you this. We do not have a list of things. This is up to God Himself.
But if Moses could have that kind of mistake, I should fear and tremble about
myself. I am more than able to do that and worse; and then all is lost.
In All That We Say and Do Concerning God’s People, Our Attitude
Needing to Be According to God’s Holy Nature, and Our Actions Needing
to Be According to His Divine Economy

In all that we say and do concerning God’s people, our attitude must
be according to God’s holy nature, and our actions must be according to
God’s divine economy. Actions—think actions involving people, involving
churches, involving territories. I am speaking in principle. This happened
in parts of the United States. It happened throughout South America. It
happened in other places. This is a principle. And it is very serious.
The Apostle Paul Being an Ambassador of Christ, Representing God
The Apostle Paul was an ambassador of Christ, so he was really
representing God (2 Cor. 5:20). He is the pattern in the New Testament. He
was out to destroy the church, he was breathing murder against the believers,
God made him His representative.