But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost; for a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. I Corinthians 16:8–9.
Did Paul actually know the significance of the Feast of Pentecost? Or was he only thinking about a certain day or limit of time: “I’ll stay here until a certain day because things are opening up so well here for me”?
There’s a great deal that the Bible doesn’t reveal. Although the Bible is meant for revelation, it’s meant for concealment, too.
The ministry of Jesus Christ was brought for revelation and to conceal. Why did Jesus teach in parables? So that hearing they would hear, but not understand; it would be concealed from them.
Truth is open to the one who has the heart to do the will of God. No atheist or ungodly person could delve into the Word and find the secrets that have been revealed to the end-time Remnant. He wouldn’t understand them if he saw them. Even though the truths are there in plain sight, they are still hidden.
This is what God does. For he that hath, to him shall be given…Mark 4:25. If you walk in the light you have, God will give you more light. If you walk away from it, your light will turn to darkness.
What is in the Word? Revelation? Yes—and concealment also; a veiling of truth in hidden sayings, proverbs, and symbolism.
There are many things we’d like to understand: the book of Revelation, Ezekiel’s wheels, Daniel’s beast coming up out of the sea. “Oh,” you say, “I’ve studied all that; I know a little about it.” But you never learned all of it, because it is veiled so you get just enough.
The word is living and it will speak to you on the level that you have attained, in your walk with God.
The Word of God will hint and reveal to us in vague terms; as we seek after it, the Word will be opened and become as a blazing noonday sun.
We’re going to understand truths that the Church in the early New Testament times never understood. Although they walked in them, they were too close to see their significance. The significance has been lost to a lot of people.
What does Pentecost mean? What did it mean to Paul? Somehow that date was significant in his mind: a great door and effectual is opened unto me—he was waiting for something to happen—and there are many adversaries.
This was one thing that encouraged him for it meant he was on the right track. If you’re not on the right track, the devil isn’t fighting you. If he’s helping you—beware. Beware when all men speak well of you (Luke 6:26).
We prepare our hearts, for God has something for us. When we take the Holy Communion, do you have the feeling that we still fail to understand what God is trying to do for us? Jesus said if we do this we will never die.
We’re just seeing through a glass darkly and there is so much more? We know there is more involved than meets the eye and we pray, “God, You have revealed, but You have also veiled. Will You take the veil off Your Word, and make us aware to see what You have to show us?”
One of the most deadly things that can be done to the Word of God is for Christians to think they understand it when they have memorized it and can quote it and use it for arguments; yet they fail to have a deep reverence for it.
They haven’t received the full revelation of it yet. Paul writes in I Corinthians 8:2, And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. We don’t know anything like we ought to know it; but one thing we will do and that is trust the Lord.
The Lord revealeth unto our hearts this day how we shall walk, what we shall expect, what we shall claim for the days that are before us. The Lord hath placed thee in the midst of conflict; He hath placed thee in the midst of warfare; He hath placed thee in the midst of the intercession and the travail that hath been the life stream of many people.
Behold, this day thou shalt not be discouraged. Thou shall not languish in the battle, but stand and rejoice, for the enemy is not the enemy that ye shall battle in yourselves. The Lord shall fight for thee.
The strength that ye need is not the strength in yourselves, but the strength in the Lord. Stand in the Lord and in the power of His might and the Lord shall be with you to help you in the days that are before you.
Hath He not walked with His children through many difficult places? And through faith they have subdued the enemy and turned to flight the invasion of the enemy. Surely the Lord is with thee. The thing that God hath set before His people shall see many steps of fulfillment. Have faith in it. Walk in it together.
Stand before the presence of the Lord. Ye have need to worship the Lord—not because it gives you a good feeling, but because your heart desires to love Him and to worship Him.
Ye have need to worship the Lord with the motivation that He is your Lord and your King. Yea, though the enemy surround thee, let thy praises come forth. If it be in the midst of heaviness and sorrow, let thy praises come forth. If ye walk through the valley of the shadow, still let thy praises come forth.
Praise the Lord, not only in times of victory when thy soul is rejoicing in the Lord with great joys and victories, but praise God continually. Let His praise continually be in thy mouth. Rejoice in the Lord for that which He hath promised, for many things which thy soul hath claimed He hath given unto thee this day.