Preface: This is a doctrine that I have been meaning to cover for a long time.
Introduction In the Old Testament, God followed out a particular genetic line, made that line into a nation, and gave His Spirit to that nation (which they, on many instances, rejected). Not all men had the Holy Spirit; and not everyone in Israel had the Holy Spirit. In fact, not all believers in the Old Testament had the Spirit. God gave His Spirit to those through whom God would work. In the Church Age, this has changed considerably; all believers receive the Holy Spirit at salvation and all of our lives have purpose and definition in the plan of God. However, in the Age of Israel, the Age of the Hypostatic Union and the Church Age, God the Holy Spirit provides the empowerment, truth and guidance for that age.
1. The Holy Spirit is presented as an independent, sovereign entity in the Old Testament. Isa 40:13–14 Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows Him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made Him understand? Who taught Him the path of justice. Isa. 48:16 [The revealed God of the Old Testament is speaking]: “Draw near to Me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there." And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.”
2. The Holy Spirit was involved in the restoration of the earth so that life could survive on it. It appears as if the Holy Spirit provided the energy to warm planet earth, which was encased in ice. Gen. 1:2 Psalm 104:30
3. God the Holy Spirit gives all men life and sustains that life. Gen. Gen. 2:7 Job 27:3 33:4 Eccles. 12:7 ...and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Isa. 42:5
4. The Spirit was involved in the union of Adam and Eve; and, by application, in all marriages. Mal. 2:15
5. The Holy Spirit interacted with mankind—even with corrupted mankind—presumably to give them the gospel. Gen. 6:3
6. Even the Egyptians and other heathen understood that the Holy Spirit of God was within some men. Gen. 41:38 Daniel 4:18
7. The Holy Spirit and the truth in the Old Testament:
1) The Holy Spirit makes spiritual information understandable to Old Testament saints. Job 32:8
2) The Holy Spirit empowered those who wrote the Old Testament. Psalm 23:1–3 Matt. 22:43 Mark 12:36 2Peter 1:21
3) God the Holy Spirit empowered those prophets in the Old Testament to speak the truth. Neh. 9:30 Ezek. 2:1–3 And He said to me, "Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you." And as He spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. And He said to me, "Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day.” This is both prophetical, speaking of Jesus Christ; and for the time it was given, speaking of Ezekiel. See also Ezek. 3:12 Luke 1:67 2:25
4) Specific information is revealed by God the Holy Spirit. Luke 2:25–26
8. The Holy Spirit and prophecy in the Old Testament:
1) The people of Israel were to look to fulfilled prophecy in order to realize that this is the Spirit of God telling them of these things. Isa. 34:16
2) Isaiah prophesied the ministry of God the Holy Spirit to the Messiah. Isa. 11:2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. See also Isa. 42:1 Isa. 61:1–2
3) Isaiah, Ezekiel and Joel prophesied that the Spirit would be poured out upon mankind during the Millennium. Isa. 32:15 Ezek. 36:26–28 37:14 39:29 Joel 2:28–29
9. The Holy Spirit and empowerment in the Old Testament:
1) The key to empowerment, even in the Old Testament, was the Holy Spirit. Zech. 4:6
2) Some of the artisans involved in the building of the Tabernacle of God were empowered by God the Holy Spirit. Ex. 31:3 35:31
3) God allowed Moses to delegate his authority, and God would give these men the Holy Spirit. Num. 11:16–17, 24–25
4) God gave the Holy Spirit to some early prophets when Moses and the people of God were in the desert. Num. 11:26–29
5) Specific people in the Old Testament had been given the Holy Spirit in order to empower them. Num. 27:18 Judges 3:10 6:34 11:29 14:6, 19 15:14 1Sam. 10:6, 10 11:6 16:13 2Chron. 20:14 24:20 Daniel 4:18 Micah 3:8
6) One could ask for empowerment by the Holy Spirit. 2Kings 2:9 Luke 11:13
7) Jesus Christ, in His humanity, in the Age of the Hypostatic Union (which was, in many respects, a continuation of the Age of Israel) was empowered by the Holy Spirit. Isa. 61:1 Luke 4:1 4:14, 18
10. The Holy Spirit and guidance in the Old Testament:
1) The Holy Spirit guided those in the Old Testament through the knowledge of Bible doctrine. Psalm 143:10 Prov. 1:23 Ezek. 3:24
2) The Holy Spirit prompted believers to give in the Old Testament. Ex. 35:21
3) The Holy Spirit guided men in a number of ways. Ezek. 3:14 8:3 11:1, 24 37:1
4) David knew that he could not hide or run from the Holy Spirit. Psalm 139:7
5) Rebelling against God was equivalent to rebelling against His Spirit. Isa. 63:8–10
11. The overruling will of God through the Holy Spirit:
1) The Holy Spirit came upon prophets like Balaam, so that their prophetic utterances would be accurate. Num. 24:1–11
2) Similarly, the Holy Spirit was placed upon some men, and He overruled their original intentions. 1Sam. 19:20–24
12. The Holy Spirit and Israel:
1) God’s Spirit remained with Israel from the exodus. Haggai 2:5
2) God promises an eternal relationship with the Jews; a relationship which is based upon truth. Isa. 59:20–21 "And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression," declares the LORD. "And as for Me, this is My covenant with them," says the LORD: "My Spirit that is upon you, and My words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring," says the LORD, "from this time forth and forevermore."
3) The Holy Spirit was given to Israel as a nation. Isa. 63:11–13a Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and His people. Where is He Who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is He Who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit, who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, Who divided the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name, Who led them through the depths?
4) Israel continued to be in opposition to the Holy Spirit. For this reason, God subjected them to the 5th stage of national discipline (the fifth cycle of discipline). Zech. 7:12–14
5) Blessing was associated with pouring out the Holy Spirit upon the people. Isa. 44:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit upon your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants.
13. The Holy Spirit could be taken from a person previously endowed with the Holy Spirit. 1Sam. 16:14 Psalm 51:11
|
|
Bibliography |
|
|