April 8
“Do not quench the Spirit;” (1 Thessalonians 4:19)
The Greek word used for “quench” (sbennumi) is only used about a dozen or so times in the New Testament, and apart from this verse in 1 Thessalonians, it is always used of extinguishing a fire. Jesus uses the word in Mark 9:44-48 to refer to hell, where “the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.” The word is used in the quotation from the prophet Isaiah in Matthew 12:20 to describe the Messiah’s gentleness, where it says, “a battered reed He will not break off, and a smoldering wick He will not put out.” “Put out” is the same Greek word translated “quench” in 1 Thessalonians 4:19. The word is used in Hebrews 11:34 to describe acts of certain individuals who by faith “quenched the power of fire,” probably a reference to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3.
Apart from 1 Thessalonians 4:19, every use of this word is in reference to putting out (or not putting out) a fire. The word is used in that very familiar verse in Ephesians 6:16 where Paul says that we are to “extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one” with the shield of faith. Faith “extinguishes” or “quenches” Satan’s lies, temptations, and trials He sends our way. So “sbennumi” or “quench” is used exclusively in reference to putting out fires in the New Testament, apart from the verse related to the Holy Spirit.
But I think that that is exactly why Paul chose this word, because the Holy Spirit is like a fire. Have you ever tried to get a fire started? You have to have just the right kindling or paper or flammable liquid to get it started, or you have to bring fire from another source. You have to put other combustible materials (sticks, wood, etc.) on top of this so that the fire can begin consuming more and more material to increase and get established. It is easy in the early stages to put out the fire: you can blow on it too much, the materials can be damp or located too far apart, you may not have other material for the fire to consume, and so it is with the Holy Spirit.
Those of us who don’t have the Holy Spirit burning hot within us face the problem of repeatedly putting out the fire He is trying to get started in us. I think we quench the Spirit both by sins of commission and sins of omission. Whenever we commit an act of sin we quench the Spirit and put a damper on what He is trying to do in our lives. Sin is like pouring water on the fire, it directly dampens it. If we pour enough on, the fire will be put out altogether and cannot be started again until the material dries out. Drying out the wood is done by confession and repentance in this case, and it may take some time. Thoroughly confessing and repenting of our sins is like thoroughly drying out wet wood – preparing it for the fire that is to come.
More on this tomorrow.