REVIVAL

S. D. K. Roberts

Isaiah 57: 15; Judges 15: 18, 19; 2 Kings 13: 20, 21 Genesis 45: 26–28

These scriptures refer to reviving and certain conditions with us that would lead to reviving, that is reviving for our souls. We do, at times, grow weary of the way, and God knows that we need reviving, refreshment for our souls and spirits. In this first scripture we get a sense of the greatness of the One who will revive us, His interest in us. He would not have our spirits fail before Him. He wants us to be refreshed and a meeting like this is to refresh us, so that we leave it with our spirits revived, encouragement having come in.

The first condition is that we have a contrite and humble spirit. Even a proud look is an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 6: 16 A.V.). If we are lowly and humble, God takes account of that and says, I am going to revive that person, give him fresh stimulation and quicken him. So He says, “I dwell in the high and holy place, and with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit”—contrite means lowly, prepared to acknowledge that we do not deserve anything—“to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones”. So that not only do our spirits require reviving but our hearts.

In connection with Samson, he expressed a felt need for reviving. “He was very thirsty”. The Lord knows how we are feeling and opens His hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145: l6). He looks down and sees we are ‘living things’ spiritually and says, I am going to meet that desire. It says, “And God clave the hollow rock which was in Lehi, and water came out of it. And he drank, and his spirit came again, and he revived”. There is not only the sense of felt need, but the Lord would direct us to the source of refreshment—the water, came from the cloven rock. The hymn we commenced with referred to ‘God’s shady, cool retreat’ (Hymn 271). You remember that after Marah Israel came to the place where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees (Exodus 15: 27). So first there is a felt need, then a direction to the source of supply—the Spirit consequent on the death of Christ. Wonderfully refreshing! “And he drank”; Samson availed himself of what was available to him.

I wish to bring out in the passage in 2 Kings a further means of revival—the importance of reading the preceding ministries. I remember when I became extremely interested in Mr. Raven’s ministry. I found it easy to read and gripping. Reading ministry strengthens and revives the spirit. Spiritual ministry is from “The God who girdeth me with strength, and maketh ... my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places”, Psalm 18: 32, 33.

You learn ‘why you are where you are’ and get stability. There was no evidence of life in this man until he touched the bones of Elisha but then “he revived, and stood upon his feet”. The more you read ministry the more you want to do so. This is not to displace the Scriptures, but ministry is to help us to understand and enjoy them.

In Genesis 45 Jacob is very ‘down’. He had good reason for being so. We get ‘down’ at times and need reviving. He hears, typically, of Christ in glory, and sees in the waggons the means to reach Him. The means is the power of the Holy Spirit. “And the spirit of Jacob ... revived”; it is wonderfully reviving to move over in thought and spirit to where Christ is in His glory.

Word in meeting for ministry, Croydon
19 July 1983