Christianity Oasis Forum

[Netchaplain]

“Thus saith the Lord of hosts: saying, Behold, the man whose name is The Branch . . . shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a Priest upon His throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both” (Zech 6:12, 13).

Both earthly and heavenly glories meet in the Lord Jesus, and will be manifested when He comes for His Kingdom. He is the Head of both. “The counsel of peace” is between Jehovah and the Messiah (some believe this peace counsel mentioned is in reference to the earthly and heavenly kingdoms—NC). But where is the Lord Jesus now? As “the man whose name is The Branch,” the “priest upon his throne”—an earthly throne—He does not yet rule; peace is not yet established upon the earth.

But there is a Throne upon which He does sit. He has sat down upon the “Father’s throne” (Rev 3:21)—“at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb 1:3; 8:1), and this “when He had by Himself purged our sins.” There, He is the High Priest of His people. And thus is given to us a plain revelation of “the counsel of peace.” Peace is our portion even now. We are set in the exercise of faith, by which we know and have this peace in our souls, whilst waiting for its establishment on the earth and the times of the manifested glory.

There is a “counsel of peace” which belongs to us, and assured peace, peace indeed in the midst of present trouble, but still God’s peace. If it were not God’s peace, it would be good for nothing. I may, it is true, have my spirit much disturbed, and know trial of heart; but still I have title to perfect peace amidst it all—not only peace with God, but peace concerning every circumstance, because my Father is for me in it all.

Peace is our portion as the children of God—peace both as to sin and as to circumstances. It is true that the latter we have not outwardly yet, but our Father is taking up all that concerns us, and has taken upon Himself to make “all things work together” for our good; and the knowledge of this gives peace (if we will use the privilege) in all circumstances, be they even those of trial, perplexity, and sorrow. Was it not so with the Lord Jesus? Who can be so tried as He? “Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds”; yet He had always peace. And so might we: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee” (Heb 12:3; Isa 26:3).

But then it is most important to see that “the counsel of peace” is entirely between the Father and the Lord Jesus. The moment we begin to rest our peace on anything in ourselves, we lose it. And this is why so many saints have not settled peace. Nothing can last that is not built on God alone. How can you have settled peace? Only by having it in God’s own way. By not resting it on anything, even the Spirit’s work within yourselves (basing our peace not on our rebirth and the resulting godliness we live in—NC), but on what the Lord Jesus Christ has done wholly outside of you (apart from our doing—NC).

Then you will have peace; conscious unworthiness, but yet peace. In the Lord Jesus alone the Father finds that in which He can rest, and so it is with His saints. The more you see the extent and nature of the evil that is within, as well as that without and around, the more you will find that what the Lord Jesus is, and what He did, is the only ground at all on which you can rest and have peace.

- J N Darby

“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6, 7).


Daily devotional by Miles J Stanford
http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/