prophets, judges, and kings for the work God had for them to do. THE PATRIARCHS. That it was the power of the Holy Spirit which made the Old Testament patriarchs such princes with God and men is very evident. Enoch must have been filled with the Spirit of God, because he "walked with God" (Genesis 5: 22, 24), and prophesied (Jude 14), and was translated (Hebrews 11:5); and we know that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to give grace, to reveal things, and to translate people to heaven (see I Corinthians 15, and so on). Noah must also have been endued with the Holy Spirit's power, because he also "walked with God" (Genesis 6:9); he talked with God (Genesis 6:13; Hebrews 11:7); and it seems that the Spirit of God spoke through him to those who lived during the flood, and that they are now imprisoned in hell because they refused to hear him (1 Peter 3:18-20). Abraham also must have been filled with the Holy Spirit, as he had many visions and special revelations from the Lord (Genesis 15: 1; Acts 7:2; Hebrews 11:8). Other Old Testament patriarchs were doubtless endued with the Holy Spirit's power in a similar manner; but the deeper experiences of Jacob and Joseph are more fully described in the Word of God than those of the other patriarchs. JACOB. In the Bible account of Jacob's life, as perhaps in that of no other Old Testament saint, we have revealed the power of God to change and transform character. Before God met Jacob at Bethel there was little to love and admire in his weak, vacillating character. His name, Jacob, means supplanter, or deceiver, and such was his character. By deception be obtained his brother Esau's birthright, and he then started away to a strange land to escape his brother's wrath. But God, who foreknows all things, knew that Jacob rather than Esau was prepared to abandon the life of selfishness and sin, and to become a chosen vessel in His service (Romans 9:11). One night as he lay asleep on the lonely mountains north of Jerusalem, then called Jebus, with the stones for his pillow, the Lord began to reveal Himself to him. In a dream the Holy Spirit revealed to him a little of the glories of heaven. He saw a ladder reaching toward heaven, and the angels of God ascending and descending on it; and the Lord promised him great blessings (Genesis 28). His experience is described in the well known words, 66 Though like a wanderer, the sun gone down, Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee." Jacob called the name of the place Bethel, which means house of God, and said, "This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven" (Genesis 28:17). But it was only the "gate," or beginning, of Jacob's spiritual experience. It was not at Bethel, but at Peniel, that his life was completely transformed. After he had served Laban many years, and Laban became envious of him, Jacob started for his old home. Laban pursued him with an army, and he also heard that his brother Esau was coming with another army to meet him. Hemmed in between the two armies, he seemed to be completely at their mercy, and was at the end of his own resources. But "Man's extremity is God's opportunity," and the darkest hour is often before day. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5). "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31). Such was the case with Jacob. He knew that God only could deliver him from the extremity in which he had placed himself by his evil deeds. So he spent the night alone with God, crying for deliverance. Doubtless it was a night of bitter repentance and tears. He wrestled with the angel of the Lord until the breaking of the day, and said to him, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me " (Genesis 32:26). Having touched his thigh and made him a cripple, to punish him for his sins and to keep him humble before God, the angel pronounced upon him one of the greatest blessings that man has ever experienced. He said, 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince thou hast power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." Israel means prince of God, and from that night at Peniel until his dying day, Jacob was truly a spiritual prince, and had power with God and with men. In one night God transformed him from a weak, vacillating deceiver, into a prince with God and men; from Jacob (deceiver) to Israel (prince of God); and from a refugee to a ruler. This wonderful change was wrought in answer to prayer, and because Jacob said, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." 66 JOSEPH. Another Old Testament saint whose deeper religious experiences have been a help to many was the patriarch Joseph. In his youth God revealed to Joseph, through dreams and visions, that He would greatly bless him (Genesis 37). But the blessings of God did not come to Joseph until he was prepared by suffering to receive them. Human nature is such that we cannot bear great blessings or prosperity without some "thorn in the flesh," or humiliating 66 experiences, to keep us from being "exalted above measure." Paul had to be kept humble through some "thorn in the flesh," lest he should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations" (2 Corinthians 12:7). "The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold" (Proverbs 17:3; and 27:21). Silver can be melted and refined in a pot, but the gold must be put right into the fire before it can be melted and refined. Those who are only to be silver vessels in the house of God may only have to go through the melting pot of affliction to be refined; but those who are to be golden vessels in the house of God often have to go through the furnace fire of affliction, as did Job, Madam Guyon, and many others. Joseph was to be a golden vessel for the Master's use, and he had to be greatly humbled before he could bear the great honors and blessings that God was about to shower upon him. He was betrayed by his brethren, sold as a bond-slave, carried away into the strange land of Egypt, falsely accused of an horrible crime, and finally thrown into an Egyptian dungeon. Thus he lost friends, and property, and reputation, and liberty, and everything that is held dearest in this life. This did not look like the prosperity and blessing that God had promised him, but his faith in God never wavered. Like the patriarch Job, in the midst of his trials, he could say, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 13:15). Although Joseph lost everything except his faith in God, he did not doubt God nor forsake Him, as most men would have done under similar circumstances. After the Lord had sufficiently humbled him, so that he could bear the honor, blessings and honor began to pour in upon him. He was delivered from prison, placed on the throne of Egypt as the virtual ruler, had his friends and relatives restored to him, and above all this God gave him such wisdom and understanding that even Pharaoh marvelled at it. "And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art" (Genesis 41:38, 39). MOSES, JOSHUA, AND THE ELDERS. 66 In the life of Moses, the first and greatest of Israel's judges, the Holy Spirit's power was manifest in a preeminent degree. Over five hundred times in the Word of God we are told about God speaking to Moses or Moses speaking to God. When the Lord first called Moses to lead the children of Israel from Egypt to Canaan, he went in his own strength to deliver Israel, and killed two Egyptians. Then he got frightened, and fled into the wilderness, and spent forty years feeding sheep for his father-in-law. By that time all his pride and self-reliance had left him. When God again called him to go and deliver Israel from Egypt, he felt his own weakness as he had not when the Lord first called him to that mission. Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3). He pleaded that he was "slow of speech," and was not qualified to lead Israel. But God, Who chooses and uses humble instruments, said, “I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say " (Exodus 4:12). Moses still pleaded that the Lord would send some one else, and then the Lord gave him Aaron as his spokesman. After this the Spirit of God worked through Moses and Aaron in a marvellous manner. At the sway of Moses' rod the plagues of blood, frogs, lice, flies, murrain, boils and blains, locusts, and darkness were sent over the land of Egypt, the Red Sea was divided, water was brought from the smitten rock, and so on. Under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, |