Holy Spirit & the Sanctuary 1

Moving of the Holy Spirit

Study given by W. D. Frazee 

Out text is John 7:37-39. I wonder if anybody here tonight is thirsty, not in the body but in the soul. Jesus is speaking to every thirsty one, and here is a wonderful promise:

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified” John 7:37-39.

There are several things in our text that we want to meditate on. The first is this wonderful gift that is offered. It is the gift of what? The Spirit. And He represents it here under what symbol? Water; living water. “If any man thirst,” Jesus says, “if anybody is thirsty.” I would like to paraphrase that, “If there is anybody here that wants something, if you have a need, a feeling of need, if you are unsatisfied, dissatisfied, Jesus has the answer.” It is in this wonderful gift of the Spirit.

The Lord willing, I hope to spend several of these Friday night  services for the next few weeks studying the Holy Spirit and the Sanctuary. The two are intimately connected. We need to study them together. God’s great purpose in the sanctuary is to teach us how we may receive in its fullness this boundless gift. On the other hand, when the Holy Spirit comes, He witnesses concerning the sanctuary.

You will note here that the text says:

“The Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified” John 7:39.

This is an interesting expression. Christ is speaking there in the temple. He is soon to be crucified and buried, then He will arise and go back to heaven. John recording it here says:

“The Holy Ghost was not yet given” John 7:39,

“Because that Jesus was not yet glorified” John 7:39.

I wonder what that means, the Holy Ghost was not yet given. Had the Spirit of God been absent from this world for four thousand years ever since the beginning back there at creation?

Well, let’s go to the first page of the first book of the Bible, Genesis 1. We can’t go any farther back than this, because this is the beginning. Let’s see if we find the Spirit of God here, and at work:

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light” Genesis 1:1-3.

Oh, yes. The Spirit of God has been at work in this world ever since there was a world. There in the beginning He was moving. And, my dear friends, He has been moving ever since.

Turn to 2 Peter 1 and we will have an example of this. The apostle Peter in New Testament times looking back to the Old Testament times tells us the work of the Holy Spirit during all those ages:

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” 2 Peter 1:21.

You see, that same Spirit that was moving upon the waters there in creation, was moving through all the Old Testament days upon the hearts of men, and especially and specifically upon those who were called prophets - Moses, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and all the rest of that wonderful group of men and women, who saw the angels of God, and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote down for us what they had seen in holy vision. Yes, the Spirit of God has been at work ever since creation.

We might multiply texts, this evening, proving this, but I think these two are sufficient. Then we come back to our text in John 7:39. And what does this statement mean?

“The Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified” John 7:39.

Now, to answer this perhaps we need to look at the experience of another member of the Godhead.

You know, when Jesus sent His disciples forth to teach and preach in His name, He told His apostles to baptize those who accepted their message and were converted, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20). So, here we have the three members of the Godhead.

These Three are One. That is: They are one in purpose. It does not mean that there is only one person, one individual. This same Bible that says three in one in the Godhead, mentions that in marriage the husband and the wife become one. They two shall be one is the Bible statement. And just as the husband and wife merge, blend, in God’s holy institution of marriage, and yet each one has his individuality, so in the Godhead we find the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are one in purpose. They never disagree. But each has the individuality of a person.

Turn to Matthew 3:16, 17 and we will see that quite clearly, I think. This is speaking of that wonderful occasion when Jesus came from Nazareth and was to begin His work. But the first thing was to take the steps that you and I must take. And so for us, and as our example, He came and asked John to baptize Him. 

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” Matthew 3:16, 17.

Is the Father represented here? Oh, yes. He speaks from heaven. How do we know it is the Father speaking? Because He says, “This is My beloved Son.” So the Father speaks there at the Jordan banks. Is the Son there? Oh, yes, see Him kneeling. 

Is the Spirit there? Oh, yes. It says:

“He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him” Matthew 3:16.

So all three members of the Godhead, all the three persons in the heavenly trio are represented there on this important occasion.

Now, as I say, if we examine the experience of another member of the Godhead, that is the Son, Jesus Christ, we may get light on this expression concerning the third member, the Holy Ghost, where it says, the Holy Ghost was not given at the time that Jesus was on earth because Jesus was not yet glorified.

When we go to Isaiah 9, if you will turn to that, we read a verse here concerning the gift of Jesus to this world. This is the greatest gift of the ages:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” Isaiah 9:6.

Who is this? This is Jesus: “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” Isaiah 9:6.

When is this verse? What experience is this talking about? Obviously the birth of Jesus, when He came to this world as a gift, a wonderful present.

“God so loved the world that he gave his only... Son” John 3:16.

But do we, as we stand in imagination at the manger and see that little babe resting there, do we suppose this is the first time that He has been in the world? Oh, no, not at all. Turn back to John’s gospel and see how Jesus makes this plain, John 8:56-58. Here Jesus is speaking to the Jews. They rejoiced that Abraham was their father. They tended to make light of Jesus, but in John 8:56, Jesus says:

“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am” John 8:56-58.

Then, long before Jesus was manifested in this world as a little babe, growing up as a man, long before the New Testament times, Jesus was in active contact with this world. Abraham saw Him. That is what Jesus says.

Do you see, friends, Christ had been participating in the affairs of this world all the way down through? And that is indicated back on that first page of the Bible, Genesis 1:26. After the world had been made, the earth covered with a carpet of green, made in a beautiful garden, after the land and water animals had been called forth, and everything was ready, then the scriptures say, God said:

“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” Genesis 1:26.

Here we see the Father and the Son counseling together. They are in communion:

“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” Genesis 1:26.

All the way down through the Old Testament times we see Jesus in contact with this world, representing the Father. He was that messenger of the covenant through whom God’s will was made known to Moses and to Israel.

And so the New Testament says, concerning all those prophets that spoke back then, that they received and they gave, they shared with others the testimony of Jesus, which is the Spirit of Prophecy (Revelation 19:10). Thus we see that the Father was communicating with this world all down through the ages, both through the Son and through the Holy Spirit. In fact, my dear friends, the Godhead worked as a team.

Now, when we study God we must remember that we are just little children and that He is infinite. There is much that we do not know. So the scriptures say:

“The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and our children for ever” Deuteronomy 29:29.

And all that you and I may know of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is what we can find revealed in this wonderful Book. But that is enough to keep us studying all our lives, and then on through eternity, my friends.

And so with due reverence, remembering that we are dealing with infinite truths, that we are dealing with the majesty of God, like Moses, we approach the burning bush with reverence, for here God is speaking.

Now, my point is this: We have proved that the Son, Jesus Christ was with His Father and working with this world right from the beginning on down through. He was with all the prophets. And yet there came a time when He moved into this world in a new sense and in a new way. And as a special gift to this world He was manifested forever to be our present from heaven, the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And so, just as Jesus had been manifesting Himself and His Father through the Old Testament ages, and yet there came a time when in a special way He was manifested, so the Holy Spirit had been in this world from the beginning, as we have proved, and yet there was to come a time when He was to be manifested on a scale unprecedented, in a measure without limit. And that, my dear friends, our text in John says, awaited something. What was it?

Turn back please to John 7:39. I am anxious that you see this in the scripture. It may be a new thought to some and I want you to see it exactly as the word of God declares it. John 7:39:

“But this spake he” John 7:39. That is of this wonderful gift of water that quenches the thirst of man.

“(But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified)” John 7:39.

So you see, although He had been at work all down through, there was to come a day when, in a special sense, He was to be given, but that awaited the glorification of Jesus. There was something that could not happen until and unless something else happened first. And that is what I want you to see tonight.

Let us go to John 14. As Jesus sat with His disciples at the last supper, knowing that He was soon to be crucified and then to rise and go back to heaven, He longed to leave with His disciples the assurance of a wonderful gift that He was planning to give them. Notice:

“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive” John 14:15-17.

Note that the Spirit was to come in answer to the prayers of Jesus. The Father was to bestow this gift upon the children of God. But the world, Jesus says, cannot receive Him. This is vital. We will see that more clearly in future studies that we are going to have here. But notice He says:

“I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you” John 14:16.

How long? [Forever.] This was a gift that once given was never to be taken back. Then I ask you at this point, is the Holy Spirit still in this world? Is He still waiting to bless and comfort hearts? Is He here tonight? Oh, yes, if Christ has fulfilled this promise, and I thank God that He has.

Now, notice the sixteenth chapter:

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away” John 16:7.

Why, they couldn’t understand that. How could it be good for them for Jesus to go away? Then he explained it:

“If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” John 16:7.

You see, Jesus makes it clear that the coming of the Holy Spirit awaited Christ’s return to heaven. I wonder why. I wonder what is involved in this:

“The Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified” John 7:39.

Turn over to Hebrews 5:5 and we will find an interesting fact concerning the glorification of Jesus:

“So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou are my Son, today have I begotten thee” Hebrews 5:5.

The Father glorified Jesus. He did not glorify Himself. And He glorified Him to be made a what? What does this say? An high priest. Here we are dealing with the language of the sanctuary.

And turning to Hebrew 8:1, 2, we read Paul’s clear statement:

“Of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man” Hebrews 8:1, 2.

So the sanctuary is where? In heaven. And who is the high priest? Jesus is the high priest. And who glorified Him to be made a high priest? The Father.

Now, in verses four and five, Paul makes it plain that down here in this world, there was a tabernacle made, copied after the one in heaven, and that the priests who ministered in these holy places on earth served:

“Unto the example and shadow of heavenly things” Hebrews 8:5.

Yes, Paul says that when Moses was up in Mount Sinai the Lord said to him, “Moses, be sure that you make this sanctuary like the pattern I have shown you - the heavenly sanctuary. So this was all very real, friends. There was a real sanctuary that Moses made at Mount Sinai, and it was copied after a real sanctuary in heaven. The priests who went back and forth day by day and year by year in their duties in this sanctuary, were fulfilling the type in shadowy outline. They were showing what Jesus, our high priest, would do in the sanctuary above.

You notice in Hebrews 8:3, what the work of the high priest is:

“Every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer” Hebrews 8:3.

If Jesus is to be a priest in the sanctuary above, He must have an offering. He must have a sacrifice to present. And what is that? Well, Hebrews 9:12 says:

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us” Hebrews 9:12.

Then I ask you this, friends, (Watch this point carefully!) if Jesus is to be a high priest in that sanctuary above what must He bring with Him? An offering, a sacrifice. And what does it say that is? His own blood. Then I ask you this. When would Jesus minister that sacrifice? Would it be before He came to this world and died upon the cross, or after? You can see it would have to be after.

And so Paul says here in Hebrews 8:3: “It is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer”

And then he proves in the fourth verse, that if He were down here on earth, He would not be a priest. When Jesus was here in this world, while He was in the outer court there, and the court in the temple in Jerusalem where the offerings were sacrificed, He never entered the holy place or the most holy place of the temple in Jerusalem. That belonged to the priests, the sons of Aaron. Jesus was born into this world in the tribe of Judah, not the tribe of Levi. So Jesus was never inside the earthly sanctuary.

But when He went to heaven, then He was to enter upon His work as our high priest, and He was glorified to be made a high priest.

Let’s take a look at the wonderful welcome, as written down a thousand years in advance, in Psalm 68, the wonderful welcome when Jesus came back to heaven after His mission down in this world was accomplished. Oh, how happy heaven was to have Him back home. But Jesus had something on His heart. There was something that He wanted. He went there for a purpose. Not for Himself, but for us.

“The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men: yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them” Psalm 68:17, 18.

Now, notice each line of these two wonderful verses:

“The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels” Psalm 68:17.

You remember that time when the Syrian army was trying to catch Elisha, and Elisha said, “Lord, open the young man’s eyes so he can see.” And what did the servant see round about Elisha? The mountains were full of chariots of fire and horses of fire. But this says, the chariots of God are what? Angels, thousands of angels.

Then, notice the next line:

“The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place” Psalm 68:17.

When God came down on Mount Sinai and gave His law, were the angels there? Oh, yes. They made a canopy over that whole mountain. And so Paul says that this law was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

But now, watch. The picture that David is looking at here, is up in heaven: “The Lord is among them” Psalm 68:17.

(That is, these thousands of angels.) “As in Sinai in the holy place” Psalm 68:17.

And then he says: “Thou hast ascended on high” Psalm 68:18.

Who was it that was down here in this world and ascended on high? Jesus. Then the psalmist is looking at the ascension of Jesus. You see that, don’t you?

“Thou hast ascended on high” Psalm 68:18. Where? To the holy place where the angels are.

“Thou hast lead captivity captive” Psalm 68:18. We will see presently what this means. This is wonderful:

“Thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men” Psalm 68:18.

Then when Jesus went into that holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to begin His work, the first thing that He had on His heart, was to get something for you and me. Is that right? And He had thought of all the gifts He might ask for, and, my dear friends, as we have already read in John 14 and 16, the gift that He had on His heart to ask the Father for, was the gift of the Holy Ghost. That’s what He asked for.

Now, let’s turn over to Ephesians 4 and we will note the New Testament application of this Old Testament prophecy. The Holy Spirit is the one to show us what the ancient prophecies mean, and when the Holy Spirit in the New Testament applies an Old Testament prophecy, we know we have the correct application, don’t we?

“Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men” Ephesians 4:8.

Now, this is very interesting. Back there in Psalms the record was: “Thou hast received gifts for men” Psalm 68:18.

Here it says:

“[He] gave gifts unto men” Ephesians 4:8.

The prophet, looking down before it happened, saw the reception of the gifts. But the Holy Spirit writing through Paul here in Ephesians records something that has already taken place - the pouring forth of this wonderful gift of the Spirit:

“When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men” Ephesians 4:8.

And what were those gifts?

“And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints” Ephesians 4:11, 12.

These, as you recognize, are the gifts of the Spirit, as Paul speaks of them in 1 Corinthians 12. We shall note them more fully in another evening as we go deeper into this study. Just now the thing that I want your minds to be on is the ascension of Jesus from this world after His death and resurrection. And where did He go? He went to the holy place.

The priests back then began their work in the holy place and finished it in the most holy place. Jesus was to do the same. Having been sacrificed as the Lamb in the court of this world, He went into the sanctuary after His resurrection, and there He was glorified to be made a high priest.

And notice, here is the thing I want you to see: His mind was on His people here below, and the first thing He did as the anointed high priest was to lift His hands and say, “Father, I want some gifts for my people down there in this world.”

“What would you like?”

“I want the greatest gift of all heaven. I want the gift of the Spirit, the third person of the Godhead. I want Him to go down there and stay forever, abide with My people forever.”

The Father heard that prayer and granted it, my friends.

And thus, turning back to Acts 2, I want you to see what happened. Looking first at Acts 1, I want you to see how Christ was looking forward to the wonderful day when that Spirit could be poured out in fullness. And so the fourth verse says that just before He left, as He was assembled with His disciples - Peter and John and Andrew and Matthew, and the others - He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem:

“But wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” Acts 1:4, 5.

And so, when He left them and they saw Him go up through the skies and the cloud of angels receive Him, it says they went back (the twelfth verse) to Jerusalem, and (the thirteenth verse) to the upper room and the fourteenth verse says what they did. They continued in prayer and supplication. In other words, (Oh, get this picture and never forget it!) while the great Head of the church was praying for them in heaven, they were praying with Him here on earth. Their prayers and His prayers were focused on the same thing - the gift of the Spirit. 

And so, Acts 2:1:

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

The Holy Ghost took over, my friends.

But now, when you study this second chapter of Acts, you note that as the apostle Peter explained to the multitude this wonderful thing that was happening, he directed their minds upward. He did not get them to look at him or at John or Matthew or Andrew. The gaze of all were directed upward, where Jesus had been enthroned as Priest and King. So he says:

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” Acts 2:36.

Now, I want to read a wonderful comment and listen carefully to this, from the book, Acts of the Apostles:

“Christ’s ascension to heaven was the signal that His followers were to receive the promised blessing. For this they were to wait before they entered upon their work. When Christ passed within the heavenly gates, He was enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon as this ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in rich currents, and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory which He had with the Father from all eternity. The Pentecostal outpouring was Heaven’s communication that the Redeemer’s inauguration was accomplished. According to His promise He had sent the Holy Spirit from heaven to His followers as a token that He had, as priest and king, received all authority in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One over His people” Acts of the Apostles, pages 38, 39.

This summarizes what we have been showing from these Bible texts.

Now, let me illustrate. Suppose that we had somebody here, one of our number here tonight, that was going to make a trip. Suppose they were going down to Florida. It is a popular place for people to go this time of the year.

And suppose this friend of our says, “I am going to Florida. What would you like?”

Well, somebody says, “I think I would like a box of oranges.”

“All right,” he says, “When I get down to Florida I will send you a box of oranges.”

If two weeks from now you got a box of oranges, what would you know? You would know that he had arrived down there. Is that right? Do you see what I am talking about, friends?

This is what Peter and James and Andrew and Matthew knew when the Spirit of God came upon them in that mighty power on the Day of Pentecost. They knew that Jesus had arrived, had been welcomed in heaven, had been glorified to be made a high priest, and that He had received from the Father this wonderful gift, because it had arrived, my friends. The Spirit of God had come in mighty power.

This is what made them so bold and confident as they faced the unbelief and prejudice and persecution of those around them. They knew that Jesus was in heaven as Priest and King. They knew that He had received this wonderful gift of the Spirit from the Father because He had promised it to them and they had the evidence of it. The Spirit of God had been poured out and that was the signal that Christ had entered upon His high priestly work.

Well, friends, this is the study for this evening. Now, next Friday night, the Lord willing, we are going to go deeper into this wonderful subject of the Holy Spirit and the sanctuary. This just opens it up.

But tonight, I want to ask you something. Let’s come back in our thinking now to that opening promise:

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive”) John 7:37-39.

A number of years ago, before the coming of the steam ships, when men sailed the oceans depending upon winds to move the vessel, a ship was becalmed off the coast of South America. And for days they lay there without any wind to move them. They ran out of water.

Finally they saw a ship closer in toward shore. And they signaled that they needed water. And back came the answer through the signals, “Dip down where you are.”

“Why,” they thought, “They surely had not understood them. Who would drink ocean water?”

And they repeated their appeal. They explained they were out of drinking water. Again came back the message, “Dip down where you are.”

They didn’t know anything else to do but obey orders. They dipped down and pulled up buckets of fresh water. They were in the mouth of the mighty Amazon, the greatest of all rivers, but so far from shore that they had no idea that they had fresh water all around them.

Oh, my dear friends, “He that believeth on Me,” Jesus said, “From him shall flow rivers, the mighty Amazon, of living water.” And that gift has been with God’s church ever since that wonderful day of Pentecost.

And if you are thirsty, dip down where you are. Here tonight, Jesus is ready to manifest Himself to you and to satisfy your heart with the living waters of salvation. The Holy Spirit, the personal representative of the Father and the Son, is here in abounding measure.

If some heart is ignorant of it, - you may be like those tired, thirsty sailors there on that becalmed ship - but it is not because of some failure on the part of heaven to provide. You are surrounded with this wonderful gift. Will you dip down? Will you reach down? Will you receive the wonderful presence of Jesus in the Spirit of God?

May I tell you a little secret? You can read it there in John 16:7, 8. His first work when He comes is to convict of sin. That is why He is not more popular. That is why more people do not seek Him. That is why many people, having received one or two visits from Him, turn away. Oh, friends, if we mean business with God and want His blessing, let’s make room for it. What do you say? Let us be willing for the Spirit of God to put His finger on the sins in our lives, and then take them away through the precious blood of Jesus.

Tonight, I am sure there must be somebody here that would like to seek God in a special way that Jesus will give you this precious gift of His own presence through the Spirit. If you would, just quietly kneel where you are. Forget all about this audience. Ask Jesus to fulfill His promise and give you these rivers of living waters.

Precious Lord, we thank Thee with all our hearts tonight for this wonderful gift of the Spirit of God. We thank Thee for the sacrifice of Calvary that made it possible for us to be reconciled to God.

We thank Thee for the interceding High Priest that lifts His hands in the sanctuary above, receiving for us this wonderful gift and shedding it forth. We thank Thee that tonight our needs are met by this abundant provision.

Just now we plead for the gift of the Spirit. Just now we open our hearts as He speaks to us concerning anything which needs to be put away. Just now, by Thy grace, we make room for Thee. Blessed Lord, come. Take away all that hinders and fill us with Thyself. We thank Thee in Jesus’ name. Amen.

To access part 2 click HERE