THE SPIRIT IN RELATION TO THE REMNANT
[p. 478] THE SPIRIT IN RELATION TO THE REMNANT
Haggai 2: 5; Zechariah 4: 1 - 14; John 14: 26
I wish to speak, dear brethren, of the Spirit, the Spirit of God, in relation to the remnant of God’s people. John, in his gospel, says more about the Spirit than any of the other evangelists, and whilst literally his gospel was circulated and read in early days, as the other gospels were, the fact that it came in latest of all, and the fact that it was written by one whom the Lord spoke of mysteriously (connecting him with His coming, spoken of in the last chapter of the gospel) suggests that it has a latter-day application. The great prominence given to the Spirit in it is therefore significant and interesting to us, who are in the last days. There can be no doubt about that. The last days, we are told, are perilous, perilous times shall be there. In 2 Timothy 3 the apostle gives us the marks of the last days, so that by these marks we can readily tell, if we are at all spiritual, that we are in the last days, and understand their perilous character — difficult times. Their perilous and difficult character renders necessary for us every bit of help that God may supply now, or may have supplied by forethought in the inspired record. The prominence given to the Spirit in John is therefore significant and encouraging. He is viewed in that gospel as One whose relations and work with any individual christian make him independent of the world, for He is seen in chapter 4 as a fountain of water springing up in the believer into eternal life. That is deliverance. However bad the world may be in a general way, or in any of our particular settings, there is this outlet, the power of the Spirit supporting us and lifting us consciously from the world into another realm, not exactly into heaven, but into eternal life; this has to be considered especially in its relation to the saints, to certain of the saints, for it is our privilege [p. 479] to enjoy eternal life in so many ways, as for instance here today. The thought is that a new order of life which renders us independent of the world is enjoyed by the Spirit. And then in chapter 14 He is seen as a personal Comforter, “another Comforter” as the Lord says. That is the Spirit here in relation to the saints collectively.
In all the epistles that may be called remnant epistles, the Spirit has a peculiar place, and I would stress that He ought ever to be before us in regard to the things the Lord gives us, the ministry from time to time. In 2 Timothy the apostle says to Timothy, “Keep, by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us, the good deposit entrusted” (2 Timothy 1: 14). In that way we are enjoined to keep things not in a mental way, or in notebooks, but by the Spirit. They are thus kept in a holy way. I apprehend that is what is implied in the pound of ointment with which Mary anointed the Lord (John 12: 3). There is no alabaster box; the pure nard is kept from impurity by some other way or means. It is kept, too. She kept it. She was one who loved our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption. Then in Revelation, which is a remnant book pre-eminently, the Spirit has a great place. He is mentioned as speaking to each assembly, and everyone who has an ear is enjoined to hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies, not exactly ‘to him’, though that is included of course, but ‘to the assemblies’. Now that speaking has peculiarly a remnant bearing, dear brethren. Seven times over in Revelation 2 and 3 we have that mentioned, and it comes powerfully to every exercised soul, at all times. From the days of Ephesus to the days of Laodicea that word is intended to affect powerfully everyone who has an ear to hear. The Spirit is speaking and I am obligated to hear. There is no suggestion in these chapters that any excuse is admissible. A direct unqualified obligation to hear is put on everyone who has an ear.
Now Haggai, in the Old Testament, corresponds. It [p. 480] is peculiarly a remnant book. We have already today considered a remnant writer, one who wrote looking backward, the writer of the books of the Chronicles; a man, whoever he was, of profound exercise and thoughtfulness, and accuracy too, not only verbal accuracy but spiritual accuracy, which is a greater thing. Things are just where they should be in the writing. And Haggai comes in there and so does Zechariah. They are co-workers. They are men that not only ministered the word of God but could do anything that came to their hands to do — a very important matter in a day of small things. They were prophets of God, we are told, but in the actual building of the house prophets of God helped the builders, whatever the actual work was, whether they carried water or wood (they might be hewers of wood or drawers of water), they helped. Whilst prophesying and conveying the mind of God to His people they did other things. And so they have a peculiar moral claim upon us to be heard as practical men. Practical men are in great demand today, men that can minister the word of God as taught of God and gifted of God, and who can also do what their hand finds to do that may be profitable to the saints in any way. And so the Lord took up Haggai. There is no other prophet just like him; in fact each prophet has a distinction all his own. But anyone who reads Haggai can see that he feels it. The prophecy is full of what is special in the way of dates and practical thoughts that fitted that particular time. He is a gracious man too, for he is ready to make much of the result of the word on the saints, and gives you the very day on which the thing took effect and the number of days that elapsed from the time it was heard until it took effect. He was a very interesting man in that way, and an encouraging minister and prophet. And so this verse comes in among other things of great import. “The word”, says Jehovah through him, “that I covenanted with you [p. 481] when ye came out of Egypt, and my Spirit, remain among you” Haggai 2: 5. That is, the covenant in all its fulness remained in all its blessedness. The expression here “word” suggests that it is an intelligible thought. God would stress that amongst us, that what he presents is intelligible. If I do not understand, the fault is not in the presentation of it, it is intelligible. It is comforting that the new covenant has force today and that the saints are able to take it up and speak of it with a measure of feeling, for the thing that it speaks of is known to us, not only the word, but the thing itself, that is, God’s love, that is really what it speaks of, God’s love in our hearts. Where should we be without the love of God? Love, we are told, never fails, but when you make that the love of God, think of what that means! It never fails. So the covenant remains and it stands by us. The result of it is that we become lovers of God, and so one of the marks of the last days is that people in general become lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, whereas those that know the new covenant become lovers of God.
Well, that is what Haggai announces here, and it is to be received by us. I believe the Lord would lay it upon us that the word covenant, whatever the bearing of it on us, it is the thing covenanted at the beginning; that what God committed Himself to at the beginning stands. And the Spirit too, the Spirit that He gave, remains; as it says, “The word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, and my Spirit, remain among you” Haggai 2: 5. How practical it would be if each of us were to inquire now: How does this apply? ‘My Spirit remains among you’. Have we not proved it here today? One can speak for oneself, that the Spirit remains now. That word “remain” signifies that there is great patience exercised. In spite of conditions He stays here. Think of the public history of christendom — how much the blessed Spirit of God is despised and driven out and has been disregarded, and is being [p. 482] disregarded at the present time. Yet in spite of all these conditions, He remains. It says that He remains among you. I want to show from Zechariah how the fact becomes known to us. The prophet says that the angel awoke him and that brings up the possibility of much sleepiness even amongst those of us who have been restored outwardly. There is much too, but the fourth chapter of this prophet contemplates the divine activity, that God in His gracious patience will not suffer this sleepiness and neglect and carelessness. He says, “waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep” Zechariah 4: 1. And what is all this for? If God awakens me, stirs me up, it is not merely that I should be awake, but that there should be something objectively seen, something before me that I should see, something which is current that I should become acquainted with. Much is current, beloved brethren, today, that perhaps many of us here are indifferent to, and know little or nothing about. If I am characteristically an assembly person, man or woman, I will hear things. The assembly is said to have had ears at the beginning and if I am characteristically an assembly person I will hear what is current from God. What happened in Antioch in those days, it says, came to the ears of the assembly at Jerusalem and they were not indifferent ears. They immediately moved in accord with what they heard. In moving about I may say, very simply, that one finds the saints very little conversant with what is current, with what God is doing. But if we are characteristically assembly persons, we should know what God is doing. The assembly characteristically has ears for every bit of information in regard of what God is doing and, as hearing it, we should become active, at least in our prayers. In no other way, perhaps, can we serve universally than in our prayers — prayers for all saints. Well, now Zechariah was awakened, it says, as a man out of sleep, and then the question is, What do you see? Do you see anything? It may be that what you see does not please [p. 483] you and yet it may be just what God is doing. If my eyesight is poor, I shall very likely have poor understanding of what God is doing, what is presented to me, and perhaps I may misconstrue what it is. Moses, the man of God who prayed, inquires for the work of God. “Let thy work”, he says, “appear unto thy servants” (Psalm 90: 16). That is a prayer worthy of note, that we should become cognisant of what God is doing universally and then support it sympathetically in whatever way we may. And then that our work, our own little bit, whatever it may be, may be confirmed and established by God, for if He does not establish it, it goes for nothing. Unless the Lord build a city, they labour in vain. Who can build unless God does it.
Now my point is to bring out how God graciously brings us to see that the Holy Spirit is actually here. He says He is here. He says, ‘He remains’ but then this chapter is to awaken us to it and to show us what results from it. So that the prophet becomes interested. All ministry, I may say, dear brethren, is largely to so interest us that we might look into things. Those who live on ministry alone, do not get on much. It is the after-searching, the following up of things that promotes growth. The prophet inquired, he acknowledged his ignorance, and he spoke reverentially to the angel. He is respectful to the person who can help him, and the angel answers him: he says, “This is the word of Jehovah unto Zerubbabel” Zechariah 4: 6. That is, this word is for the man who is working, who is doing things. That is what it is for. That is, you are to know that there are men doing things, and that they are to be encouraged in what they are doing, not discouraged. Zechariah did not fail in it, as I have been saying; he helped himself, he helped to build as well as to prophesy, but the word was for Zerubbabel, and there were two persons in mind. God usually works with two persons. There are two persons in mind and the word is to bring the prophet into this, that he might encourage what is [p. 484] going on, not discourage it. Pulling down, you know, is the devil’s work. I mean pulling down what is of God, or discrediting it in any way, or criticising it. It can stand criticism. It is sure that nothing can stand it with such resistance, as that which is of God, but the prophet Zechariah is not to be a critic. He is to encourage. He is to understand that what is going on is by the Spirit. It is not a man-made affair at all. It is by the Spirit of God and that everybody is to know that Jehovah sent the prophet and that what was being done was not by might or by power, but by God’s Spirit. What a great matter that is! And how important that everyone should come into it and have part in it and promote it; if he cannot do anything with his hands, let him do it with his voice, or with his tongue in prayer, or with his purse. Whatever it may be that is needed, let him do that. The word is to Zerubbabel. Let Zerubbabel be encouraged and let it be understood that you can not overthrow Zerubbabel. You can not set aside Zerubbabel; if God puts a man forward or two men, or more, you cannot set them aside. They must be encouraged, and the man who lays the foundation will put on the top stone. You may be sure of that. That is what Zechariah is brought into. And then he says, Moreover there are seven eyes, and these are the eyes of Jehovah “which run to and fro in the whole earth” Zechariah 4: 10. They bring in all the providential things of God that bear on the support of His work, and they rejoice in His work. “They shall rejoice — even those seven” Zechariah 4: 10. Let no one despise the day of small things. These are great things. It is admitted that they are not what David or Solomon had but they are universal things nevertheless and the eyes of God are running everywhere through the earth. It is a universal matter, however small it might appear to be, and those universal instrumentalities of God rejoice in what is going on. Why should not I? Why should not I be like that old sister, Anna. She rejoiced; what God was doing was [p. 485] everything to her, and she spoke of it, or rather she spoke of Christ. The prophet is now thoroughly interested. That is what God would do in a meeting like this: enlist the sympathies of the saints in regard of the work of God so that they might get into it themselves. The prophet, asking further questions, finally says, “What are these two olive-trees?” Zechariah 4: 11. And he sees something else, and he asks another question before the other is answered. He says, “What are the two olive-branches?” Zechariah 4: 12. The more you look the more you will see, dear friends. It is because you do not look that you do not see. He asks questions before the answer can come. He sees something else. What does he see? — a branch. He has not used that word before. The branch brings the fruit nearer to me than the tree. And there are two of them, he says; there are two branches. What does that mean? Well, there is oil coming in there; there is some furnishing. Oil belongs to the ways and means of the service of God. The servants of God cannot proceed without it; if the supply is cut off the service according to God must finish. And what you get here is that there is a supply, there are pipes and the oil is running in through these pipes, and he says, “Who are these?” Well, the answer is, “These are the two sons of oil” Zechariah 4: 14. These are men that are developed in this thought of oil, that is, the Spirit. They are spiritual men. They are men. That is what is needed, beloved friends, and the prophet hears the word, “that stand before the Lord of the whole earth” Zechariah 4: 14. That is a great word for those who would serve. We stand usually before the few local brothers, it may be, with whom we are walking. Of course, we should be right with them, but see how great a thing it is to stand before the Lord of the whole earth! How great a thought that is! And the ministry is no less than that. If it is not that, it is nothing; one stands up in relation to the universal testimony and work of God. God has set certain in the assembly, it says. Each is [p. 486] a universal thought. That is what is in mind, men like that; in these remnant times, in these days of small things, there are men like that. It is not that they should be here — they exist. It says they are there. “They stand before the Lord of the whole earth”. Zechariah 4: 14.
Well, I hope you will follow that part, dear brethren, and I go on now to John 14; so as to show you the direct application of the Spirit to our own times. You will remember that earlier in this chapter, as I have been already saying, the Spirit is introduced as the Comforter. He is not called the Holy Spirit, as introduced, but He is called the “Spirit of truth”, “the Comforter”. The Spirit of truth is a most important word, and the saints see Him and know Him and He is with them, but the world cannot see Him or know Him. As soon as the Comforter is mentioned the saints are apart. They are regarded as different from the world in regard to the Comforter. It is a Person and a Power entirely outside the knowledge of the world, outside of the cognisance of the world. They cannot see or know Him, but “ye know him, for he abides with you, and shall be in you” John 14: 17. How beautiful that is! Ye see Him; He dwells in you; and He shall be in you for ever. Now all that we have in the verses that follow, up to verse 20 in that chapter, hangs on this fact, beloved brethren, that is to say, the continuance of the assembly here, and the privilege connected with it. The Lord’s coming to it depends upon the great fact of the presence of the Spirit. All assembly service in the early days — the days of the apostles — made room for the Spirit, as we had it today. He was the medium through which Christ came in, Christ was expected to come through the early christians, and He did come in in that way, but by the Spirit. But from verse 20 onwards we have the thought of a change in these circumstances and that change implies the remnant. The Lord says, “He that has my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me ... and I [p. 487] will love him and will manifest myself to him” John 14: 21. Then one says to the Lord, “Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us and not to the world?” John 14: 22. Well, the Lord had already answered that question. Really, the world was different from them, the world could not see or know the Spirit; however trained the natural mind of man may be he is outside of the Spirit. The natural man cannot do anything about the Spirit. But the Lord answers Judas, not Iscariot, the other Judas. He says to him, “If any one love me” John 14: 23. Oh, what a challenge that is, dear brethren! “If any one love me”. Is it possible that anyone here does not love Christ? “If any one love me”, He says. Now, when the Lord comes down to one person like that as He did in verse 21 and now in verse 23, He means remnant times. “If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him”. John 14: 23. Now the Lord is dealing with remnant times, and you might say in the smallest way — one person. John has in mind to set up one person here. Well, you say, you do not know how bad our city is, what conditions exist. Well I direct you to that man that the Lord left in Decapolis. I ask you to consider what Decapolis means. They had seen a wonderful miracle in that country. It is a place of ten cities; the more the cities, the greater the iniquity, the greater the wickedness, the greater the scope for the devil. And the man says to the Lord, ‘I want to go with you’. And many of us would say he should go, why the place is awful! They have actually asked the Lord to leave the place, after having just performed a wonderful miracle, but the Lord says, ‘No, you are not coming with me now. You are to stay here, bad as it is’. And John would fortify that place, and tell him that the Father and Son would come to him and make their abode with him. What could overthrow him? Nothing. And this leads me to speak about small meetings. They have become a sort of problem in [p. 488] recent times, but increase of meetings is a divine thought. The more meetings, the more the Lord’s holdings. But the execution of this thought has brought about much weakness and occasion for criticism and complaint; I believe the Lord would meet this and tell us that all such criticism and complaint is really founded in unbelief. It is a question of unbelief. I am not speaking now of detail, of the working out of the thing. The Lord is able to make him stand, we are told, and the Lord is surely able to make them stand. He will support any movement in His Name with any little bit of affection for Him, and woe be to him who discredits it or would break it up! “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench” (Isaiah 42: 3). Whatever there is, however little, support it. However little it may be, support it. The enemy is at work in discrediting the little things, the small things. We do not see it but it is true. The Lord can make them stand. It is a question of faith. The Comforter is here, the Spirit is here, and He stands by every little bit of affection for Christ and He stands by those who have affection for Christ. Let us support what is little and make the most of it. The Holy Spirit is here for that purpose and so the Lord shows here, after He has brought in this remnant, that one saint may love Jesus: “If any one love me” He says, John 14: 23. You have tabernacle conditions there, conditions into which God can come and make His abode. How great that is! Then He goes on to say there are those who love Him not. “He that loves me not does not keep my words”. John 14: 24. The christian world is full of them. They do not love Christ and consequently do not keep His words. So He says the Father is going to send you a Comforter, and we have Him here. He is the Holy Spirit. He says, “the Comforter, the Holy Spirit”. How much that is needed in a day of small things — the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, of course, but the Holy Spirit. That is, He will maintain holiness in this condition of things.
Now He says, “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name” John 14: 26. It is really a remnant setting — this 26th verse. The Spirit is come from the Father in the Name of the Son and what for? To maintain all that that Name stands for, as in Matthew 18: 20. The Lord says, “For where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst”. But it is in the Spirit, it is by the Spirit He is here — not corporeally. He is here by the Spirit. So what a support there will be, but mark you, it is the Holy Spirit here, not simply the Spirit of truth. That is, the conditions must be holy conditions, they must be in accord with God. The Spirit must see to that; He will not suffer nominal gatherings of the saints. He will not support nominal gatherings of the saints, apart from holiness. He is a Holy Spirit. And then it says, “and will bring to your remembrance all the things which I have said to you” John 14: 26. That is what encourages me to believe that this has to do with the remnant. It is what has been forgotten. How much has been forgotten! Christendom has, as a system, forgotten all that Christ has said and done, but the Spirit — how blessed it is! — would bring to our remembrance whatever Jesus said. That is the whole truth, and what an unfolding of it we have had, dear brethren, in these last one hundred years! And it is still going on, the unfoldings of the Spirit, to the few who are holy and love Jesus, of the whole truth. Whatever Jesus said He will bring to our remembrance. That is what these meetings are largely for, that the Holy Spirit might unfold things. It has been remarked upon the change of the word, the Spirit is unfolding, not revealing. It is a time of unfolding things here, things that had been forgotten, brought to light again, brought into evidence and made intelligible. I believe the book of Deuteronomy is on that principle. Moses began to unfold this law and it is the unfolding of the first covenant. Chapter 28 brings in another covenant which was made in the plains of Moab. So,
[p. 490] think of the wonderful service of the Spirit, the Comforter, in remnant conditions in bringing to remembrance whatever Jesus said. He teaches us too; it says, “He shall teach you all things, and will bring to your remembrance” John 14: 26. It is a wonderful thing to have the power of teaching brought to bear upon us. “He shall teach you all things”.
Well, that is what I had to present to you, dear brethren, and I feel the importance the more I speak of it. The Lord will not permit us to bring down the flag, as it were, to bring down the banner. No matter how feeble, the Comforter is here to comfort and to bring in all that the Lord said and to furnish us and teach us so that we might be able, as it says, “having done all things, to stand” Ephesians 6: 13.