IT is of the utmost moment to all the people of God to ascertain whether the Holy Ghost has returned to heaven since Pentecost, and has to be sent again on every fresh occasion of blessing, or whether He remained, and still remains, on earth with us since that great event. And such is the important subject now under our consideration.
More than eighteen hundred years ago, a small company of the disciples of Jesus were accustomed to meet in an upper chamber for prayer and supplication in expectation of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost according to the promise of their blessed Master, to be shortly accomplished (Acts 1.). They were feeble and fearful (John 20:19, 2019Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. (John 20:19‑20)), and quite unenlightened as to the purposes and counsels of God respecting the calling of the Gentiles and the Church, having still, for the most part, Jewish views and feelings (Acts 1:66When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6)), with prejudices which nothing but the action and direct authority of the Spirit of God afterward sufficed to overcome (Acts 10:45-47, 11:15-18). Besides this, they had no power to preach or declare the Word of God, and were especially directed by the Lord Himself to wait until this was conferred on them by the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:4, 5, 84And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:4‑5)
8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)); nor could they, until that event took place, be formed into one body, the Church (1 Cor. 12:1313For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)), and its order, organization, and privileges were unknown to them.
This state of things continued until the descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, which is thus described. When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them “(Acts 2). Thus was fulfilled the promise of Christ,” I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:1616And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (John 14:16)).
The terms of this promise were that the Comforter should come to abide with them, in, accordance with which we see on the day of Pentecost, not only the “cloven tongues as of fire,” resting upon each individual, emblematical of the gifts and powers which the Holy Ghost conferred, but His own personal presence in their midst, indicated by the sound as of a rushing mighty wind, which, coming from heaven, “filled all the house where they were sitting.” Thus was the advent and presence of this Divine and Almighty Agent announced to them all in an unmistakable way. Thus they knew that though the Son had returned to heaven, another Divine Person of the blessed Trinity had descended to earth to remain with them, according to the promise of Christ, forever.
His presence changed the aspect of everything. Courage and confidence succeeded to fear; weakness was exchanged for power; and boldness in public testimony for Christ for what had before been only in private; “and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Besides which, the Church is now first spoken of as an existent body that could be added to (Acts 2:4747Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:47)), the unity and love which characterized its members becoming conspicuous to all (44-46), whilst those who were enrolled exhibited the living agency of the Divine Spirit of truth in continuing steadfast “in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and breaking of bread and prayers”―four all-important things which show distinct and instructed organization and spiritual power.
We have, in addition, the conversions which took place under the ministry of the Word by the apostle Peter, on one day three thousand being brought in (Acts 2:4141Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:41)), and on another two thousand after the healing of the impotent man (Acts 4:44Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. (Acts 4:4)). But these conversions were not the outpouring of the Spirit which had been previously exhibited in the apparent form as of a rushing mighty wind, and of tongues of fire which rested on the believers; but they were the blessed effects of the Holy Spirit’s presence, making itself felt subsequently upon the hearts of sinners. These things ought not to be Confounded; the former was the coming or descent of the Holy Ghost, the latter is only one result of it, though a very blessed one. He comes to the disciples to dwell among them and show His power. He acts when present in the Church, on the world outside, and that by means of a testimony given by the lips of the apostles who were filled with the Holy Ghost.
In Acts 4. a scene presents itself of great importance in our present inquiry. An attempt is made by the leading authorities of the Jewish nation to put a stop to this work of God by threatening the apostles and commanding them not to speak any more in the name of Jesus. This leads to prayer―prayer to God to carry on His work, to convert, and save, and bless, in the very way which Christians now desire to see it effected. It seems like the first great prayer-meeting of which we have any account, after the descent of the Holy Ghost, though held without any previous concert. But for what do they ask? Not that the Holy Ghost may come, or be sent, for they know Him to be there with them; but that boldness may be given them to speak the Word of God in face of all opposition, and that the name of Jesus may be magnified by the display of its power among men. The answer came at once. “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness.”
The presence of that Divine Comforter who had come at Pentecost, and filled all the house where they were sitting, is now sensibly felt by the house being shaken where they were assembled, and they are all filled with the Holy Ghost, and speak the word with boldness. With great power the apostles give testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; great grace rests on all, with unity of heart and mind and self-renunciation for the good of others who were in need; whilst believers are added to the Lord—multitudes, both of men and women (Acts 5:1414And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) (Acts 5:14).); and those who bring their lie into the presence of God, the Holy Ghost, to whom Peter declared the lie to have been told, are struck down by divine judgment. From this we may gather what our prayer should be, whether for ourselves or for sinners around us.
If the Holy Ghost had returned to heaven, then should we indeed have to pray that He may be sent again, and that He should come down to us again; but to what a condition of weakness and desolation would the Church then be reduced! How could she then bear testimony to the world? How uphold the name of Christ or the truth of God on earth? Without a Comforter, a Divine Person to sustain the people of God in the world, they would be indeed, as the Lord said He would not leave His disciples, orphans or comfortless. But it is not so; our position is not that of the disciples when they were waiting for the Holy Ghost to come, with all the feebleness as we have seen that resulted from His not having yet been given (Acts 1), but rather that which is represented in chapter 4, and we may well take this prayer for our guidance at the present moment and ask for the same things. That we may be filled with the Spirit and speak the Word of God with boldness, that grace may rest on us, that love may abound as then, and that the name of Jesus may be magnified in His being made known to many hearts that have never tasted His grace.
(To be continued.)