What It Means to be Filled with the Holy Spirit # 33

He That Hath Understanding, Let Him Calculate The Number of the Beast (continued)

The first time this word "understanding" (nous) is used in the New Testament confirms that this "understanding" is only possible through the work of the Cross. In Luke, chapter 24, we find many of the wondrous things that took place immediately following the Cross, and the Resurrection of Christ; and in Luke 24:25, we find that Christ opened [fully opened, opened effectually, thoroughly opened] the "understanding" of His followers so that they might understand the Scriptures concerning Himself.

Beloved, when the Lord appeared to these disciples, He found those who had been devastated by His Cross; all their hopes, ambitions, and future plans had died with Him. Thus, His Cross had begun to do its work in their lives. And what was the result of this devastating work of His Cross: He opened their "understanding" concerning Himself. It is because of ALL that Christ accomplished upon His Cross, that Christ is made unto us Wisdom; and it is because of the work of the Cross in our lives that He opens our "understanding" concerning Himself. And in the measure that we "progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him," in the measure that we recognize, perceive, and have "understanding of the of the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly," in that measure we will have "understanding" of that which is antichrist. In other words, in the measure that we come to know Christ in Fullness through the work of the Cross in our lives, that is the measure we will be enabled by the Holy Spirit to "understand" that which is according to Christ, and that which is not according to Christ.

Therefore, we see that the Cross is the essential factor, if we are going to be able to "count" the number of the beast; and the Holy Spirit draws our attention to this again when He uses the word "count" in Revelation 13:18.

The word "calculate" or "count" means "to compute, to reckon, to calculate"; however, in order to understand what the Holy Spirit means when He tells us to calculate, we need to grasp what the Holy Spirit had in mind when He used the word "count" in relation to discerning that which is antichrist. As far as we can determine, the Holy Spirit only uses this exact word for "count" one other time in the New Testament, and that is in Luke 14:28. In Luke 14:27-29, we find the real significance of the word "count", for the word "count" is irrevocably liked with those who take up the cross and follow the Lord.

"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate (count) the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, "This man began to build and was not able to finish."

So by using the word "count" or "calculate" in Revelation 13:18, the Holy Spirit indicates that there is great cost in calculating the number of the beast; and in Revelation 15:2 and 20:4, we find this confirmed, because those who overcome the beast laid down their lives, denied their self and followed Christ [lost sight of their self and their own interest], and if need be, they laid down their very physical lives, and they did this "because of the Word of God and because of the Testimony of Jesus."

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 34)