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THE KING’S BUSINESS
W ord was as a fire in Paul’s bones and he must speak somewhere. If Paul had been like |Some o f us he would have taken the Lord’s ' prohibition o f his preaching the W ord o f God in Asia as an excellent rea son for taking a vacation. Before attempt ing to preach in Asia, Paul had gone “through the region o f Phrygia and the region o f Galatia.” His labors at that; time in these places were greatly blessed. There is no description o f them here, but we learn from later allusion to them that there were many conversions by them and many churches organize^ (ch. 18:23; Gal. 1:2). It is well to note, and bear in mind that Paul did not need the guidance o f the Holy Spirit to set him to preaching, but to keep him from it. He attempted to go into Bithynia and preach there, and it was on ly ' the prohibition o f the Holy Spirit that kept him from doing so. I f it had not been for this express prohibition of preaching he would have gone to the place nearest at hand. The W ord o f God tells us to preach, and so we need no special revelation for that (Matt. 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15) : what we need a special revelation for is to keep us from preaching. Many people nowadays will not speak publicly, nor do personal work priyately, because they are waiting, as they say, for the direc tion pf the Holy Spirit: but it is evident from what we read here that the guidance o f the Holy Spirit is not needed to incite us to preaching or to do personal work, it is only needed to keep us, from preaching or from doing personal work where we should not. As Bithynia was the nearest country at hand they immediately attempted an entrance to win it for Christ. Here again, the Holy Spirit blocked the way. How strange it all must have appeared at the time. But God had larger plans for His faithful servants and all became clear soon. The name by which the H o ly ,Spirit is called in verse 7, "“the Spirit o f Jesus” (see R. V .) is very suggestive. The Holy Spirit is not merely the Spirit o f God, He is not merely the Spirit o f Christ, He is “ the Spirit o f Jesus.” v. 9. “And a vision appeared to Paul in
the night: There stood (was) a man of Macedonia (add standing), and prayed (beseeching) him, (add , and) saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.” Step by step, and only a step at a time, God led His faithful servant on. The means that God used for his guidance were various ; first, the direct guidance o f the Holy Spirit, then a vision (cf. ch. 9:10-12; 10:10- 17, 30; 18:9, 10; 22:17-21; 27:23, 24 ; 2 Cor. 12:1-4, 7;; Acts 2:17), his own judg ment (v. 10, R. V .). And thus God today leads us by a variety o f means. Where we oftentimes make a mistake, is, that we try to dictate to God the, way in which He shall guide us. The important matter is not how God guides us, but the certainty that He does guide us. The promptness with which Paul responded to the guidance o f God, no matter how it came, is worthy not only o f careful note but o f imitation. This is one o f the greatest secrets not only o f a happy but o f an efficient life. If we respond at once to God’s leading it becomes clearer and clearer: if we falter the light grows dimmer and dimmer and goes out in utter darkness, and we are left to grope our way as best we can. “ Come over into Macedonia, and help us,” how strangely it must have sounded ! What ! an outcast, wandering Jew help proud and potent Macedonians, especially people o f the dis tinguished colony o f Philippi? Yes, for he was the bearer o f that in which alone there is help for man—the Gospel. v. 10. “And after (when) he had seen the vision, immediately (straightway) we endeavored (sought)' to go (add, forth) into Macedonia, assuredly gathering (con cluding), that the Lord (God) had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.” When Paul heard the call, “ Come over into Macedonia and help us,” then he knew at once that it was “ to preach the Gospel” he was called ; for that was the only thing that really would “help.” If he had been like many modern missionaries, he would have thought it was a call to establish schools and colleges among them, or to found a hospital in their midst. I f he had been like many modern preachers he would
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