AWAKE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
D.Andrew Burr
Exodus 27: 20,21; Matthew 25: 1 -7; Zechariah 4: 1-3
We will remember the occasion when the disciples had to be wakened to see the glory of Christ. It says "having fully awoke up they saw his glory", Luke 9: 32. We recall too the word of Paul to Ephesus: "Wake up, thou that sleepest, and arise up from among the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon thee", Eph 5: 14. I wonder if we might put alongside those thoughts a desire to be more awake to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. I am particularly impressed with this section in Zechariah in that connection, but the other scriptures seem related to it.
It was a command at the outset of Israel's history that they should bring oil for the light. It was a daily matter. We do well to remember that we have a responsibility to bring the Holy Spirit into the course of every day. I do not wish to make the Holy Spirit just a supply, because He is a glorious Person; we must always remember that. It is very easy to tax Him for our needs, so we need to remember all the time that He is a glorious Person. But He is also the Spirit of wisdom; that is, I believe, He is a great resource. He has great resources, but I believe He is a great resource in His person. We have to make use of that resource; that is a responsibility. These two sides are presented in these passages.
Zechariah is a very interesting prophet to read: his prophecy was apparently rejected but if you read his prophecy you will find that there are many thoughts in it that come into other prophecies. He seems to be a great gatherer up of God's mind. He spoke in a day of recovery but the recovery was faltering. I think it is very apt, therefore, that he should have this vision of the Holy Spirit. Verse 6 makes clear that the Holy Spirit is referred to. The vision does not present responsibility; it presents the resource in the Holy Spirit apart from our responsibility - this wonderful bowl. It says "a lamp-stand all of gold, and a bowl upon the top of it". Zechariah is full of very bright images, very dramatic images, and I think this is one of the striking ones, referring to the unfailing resource that may be drawn on in a dark day to give light and to give power. Think of the exalted character of the Holy Spirit, and everything that comes to us through Him! "A lamp-stand all of gold, and a bowl upon the top of it". What a great reservoir there is in the Holy Spirit! It has not been reduced by our failures. It cannot be tainted in any way. The lamp-stand had not been debased in the dark day in which this prophet spoke. It does not actually say so, but I am sure we could infer that the bowl was full. God had said to another prophet at the same time: "The word ... and my Spirit, remain among you", Hag 2: 5. Here we have it, the Holy Spirit presented gloriously, and the fulness of resource that is associated with Him. And then the fulness of supply too: "seven lamps and seven pipes to the lamps". There is no possibility at all of the supply being interrupted; there is one reserve after another by which these lamps draw upon the resource in the bowl.
There is another dark day in Matthew 25, and here a question of responsibility arises. The scripture in Zechariah shows that the resource has not failed, but here were five virgins who had failed to draw upon it. I believe that is the test for us. There is no question about the supply available in the Holy Spirit but have we drawn upon it? Have we oil in our torches? That is a question for us all. I feel searched by it. I often have to be aroused, and have very little. So, if our attention is drawn to the glory of Christ as the Bridegroom, this question is also raised, do I have the resource in the Holy Spirit that will enable me to embrace and receive Him?
The thought of sleep is mentioned in both these scriptures. Zechariah was asleep and the virgins were asleep. Zechariah was perhaps not aware of what was available. If he had been awake he would have seen it, but he had to be awakened. He was awakened by an angel, "as a man that is wakened out of his sleep".
I believe, beloved, that God would do that in His grace so that we might have this sight of the glory of what is available in a day such as we are in, and which will be with us until the end. "He may be with you for ever, the Spirit of truth", John 14: 16. How wonderful that is! He is the great Guide into the things of God (see John 16: 13). "With you for ever"! Beloved, I believe we need to be awakened to just what that assurance really means. I am sure we do draw upon it, but let us have a greater understanding of what it is we are drawing on. On one side it is not a matter of effort but rather of divine supply. But then on the other side, beloved, as that divine grace is before us, let us never forget that we may also fall asleep and may fail, as all these virgins did. Let us awake and draw, like those who had it, on the supply of the Holy Spirit. Let us not forget what God has provided, nor that we have to draw upon it.
This is a simple thought, beloved. I put it alongside what the Lord has already given us about the glory of Christ, and desire that we might be encouraged to see what is available. God has life in view. There were olive trees as well as the lamp-stand. There were also the sons of oil, those who drew upon, and shared the character of, what the bowl speaks of. They represent those in whom the Spirit had worked, those in whom there was something formed of the same character. Beloved, may we be awake to see the resource we have a d be concerned to maintain the supply from it. The resource is the Holy Spirit; it is our responsibility to draw upon it.
LONDON
13 October 1987