Based on a series of sermons preached in PCC Prayer Meetings in 2020
Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
Isaiah 40:13-14
We have seen how the Lord Jesus Christ is both great and gentle from Isaiah 40:11-12. Of course, Jesus is not explicitly mentioned in the text, and as a result, many commentators think that Isaiah is simply thinking about Jehovah and not about Jesus. Well, they may be right, but even so, we must remember that God is one in essence and no person of the God-head is excluded from any of the external acts of any person.
Besides, we have good reason to believe that the Holy Spirit is expecting us to be thinking of Christ in those two verses. He is, after all, the Good Shepherd as well as the Word by whom God created all things.
But now we come to verses 13-14, we have an explicit reference to the Spirit of the LORD. I should mention that some commentators, including John Calvin, do not believe that Isaiah is referring to the third person of the Trinity. He has good reasons for his conclusion.
However, I am inclined to think that we are meant to understand Isaiah as referring to the Holy Spirit. Remember how the Holy Spirit moved upon the face of the water in the creation event (Gen 1:2)? Well, if Isaiah 40:12 alludes to the creation account, then it would explain why he immediately refers to the Holy Spirit in verse 13.
But if Isaiah 40 is primarily designed to comfort God’s people with the promise of the Messiah, why is there a specific reference to the Holy Spirit? To ask this question is to answer it. For the Holy Spirit plays a very significant role in the incarnation of our Saviour, doesn’t He? The Hebrew word ‘Messiah’ and the Greek ‘Christ’ or ‘Christos’ both mean ‘Anointed One.’ Anointed with what? Not oil, but the antitype of oil, namely the Holy Spirit.
Now, the Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of Christ. Though Christ is the Word or revelation of God, it is by the Spirit that the truth is conveyed to man, especially after Christ completes His mission on earth and returns to the Father.
It is by the Spirit that the Scriptures are inspired. It is by the Spirit that God’s people have their spiritual eyes opened so that they can see and understand spiritual truths. He was, of course, at work even before the incarnation, but it is especially after Christ ascended that He is sent forth for an intense and worldwide ministry to gather the people of God until the last day.
But who is the Spirit? Is He somehow inferior to Christ?
Our text makes it clear that that is not the case.
13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
Notice how these truths about the Spirit’s knowledge are expressed in two rhetorical questions in these two verses, just as the truths about the Son’s power are expressed in three questions in verse 12.
What do these two questions teach us? The two questions and the truths implied are almost synonymous, so it will not be helpful for us to try to interpret them separately. Instead, let us consider three thoughts which we may draw from it for our comfort. First, the Spirit of the LORD knows all things. Secondly, the Spirit of the LORD is taught by no one. Thirdly, the Spirit of the LORD is directed by no one.
1. The Spirit of the LORD Knows All Things
This is clear from the two verses. No one teaches Him; no one directs Him; no one counsels Him. He is omniscient.
What is true of the nature and external work of the Spirit is, of course, true of God Triune. He knows everything. He is omniscient. Unlike an earthly king, He does not need anyone to gather information for Him, nor does He need any advisors to interpret the knowledge that He has.
The apostle Paul is alluding to this verse when He says, Romans 11:33-36:
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
God the Spirit, and therefore God Triune, has perfect knowledge, and, therefore, does everything perfectly well. Contrary to what the open theists say, nothing surprises Him, for all that comes to pass is per His plan and foreknowledge.
The world today has been humbled by a tiny virus. Everyone was wearing masks because we didn’t know where the virus could be lurking. It could even be incubating in one of us, and we did not realise. But God knows everything. The Spirit—who indwells us and enables us to cry unto God as Abba Father—knows everything.
Can you imagine what it will be like if He reveals all He knows unto us? The world would have been rid of the virus very, very quickly. We won’t have needed all the tests, vaccines, masks, lockdowns, or circuit-breakers.
And yet, He has chosen not to reveal to any of us. Why? Because it is the will of God that the Spirit comforts us not by giving us extraordinary knowledge, but by illumining our minds to understand and apply the revealed word of Christ.
Let me put it this way: in our puny minds, we may imagine that if we know some of the things that are ordinarily hidden from us, we would be happier. But God knows better. God is concerned not just for our temporal happiness, but also for our eternal blessedness. Solomon says: “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe” (Prov 29:25). Is it not enough for us that God our Father, God our Redeemer and God our Comforter knows what is best for us?
2. The Spirit of the LORD Is Taught by No One
Again, this is directly from our text. He takes counsel from no one; no one instructs Him; no one teaches Him in the path of judgment; no one teaches Him knowledge.
But why is that important for us? It is crucial for us because the Spirit is our teacher in all things. The apostle John says in 1 John 2:27—
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Thank God that the Spirit who is taught by no one is our perfect teacher! He not only supplies us with the perfect word but illumines our minds so that we can know what truths are necessary for our comfort and growth in grace.
How does the Spirit comfort us with the truth? He comforts us with what He knows we need instead of what we think we need. We may think, for example, that it will be a great comfort for us to know when the next pandemic, natural disaster, or world war will occur.
Does the Spirit know the answers? Yes, absolutely. What is known to the Father is known to Him. But is it good or comforting for us to know the answer? No, for if we know these things, then we would have lost an opportunity for the cultivation of hope, faith and trust in God. And these are the virtues to prepare to be vessels of God’s mercy. Therefore, thank God that the Spirit gives us precisely what we need for our salvation and our comfort, no more, no less.
3. The Spirit of the LORD Is Directed by No One
This is again very clear. No one directs the Spirit; no one teaches the Spirit the path of judgment or shows Him the way of understanding. Once again, why is this important to us?
It is essential for us because the Spirit is our guide. Paul says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom 8:14).
Thank God that the Spirit who is led by no one is leading us according to His perfect knowledge. How does He lead us? The Lord Jesus teaches us that He leads us by reminding us of the word that we have heard and read.
This is the word that the Spirit inspired in the first place. But does the Spirit bring to mind what we feel we need at any moment? Or to put it in another way, without any intention to sound disrespectful: does the Spirit operate like a data retrieval system to give us what information we need Him to bring to our remembrance at any time?
The short answer is no! He is taught by no man, He is directed by no man, He receives not any guidance from man, not even us! No, no; when He guides us by His truth, He does so according to His perfect knowledge of us and of what we need in every circumstance we are in.
We can, in other words, rely on the Spirit to steer us in the best possible way in every situation that we find ourselves in.
Conclude
Thank God for the Spirit of the LORD! Thank God that He has come as our second Comforter. The Lord Jesus said to His disciples:
I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you
Jn 14:16-17
Christ came as our Shepherd to be our Comforter. But He has, for a season, returned unto the Father to prepare the mansions for His people. The other Comforter has come as He promised.
What is a Comforter? Well, the same word is translated ‘advocate’ or ‘counsellor’ (in some translations) in 1 John 2:1. As a result, many people think that this word refers to a ‘lawyer.’ But make no mistake, in the days of the apostles, when someone is hauled to court, he does not engage a lawyer from a law firm the way we do today. Instead, he engages a friend who can vouch for him and speak on his behalf to defend him. That is what the term means: someone who is called alongside, to comfort and to help one who is in need.
Thank God that the Spirit of the LORD is sent by our Saviour to dwell in us to be our Comforter. What a blessing it is to have Him to help and comfort us in times of need, for He is omniscient and independent. He knows what we need better than we do ourselves. As we look to Him for help through all the changing scenes of life, He will see to it that we remember what we need to remember of God’s word, and the truth will guide us in a way that brings us the most comfort and encouragement.
Let us remember to pray for the Holy Spirit as our Saviour has taught us to pray.
Let us pray that He will fill our hearts that we may respond to His ministry with gratitude and love. Amen.
—JJ Lim