The Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles

The Lord left his apostles with instructions and with great gifts. The instructions are listed in several distinct places, but the the gifts are more scattered, both in the four gospels and in the book of Acts later, being given as the apostles needed them.

First, about the apostles... just to clarify, here I'm referring to "the disciples" as including anyone who has followed along to hear the Lord, and "the apostles" to mean the twelve men that the Lord recruited specifically, as listed in Matthew 10, Mark 3, and Luke 6.

Who were the apostles? From the lists in Matthew and Mark, which are the same, we have: Simon (Peter), James and John the sons of Zebedee, Andrew (Peter’s brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew (the publican), Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, (as is Matthew, so they are brothers, too), Thaddeus, (also known as Libbeus), Simon the Canaanite (also called Simon the Zealot), and Judas Iscariot. Bartholomew is almost undoubtedly another name for Nathaniel, see John 1. The list in Luke includes another Judas, "Judas the brother of James" and doesn’t have Thaddeus.

The stories of how they were individually chosen differ, especially in the gospel of John, but that these twelve were appointed by the Lord is clear. A point of interest is that - other than Simon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot they are all from towns around the sea of Galilee - and perhaps those two are as well. These twelve have their names inscribed on the twelve foundations of the walls of the holy city New Jerusalem, in Revelation 21:14 in which there are also the twelve gates. These men were chosen to represent all the different states of the natural human being that can be receptive of the Lord. They are from Galilee because Galilee represents that natural state of the human mind. The number twelve in the Word represents all possible states of mankind.

What is indicated here is that all people, everywhere, can be saved or regenerated if they repent and turn to the Lord in their lives. No one is "outside" of His reach. We are born natural, everyone is, but we are so formed that our minds can be raised to what is higher, called spiritual for our conceptions of Divine truth, or Celestial for our perceptions of Divine good. But we all start in a natural state and can only move upward by listening to the Lord’s teachings in His Word, and following Him as those Apostles did.

Not all of our natural states are states of good; they can be selfish, domineering, and cruel. But the Lord said that He came "not to save the just but to call sinners to repentance". Perhaps this is why Simon the Canaanite and Judas were two that He called. Simon is little known, but in some places in the Word, "Canaan signifies an external worship without a true internal worship". (See Arcana Coelestia 1060). Can the Lord work with that - with external worship that's internally barren? Yes, as a starting point. And, even Judas, who betrayed the Lord so terribly, we are told, repented of his betrayal of the Lord. (Matthew 27:3-5)

The Lord's Instructions to the Apostles

The two most comprehensive sets of instructions are in Luke 10:1-17 where seventy Disciples are sent out two by two, apparently to a specified list of cities that Jesus intends to visit, and then in Matthew 20:1-19 where the chosen twelve Apostles are sent out to all Israel. Later, as recorded in different epistles, the Apostles go out further, through a wide region.

The basic instructions were to preach that the kingdom of heaven is near, that all should be led to repent of their sins, and that all who wish should be baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles should not take any money or extra clothing along, and they were to depend entirely on the Lord’s providence with no doubt that they shall be welcomed, fed, and sheltered. If they were welcomed, they should stay and preach the good news about the risen Lord and His teachings, and if they were not, they should shake from their feet the dust of that place and go on to a place where they were welcome. See Matthew 10, 28, Mark 13, 16, Luke 9, 10:24.

There are several assurances for the twelve. The Lord has told them to stay in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit is sent to strengthen them, and in John 20 where the ten are gathered it is said that He breathed on them and said, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit". Also, in his long talk with them in John 14, 15, 16) He assures them that his crucifixion and death are necessary to his mission and they should even rejoice that it is coming. He shows them from scripture that it has all been prophesied from long ago, (see Mark 4:34) and that what seems to them a tragedy, is truly His glorification and the end of the work He came to do. They, His twelve, are in the same steam of providence and will be protected. "Don’t be anxious," He tells them, "I will put into your mouths what you are to say, I will bring into your memories the incidents to tell to the people".

Here is a listing of the chapters and verses in John where such things are said: John 14:1-3, 10, 16-18, 26-28, 15:11, 16, 26-27, 16:7, 13-15, 22, 26-27, 33. Or simply read the three chapters and pick out your favorites.

A marvelous gift is mentioned in Matthew 10:13, "But blessed are your eyes for they see and blessed are your ears, for they hear…".

In the book of Acts, the Lord vividly shows the apostles that when they speak in their Galileen dialect every listener will hear their words as his own language in his ears; not gibberish, but Arabic to the Arabs, Greek to the Greeks, and Latin to the Romans.

When Peter starts to preach to a gathering of sympathetic Jews he speaks clearly and unafraid, saying that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God and that people should worship Him openly and repent of how they might have felt earlier. Peter’s talk in Acts 3 and 4 is a bold and powerful one. No more hiding behind locked doors.

The early history of the Christian church shows just how well all this worked out. You know what? The Apostles preached to the peoples in the Near East 2000 years ago, and their preaching is just as relevant today as it was then: "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Being at hand has nothing to do with the date or the state of political history in the world, it has to do with the inside of your mind. The Lord is just as close to you now as He was then, and He never turns away, though we might turn away from him. Remember that He said "behold I stand at the door and knock and if anyone hears and opens the door He will come right in." This hasn’t changed nor will it ever change, but He leaves us in freedom to ignore His knocking, if that is what we want. We have to make the choice, but He is always ready if we choose to open the door.

"And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly." 1 Kings 1:11-12

Just before the giving of the Commandments, Moses was told to say to the people, "Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all the earth is Mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:5-6).

The history of Israel, their journeys and battles, victories and defeats, is a drama representative of Christian life. It is the story of progress until the Lord reigns in the souls of men and in His Church.

This government of the Lord, however, is different at different stages of the regenerating life. It is at first the discipline of the outer man, the government of obedience, directed almost entirely to our words and actions. This is like the government of Saul. In due time our religion becomes deeper and enters into more interior states. It is much engaged in the search for intelligence and truth. It has many conflicts, and it struggles hard for self-conquest. There are hard struggles within for purity of thought and feeling, of which the world takes no note, but which are very real to one who is seeking the Kingdom of God. The love of truth is increasing, and the love of the world decreasing. It is the spiritual state of man. This is the rule of David. Then the celestial state follows. The ideal is clear. The aim is to do good, to seek peace and pursue it. There is little desire for argument, but there is deep concern for charity and justice, a desire for rest and peace, for perfection. This is represented by the government of Solomon, the peaceful king, whose name signifies peace. David's reign was a very warlike one; yet it was a necessary one. It prepared the way for Solomon.

The human mind, when deep thought has been awakened and somewhat of the Divine Light has penetrated, discovers a host of views, feelings, and prejudices in itself that need to be corrected. This entails trial, and sometimes severe distress of soul. "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). This the Lord says to every regenerating man. He who makes no change makes no improvement.

The period of spiritual conflict was represented by the reign of David, which, as is said in our text, continued forty years. Forty is used in the Word when a full state of temptation is represented. The rain that caused the flood is said to have descended for forty days and nights. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. The Lord was in the desert tempted of the devil for forty days. So David's reign lasted forty years to represent the many varied conflicts of mind and heart before the kingdom is brought under the steady government of Divine Truth.

He reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. The seven years in Hebron (which means friendship) pictures coming into a state of love for the neighbor, for unless this is established there can be no progress. The thirty-three years in Jerusalem is the establishment of heavenly truth in the mind.

That David's warlike reign would represent that part of Christian life which is a warfare is easily seen. To avoid sins which are not respectable in the sight of our friends, to observe the requirements of public worship, to read good books, and to support religion may be accompanied inwardly by pride, self-seeking, and the love of self. To fight against these evils within is what the rule of David means in its application to the individual Christian.

In its highest application it refers to the Lord as our Redeemer from the powers of darkness. For though His outward life had little appearance of violent strife until its close, yet the Gospels contain sufficient indications of fearful struggles in the world of spirit against the powers of darkness during His whole career, as pictured especially in the Prophets and Psalms.

The redemption of the world, and the necessity of Jehovah Himself coming into the world to be our Redeemer are little understood, unless we are aware of how closely the spiritual world is connected with ours, and how the two worlds act and react upon one another.

When a church becomes corrupt, "darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people" (Isaiah 60:2). Century after century passes on, the darkness becomes deeper, and the lights one after another go out. Then in the fullness of time the Lord comes and executes a judgment. The good welcome Him; the evil hate Him and resist, but in vain. They who have loved darkness rather than light cannot stand the light, and are overthrown, as all the foes of Israel were overthrown by David.

Throughout the Prophets the Lord is pictured as our Redeemer, waging a terrible conflict. No such awful combat took place in the outer world. It took place in the world of spirit. "I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with me, for I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment; for the way of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come" (Isaiah 63:3-4).

Redemption, the overthrow of the powers of darkness, the deliverance of the good from bondage to evil and falsity, is what the reign of David portrays; this is represented by David's reigning forty years; seven years in Hebron, the protection of goodness, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem, deliverance from error, and the filling of the mind with an abundance of Divine Truth.

David's growing old and dying and the accession of Solomon to the throne tells us that the period of struggle will come to an end. We should become loving, good, and established in truth, after the evils and falsities are overcome and cast out.

To think that we cannot overcome wrong desires and false thoughts is to deny the Lord. He overcomes by giving us power to overcome. We must be faithful and believing. When we are faithful and steadfast, the foe falls. To him that overcometh the Lord gives light and love in ever-increasing measure. We may not be able to succeed in many of our plans, but there is one in which everyone can succeed, that is in his conflict with evil. This is the one conflict in which we are certain to conquer, if we are faithful. We cannot fail if we are true.

First we must overcome in ourselves uncharitable feelings — David in Hebron. Without good will there can be no hope of peace. We must exercise good will until it becomes established in us, until it becomes our abiding nature. This is to reign in Hebron seven years.

Divine Truth will then open to us the perception that our thoughts are not in harmony with the truth. We are prone to think as the world thinks, and to vire by worldly maxims. These are opposed to heavenly life and thought. "The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever" (Revelation 11:15). We can walk safely only as we are guided by the light of truth. The mind and the heart will then be in accord.

Then Solomon will begin to sit on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom will be established greatly. In other words, the rule of the Lord will no longer be a struggle against evils and errors but the development and establishment of goodness and truth. The Lord will become for us the Prince of Peace, and of His government there shall be no end.