Given the reality of loss of lampstands, how shall one move forward? This is probably the question which has remained most at the forefront of my concern for several years. The Christian life and ministry are “Not by [human] might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of Hosts. How then shall we live if the fullness of the Spirit has been withdrawn?

My own brainstorming sessions quickly give rise to two initial Biblical possibilities:

(1) Seek the Spirit and “wait in Jerusalem,” effectively “pausing” any major outreach endeavors until the Spirit comes. The main problem with this position, IMO, is that the Acts 1 gap between Jesus’ Ascension and Pentecost had unique significance in redemptive history. It was necessary to wait because that first Shavuot was to be the fulfillment of the typological feast of firstfruits, etc. The Spirit had not been grieved away at that point. It was simply a matter of the unfolding of the full steps of the redemptive plan. In our case the Spirit’s Corporate Presence has departed the churches are in an Ichabod state, so it is not immediately clear that the Acts 1 “tarrying” principle directly applies.

(2) “Repent and do the first works.” This was the right solution for the church of Ephesus which John wrote to from Patmos. However, again, their situation is different from ours. They were AT RISK of losing their lampstand, but it wasn’t lost yet. The message to them is effectively: “For now, you still have the Pentecostal power of the Spirit. Use it or lose it.” They were in a position to step up to the plate and just go right ahead and “do the first works” as long as their lampstand was still in place. AFTER a lampstand has been removed, it is not immediately obvious that a simplistic approach to “just go back to doing the first works” directly applies.

I have a third proposal, which I presently think is best. I think it most closely aligns with our lost-lampstand condition. The model which I believe suits us best is that of the three young men in Dan 3. They were in Babylonian exile, as are we (Rev 17-18). Their menorah had been removed from the holy place, as has ours. They name of Ichabod was written over their corporate relationship with God (Ezek 10), as it is with us.

So how did they act amidst their exile? The three young men acted as faithful witnesses to the supreme and exclusive kingship of the one true God, while also manifesting humble awareness that their people had so violated covenant with him that they could not lay claim to His husbandly/fatherly care, protection, and vindication of them. So they said, “Our God is ABLE to deliver us, but EVEN IF He does not, we will bow to no other gods.”

I think that “even if” is one key to the proper demeanor among exiles. In glory days of Israel’s history it would be inappropriate to say “even if.” If you are Joshua or David going up against Philistines, barring any hidden sin that has brought God’s displeasure, generally speaking it would not be an expression of faith to say, “Even if God does not give us victory.” If God has promised victory, and you are walking in His ways, then you speak and act with expectation that He will fulfill His promise. There is no “even if.”

But if you have been sent into Babylonian exile because of engaging in worldly spiritual prostitution and such, then “even if” is appropriate. “Even if” is one way of donning sackcloth (cmp Rev 11:3). You say, “Our God is still very capable of manifesting the Power of His Spirit as He did in the glory days of the early church of old. The Truth of God and the Power of the Spirit is no problem here. But there is a different problem, and that problem is US. Our people have grieved the Spirit so that He has withdrawn from us. His charge to us to testify of His kingdom still applies, so we will move forward with that, and PERHAPS He will choose to show grace and mercy and bolster our testimony with the power of His Spirit, or perhaps not since we long ago crashed outside the boundary warnings He set up. So at present we can no longer lay claim to certainty that the Power of His Spirit will show up when we hope He will, but EVEN IF not we will still testify to His Word, His Truth, His Kingdom, and His gospel. Maybe our testimony will be weak and powerless because we are Ichabod. Maybe He will confirm our testimony with His Spirit. In any case, His way is still the only truth and He alone still deserves all the glory.”

In sum, I think that for Babylonian exiles who have lost their lampstand the proper thing to do is to openly and publicly testify in the presence of any “Nebuchadnezzar” that YHWH/Jesus is the One True Lord and King, but to do so clothed in the “sackcloth” of humble lowliness in RECOGNIZING your exilic condition.