Cloud by Day, Fire by Night

“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.” (Exodus 40:34-38, ESV).

Moses followed God’s instructions in erecting the Tent of Meeting, the tabernacle covering it, and the furnishings. It went wherever the Israelites traveled in the desert toward the Promised Land. A miraculous cloud representing the very presence of God led the people. It appeared first as they left Egypt (Exodus 13:21). It came between them and the Egyptian army that pursued them at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:20). And after the tabernacle was completed the building was filled with the cloud. God’s glory and protection were demonstrated in a visible way. Not only did Moses and Aaron see these manifestations, but “all the house of Israel” had the cloud by day and the fire by night in their sight. Day and night, these visible signs of God’s presence were with the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land. Try to picture the sojourners—we’re told in Exodus 12:37-38 that there were about 600,000 men plus women and children and “other people” who went with them out of Egypt—well over a million people, seeing a cloud by day and a fire by night, ever present, ever leading, God with them, the hope of deliverance and victory! The magnitude and majesty of it all boggles the imagination! God was working in history to accomplish His purpose! What is our present “cloud by day” and “fire by night”? In the New Testament God gave believers a promise of His presence with them. Jesus made this promise: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:16-18, NIV). And that promise fulfilled is recorded in Acts 2:2-4: “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit…” Just as the cloud by day and the fire by night was indicative to the Israelites that God was with them, so the Holy Spirit who comes to each believer represents God’s covenant relationship to be with, to guide and to empower. Praise be to God!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Sunday, November 7, 2010

With Mighty Power God’s Work Progressed

“Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.” -Acts 11:26-27 NKJV).

To read the Acts of the Apostles is to read a Spirit-filled account of the work and growth of the early church. The people and events blend together in a rich and always awe-inspiring record of the mighty power of God at work as His church and kingdom progressed. Jesus’ prophecy spoken to His disciples before His death was coming true as events unfolded: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (John 14:12).

Let’s review some of these mighty works. As the disciples and followers prayed in one accord, the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost and three thousand believed. As they continued “in one accord,” then “the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

Healings took place in the name of the Lord. Before persecution came to scatter the believers abroad, the disciples preached boldly on the portico of the temple, in the streets, and from house to house. Seven deacons were chosen to “wait on tables,” that is, to serve the poor and needy, so the disciples could give themselves to study and preaching. The stoning of Stephen, tragedy though it was, became a springboard for greater revelation and spread of the gospel. Philip, one of the twelve, went down to Samaria preaching the word, and many believed, including multitudes, a sorcerer, and the Ethiopian eunuch, a man who was important in the court of Queen Candace. Saul of Tarsus, a devout Jew, out to persecute Christians, was converted on the road to Damascus, taken in and instructed by Ananias, befriended and championed by Barnabas before the saints in Jerusalem. Peter had a vision that no one or nothing is unclean and preached boldly to the household of Cornelius, seeing that the Gentiles, too, were included in God’s plan for redemption. The Holy Spirit came upon Gentile believers, as He had come upon the disciples and other followers after the Ascension.

And then Barnabas preached at Antioch, found Paul the newly converted, newly anointed apostle, and together they spent a year preaching and doing the work of Christ in Antioch of Syria. Antioch was the third largest city of that era, after Rome in Italy and Alexandria in Egypt. It was there the believers were first called Christians. Because their speech, actions and nature were like that of Christ, they were called “Christians”—“like Christ” or “little Christs”. The name, then and now, denotes a personal relationship to Christ, and intention to follow Him, regardless of circumstances. As a Christian, each bears the name of Christ and has a holy and binding commitment to live by His teachings and follow His leadership. Through Christians and their witness today, God’s work still progresses with mighty power. May we each be found faithful and radiate the Truth of the Lord Christ, be “like Christ.”

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Early Church and Evangelistic Success

“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” –Acts 2:46-47 (NIV)..

Peter was greatly empowered by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and preached openly to those gathered in Jerusalem. We are told in Acts 2:41 that those who heard and accepted the dynamic message of Peter added about three thousand to their number that day.

We don’t know the logistics of the situation. How did Peter make himself heard to so many without benefit of electronics and amplification? Surely all the disciples must have been actively witnessing and counseling, and afterwards helping Peter perform baptism for the numbers of believers added to the church. The “how” is left to our imagination. But the summary as given in the Acts of the Apostles allows us to see Peter and the others fulfilling God’s mission and the results of faith and obedience. They were found faithful. They were seeing Jesus’ prediction come true: “And greater things will he do because I go to my Father” (John 14:12).

The disciples were now apostles—those sent out with a message. This was and has continued to be the method of evangelistic success. From Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost to the faithful through the ages since the days of the early church, those sent out with a message have, through the power of the Holy Spirit, seen the results of hearing the Word. The principle of Vine and Branches as given by Jesus in John 15 bears fruit in repentance and faith. “How beautiful…the feet of them that bring glad tidings..who proclaim salvation” (Isaiah 52:7).

In the days of the early church and even to this twenty-first century it has been thus. Maybe not 3,000 in one day, as with Peter; and maybe again, yes. Do we not hear of the thousands who responded in Billy Graham evangelistic crusades? And now with radio, television, internet and e-mail as methods of spreading the Word, we cannot begin to estimate how many hear and respond to the Word. But we can never lose sight that belief and faith come to each person meeting Jesus Christ at the point of realized need for salvation, conviction, repentance, belief and obedience to follow Him. Believer meets Christ, One-to-one: this is always the way to faith.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Monday, April 12, 2010

The Holy Spirit Comes: A Promise Fulfilled

“Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”-Acts 2:1-4.

“And I will pray the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”—John 14: 16-18 (NKJV).

Perhaps one of the hardest doctrines for Christians to understand (and explain to unbelievers) is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—Three-in-One, the Trinity. The word trinity is not used in scripture. It is a theological term used to describe God in His unified three-fold nature. The Trinity is a divine mystery. The term expresses the dynamic character and unity of God, and the demonstrated work of God. We are not to think of the Trinity in terms of tritheism (three Gods), but as God manifested in Three Persons, all with unified and distinctive purposes.

Jesus, God in the flesh, the Son of God among men, promised that His followers would not be left as “orphans,” little children without parental love, guidance and protection. Jesus promised the coming of a Helper, the Spirit of Truth, the Paraclete, one who would walk beside, be an advocate, a comforter. This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost when the disciples were “in one accord.” They were ready to receive the Helper. He came as a mighty rushing wind, a felt, physical demonstration of power, with “tongues as of fire.” He came with gifts. One was the ability to speak in other tongues. Much supposition has surrounded this gift of the Holy Spirit. Was it ecstatic utterance? Was it the ability to speak in what we call a “foreign language” without benefit of having studied that language? We know that those gathered from many countries to celebrate Pentecost were able to hear and understand the disciples, and especially Peter, in his great sermon giving highlights in God’s work with mankind, including His sacrifice of Jesus for the sins of the people. About three thousand believed and were baptized on that day (Acts 2:41). The acts were manifestations of the Spirit’s presence and power.

The Holy Spirit is God with the believer, present as comforter, teacher, motivator, and advocate, to name some of the works of the One whom Jesus promised and Who physically and dynamically made His presence and power known to the disciples on that Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. We may not experience the Holy Spirit in tongues of fire, but can we not feel and acknowledge Him as we pray, as we study the Bible, as we teach and witness in His name? Paul described the work of the Spirit in the Christian’s life as “helping in our weakness,” in “groanings that cannot be uttered,” in ‘searching the mind’ and in intercession (Romans 8:26, 27). The Holy Spirit was also present in our salvation experience, convicting us of our personal sin and separation from God, and assuring us of salvation. Paul had much to teach about the Spirit in Romans 8. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God,” he declared in Romans 8:14. Likewise, if we feel that the Spirit is not working in and through us, we should examine our own spiritual condition. The Spirit is always available. If He is not with us, it is our own sin and indifference to His presence that prevent us from knowing His power in our life.

The Trinity is indeed a great mystery. But there was a time in history when God was manifested in power and in tongues of fire. And since that hallowed day, followers have depended upon the promised presence of the Holy Spirit to teach, lead, convict, comfort, prepare and propel them forward in Kingdom relationships and work. He has never left the believer comfortless or without help. Let us rejoice that He is here ever-present with us!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Sunday, April 11, 2010