MESSAGE 13 - 1 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5:19-20 – DO NOT QUENCH THE HOLY SPIRIT; AND USE YOUR GIFT
{{1Thessalonians 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit. 1Thess 5:20 Do not despise prophetic utterances.”}}
Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. (KJV)
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. (ESV)
Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. (NASB)
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt. (NIV)
Don’t stifle the Spirit. Don’t despise prophecies. (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
We are dealing with verses 19 and 20 together as they seem to be together in the original as related to each other. These two verses follow on from the mentions of prayer and thanksgiving just before today’s verse, both of which are energised by the Holy Spirit in a church and in private lives. Any reduction of church or private prayer, or thanksgiving can be understood as quenching the Holy Spirit.
Now as to the meaning of quenching the Holy Spirit, the word means putting the fire out or dampening. It means extinguish, going out, quench. The following parable about the kingdom of heaven touches on the same matter –
{{Matthew 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable with ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom, Matt 25:2 and five of them were foolish and five were prudent, Matt 25:3 for when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, Matt 25:4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Matt 25:5 Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep, Matt 25:6 but at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Matt 25:7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps, Matt 25:8 and the foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out,’ Matt 25:9 but the prudent answered saying, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too. Go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ Matt 25:10 While they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast and the door was shut. Matt 25:11 Later the other virgins also came saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us,’ Matt 25:12 but he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Matt 25:13 Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. . .”}}
Edersheim - He says: [[“The lamps consisted of round receptacles for pitch or oil for the wick. This was placed in a hollow cup or deep saucer, which was fastened by a pointed end into a long wooden pole, in which it was borne aloft.”]]
EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE
Because of its setting in Matthew 25 this parable is part of the teaching related to the disciples question at the start of Matthew 24 – {{Matthew 24:3 “As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”}} That “age” is the end of the age of human government and the coming is the Second Coming to end the 7 year Tribulation. The Lord returns to set up His Kingdom at the start of the Millennium. It is NO way related to the Church, which was raptured 7 years before the Second Coming.
The parable is about 10 virgins hoping to meet the Bridegroom and gain entry into the marriage feast. The setting is right at the end of the Tribulation when Messiah returns to Jerusalem at the Second Coming. Five of the virgins were prepared and five were not. Once the event happens it will be too late. Just after the Lord comes (that coming is described in Revelation 19) there is a separation of the sheep and goats. The goats were unprepared. Those who refused to prepare (“to be prepared” is better for the Lord does that) will miss out. One major point this parable is teaching is to be alert for the coming of Messiah. The Jewish believers of that time must be watchful for the coming of the Lord. Here are two verses that connect with that event from the same Olivet Discourse – {{Matthew 24:44 “For this reason you be ready too, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” AND Matthew 24:42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming,”}} AND the identical thought is here – {{Matthew 24:41 “Two women will be grinding at the mill - one will be taken, and one will be left.”}} Half were taken and half left.
Remember this is not relating to our Church age. Virgins are scripturally related to Israel, not the Church. That parable is for the Tribulation period. However some commentaries connect it with the Rapture while most just refer it to the coming of the Lord in a general sense. The Apostles Creed says “He will come back to judge the living and the dead,” and that is a general corruption of the truth of the Rapture and the Second Coming, two separate comings taught in the bible.
Some well meaning Christians say that parable applies to our current age when the true Christians are waiting for the Bridegroom, and the false profession is mixed with them but have no oil. Oil is the type of the Holy Spirit, and the foolish had none because they were not saved. Now there is a certain truth in that and the fact is correct, but the timing is wrong.
The teaching of Christianity is that those who accept the name of Christian are to go out and separate from the old, and go forth with the purpose to meet the Bridegroom. It was so in the beginning, in the Apostolic age. The Jews had to go forth from the camp (rejected by the Jews) and the Gentiles had to turn to God from their idols. All waited for His Son from heaven that blessed Hope of the Rapture, which was so lively in the very start of Christianity.
The name “virgin” conveys the same thought of separation. The lamps which they had, tell us of another Christian characteristic – believers are called to give light. The first verse of the parable gives us in a few words that which is so clear of the Christian calling, and which was so marked in the beginning. Going forth, that is separation from the world, going forth with lamps, to give light, and to shine, and going forth to meet the Bridegroom, who promised to come again. Separation, manifestation and expectation is that which marks real Christianity.
Everything later shows that the foolish virgins were unsaved, and all their profession was simply empty. They are the representatives of those who have the form of godliness (the lamps) but who deny the power thereof, who lack the power to give out light (the oil).
There is no proof at all in this that they possessed oil. In the first place, it says in the beginning, “they took no oil”. This in itself should settle this question. In their alarm, however, when the cry of the coming of the Bridegroom was heard they made an effort to have shining lamps. A wick may be set burning without oil to give forth a puff of smoke, and then to go out, using a residue of oil that was in the wick. This was the case with the foolish virgins. They never had oil. The great masses of professing Christians in these days have lamps, just an outward form, but they have never accepted Christ in their hearts, and therefore the oil, the Holy Spirit, and His power, is lacking. The wise virgins represent the true believers, who have lamps, but also, they have oil in their lamps with their vessels. The Holy Spirit is present with every true child of God, even though he be the weakest and the least taught disciple.
We are living very close to the fulfilment of this verse, and are facing the soon coming of the Bridegroom. The Rapture is on the doorstep and then about 7 years after that, the midnight cry will go up on the eve of the Second Coming, and that is where this parable applies. More and more clarity has come since the middle of the 1800s, when the Holy Spirit, through mighty teaching, gave a revival of the blessed Hope and all that which is connected with it, and this cry is still heard, “Behold the Bridegroom! Go forth to meet Him.” The enemy would silence this blessed word, but he cannot do it.
This word quench is used also in this verse – {{Ephesians 6:16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.”}}
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE – DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT
{{Matthew 3:11 “As for me, I baptise you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”}} God kindles in us a fire, that is, a consuming devotion and enthusiasm, of love to God and man; which ardour may be damped, quenched, by not giving it free air and play. Do not quench the Holy Spirit. Do not quench Him, do not dampen Him, in yourself or others, by giving way to any lust or passion, any affection or temper, contrary to holiness, either by neglecting to do good, or by doing evil.
Benson has written, [[“And as fire may be quenched, not only by pouring water upon it, or heaping upon it earth and ashes, but by withholding fuel from it, or even by neglecting to stir it up; so, the enlightening, quickening, renewing, purifying, and comforting operations of the Spirit may be quenched, by committing known and wilful sin, and by immersing our minds too deeply in worldly business, and burdening them with worldly cares.”]]
Matthew Henry adds – [[“He works as fire, by enlightening, enlivening, and purifying the souls of men. As fire is put out by taking away fuel, and as it is quenched by pouring water, or putting a great deal of earth upon it; so we must be careful not to quench the Holy Spirit, by indulging carnal lusts and affections, minding only earthly things. Believers often hinder their growth in grace, by not giving themselves up to the spiritual affections raised in their hearts by the Holy Spirit.”]]
Possibly the quenching of the fire may be an allusion here to fire on the altar, which was to be kept constantly burning. This fire may have been regarded as symbolic of devotion, and as denoting that that devotion was never to become extinguished.
LET US LOOK MORE CAREFULLY AT THIS QUENCHING
There is an interesting verse in {{2Timothy 1:6 “For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 2Tim. 1:7 for God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”}} The word “kindle”, or “kindle afresh” can mean “cause to burn”. The gift of the Holy Spirit in Timothy had to keep burning and not to be quenched. It needed attention as does a cooking fire.
Alfred Barnes again – [[“Anything that will tend to dampen the ardour of godliness in the soul; to chill our feelings; to render us cold and lifeless in the service of God, may be regarded as "quenching the Spirit." Neglect of cultivating the Christian graces, or of prayer, or of the Bible, or of the sanctuary, of a careful watchfulness over the heart, will do it. Worldliness, vanity, levity, ambition, pride, the love of dress, or indulgence in an improper train of thought, will do it. A natural, unconverted man has no more religion than he intends to have; he has no graces of the Spirit whom he does not seek; he has no deadness to the world which is his sincere desire to have. Any one, if he will, under the Holy Spirit, may make elevated attainments in the divine life; but the natural man makes his religion merely a religion of form, and knows little of its power and its consolations. Sadly Christians can live as natural men having quenched the Holy Spirit.”]]
WAYS WE QUENCH THE HOLY SPIRIT -
I can’t elaborate all the ways one can quench the Holy Spirit, but here are some of those ways. We all need to pay attention to them daily for we are all guilty of limiting God or bypassing Him, or setting Him aside.
(1). Lack of faith, which is dullness of light in our souls, for the Spirit leads us into the light of Christ.
(2). Lack of love, which is a flame, for we must love Him as He has loved us. Is our love weak? Yes, it waxes and wanes. Lord, increase our love!
(3). Lack of zeal, which is love boiling up in our souls to go on with the Lord. Is this because we are too lazy some of the time; or too apathetic?
(4). Lack of spiritual knowledge, which leads to continued ignorance, and are the two legs of a baby which can’t mature into the walk of a spiritual man. Read and study your bibles! There are no excuses.
(5). The Holy Spirit can be grieved. To grieve another is to cause sadness and sorrow to that one. The verse is {{Ephesians 4 v 30 “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”}} How do we grieve the Holy Spirit – by neglecting His express ministry to us; and by living a non-pleasing life in the sight of God. This message has covered some of that.
(6). By neglecting the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul warned Timothy – {{1Timothy 4 v 14 “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.”}} (NIV). To neglect your gift is to quench the Holy Spirit. You become like a tap, corroded inside, that gives barely a trickle of water.
NOTE THESE PASSAGES ON GIFTS
(Passage 1) {{Romans 12:6 “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; Rom 12:7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; Rom 12:8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”}}
What a good, all-rounded church that would be if, everyone with the appropriate gifts was allowed to exercise them, instead of one man or a few people hogging all the limelight. Once one-man ministries came into churches there has been a lack of development of congregational gifts. It is not God’s will that that be the case.
(Passage 2) {{1Corinthians 12:4-14 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, 1Cor 12:5 and there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord, 1Cor 12:6 and there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 1Cor 12:7 To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good, 1Cor 12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 1Cor 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 1Cor 12:10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits; to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues, 1Cor 12:11 but one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 1Cor 12:12 Even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ, 1Cor 12:13 for by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit, 1Cor 12:14 for the body is not one member, but many.”}}
Imagine two fires. One, a bushfire that may be fierce and hot, but a storm passes over it and puts it out. Two, a volcanic crater with hot shooting lava and light – that same storm passes over it, and makes absolutely no difference. When the storms of life, and the battles we wage with sin, pass over us, God wants us to be like the crater, and not a let-down like the bushfire. We all face storms in this life and sadly, some people just give up and some turn back. It may be hard when we face the battle, but by living in Christ, He gives you the victory in storms.
{{1Thessalonians 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit. 1Thess 5:20 Do not despise prophetic utterances.}}
Prophetic utterances. Here we must understand the preaching of the word, the interpreting and applying the Scriptures. The Old Testament prophets spoke and taught the word of God. They also wrote great prophecies for the future. The New Testament prophets also did that, and had some future-telling ministry like Agabus who told Paul what would happen if he went to Rome. With the completion of the canon of Scripture, the future aspect of prophecy has ceased.
In the verse above a number of translations render that as, “Do not despise prophecies.” I like that expression but today we see so much despising of prophecy. All those marvellous Old Testament prophecies, still unfilled, that relate to Israel have been savagely reefed from context and made to apply to the Church which they are impossible of doing.
To do that, dismissing Israel, and misappropriating prophecy is exactly what we are told not to do – {{“Do not despise prophecy.}}
ronaldf@aapt.net.au
