The Spirit's Work In The Days Of The Patriarchs

by R.T.H. HORNE | Category: The Holy Spirit | Mar 1961

In the previous article it was shown that the Holy Spirit has been actively engaged in the world from the time of the first day of Genesis 1, and since that time His work has been seen in relation to mankind throughout the ensuing centuries.

The Holy Scriptures which deal with the times of the Patriarchs make it evident that from the earliest days of man's existence on earth there have been, on the one hand, those who sought the Lord and desired to walk in His ways, and on the other hand, a race of men who had little concern for the Lord and His ways. The Lord Jesus detailed the pursuits of this Tatter class as (1) in the days of Noah, "They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage" and (2) in the days of Lot, "They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded until the day that judgement fell upon them (Luke 17. 26 29). Their interests were in earthly things they were men who sowed to their own flesh and of the flesh reaped corruption. In contrast to this, the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews tells us that "Noah, being warned .of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which lie condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith " (Hebrews 11. 7).

In Genesis 6.3 we read that the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man for ever, for that he also is flesh : yet shall his days be an hundred and twenty years. " The gracious Holy Spirit strove with men then that they might not do the things that they would seeking to lead them in a way of life which would be glorifying to their Creator, and which would mean to them a life of joy and profitableness. Rays of light appear in the Scriptural records, revealing to us the truth of the presence and work of the blessed Spirit in the lives of men and women of God in those early days. The apostle Jude wrote in his epistle, verse 14, that " Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord came with tenthousands of His holy ones, to execute judgement upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." Then in 1 Peter 3.18-20, we read of Christ in the Spirit preaching, "when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah." (The writer believes this to be the interpretation of these difficult verses, and also to be in keeping with 1 Peter 1.11, where it is definitely stated that it was the Spirit of Christ which was in them, the prophets, who " testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them"). Connecting both these scriptures with 2 Peter 1. 21, which says, "No prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit," we conclude that it was the Holy Spirit of God who spoke through Enoch and Noah. He, the Holy Spirit, was present in that day, in the world to convict the ungodly of their works of ungodliness, as today He is here to convict the world "in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement." Many then, as today, were disobedient to His pleadings. Some gave heed to His teaching, and as a result such men as Enoch and Noah knew the blessed experience of walking with God. These were men who walked by the Spirit and bore the fruit of the Spirit. Only as taught and led by the Spirit could this happy experience have been theirs.

A flood of light is shone on the Old Testament narrative in relation to the times of Isaac and Ishmael, in Galatians 4.29, where the apostle says, "as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now," revealing to us that Isaac was one who was "born after the Spirit." The Spirit of God overcame the human impossibility inherent in his mother, and the promise of God to Abraham was fulfilled in a man being born after the Spirit. Thus the Spirit's work is seen in maintaining a race of men who were led by the Spirit amidst all the surrounding darkness and disobedience.

The effect of the work of the Spirit in the hearts and lives of men was such that it was made evident to those with whom they came in contact. Pharaoh perceived that the revealing of secrets, and the wisdom seen in Joseph, emanated from a supernatural power within him. When a suitable man was required to be placed over the affairs of Egypt, Pharaoh's choice fell upon Joseph, and he said, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? " (Genesis 41.38). Again we see the Spirit's ministry in the prophecies of Jacob, as recorded in Genesis 49, concerning those things which were to befall his sons in the latter days.

The blessed Holy Spirit has always been, and will always be, here in this world to guide men, willing to be guided, in the ways of the Lord, and so to maintain a race of godly men.

The words of 1 Corinthians 2.11 are true of all time: "the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God," and consequently the Spirit has been given "that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God." "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God," and the natural man is described in Jude 19 as "having not the Spirit" (R.V. margin). The activities and gracious dealings of the Holy Spirit are seen in the lives of worthy men such as Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, restraining them from wrong-doing, and leading them in the ways, and guiding them in the truth of God.

We shudder to think of what the fleshly desires in men would have produced in the world had they been left without the restraining power of the blessed Spirit. Thankful beyond measure we should be for the strivings of the Spirit in the hearts of men in those early days, and also in the days in which we live.

That there be more response to His gracious strivings in our o~ hearts and Jives would be our longing and prayer.

R.T.H. HORNE | Mar 1961
The Holy Spirit