Broken Pitchers

2024-07-20

And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. (Judges 7:20)

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)

Ridout connects the broken pitchers of Gideon’s day to the earthen vessels, that the vessel must be broken to see the light inside. For the power of the Spirit to be seen, it must be through the broken pitcher. The visions in heaven Paul saw were accompanied by the thorn in the flesh on earth. Likewise, we have our position in Christ in heaven and the crushing of the cross here on earth, which breaks us so that His light can be seen.

We might only know weakness and pain and failure, but in that the Spirit shows the world Christ’s power.

“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:2-3). These men were seeking the will of God, having emptied themselves of “self” with fasting. They sought Him, and the Spirit sent word as to what they should do. At other times, He may close the door to service. “...but the Spirit suffered them not” (Acts 16:7). For such clear guidance, we need to be emptied of self so His light can shine.

This is a part of a series summarizing thoughts while reading Samuel Ridout’s The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit: Seven Lectures. Return to the summary home page here.