10. The duties of the doorkeepers

The duties of the doorkeepers This just brings us to the question: What is the situation of the porter or doorkeeper today? Observe, in this business of the fruits, each name is known to the Lord, and registered; enough for the servant of the Lord. This passage tells us: ’And Kore, the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill-offerings of God, todistributethe oblations of the Lord, and the most holy things’ (2 Chronicles 31:14).

Let us examine the Scriptures on this deeply interesting subject — the trusteeship and responsibilities of the porter. The first thought generally as to a porter in any establishment is, that it is the lowest situation. And it is true here also; if any man would serve the Lord, he must take the lowest place. Will you turn to 1 Chronicles 9:1-44? Please read verses 17-32. These Levites were keepers of the gates of the tabernacle, keepers of the entry, porters of the door of the tabernacle, porters in the gates. And mark, wherever you find the word ’office’, the margin reads, ’trust’. We shall find this is not truth for officials, but for every child of God, as a trustee of Christ.

What is the door now but Christ? Their first service was to keep the door; and have we not now to guard the door; and, not only seek to keep Satan and men from closing the doors again — but maintain the Gospel of Jesus, the way into the holiest?

Mark, they were placed by wards. In four quarters were the porters — toward the east, west, north, and south. In the same way each beloved servant of the Lord should know his appointment of the Lord!

Then we find four chief porters in their trust, ’over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God’, and their place was to lodge near the house of the Lord. And their charge, or trust was to open these chambers of treasures of the Lord every morning. And some had charge of the ministering vessels — the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices. And some in their trust over the things made in the pans. And some over the showbread.

Please dwell on each of these types of Christ, and then say: Have you ever understood the porter’s trust — all the treasures of the house of the Lord? The opening of those treasures every morning. The fine flour — the perfection of Christ in His blessed humanity. The wine — the joy of heart in God. The oil — the anointing with the Holy Spirit. The frankincense and spices — the infinite preciousness of Christ. The meat-offering in the pans — the Person and walk of Christ, as a sweet savour to God. The showbread covered with the frankincense — God’s people covered with Christ, and borne before God in divine righteousness. Now also fulfilled in the Church, as presented in Christ, in all the sweet savour of His Person — one Spirit with the Lord. All these glories and perfections of Christ were committed in trust to the porter.

Still more, turn to 1 Chronicles 15:18-24. Will you notice Obed-Edom and Jeiel? Now it is highest praise with harps, in the Sheminith, or eighth, to excel. The worship of the eighth, or new creation — I heard harpers harping with their harps. What a trust is this, thus to worship in Spirit and in truth. Lowest, as to self, is the porter’s situation — highest in Christ, with songs of praise. And these same porters were keepers of the ark. And was not that ark a type of Christ? This shows us that our duty is to make known the very heart of Christ. As He lived on account of the Father, surely the porter is called to live on account of Christ.

Now read 1 Chronicles 26:1-19. Strong men do these porters need to be. Such were the sons of Obed-Edom — ’able men for strength for the service, three score and two’ (v. 8). These porters were placed in their wards by lot, the then way of appointment for every gate. Now the Holy Spirit appoints to the servants of the Lord every man his work (1 Corinthians 12:1-31).

Some have service in the gatherings, as it says: ’To Obed-edom, southward, and to his sons the house of Asuppim’ (margin, ’gatherings’). Others have service in the causeway going up, ward against ward. Eastward, six Levites; northward, four a day; southward, four a day; and toward Asuppim, two and two. At Parbar, westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar. So now each porter or servant has his appointed place and service. Some in the gatherings in fellowship, two and two; others in the open air, the causeway going up; well for each one to know his own appointed Parbar. That service which is of the Spirit will be going up, waiting for the coming of the Lord. That which is of the flesh will be going down to the world. In 2 Chronicles 23:1-21, we find the porters were the royal guards of the hidden king. Here they were divided into thirds: ’A third part of you entering on the sabbath of the priests and Levites, shall be porters of the doors. And a third part at the king’s house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation’.

What a trust here again for Christians during these days of the hidden King, whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution! To guard the true rest of the saints in Christ; to guard the person of the hidden King of glory; to guard foundation-truth. ’And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the Lord: that none which was unclean in anything should enter in’ (2 Chronicles 23:19.) This is a great trust, and questioned by many. Many do practically deny this, by maintaining that contact with those that hold false doctrine does not defile.

Let us now return to 2 Chronicles 31:14. This verse is the key to the whole subject of the porter’s trusteeship and responsibility. Whatever may be the precious treasures committed in trust to the porters, it is that they may distribute the oblations of the Lord, and the most holy things.

Yes, dear brother, if you do not know what to do with the heaps upon heaps of tracts, and publications, and precious truths, given unto us by the Holy Spirit, distribute them. Does the Lord thus commit to your trust some fine flour, wine, or oil, or frankincense — some unfoldings of the preciousness of Christ? It is not merely for your own eating, important as this is; no, but distribute it to others. But I think I hear a porter saying: I have no gift. I might, perhaps, tell of Jesus to an infant class in a Sunday school. So it was with these porters in their trust, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small, their little ones and their wives, their sons and daughters. Thus were they to give to everyone their daily portions. If you can only speak to the Lord’s little ones — three years old and upward — let Christians thus love to distribute. Did not Jesus say: ’Feed my lambs’? Do not say this belongs to an official class. All believers are priests to worship, and Levites, porters, to serve. I saw the arrival of the prince at St. Pancras station; not a porter was there but would have felt it a high honour to carry a parcel for him. Will you not rejoice to be a parcel-carrier for Christ? To carry, to distribute the precious truth He has committed? Surely the precious treasures of Christ, committed to His saints in these last days, are for the whole redeemed Church of God. Is not every Christian responsible to distribute according to the grace given to him? Is not this the principle of Romans 12:1-21 according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith? ’For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office; so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another’ (Romans 12:4-5). Then follows a list of different gifts, but each one responsible to use that he has.

So, in Peter: ’As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God’ (1 Peter 4:10).

Such, then, was the porter’s trust: ’For in their set trust they sanctified themselves in holiness’ (2 Chronicles 31:18). ’And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good, and right and truth before the Lord his God’ (2 Chronicles 31:20). And whatever he began in the service of the Lord, he did it with all his heart. Is He not the same God now — can He not lead His children now thus to do that which is good, and right, and truth before the Lord? Oh, that we may have faith in God, to seek only thus to do His will, and to do it with all our hearts!