Isaiah 15
People of Moab go to their false god in grief verse 1- 4
The burden of Moab
because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste
and brought to silence
because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste
and brought to silence
he is gone up to Bajith – and to Dibon
the high places – to weep
Moab shall howl over Nebo – and over Medeba
on all the heads shall be baldness
and every beard cut off
In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth
on the tops of their houses – and in their streets
every one shall howl – weeping abundantly
And Heshbon shall cry – and Elealeh
their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz
THEREFORE the armed soldiers of Moab
shall cry out his life shall be grievous unto him
People of Moab flee to find safety verse 5- 6
My heart shall cry out for Moab
his fugitives shall flee to Zoar
an heifer of three years old
for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping
shall they go it up
for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up
a cry of destruction
For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate
for the hay is withered away – the grass fails
there is no green thing
People of Moab grab possessions as they run verse 7
THEREFORE the abundance they have gotten
and that which they have laid up
shall they carry away
to the brook of the willows
People of Moab cry for help
but the LORD is not done verse 8- 9
For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab
the howling thereof unto Eglaim
and the howling thereof unto Beer-elim
For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood
\ for I will bring more upon Dimon
lions upon him that escapes of Moab
and upon the remnant of the land
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence. (4853 “burden” [massa] means utterance, oracle, carrying, pronouncement, or lifting.)
DEVOTION: Isaiah was a prophet of God. He received messages from the LORD to give to the people. Most of the time the messages of the prophets to the children of Israel were to warn them of coming judgment. If they didn’t repent of their sin and begin following the LORD, the judgment would come. The children of Israel were not good at repenting and turning again to following the LORD. They liked their life of sin. They didn’t want the LORD to interfere with their fun. HE would send judgment.
However, the LORD didn’t appreciate others giving the children of Israel a hard time during their time of judgment, so HE would tell them that they were going to be judged too.
Isaiah was given a pronouncement against the children of Moab. It was a message of judgment for their actions against the children of Israel. It stated that the LORD was going to destroy the nation because of their actions.
Today we can look into the Word of God and convey its message to those around us. There is a message of hope and a message of judgment.
The message of hope is that everyone has to repent of their sins and turn toward following the LORD and then they will reserve a place in heaven for eternity.
The message of judgment deals with the idea of rejection of the message of hope. If individuals fail to make change through repentance, then there would be a place reserved in the lake of fire for eternity.
Now we look that the fact that some people persecute Christians and think that they are going to get away with it. That is not true. They might get away with it for a time period but judgment is coming. Judgment begins at the house of the LORD on those Christians who are mistreating other Christians by not loving one another. We are not to mistreat our fellow believers. We are to warn and encourage those who know Christ.
Those who persecute Christians because they hate the message of hope will be judged in a different way. There are degrees of punishment even in the lake of fire. There is not going to be any parties with friends in eternity for those who are in the lake of fire.
CHALLENGE: Christians deliver the message of the LORD that HE gives you from HIS Word. Those outside of Christ watch what you do to those who are believers. The LORD is in control.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee to Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go in up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction
DEVOTION: “Ministers, in denouncing the wrath of God against sinners, should do it with tender sorrow, not with exultation. (. (Commentary Critiical and Explanatiory on the whole Bible by Robert Jamieson; A.R. Fausset). This quote should be the attitude of all believers when they see something happening to people who have rejected the LORD.
There are many nations that have rejected the God of the Bible but our attitude should be one of prayer rather than one of cursing. We are to reach the lost with all the strength we have. Most of the time they don’t want to hear our message but we should still be praying for them and using every means to give them the message of salvation.
The LORD holds us accountable for our actions toward those who have rejected HIS offer of salvation. Our prayers should be for those we know that are not believers.
Christ came to save sinners which Paul said he was chief. We all still sin after becoming believers and need to remember that as we try to reach others with the message of salvation.
CHALLENGE: Isaiah had the right attitude and we need to follow in his footsteps as we try to reach those around us with the message of salvation.
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: 7 Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows. (3502 “abundance” [yithrah] means wealth, valuables that are accumulated or riches.)
DEVOTION: Isaiah is given many visions regarding the nations that are hurting Israel. The LORD is using the Assyrians to deal with Israel. The reason for HIS judgment on Israel is their sin. They have not honored HIM. They have not listened to HIS prophets. They were doing what was right in their own eyes.
While the Assyrians were destroying the land of Israel many people were running from the army of Assyria. They went the way of Edom to get out of the hands of these soldiers. The problem was that the Edomites didn’t like Israel and so they captured the Israelites and gave them to the Assyrians.
So they were hurting their own cousins. The Moabites were descendants of Abraham through his brother’s son Lot. Abraham had saved Lot from danger many times.
One of the times was when the LORD was going to destroy Sodom, in which, Lot lived. Abraham prayed for deliverance but the LORD stated that their iniquity was full. The five cities of the plain were to be destroyed. God spared one for Lot and his two daughters to flee to. After that time Lot and his daughters hid in a cave and the daughters gave their father wine to make him drunk and then had sexual relations with him. Each of the daughters produced a son and they went on to form the nations of Moab and Ammon.
These descendants of Lot had accumulated wealth that they wanted to save. They had more valuables than they could carry. They thought that as long as Israel was being judged they would be OK. They were wrong.
They tried to take their wealth with them as they ran from their enemy. They had mistreated their cousin’s relatives and the LORD was going to judge them for this mistreatment.
The Assyrians were the tool the LORD used to cause the Moabites to run to Edom. They went weeping and in sackcloth because of their grief. They didn’t even have good water to drink.
We need to not seek revenge. We need to be aware that the LORD deals with our enemies in HIS time and in HIS way. We need to leave those who mistreat us, even if they are relatives, to the LORD.
Our responsibility is to honor or glorify the LORD. HE will do our fighting for us. All the wealth that our enemies accumulate will not make them happy. There will come a day when they will only take what they can carry away. There will come a day when they will be able to take NOTHING with them.
Praise the LORD that HE is in control. We need to thank HIM for any wealth we have accumulated. We also need to hold on to it loosely.
CHALLENGE: When judgment comes there is no time to collect your wealth and run. The LORD is going to deal with those who reject HIM. Warn those you love, especially your relatives.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 9 For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood; for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapes of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land. (7611 “remnant” [sha’eriyth] means residue, remainder, escaped, or what is left over.)
DEVOTION: This is a chapter that deals with Moab. It gives us a time of judgment for this nation. The judgment is complete. There will be no one left after the nation the LORD uses to judge them is finished. It is thought that it is Assyria and even Babylon.
This last verse gives the impression that the waters of Moab will be full of blood. The Moabites worshiped false gods. They were the ones who caused problems for the children of Israel was they moved from Egypt to the Promised Land. The time of judgment was going to come but the LORD is longsuffering regarding HIS timing of the judgment.
Now not even the people who had escaped the attack were still caught and killed because of the judgment of God. No one was going to escape the judgment of God. This happened to this nation and will happen in the future to all nations when the LORD returns to set up HIS kingdom.
Lions are never satisfied with hunger. They look for prey when they are hungry. So, while people are running from all the cities that are mentioned in Moab. They will be run down either by an army that acts like lions or even lions the LORD sends to do HIS judgment. HE is in control of what is going on in our world and can use either humans or animals or nature to carry out HIS judgments. Everything is available to HIM.
We need to warn our family and friends of the truth of the future judgment of God. They should not be able to say to us that we never shared the truth of the Word of God. They need to know that only those who genuinely follow Jesus Christ will be admitted into heaven.
CHALLENGE: Is our nation in a position of judgment from the LORD? Do we deserve judgment for what we are allowing to happen in our nation? Is our nation righteous or unrighteous in their actions?
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
I will verse 9
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Moab verse 1
Ar verse 1
laid waste and brought to silence
Kir verse 1
Bajith verse 2
Dibon verse 2
Nebo verse 2
Medeba verse 2
Baldness and beard cut off verse 2
Gird with sackcloth verse 3
Weeping abundantly verse 3
Heshbon verse 4
Elealeh verse 4
Jahaz verse 4
Soldiers cry out verse 4
Zoar verse 5
Luhith verse 5
Horonaim verse 5
Cry of destruction verse 5
Nimrim verse 6
Waters shall be desolate
Hay is withered away
Grass fails
No green thing
Eglaim verse 8
Beerelim verse 8
Dimon verse 9
Waters of Dimon are full of blood
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
High places verse 2
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Isaiah’s heart cries out for Moab verse 5
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
Ver. 9. For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood, &c.] Of the slain, as the Targum adds. This was a river in the land of Moab, as say Jarchi and Kimchi; it had its name from the blood of the slain. Some take it to be the name of a city, and the same with Dibon, ver. 2 but, because of the abundance of blood shed in it, got this new name; and the Vulgate Latin version here calls it Dibon; and the Syriac version Ribon; and the Arabic version Remmon: for I will bring more upon Dimon; or additions, not merely add blood to the waters of the river, as Jarchi and Kimchi; but bring additional evils and plagues, as Aben Ezra. The Targum interprets it, “the congregation of an army;” but what these additions were are explained in the next clause: lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land; or a lion; the meaning is, that such who escaped the sword should be destroyed by lions, or other beasts of prey, which was one of the Lord’s four judgments, Ezek. 14:21. The Targum is, “a king shall ascend with his army, and so spoil the remainder of their land;” and Aben Ezra interprets it of the king of Assyria; and Jarchi of Nebuchadnezzar, who is called a lion, Jer. 4:7 and the sense is thought to be this, that whom Sennacherib king of Assyria should leave, Nebuchadnezzar should destroy. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render the last clause, the remnant of Adama, a city of Moab; so Cocceius. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, p. 95). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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Isaiah’s purpose is not to mark out a situation with dates and names but to use history to depict truth: the needy can find salvation by identifying with the people of God and coming within the embrace of his promises, but pride is a killer. (Motyer, J. A. (1999). Isaiah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, p. 142). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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Tears (5) and just inflictions (9) are at one in the divine nature. Lion is used here as a metaphor for an implacable assailant who will destroy alike those who seek to escape and those who opt to stay, that is, all without exception. 2 Samuel 23:20 and 1 Chronicles 11:22 mention ‘ariels’ of Moab, apparently élite warriors of some sort. The title means ‘lion of God’. It is a subtlety worthy of Isaiah to threaten a lion (’aryēh) on the land of ariels. Did they boast of lions? Lions they shall have! (Motyer, J. A. (1999). Isaiah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, p. 144). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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The plight of Moab (Isa. 15:1–9). Within three years (16:14), this prophecy against Moab would be fulfilled with great national lamentation. At least fourteen different references to lamentation occur in this chapter: weeping, wailing, baldness, sackcloth, crying out, etc. The people fled to their temples and prayed to their gods, but to no avail (15:2, NIV). Even a day of national humiliation did not stop Assyria from invading Moab and ravaging the land. Advancing armies often stopped up the springs and watercourses, and left the land in desolation (vv. 6–7). Where there was water in Moab, it was stained with blood, so great was the carnage (v. 9). How could the weak Moabites ever hope to defeat the great Assyrian lion? (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Comforted (p. 47). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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15:9 Dimon. Perhaps another spelling of “Dibon” (cf. v. 2), this religious center of heathendom is appropriate as a closing representation of the whole land of Moab. lion. Flight from invading armies would not bring security, but new dangers from the beasts of the wilderness. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Is 15:9). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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IN THE short fifteenth chapter the prophet predicts the eventual destruction of Moab. The country bearing this name lay to the north of the land of Edom and was bounded on the west by the Dead Sea and on the east by the Arabian desert. The north boundary ordinarily was the River Arnon though, owing to frequent strife with the Ammonites, the border changed from time to time so that occasionally it extended some miles north of this river. The Moabites were descended from the illegitimate son of Lot and his eldest daughter by incestuous relationship. Moab, therefore, might picture for us those who make a profession of being children of God while actually with no legitimate claim to that name. In other words, Moab may represent to us the easy-going religious profession with which many are contented who fail to recognize the importance of the new birth. Generally speaking, Moab was somewhat friendly toward Israel but when the nation was first passing through their borders on the way to their inheritance in the Promised Land, Balak was fearful of being destroyed by them and so hired Balaam, the son of Beor, to curse them, but as we know, God turned the curse into a blessing.
….
When or how all these predictions had their initial fulfillment in the past we may not be familiar enough with history to know, but the day came when Moab was utterly destroyed as a nation and for centuries their land has been inhabited by the Arabians of the desert. Their destruction evidently came about to a great extent through the armies of Assyria and, later, of Babylonia. Their doom may be looked upon as a solemn warning of the judgment that will fall at last upon those who have a name to live but are dead toward God and are content to go on with an empty profession instead of turning to God in repentance and finding new life in Christ.
The following chapter continues the subject, bringing before us first of all an earnest entreaty on the part of the Lord Himself for Moab to turn from its enmity against His people and meet their ambassadors in a spirit of friendliness. (Ironside, H. A. (1952). Expository notes on the prophet Isaiah. (p. 93). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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1 Kings 19
Elijah flees from Jezebel, and the Lord ministers to him after saving him.
INSIGHT
On the heels of the stupendous victory over the prophets of Baal, Elijah falls into despair. He fears for his own life in the face of Jezebel’s threat and flees to a lonely mountain for safety–to lick his wounds and mourn his fate. How shameful that this great prophet would call down fire from heaven one day and flee for his life the next. We all have feet of clay. Notice though that God does not berate him. Rather, He ministers to him quietly, restoring his spirit and strength. Then God calls Elijah back into His service again. God cares when we are hurt and discouraged and gently calls us to Himself for new strength.
(Quiet Walk)
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True Love
“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.” (Song of Solomon 8:7)
The Song of Solomon, as part of God’s inspired Word, is much more than an ancient erotic poem, as some have interpreted it. Solomon was given great wisdom by God, so that he “spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five” (1 Kings 4:32). Of these latter, he apparently considered this to be his masterpiece, his “song of songs” (Song 1:1). It can best be understood as a pure love song describing the courtship and marriage of Solomon and his first bride, long before he later married “many strange [that is, ‘foreign’] women” who “turned away his heart after other gods” (1 Kings 11:1, 4).
Another interpretation, favored by many Bible scholars over the centuries, is that the story is an allegory whose theme is the love of Christ and His heavenly bride, the true church.
That is, it really does seem to describe the love of young Solomon and his first bride. Such love had and still has God’s blessing, for the union of man and woman in permanent, loving marriage has always been God’s plan, ever since Adam and Eve (note Christ’s confirmation of this in Matthew 19:3-9). It is “the works of the flesh,” including adultery and fornication, that God condemns.
But the song can also bring great blessing to the reader as he sees therein the eternal love of the Lord Jesus and His heavenly bride. Our text verse, read in this light, is a glorious truth. Not even the waters of a great flood could quench such love, nor all the possessions of a wealthy king ever purchase it. It is true eternal love, bought by the blood of the Bridegroom and received with undying faith by His beloved bride.
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Pride and Deception
The pride of your heart has deceived you. Obadiah 1:3
Loving God, thank You for Your gentle, nudging correction. With my shoulders slumped, I murmured those difficult words. I’ve been so arrogant, thinking I could do it all on my own. For months, I’d been enjoying successful work projects, and the accolades lulled me into trusting my capabilities and rejecting God’s leading. It took a challenging project for me to realize I wasn’t as smart as I thought. My proud heart had deceived me into believing I didn’t need God’s help.
The powerful kingdom of Edom received discipline from God for its pride. Edom was located amid mountainous terrain, making her seemingly invulnerable to enemies (Obadiah 1:3). Edom was also a wealthy nation, situated at the center of strategic trade routes and rich in copper, a highly valued commodity in the ancient world. It was full of good things yet also full of pride. Its citizens believed their kingdom was invincible, even as they oppressed God’s people (vv. 10–14). But God used the prophet Obadiah to tell them of His judgment. Nations would rise up against Edom, and the once-powerful kingdom would be defenseless and humiliated (vv. 1–2).
Pride deceives us into thinking we can live life on our terms, without God. It makes us feel invulnerable to authority, correction, and weakness. But God calls us to humble ourselves before Him (1 Peter 5:6). As we turn from our pride and choose repentance, God will guide us toward total trust in Him.
By Karen Huang (Our Daily Bread Ministries)
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Continue to pray for the people of Ukraine
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Christ ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives – precisely the place where the Shekinah glory of God departed from the temple (Ezek. 11: 23) and where Christ will return in glory (as prophesied in Zechariah 14:4). (May 6, Living the New Testament by Paul Enns)
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UNUSED
by Anne R. C. Neale
Unused muscles will get atrophy,
Used spiritual desires will leave you to,
You need to use all the things you have,
Not using them is not good for you.
Have you ” used” compassion and forgiveness recently?
Don’t let them disappear as they are great,
Have you talked to God today at all?
Praying is important and praying daily to God really rates.
How is your love level within you?
Do you love your fellow man, family and also your friends?
Don’t let the spark of Love burn out in your spirit and soul
Keep them burning in your heart always, Amen.
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How many of us go to church regularly and never feel an extra heartbeat, never any kindling of godly desire? We live like that! (p. 62
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To become acquainted with God is one thing, but to go on in commitment and to experience God in intensity and richness of acquaintance is something more. (p. 70)
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He taught that if we make our life on earth so important and so all-possessing that we cannot surrender it gladly to Him, we will lose it at last. He taught that plainly, and He also warned us about trusting earthly security rather than putting our complete confidence in God. (p. 74)
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But the example Paul gave us was the fact that any “things” that God allowed him to have never touched him at heart, at the point of possession. (p. 74)
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The example and admonitions of Paul cause me to call into question some of the teachings in our current Christian circles that Chris is something “added on” – that by ourselves we can have a rather jolly earthly life, but we also need Jesus to save us from hell and to get us into the mansions on the other side! (p. 75) (I Talk Back to the Devil by A. W. Tozer)
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God causes the great Flood.
INSIGHT
God protects His righteous ones — always. The child of God need never fear any imagined “random blows of fate,” for they will never fall. Yes, we receive blows — but they are never random, and blind fate cannot wield them.
The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark . . . because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation” (Genesis 7:1). Then He delivered Noah and his family from a deluge that obliterated life on this earth.
That is how far God will go to save His people from harm. When we feel the blows of adversity, we can take comfort in this: God goes to the ends of the earth to protect us from the things which would destroy us. (Quiet Walk)
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Too Hard or Too Small
“Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.” (Jeremiah 32:17)
This mighty declaration of faith in the Creator of heaven and Earth was given by Jeremiah in respect to a mundane sort of need—the need of assurance that his real estate investment would be safe, even if he were forced to be away from it for many years. There is nothing too small for the Lord, just as there is nothing too hard for Him, and He delights to “shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).
Since God created all things, He certainly can control all things. If a person really believes the very first verse of the Bible—the simple declaration that the entire space/mass (energy)/ time universe had been called into existence by God—then he or she will never find it difficult to believe any of the other declarations or promises of His inspired Word.
In response to Jeremiah’s great statement of faith, God gave him the assurance he sought: “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). God, who made the sea, could roll back its waters to enable His people to pass through its very midst unharmed (Exodus 14:29); He who made the earth could cause the earth to cease its rotation to give His people victory (Joshua 10:12-14). There is nothing too hard for the God of creation!
We can be confident that 21st-century problems are no more difficult for God than those of 600 B.C. May our mighty Creator grant us trusting and obedient hearts in both the great problems and the small problems of life. In this verse, the Hebrew word for “hard” is the same as for “wonderful” (Psalm 107:8). God delights in transforming the hard things of life into the wonderful works of God! (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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THE SPIRIT PROHIBITED THEM
He shall testify of me. John 15:26
Actions are ascribed to the Spirit that can only be performed by a person. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 2:10 we are told that “the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.” He searches—that is the action of a person. We are also told clearly that He speaks. In Revelation 2:7 we read, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Then He also makes intercession for us. “We know not what we should pray for as we ought,” says Paul in Romans 8:26, “but the Spirit itself make the intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
He also bears testimony. Our Lord said, “He shall testify of me” (John 15:26). He bears testimony to the Lord. Only a person can do that. Then we are told, again by our Lord, “He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). Indeed, even in the Old Testament we are told that He teaches and instructs in the truth: “Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them” (Nehemiah 9:20).
Another personal action of His is found in Acts 16:6-7 where we are told, “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the regions of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.” Again, this is surely a very significant and relevant statement. All Paul’s companions wanted to go and preach in Asia, but the Spirit prohibited them. Then they wanted to go into Bithynia, and again He would not allow them. That is a definite action by the Holy Spirit Himself, and it is proof positive that He is a person.
A Thought to Ponder: Actions are ascribed to the Spirit that can only be performed by a person. (From God the Holy Spirit, pp. 13-14, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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