The Church in the
Millennium
By
Brian Green
(This message was given
at a Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony meeting in
I am delighted to be here
and take my stand for prophetic truth. I
spoke at a Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony meeting in my twenties, and now I
am in my seventies. As a young man or as
an older man, it is a joy to be associated with this Testimony. It helps us considerably if we rightly
understand the Word of God and thus know what is taking place in the world.
My subject is ‘the
church in the millennium.’ This may not
be an easy subject. We can talk about
various aspects of the millennium, but what do we know about the church in the
millennium? However difficult the
subject is, we must never be deterred from searching the Scriptures to see what
the Word of God tells us about these things.
Once we know what we believe then we should always be ready to give a
reason for the hope that is within us.
This is paramount in the Word of God.
The more I have
studied this subject, the more I have been impressed that it is a wonderful
one. It has something to do with all of
us. Every person, born again of the
Spirit, washed in the precious Blood of Christ, has an involvement with the
church in the millennium.
I want to begin by
speaking about the three main views concerning the millennium. I know that you have looked at this matter
already this year but I would like to remind you of these things because it
will give a foundation. Once we have the
foundation then we can build the superstructure.
I mention first of
all, the theory of a-millennialism. A-millennialists believe in no
millennium. The ‘a’ comes from the
Latin, meaning ‘no.’ Many reformed
persons have held this view. They say
there is no literal thousand year reign of Christ, and the number ‘a thousand’ is only given to indicate quality rather
than quantity. They believe that Satan
was bound when Christ died upon the cross at
Then, there is post-millennialism. This is
the view that the world is gradually conquered by the gospel until it ushers in
the thousand year reign of Christ. Some
have described it as ‘millennium by degrees,’
and others as ‘the gradual coming of summer.’ First there are the bright and cheerful days,
and then gradually come the summer months.
They think that is what is happening in the world. They quote Luke
17: 20, ‘the
The other main view is pre-millennialism. We come
into this category. We believe in a
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ before the millennium begins. We
believe in a literal interpretation of Scripture and therefore if the Bible
says it, God means it. You do not
have to be a theologian or have a giant intellect to take the Bible at its
word. The weakest and the least educated
among us can read and understand by the [Holy] Spirit’s illumination. We believe that today is the day of grace
when the gospel [of the kingdom] is to be preached as a witness to all the
nations. This is a time of ingathering
of God’s elect upon the face of the earth, and we bless God for the evangelism
whereby souls are brought under the sound of the Word of God and are born again
by the Spirit of Christ. But we also
believe that this world is getting, and
will continue to get, worse.
If you look at the
magazines this Testimony circulated many years ago, you will see that the
speakers in those days spoke about the world getting worse prior to the coming
of the Lord. Christ spoke of signs in the earth during the last days, of wars and
rumours of wars, of famines and earthquakes and persecution. The Bible speaks of the revealing of the man
of sin and of the great persecution of the Jewish nation. Remember this. If we think that the Jews are persecuted
today, then read the Bible and see what persecution they will have in the last
days. The Bible speaks of it as the time
of Jacob’s trouble.
We are told that
Make no mistake about it,
the Word of God teaches that Christ will come to deliver His ancient people in
response to their prayer to Him to destroy antichrist and to punish the
nations. At His coming, ‘the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive
and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the
Lord in the air’ (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17). It is not a two-stage coming. The Word of God is clear about that.
I have sought to lay
the foundation. It is when Christ comes that this earthly millennial reign will begin. We can call it ‘the golden age,’ completing something like seven thousand
years of [mankind upon]
this old earth.
There will be the removal of the curse so that the desert
shall blossom as the rose (Isaiah 35: 1),
and the wild ferocious nature of the beasts will be changed (Isaiah 11: 6-9); there will be longevity of life,
for Isaiah 65: 20 speaks of the child living
to one hundred; the gospel will be preached; and governments will be
subservient to the cause of the gospel.
It will be a time of universal peace and prosperity; a time of
righteousness and justice. It is little wonder we sing with all our hearts,
‘Jesus shall reign where’er the sun doth his successive
journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore till
moons shall wax and wane no more.’
The millennium will be
the greatest revival of all time, when souls will be saved and swept into the
kingdom.
In Matthew 19: 28 the true interpretation of ‘the regeneration’ is the millennium; and in Acts 3:19, the reference to ‘the times of refreshing ... from
the presence of the Lord’ is a description of the millennium; and in Acts 3: 21, ‘the time of
restitution’ is the millennium.
If you understand these verses in this way, you will see so much more in
these passages. But now I return to my
subject. I have been trying to build up
to this by showing what a remarkable occasion the millennium is to be. Yes, it is going to be a wonderful time, but
what about the church?
We have seen that, at
the second coming, the dead in Christ will rise and that those who are alive
will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
What will happen to them? Then
will be fulfilled the Scripture that is found in Revelation
21: 9 - 22: 5. William Wheatley was one of the
speakers for the Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony many years ago. He said that in this chapter we have ‘God’s
The Manifestation
The first thing I want
you to notice is the Manifestation. ‘And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the
seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come
hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a
great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy
The
description. You
will notice that we have the description in verse
10; it is called a city, ‘shewed me that great
city, the holy
The
distinction. We
have seen the description, and now let us look [at] the distinction.
Cities on earth are built up.
This one comes down. We know that
cities are places of vile sin. You only
have to look at the city in which we are.
But the city about which we are talking is holy and pure. It is interesting to contrast this passage in
the Revelation with the Book of Genesis.
In Genesis 1, the heaven and the
earth were created; in Revelation 21 there
is [after the millennium] a new heaven and a new earth.
In Genesis, night was established; in Revelation there is no night. In Genesis 3
there was the curse; in Revelation there is no curse. In Genesis 3
man was removed from the garden; in Revelation he is restored to this wonderful
place of blessing. In Genesis 1 the sun was created; in Revelation there
is no need for the sun because God is the Light thereof. In Genesis we read of the sea; in Revelation
there is no more sea. In Genesis we read
of death; in Revelation there is no more death.
In Genesis 3 we read of sorrow and
pain; in Revelation there are no tears.
What a remarkable place we are thinking about! I would make it clear, there is [during the millennium]
an earthly kingdom at
The design. What
is the purpose of this city? It is the
home of the church [of the firstborn] during the millennium. My suggestion is that this is ‘the beginning of our heaven.’ We read ‘and they
shall see His face’ (Revelation 22: 4). What a wonderful verse! Yes, He will reign in
The Majesty
In
verse 11 we read, ‘Having
the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like
a jasper stone, clear as crystal.’
These are majestic words and in a certain sense they are beyond human
description. We have to study them and
try to understand. I want to emphasise
the word ‘glory’ – ‘Having
the glory of God.’ We remember
this is the home of the church [of the
firstborn] during the millennium. We are talking about the bride, clothed with
the glory of God. We sing the hymn, ‘0 that will be glory for me,’ and surely that takes
on a new meaning when we consider that it is the glory of the King Who is
reigning. Isaiah
6: 5 says, ‘Mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts,’ and that is what
John speaks about. Isaiah actually saw
the glory that the Lord Jesus had with the Father before the world was (John 17). It is the glory which the saints will share
in the millennium.
Thomas Houghton called it ‘a donated glory.’ John 17: 22 says,
‘the glory which Thou gavest Me, I have given them.’
It was a predestined glory.
Christ prayed in John 17: 24, ‘that they may behold My glory.’ It was an anticipated glory. Romans 5: 2
tells us, ‘we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.’ It is an incomparable glory. Romans 8: 18
says, ‘I reckon that the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with
the glory that shall be revealed in us.’ It is a resurrection glory. The body of the believer is sown in
dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is
an
eternal glory. ‘(The) eternal weight of glory’ (2
Corinthians 4: 17). It is a heavenly
glory. There is nothing earthly
about this. Remember that wonderful word
that whom He did predestinate, He called, He justified, and what else? He glorified.
This glory is greater than the glory of the sun, and you cannot look
upon the sun. It is greater than the
glory of the moon, and of the stars. It
is greater than the glory of the rainbow.
Imagine the glory of God in the sky, the home of the church [of the first-born (Heb.
12: 23)] in the millennium; and, if you
are a true Christian [and ‘accounted worthy’ (Luke
20: 35)], you will be part of that. This is what it is to be a [chosen]
Christian. So we should be glad if the
Lord has saved us and given us a hope for this future [millennial] glory,
the great prism of light shining from the heavens down onto the earth.
The second thing I
want to emphasise concerning this majesty is this great wall that is mentioned
in verse 12, ‘and
had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates.’ Think of this great wall for a moment. Walls are sometimes to keep in, but that is
not the case here. We could say it is to
keep out, because verse 8 refers to ‘the unbelieving, and the abominable, the murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars,’ and then in verse 27, ‘and there shall
in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh
abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s Book of
Life.’ That wall is the ultimate
protection. It is great and it is
high. The breadth of that wall, if you
work it out, would be about 216 feet, something like a five-lane motorway.
Verse 19
speaks of the jasper. The jasper is a
bright, clear stone. Probably here it is
a diamond. If it is a diamond, it is the
hardest natural material. Now pick up
the picture of this which we are trying to paint. Then there are the gates. In Nehemiah’s time the wall was for the
testimony, and what grieved Nehemiah was that the wall was broken down, the
testimony was broken up and the gates were burned with fire. Why?
Because the gates stood for praise and for glory. In this millennial city, there were gates on
the four sides, three on each, twelve in all; which speak of an abundant
entrance for the saints; and each gate was a pearl.
At the gates are
twelve angels. Why are they there? I think that they are there to welcome the
saints into this new Jerusalem. Somehow,
it seems that this is the royal gem at which we are looking. On the gates are the names of the twelve
tribes of
The next thing is the
golden city. Read verse 18, ‘And the
building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto
clear glass.’ Then in verse 21, ‘And the twelve
gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street
of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.’ We can hardly understand this, but we do know
that somehow this is a picture at which to marvel, and to long to be
there. James Payne, who was a brother beloved, said that this gold is a
symbol of the love of God. The bottom of
Solomon’s chariot was paved with gold for the daughters of
When Solomon’s temple
was opened and the light shone in, nothing could be seen but gold. And if we were to look into this wonderful
new Jerusalem, we would see the divine gold of that city, the streets paved
with gold, and a whole city which would be of gold; and it will be transparent
so the saints can look below upon the earth.
Why is it transparent? It is
because there is nothing to hide. Oh, my
friends, we cannot have transparent things; we have things to hide, but in that
day, there will be nothing at all to hide.
The Measurements
My third point
concerns the measurements, and I do this quickly, but I do not think that we
should overlook the size of this particular city, because it is perfection
itself. It is equal on all sides. It is cube-shaped, just like the holy of
holies in Solomon’s temple.
There is nothing out
of order. There is nothing
imbalanced. When we think about
We have thought of the
foundation and the beautiful stones.
Remember the question that was asked of the Lord, ‘Are there few that be saved?’ Oh, my friends, think what was said to
Abraham about his seed being as the stars of the heaven, as the sand of the
seashore, as the dust of the earth, innumerable, a multitude that no man could
number. All the Old Testament
believers, all of the New Testament believers, the overcomers, together
make up the church in the millennium.*
This is the place of
the many mansions and the Lord will be there, and we shall see His face. We
should be rejoicing in our hearts that the Lord has saved us and showed us that
we are marching to that beautiful city of
[* That is, all overcomers from both
Old and New Testament times, (Heb. 11: 39,
40). - Ed.]
The Ministry
We have seen the
manifestation, the majesty, and the measurements of the city. Now I want to speak of the ministry of
it. I do not believe that we are going
to that place and do nothing. What does
the Bible teach about the ministry of the church in the millennium? It is interesting that B W Newton, whose works are as relevant today as they were when he
was alive, warns against fanciful ideas.
Whatever he had in mind, I have heard people say they will be visiting
the earth to have a meal or cup of tea. I do not believe that will happen. I know that many good men, whom I hold in
great esteem, would believe that they are to visit the earth for particular
ministry, and maybe that is true. I want
to give some thoughts about what I believe the Word of God teaches concerning
our ministry at that time.
1. Christ will be united with His people
and He will share His glory and His sovereignty. We read in Colossians
3: 4, ‘When Christ, Who is our life, shall
appear, then shall ye also appear with
Him in glory.’ 2 Thessalonians 2: 14 says, ‘He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ So we are united with Him and we will share
in His glory and the sovereignty of His millennium.
2. Christ will reign with His people. 2 Timothy 2: 12
says, ‘If we
suffer, we shall also reign with Him.’ There are a myriad of scriptures
concerning this reign with Christ. Look
at Revelation 20: 6, ‘Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection (that is the [out] resurrection
of the saints, caught up to meet the Lord in the air): on such the second death hath no power,
but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.’ That is reigning
on the earth. It is reigning in the glory, and it is
reigning, as I have described, from this new Jerusalem.
3. The church will be a heavenly body of
light. Look at Revelation
21: 11, ‘Having the glory of God: and her light
was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.’ So here we have the heavenly body of light,
and we are part of that. All light
emanates from this. It is the very
centre of the universe.
4. The church will be a channel of grace
and peace and even of healing. Now, from
where do I get that? Well, Revelation 22: 2, ‘In the
midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree
of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month:
and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.’ That is a verse which troubles many people,
and some cannot understand what it means, but one thing it does mean is, it is
in that time of which we are talking, and it is from this city. So we have something to do with that. I turn to Galatians
4: 26. ‘But
5. The New Jerusalem will rule. 1 Corinthians 6:
3 says, ‘Know ye not that we shall judge angels?’ That is remarkable. And the Word of God teaches it is according to our faithfulness. In Luke 19
there is a parable speaking of one servant being given ten pounds, another five
pounds, and another one pound, that they might bring forth gain. Those with ten and five pounds multiplied
their pounds, but the servant with one hid it in the earth. We are told concerning those who had used
their pounds, ‘because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou
authority over ... cities.’ I would not be dogmatic about what that
means, but it could refer to our judging or ruling over angels. Some speculate that they will be over this or
that city. I do not know, but it teaches
me that it is not to be a time of laziness.
6. There will be service there. Look at Revelation
22: 3, ‘And there shall be no more curse: but
the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve
Him.’ I remember hearing Bishop Thompson speak at these
meetings. He used to meet with our
church and worship with us from time to time.
We loved him. He was a wonderful
man of God. He used to say that he would
be serving the Lord in the new Jerusalem. He liked preaching so wanted to have
a preaching ministry. I do not know how
we are going to serve the Lord, but what I can say is, there will be service
for the Lord. There will be no idleness
in this new Jerusalem.
7. We are priests. Look again at Revelation
20: 6 ‘Blessed and holy is he that hath part in
the first resurrection: on such the
second death hath no power, but they
shall be priests of God.’ You
know the office of priests. We are made
kings and priests of God and we shall
reign on the earth. That is
what the Word of God says. One of the
things that priests do is pray. Will
there be prayer? Yes, of course there
will be. What prayer meetings there will
be in that place. People will not say I
have to get home to get my supper, or that it has gone on too long. No, there will be a good few amens and
hallelujahs then and people will not have stiff upper lips or be scared to say
anything. There will be shouts of ‘Hallelujah,’ ‘Praise the Lord,’
‘Amen.’
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The Holy Spirit,
The Fulfiller of
Scripture.
By Thomas Houghton
(Mr Houghton was for
many years the editor of ‘The Gospel Magazine.’ He spoke regularly for the Sovereign Grace
Advent Testimony.
The following is taken
from his book entitled, ‘The Holy Spirit’).
The Apostle Paul, in his
final word to the leading Jews who had assembled in his prison-lodging at Rome,
said, ‘Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet
unto our fathers’ (Acts 28: 25). He quoted to them the ninth and tenth verses of
the sixth chapter of Isaiah, and though he acknowledged that Isaiah the prophet was
the human author of the words, he plainly declares that the Holy Ghost was
their Divine Author. He it was Who spake
through Isaiah. The words written,
therefore, were Divinely authoritative because they were the words of God the
Holy Ghost.
This view of the
plenary inspiration of the Scriptures is the view uniformly taken by our Lord
Himself, and by the writers of the New Testament.
There can be no doubt
that the New Testament teaches us that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Author of
the Old Testament Scriptures.
While meditating on
this subject a new thought came to my mind, viz., that the Holy Ghost is not
only the Author, but the Fulfiller of His own predictions. This is strikingly prominent in regard to the
[Holy] Spirit’s
predictions concerning the birth, the ministry, the death, and the resurrection
of our Lord Jesus Christ. On this
occasion we would specially draw attention to this aspect of Divine truth.
1. First, the Holy Spirit
fulfilled His own prediction concerning Christ’s birth.
Christ was to be born
of a virgin and regarded as Emmanuel, a Divine Person, God with us. That was the prediction of the Holy Ghost by
the mouth of Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 7: 14). This prediction was fulfilled by the Holy
Ghost Himself. When the Virgin Mary had
been told by the Angel Gabriel that she would bring forth a Son and call His
name Jesus ‑ Who would be great and ‘called the
Son of the Highest’ - she asked, ‘How shall this be?’ The angelic answer was, ‘The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow thee’ (Luke 1: 35).
In other words, her
conception of the Child Who was to be born would be due to the supernatural
power of the [Holy]
Spirit. Jesus would be born without a
human father. Hence Joseph was assured
that ‘that which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Ghost.’ In reference to this
remarkable, supernatural, and unexampled event the inspired evangelist says, ‘Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with
child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is, God with us’ (Matthew
1: 20-23). The Lord Jesus was
thus ‘conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary.’
2. Secondly, the Holy
Ghost fulfilled His owu prophecy concerning Christ’s being anointed with the [Holy] Spirit.
The Holy Ghost,
speaking through Isaiah the prophet, said of Christ, ‘The
Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon
Him.’ He represents the Father as
saying, ‘Behold My Servant, Whom I uphold; Mine Elect,
in Whom My soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him’ (Isaiah 11: 2; 42: 1). Later, the Holy Spirit put into the mouth of
Christ the words, ‘The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon
Me; because the LORD hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He
hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to them that are bound’ (Isaiah 61: 1).
These passages clearly teach that Christ would be anointed and endued
with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
The [Holy]
Spirit Himself predicted this great event through the prophet. The New Testament shows that He Himself
fulfilled this, His own prophecy. When
our Lord was baptized, and while He was praying, ‘The
heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove
upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art My beloved Son; in
Whom I am well pleased’ (Luke 3: 21-22).
Thus Jesus was
anointed and filled with the [Holy] Spirit, and was led afterwards by the [Holy] Spirit into
the wilderness, and there tempted by the devil for forty days. Then He ‘returned in
the power of the Spirit into
The Spirit of the Lord
was then upon Him. The prediction of the
Holy Ghost in reference to His being anointed with the [Holy] Spirit was fulfilled. The Holy Ghost had voluntarily descended on
Him, and brought about the fulfilment of His own prediction.
3. Thirdly, the Holy
Ghost fulfilled His own prophecy
concerning our Lord’s
miraculous ministry.
Through Isaiah, the
Holy Ghost had predicted that Christ’s ministry would be accompanied by
miracles. He had said, ‘Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of
the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall
the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing’ (Isaiah 35: 5-6).
During our Lord’s
public ministry He gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the
dumb, and walking power to the lame. All
these and other wonderful miracles [miraculous
signs] He wrought by the power of the [Holy]
Spirit. Peter says, ‘God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with
power: Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the
devil’ (Acts 10: 38). The Holy Ghost was with Him, and in His power
the Lord wrought His wonderful miracles.
He Himself said, ‘If I cast out devils by the
Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you’ (Matthew 12: 28).
4. Fourthly, the Holy
Ghost fulfilled His own prophecy in regard to Christ’s atoning death.
In reference to that
death the Holy Ghost had said, ‘When Thou shalt make His soul an offering for
sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days.’ An alternative rendering is, ‘When His soul
shall make an offering for sin’ (Isaiah 53: 10). The Holy Ghost thus predicted that our Lord
would make an offering for sin, and the Holy Ghost may be said to have
fulfilled this prediction; for we read, ‘How much more
shall the Blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself
without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living
God?’ (Hebrews 9: 14). Dr.
Gill says, ‘As the Holy Ghost formed and filled
the human nature of Christ, so He assisted and supported it under sufferings.’
The offering was
Christ’s offering alone, He offered Himself, and by one offering He hath
perfected for ever them that are sanctified, but through the eternal Spirit He
carried through His great work of redemption.
‘As to the Person of Christ, it (the
Epistle to the Hebrews) sets forth how the Redeemer,
through the Eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God’ (Sineaton’s ‘Doctrine of the Spirit,’ page 90).
5. Fifthly , the Holy
Spirit is represented as the Agent in Christ’s resurrection.
The [Holy] Spirit predicted
the resurrection in the sixteenth Psalm.
(See Acts 2: 25-27, 30-32). Sometimes the resurrection is attributed to
the Father, sometimes to the Son (John 10: 18),
but it is also attributed to the [Holy] Spirit. ‘Being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit’
(1 Peter 3: 18).
Thus the [Holy] Spirit
fulfilled His own prediction in reference to Christ’s resurrection. That the Redeemer was quickened and raised up
by the Holy Spirit is here affirmed by Peter, and is not obscurely intimated by
the Apostle Paul (Romans 8: 11).
‘The same Spirit that formed Christ’s human body and gave it
life in His mother’s womb, gave to Him the restored life when He rose from the
dead. He Who raised up Christ from the
dead, indeed is frequently mentioned as one of the Father’s most memorable
titles or designations; and to prove that it was the Spirit Who performed this
work, we have only to recall the fact that the Holy Ghost is the executive in
every Divine operation (Romans 4: 24; 6: 4)’ (Smeaton’s ‘Doctrine of the Spirit,’ page 94).
Even after our Lord’s
resurrection He still ministered by the Spirit.
We read, ‘Until the day in which He was taken
up, after that He through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the
apostles whom He had chosen; to whom He showed Himself alive after His passion
by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the
kingdom of God’ (Acts 1: 2-3).
It was by the Holy
Ghost that David predicted our Lord’s session at the right hand of God (Psalm 110: 1; Mark 12: 36), and it seems right to
assume that the Father set Him, through the Holy Spirit, at His own right hand
far above all principality and power. (See Ephesians
1:20-21).
Bishop Moule says, ‘To this must now be added the truth that all through the
historical process of Incarnation and Redemption the Spirit has intense
relations with the Incarnate Son. He is the
immediate Agent in the holy Conception (Luke
1: 35).
He ‘descends’ in ineffable speciality upon the Son at baptism (Matthew 3: 16, etc.), so
that He goes to Temptation (Matt.4: 1), and Ministry (Luke
4:14, 18), ‘in
the power of the Spirit.’ The Spirit secures for the Son of Man that He
shall speak ‘the words of God’ (John 3: 34).’
‘It is by means of the eternal Spirit that the Lord offers
Himself without spot to God (Hebrews 9: 14). He is profoundly
concerned in the Resurrection (Romans 8: 11). After
Resurrection, it is by the Holy Spirit that the Lord gives commands to the
apostles (Acts 1: 2). And when the
glorified Christ speaks to the Churches, as the Slain One risen, His voice is
also the voice of the Spirit (Revelation 2 and 3).’ (‘Outlines of
Christian Doctrine,’ page 134).
This thought, that the
Holy Spirit, of Whom we speak as the Third Person in the Trinity, fulfilled His
own predictions, is a very precious one.
Scripture often emphasises the love of the Father for the chosen objects
of His mercy. In like manner we read of
the love of the Son. ‘Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it.’ He
‘loved me and gave Himself for me.’ We do not, however, in so many words, read of
the love of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15: 30 probably refers not to the [Holy] Spirit’s love
to His people, but to the love which He produces in them. Yet the [Holy] Spirit sheds abroad in the hearts of God’s people a
sense of God’s everlasting, saving, and abiding love to them. But what is it which led the Divine Spirit to
foretell the coming, the birth, the ministry, the death, resurrection, and
ascension of the Redeemer, but love to the elect people of God?
What is it but love to
the people of God which leads the Divine Spirit to wash, sanctify, and justify
them? What is it which leads the Divine Spirit to dwell in God’s people, but
love to them? What is it which leads the
Divine Spirit to teach, to comfort, and to strengthen God’s people, but His
love to them? What is it that leads Him
to make them fruitful in every good word and work, but His love to them?
The doctrine of the
Trinity is beyond our comprehension; but while we rightly believe that ‘the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God,’
yet we go on to say, ‘there are not three Gods but one
God.’ When therefore the apostle
says, ‘God is love,’ He is surely making a
declaration of the eternal love of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost for the great multitude which no man can number who shall hereafter stand
before the throne, washed and made white in the Blood of the Lamb.
Some of our hymn
writers make reference to the love of God the Holy Ghost. Joseph
Irons says,
‘Jehovah’s love first chose His saints;
Love listens now to their complaints;
Love paid their debt incurred by sin;
Love breaks their hearts, and enters in.
Thus Father, Son, and Holy Dove,
The Three in One, a God of love,
Engaged in Covenant for our sake:
This threefold cord can never break.’
C J P Spitta says, -
‘See, 0 see! what love is shown us
Also by the Holy Ghost!
How He strives with us poor sinners,
Even when we sin the most!
Teaching, comforting, correcting,
Where He sees it needful is!’
Toplady, addressing the Holy Spirit, says, -
‘With our perverseness here,
How often hast Thou strove,
And spared us year by year,
With never‑ceasing love!
0 set from sin our spirits free,
And make us more and more like Thee.’
Again he says, -
‘Loving Spirit, God of peace,
Great Distributor of grace,
Rest upon this congregation,
Hear, 0 hear, our supplication.’
Dr. Gill writes of ‘that
love with which the Spirit of God equally loved them, as the Father, and the
Son; and which He had shown in their conversion and sanctification, in applying
all grace unto them, and indwelling in them as the Spirit of adoption, and as
the earnest and pledge of the heavenly inheritance’ (On Romans 15: 30).
The constant action of
the Divine Spirit in announcing through the Scriptures the Coming of a Redeemer
was at once a manifestation of the love of God the Father, the love of God the
Son, and the love of God the Holy Ghost for the great multitude ‘out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation’
which the Father had given the Son to redeem by His Blood. The inspired Scriptures revealed this great and
unfathomable love, and the Holy Ghost took a real part in fulfilling the Divine
purposes of love which He Himself predicted through the Scriptures of the
prophets. Well may we say when reading those Scriptures, -
‘On Thy love my spirit ponders,
Praising, magnifying Thee;
Hallelujah to the great Eternal Three.’
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