and turn our worshipping faces to the throne of heavenly grace.

Let us consider the three steps indicated by the apostle in his prayer.

The spirit of wisdom and revelation.  Strictly speaking we should

omit the article `the', and speak of `a spirit of wisdom and

revelation'-- a gift, not exactly the same as the supernatural gifts

of `knowledge' and `wisdom' (1 Cor. 12:8) which were enjoyed during

the Pentecostal period, but a gift nevertheless.  No amount of human

learning, study or training, no amount of reading or erudition can

attain to the goal before us.  As in other days, so now, God reveals

many things to the babe that are hidden from the wise and prudent,

and a chastened spirit bows before the Lord and makes no demands,

but quietly waits, and realizes that all that is asked for of the

Father of `glory' will be granted by Him as the God of `grace'.

When writing to the Colossians, the apostle has recorded a similar prayer,

`Since we heard ... For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do

not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the

knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding' (Col.

The reader may remember that we have examined Colossians 1:9,10 and

suggested a slightly different meaning:

`We do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled,

and this fulness is none other than the "recognition" of His will in all

wisdom and spiritual understanding'.

What are we to understand by a `spirit of wisdom and revelation'?  J.

Armitage Robinson says: `It is a teaching spirit, rather than a teachable

spirit, which the apostle asks that they may have'.  Our thoughts travel back to

the book of the Revelation, where we read:

`The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy' (Rev. 19:10).  This is

not the testimony borne by our Lord, for the angel said: `I am thy

fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus'; it is this

testimony, concerning Him, that is the spirit of prophecy.  So, the

`acknowledgment' which is the essence of the apostle's prayer for the Ephesians,

is the vehicle by which this spirit of wisdom and revelation is received.

Wisdom, in the book of Daniel, is related particularly with the unveiling of

Divine secrets (Dan. 1:4,17,20; 2:20,21,23,30; 5:11,14).  The term `the wise

men' (chakkim) which occurs in Daniel fourteen times, is used with particular

reference to the unveiling of mysteries.  Wisdom in Ezekiel is confined to

chapter 28.  The only reference to wisdom in Romans is in chapter 11:33, where

the unsearchable ways of God are spoken of.  So in Ephesians the three

occurrences of wisdom (Eph. 1:8,17; 3:10) are linked with the Mystery, even as

the title `The only wise God' (Rom. 16:27; 1 Tim. 1:17; Jude 25 [in the Received

Text]) is associated with the Mystery and the working out of the purpose of the

ages.  All the wisdom in the world, however, can never discover what God hides.