This question is contained in the following letter, written by a young reader of MESSAGES OF LOVE. We give the letter, and will try to answer the question: “Dear Sir:
“I will write you a few lines, as I am answering the questions, and as I would like to find out something. It is this: Why does not the Lord communicate with His people the same as olden times? I have been trying to find that for a good while, but have not found it out yet, and I trust you can tell me why.
‘What a precious thing it is to belong to the Lord, and to trust on Him! You feel a good deal happier than when you did not believe on Him.
“From your sister in Christ,
LEONA M. L—.”
In answer to the question above, we would say, that in olden times God communicated with His people in different ways. In the garden of Eden, the Lord God spoke directly with Adam and Eve, perhaps in human form, or angelic form. So again in Gen. 6 and 7, we get the Lord God speaking with Noah, and also shutting him and his family inside the ark. Then later on we find the Lord appearing to Abram (Gen. 12:7; 18:17And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him. (Genesis 12:7)
1And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; (Genesis 18:1)), and talking with him. In one of these cases, at least, the Lord appeared in the likeness of a man. Gen. 18:22And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, (Genesis 18:2). Three men are spoken of. One of them was the Lord, and the other two were the angels which took Lot out of Sodom before it was destroyed by fire. We find also other cases similar to this, but we need not refer to them.
Then later on again we get the Lord speaking face to face with Moses, and also by Urim and Thummim. He also communicated with His people by means of prophets. All these were before God fully revealed Himself in the Person of His Son, and were connected with different dispensations.
In the present dispensation these different kinds of manifestations are not necessary, because the Christian has what is far better. We now have the word of God complete, and in this word He unfolds all His mind. All His plans and purposes are revealed, and His whole will is declared. And besides this, God the Holy Spirit has come down to dwell in every one who believes in Jesus and His precious blood. And the Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ and shows them unto us.
This is not merely a manifestation now and then. God dwells with us and in us by the Holy Spirit. He is here all the time, and it is the Christian’s happy privilege to have fellowship with the, Father and the Son all the time.
When Jesus, the Son of God, was here, God communicated with the disciples through Him. John 15:1515Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. (John 15:15). But now Jesus is gone to heaven, and the Holy Ghost has come down to lead us into all truth. John 14:16, 17; 16:13, 1416And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:16‑17)
13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. (John 16:13‑14). Not only so, but if we keep the commandments and word of Jesus, Jesus will manifest Himself to us, and the Father and the Son will make their abode with us, not in bodily form, but in a spiritual way, which we will realize by the power of the Holy Ghost. See John 14:21-2321He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:21‑23).
Is not this much better than just an occasional visit, such as Abraham and others of old might have? Oh! how important it is that we should be obedient to the word of God all the time, so that we may enjoy the presence of the Father and the Son.
ML 01/19/1902