Haggai 2:5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so my spirit remains among you: fear you not. The conduct of God towards His Church in ancient time is an ennobling and a comforting study: ennobling because it brings His character before our view in a light in which we cannot see it in the fields of nature and in the works of creation; comforting because it brings to our view God in all those glorious relations which nature has no know ledge of. The ancient Jewish Church was set apart by God for the purpose of illustrating those deeper and, if I might dare so to speak, final aspects of the Divine nature. The doctrine of the Holy Spirit's presence and power in the Church is not less vital to her interests than the doctrine of salvation by the finished work of Christ. I. THE PROMISE ITSELF. "So My Spirit remaineth among you." 1. The indispensability of the blessing here spoken of. "The Spirit of God." The doctrine of spiritual influence was not so prominently taught, nor was it so clearly understood, under the old economy as we know it, and as it is taught to us. There was so much that was external, formal, and typical that the great truth of the absolute necessity of spiritual influence was apt to be laid aside and forgotten. That doctrine was not, however, altogether kept out of sight. It is not a doctrine exclusively confined to the Christian economy, as some have supposed. We have a more full and copious display of the Spirit's power in the Church of Christ now than there was in those olden times. There is no single believer who is not himself the possessor of the Holy Spirit's influence. We have the Holy Spirit not only as a Teacher, but as a Comforter. We all know the difference between the reading of the Word of God without Divine illumination, and with it. The Spirit takes of the things of Christ, and brings them home to us. He deadens us to the things of the world, and quickens us to all Divine realities. Without the Spirit of God within us there can be no real holiness. There may he external consistency. The Spirit is the only agent that can dive deeply down into the secret recesses of the human heart, that can command the energies and feelings of the soul one by one, and bring them all into a loving subjection to the obedience of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the Revealer also to us of the glories of our future inheritance. The things which the eye hath not seen, and the ear hath not heard, and the heart of man hath not conceived of, are made known to us by the Spirit of God. 2. The Divine mercy as displayed in the giving of the promise. On what ground could that Spirit have been given to the children of Israel except on this? 3. The adaptation of the blessing to all times and all circumstances. The gift which the text promises I should desire most for the welfare of this, or any other church. As Jehovah Himself lives ever, so His Spirit shall follow us ever through all the changing scenes of time. 4. The certainty of the blessing. We are told that this promise of the Spirit was covenanted. The covenant assures us a new heart and a right spirit. II. THE GREAT TRUTH WHICH THIS PROMISE FORCES UPON OUR ATTENTION. "Fear not." "There is nothing for you to fear now I have given you this promise," says Jehovah. 1. Fear no local change. 2. Fear not personal apostasies in the history of the Church. 3. Fear not, for the existence of God's Church among you is of some importance to the surrounding locality. (W. Barker.) Parallel Verses KJV: According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. |
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