How can we touch the spirit behind the word? We must point out that this can be realized only through the discipline of the Holy Spirit, not by man’s effort. The discipline of the Holy Spirit means that God’s Spirit comes in to replace man’s work. God’s Spirit arranges everything in the environment and operates until our spirit matches the spirit of the Scriptures. Even though the two spirits cannot be identical, they can be similar in character. Only then will we touch the spirit behind the Word. Only when the two spirits are similar can we touch that which lies behind the Word. If they are not similar, we cannot touch anything. We reach the highest peak in the study of the Scriptures when our spirit harmonizes with the spirit of the writers of the Bible. When our spirit matches the spirit of the writers, we touch the spiritual content of the Word.
The spirit that lies behind the Word is a very particular spirit. In other words, it is very definite; it is not hidden behind the Word in a hazy way. The Holy Spirit first molded the writers of the Bible; He sealed His approvedness on them. Then He used them to write the Scriptures. Their spirits were perfected, and through their spirits the Holy Spirit operated to write the words that became the Bible. In other words, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit included not only the supply of words to men but also the preparation of these men to be proper vessels. Because these vessels were filled with the Spirit, they were able to write the words they wrote. Hence, the spirit behind the Bible is perfect, dynamic, unerring, and accurate. The Holy Spirit worked on the writer’s spirit and put His mark of approval and satisfaction on it. He concluded that these men would not restrict Him or limit His freedom; He could freely express His views. Even His slightest breath was not inhibited by such men. We can say that the Bible is the Holy Spirit’s very breathing. It conveys men’s spirit, but when it is released, it also conveys the very breath of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has absolute freedom in these men. Their spirit has become almost indistinguishable from the Holy Spirit, and its manifestation is almost the same as the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The writers of the Bible were led by the Holy Spirit in this way in their writing of the Holy Scripture. When we read the Bible, our spirit must also be led by the Holy Spirit to match the spirit of those who were prompted to write the Bible. This is the only way we can touch the spirit behind God’s Word. The study of the Bible is not merely a study of the words of the Bible. Neither is it merely an understanding of the meaning of the Bible. The Lord has to guide us to the point that our spirit becomes one with the spirit behind the Word.
The Bible is recorded in written words, not in audible sounds. Except some psalms which use the word selah, there is no other indication in the whole Bible as to whether we should read it loudly or softly. Yet when we read it, we should know something from the writing. If we cannot distinguish between the “loud” portions and the “soft” portions, how can we distinguish the condition of the spirit?
Many portions of the Word are words of pleading and beseeching. They are like the pleadings and implorings of a gospel preacher when he invites men to believe in the Lord. The preacher pleads because he is aware of the sufferings of the sinners and sees the danger of their ways before the Lord. He pleads because he is full of the Lord’s compassion, and he wants the sinners to turn. He knows that a passage of the Scripture is a word of pleading because he senses the compassion, sympathy, and understanding for the sinners behind the words. If he reads this passage without the feelings that are behind it, it will be hard for him to understand it.
Some words of the Bible are words of rebuke. If a man has never been broken by the Lord, he will not know what these words mean when he reads them. He will not know the meaning of rebuking under the pressure of the spirit; he will only know to rebuke when he is angry. He will not realize that the spirit within the words may be different even though the words of rebuke are the same.
We must learn to touch the spirit of the Bible with our spirit. In order to train our spirit, the Holy Spirit arranges all kinds of environments for us. We should realize that the best and most important training in our life comes from the discipline of the Holy Spirit. This discipline rests in the hand of the Holy Spirit; it does not rest in our hand. He dispenses this discipline gradually. As we are disciplined continually, our spirit is tempered to a proper condition. Our spirit is adjusted on the left and on the right; it receives a little smiting here, a little joy there, and a little patience and a little stripping elsewhere. As a consequence, our spirit is tempered to fit exactly the passage we are reading. When our spirit is tempered to a proper condition, the words will be transparent and clear to us, even though the thoughts governing the words have not changed at all. When we speak about them, what comes out may be the same words, and the thoughts behind the words may still be the same, yet we will begin to know and be clear about the things we are speaking of. This is not a result of clarity in thoughts or words but of clarity in the spirit. This is something deeper than words and thoughts. It is so deep that the only thing we can say is that we are clear, that everything has become transparent to us. This is what happens when God’s Spirit matches our spirit with the spirit of His Word.
Touching the spirit of the Bible is not a matter of methods. It is a matter of whether or not a person has been dealt with by the Lord. If our spirit has not been brought into harmony with the spirit of the writers of the Bible, at most we can be a teacher; we cannot be a prophet. At most we can touch the doctrines; we cannot touch the spirit. If our very person has not been dealt with and disciplined by God, and if God has not operated in us systematically, we will be shrouded with a veil when we come to the Word. No matter how hard we try, we will be separated from it by a great distance. Our spirit must be dealt with. We must allow God to deal with us severely. During the first few years of our Christian life, we may understand some doctrines and facts, but touching the spirit is something more difficult. If our spirit is not ready, it cannot be put to use. We need a certain amount of time, at least a few years, for the Lord to adjust our spirit, to temper it, and to break it. Once the spirit is broken, it will be easy for the Holy Spirit to bring us into harmony with the condition of the Scriptures. Actuality, it takes many years for our spirit to match the spirit of the Bible. Man’s wisdom is useless in this matter. It may help us to understand the word sooner, but it will not help us to touch the spirit behind the Word. No matter how productive our imagination is or how powerful our perception is, we cannot get into the spirit of the Word. Only the Holy Spirit can bring our spirit into harmony with the spirit of the Bible. Only then can we get into the spirit of a particular portion of the Word.
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