Dear Ones:
It was a sad day in the history of Israel when “…the lamp went out in the temple of God.” (1 Sam. 3:3) That lamp was a physical picture and illustration of the presence of God. Scripture tells us that leading up to that state of affairs, “…the word of the Lord was very precious (rare) in those days: there was no open vision.” In other words, there was little or no manifestation of the Lord’s presence by the declared, and confirmed, Word of the Lord. (1 Sam. 3:4) Perhaps the most frank declaration of the spiritual state of the people and nation, was when the daughter in law of Eli declared at the birth of her son when the Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Philistines, “…The glory is departed from Israel.” (1 Sam. 4:21) Now, we see in this circumstance something that we MUST grasp. It is the will of God to reveal Himself among His people by the “word of the Lord, ” that powerful and life-giving ministry which is by the Spirit. Always, when the Word is preached, and lived, in the demonstration and power of the Spirit, the wind of heaven will manifest itself in the lives of those who hear. Sadly, in Israel’s case, though the Lord would have already worked to raise up a man of God in Samuel, the nation had forgotten her calling, and no longer believed in the very necessary blessing, privilege, and imperative, to have the glory of God being revealed in her midst. Remember Moses’s words the Lord when he was praying to the Lord, “…If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy sight? Is it not in that Thou goest with us?” (Ex. 33:15-16)
Is it the same for the church of today? Yes. When the glorified and exalted Christ revealed Himself to John, he instructed John to write a letter to the church of Ephesus. John had seen in the revelation that the seven churches of Asia were represented as seven candlesticks before the Lord. What is the purpose of the candlestick? It is to give light, the knowledge of the truth, the manifestation of the reality of the living Christ. Jesus told John to write to this church: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place.” (Rev. 2:5) Ephesus, one of the most solid churches for the standpoint of doctrine and “works,” was in jeopardy of having her very means of light-giving, life-giving, removed. Why? Because, in not dealing with first things, she too had forgotten that the great essential and her purpose, is the revelation of the Light of His presence being manifested in the midst.
One last thought by way of illustration. In the letter of Paul to the Ephesians, we find at one point that he tells them, “…And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Eph. 4:30) What will happen if a believer grieves the Spirit of God by disobedience, or unbelief, and continues to do so? Will the “glory” depart? The Lord’s presence will not depart, but that manifestation and blessing on the life will not be revealed. We are called to be lights in this world, a city on a hill, a light that is NOT to be put under a basket…but this is only possible as we are walking in the light, in fellowship with Christ by the Spirit. THEN He will reveal His glory through the life…and we will declare with Paul to the Colossians, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27)
Love, Dad