“But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Perhaps the most profound lesson I am learning is that the Holy Spirit is the supreme teacher. In the early years of my Christian life…and even deep into my walk with the Lord…I have lent on writers, teachers, and preachers to show me the way…but now, in recent days, I am learning to ask the questions that have led me to hear the truth from the Spirit Himself. 

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Holy Spirit uses Scripture to interpret Scripture. He leads through the Word to unlock some of the precious truths hidden in this book. This was just what Jesus did when He  taught the two heart-broken disciples on the way home to Emmaus about Himself. 

“Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

These “Bible studies”, led by the Holy Spirit, are laying down for me a solid path on which to walk…the reassurances of God’s truth that steady me as I move towards the “Sonrise”…and, most of all, insights into the person of Jesus Himself. 

As much as God’s spoken word redirected me when I needed them, I treasure the truths the Holy Spirit reveals in the quiet moments when He walks me through the written word. 

Allow me, to conclude my story, to share with you a few of these  revelations. What I am describing to you is the Holy Spirit, the Teacher, at work in me. 

One morning, as I was reading through 1 Corinthians 2, something stirred in me when I read these words…

“That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Scriptures? Where had I read these words in the Old Testament? What did they mean?  

I found the reference in Isaiah…

“For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I noticed a difference in the wording between “Those who love Him…” and “those who wait for Him…” So. I looked up the meaning of the word “wait” in the OT reference. The Hebrew word for “wait” contains in it the idea of “piercing”. 

I puzzled over that one. How do “love” and “wait” meaning “piercing” connect in these two references?  

My mind, prompted by the Spirit, traveled to another Scripture in the Old Testament…

“But the slave may declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I don’t want to go free.’ If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door or doorpost and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will serve his master for life.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭21‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In this ancient ritual, love and piercing were closely connected. A slave who loved his master, who chose to serve his master for life rather to than go free, would be pierced as a permanent mark of belonging. 

Now, back to Paul’s words…God has prepared wonderful things “for those who love Him”…not “those whom He loves”! Was that deliberate? Was Paul referring to the practice of piercing a slave’s ear as a sign of belonging? If so, in what way have we, Jesus’ followers, been pierced?

Isaiah’s prophecy specifically states that the Servant of Yahweh would be pierced for our transgressions. 

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.”

‭‭John‬ ‭19‬:‭33‬-‭34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There it is! What could be clearer? He took our place. Everything that men did to Him was for us. Just as we were crucified “in Him”, so we were “pierced” in Him. 

“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What is the significance of this revelation?

It’s about belonging. Since we have been pierced in Him, we belong to Him. 

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT

“God’s very own possession”…guaranteed because we have been pierced. We love Him. We belong to Him. Everything God has prepared for us is ours because we are His possession…forever. 

Belonging also has another significance. When we belong to Jesus, we also reflect the nature of the one to whom we belong. Family members resemble one another, copy and follow one another. As Jesus’ own purchased possession, the Holy Spirit begins to reproduce His likeness in us. 

What a reassurance for me as I near the end of my journey!

To be continued