Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-07-08
THE HOLY SPIRIT
lEe7CN II, TtilRD QUARTER, INTER-
NAT iONA- oERlE-, JULY 10.


Verses, 1-4-GoIden Text, John xvi, 10.
Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.
1. "And when the day of Pentecost was
fully come, they were all with one accord
in one place" Since He left them ten days
before they continued steadfastly in prayer
d, II r. W and expectation. Fifty days
after the sheaf of first fruits was presented
in connection with the feast of the pass
over, it was the custom to offer new meat
offering Qev. xiii, Is, l6). Three times
a year all the men in Israel had to appear
before God in Jerusalem at passover, the
feast of weeks or Pentecost, and the feast
of ingathering or tabernacles (Ex. xiii,
l+-lO. The first typfied the death and
resurrection of Christ, the second the de-
scent of the Spirit, as in today's lesson,
while the third still awaits its complete
fulfillment. See Zech. xiv, 1921.
p And suddenly there came from heav-
en- a sound as of the rushing of mighty
wind and it filled all the house where they
were sitting" While they waited patient
ly and expectantly day by day, it is not I'M
likely that in view of the foregoing facts
they thought this might be the day of the
promise; yet it was sudden when it came
1t does not say that there was wind, but
a sound like mighty wind. See the Spirit
typifed by wind in Eek. xvii, 8.
g. And there appeared unto them cloven
tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each
of them" There may be reference to
this appearance of fire in Math. ill., II, but
the fire of verse IL is certainly yet future
and probably also the full meaning of
verse IL. When the Spirit came upon Jesus
1-,N Ga.
Him there was no dross to consume, no
purifying necessary,
t. land they We're all filled with the
Holy Ghost and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utter
ance" AS at Babel God instantly caused
people of one language to speak many Ian
guages, to their confusion and dismay, so
here for their benefit and His glory He
does similarly. See in iv, 81, how they
were again filled, and observe that when
filled they spake the word of God with
boldness Jesus had told them in the days
of His humiliation that the Spirit would
speak through them (Math. X, 20), but they
had never seen it on this fashion.
5. And there were dwelling at Jerusa-
lem Jews, devout men, out of every ma
ton under heaven" God had in His prov
idence so brought it about that they might
be witnesses of this event and in due time
help make it known in all the world 1t is
His purpose in this dispensation to gather
out of all nations people for His name
(Acts XIV, IA; Rev. V, 9, l0), but in the next
age, the millennial, He will through the
Jews fill the whole earth with His glory
Qsa xvii g; Rom. XII, l5), but it will be
by the same Holy Spirit and in the name
and power of the same Jesus.
6. Now when this was noised abroad,
the multitude came together and were
confounded, because that every man heard
them speak in his own language" The
r. V. says, when this sound was heard"
The apostles did not need to send for the
crowd; they came. The churches find it
hard to get the people to come to hear
what they call the Gospel. If there was
more of the Gospel that the Holy Spirit
teaches and uttered in the power of the
Spirit, it is probable that more would come
to hear. Yet the gathered out ones of this
age who are to rule with Christ are COM
paratively little flock When the Spirit
shall be poured upon Israel and the glory
of the Lord rise upon her, then shall ma
tions come to her sight and kings to the
brightness of her rising lisa. lix, 10, to
TX, -. See also the remarkable prophecy
of Zech viii, y.
T. And they were all amazed and mar
veled, saying one to another, Behold, are
not all these which speak Galileans?"
| They were amazed that such a wondrous
thing should be seen in people from de-
| spised Galilee; compare the saying of
! Nathaniel in John i, IS. They did not re
| member lisa. tx, (see r. W, nor know
that Gods way is to choose the foolish and
weak and base things in mems eyes, and
even things that are not to bring to nought
things that are, that no flesh should glory
in Hi presence q Cor. i, 27-29. They did
not know Him whose name is wonderful
lisa tx, 81, who had been actually among
them but had been crucifed by them only
a few weeks before
8. "And how hear we every man in our
own tongue, wherein we were bornr" The
Holy Spirit is perfect in knowledge Dob
xXxvi, ~, all languages are familiar to him.
1t was not the men who spoke by their own
ability, but the Holy Spirit in them, who
can talk every language with equal ease,
spoke through one one language and
through another another. When Moses
complained that he was slow of speech God
asked him who made mans mouth, and
then said Il will be with thy mouth and
teach thee what thou shalt say" See Elk.
iv. lO-l2, also Jer. i, :.
9-ll. "Parthians and Modes and Elan
ties. and the jewellers in MesOpotamia
Cretes and Arabians. we do hear them
speak in our tongues the wonderful works
of God" | often wonder how much of the
Spirits power we might know if our
tongues were wholly given to declaring the
wonderful works of God. In the millennium
Israel shall sing this song: Praise the
Lord, proclaim His name, declare His do
ings among the people, make mention that
His name is exalted Sing unto the Lord
for He hath done excellent things This is
known in all the earth" lisa. xii, 4-5)
Why not antedate that day and let many
willing hearts determine to speak and sing
henceforth always, only of our King. u
Then shall we know the Spirits power as
never before
II. And they were all amazed, and were
in doubt, saying one to another, What
meaneth this?' The natural man re
ceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God
for they are foolishuess unto him Il Cor ii
~, so some mockinsly said that these men
were drunken; but Peter called their at