7/6/75; 8/23/78; Eph 65; Anti-Sem 19 12/3/89

DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’S MINISTRY IN THE AGE OF ISRAEL

A. The Deity of the Holy Spirit.

1. The Holy Spirit is eternal God and is coequal with the Father and the Son, 2 Cor 13:14. He has the same essence as God the Father and Jesus Christ.

2. The Holy Spirit is called “God” using the sacred JHWH in Isa 6:8-9 cf Acts 28:25; Jer 31:31-34 cf Heb 10:15-16.

3. Divine attributes are ascribed to the Spirit.

a. Sovereignty, 1 Cor 12:11.

b. Omniscience, 1 Cor 2:10-11.

c. Omnipotence, Gen 1:2.

d. Omnipresence, Ps 139:7.

4. The deity of the Holy Spirit is taught in the New Testament, 2 Cor 3:17.

B. The Holy Spirit had a ministry in the formation of the Canon of Scripture.

1. The Holy Spirit had a special ministry of divine revelation to Old Testament believers; primarily, but not exclusively, to those who had the gift of prophesy. The Spirit had a ministry to every writer of Old Testament Scripture. Every writer was controlled by the Spirit in what he wrote.

a. 2 Pet 1:20-21, “Understand this first, that all prophesy from Scripture does not originate from one’s own interpretation; for prophesy was never produced by the will of mankind, but men communicated as they were being carried along by means of the Holy Spirit.”

b. 2 Tim 3:18-19, “All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for training which is righteousness, that the man of God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.”

(1) The Greek word THEOPNEUSTOS, meaning God-breathed, refers to two things: inhale and exhale. In addition to revelation as the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we have the doctrine of Inspiration.

(a) The inhale: God the Holy Spirit communicated to human authors of the Old Testament God’s complete and coherent message for both that generation and for all future generations.

(i) Jer 1:9, “Then the Lord [God the Holy Spirit] stretched out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, `Behold, I have put words in your mouth.’”

(ii) Mk 12:36, “David himself said by means of the Holy Spirit, `The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit down at My right hand until I put your enemies beneath your feet."’”

(iii) Acts 28:25, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet...”

(b) The exhale: the human authors wrote down in their own language the divine message from God.

(2) The result is the correct and accurate doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture, which says: God so supernaturally directed the writers of Scriptures, that without waving their human intelligence, their vocabulary, personality, literary style, feeling, or any other human factor, His own complete and coherent message to mankind was recorded with perfect accuracy in the original languages of Scripture, the vary words bearing the authority of divine authorship.

2. The ministry of the Holy Spirit to the Old Testament writers in the doctrine of inspiration included three categories.

a. The TORAH. This was written by Moses, who had both the gift and office of prophet.

b. The NABIIM, which includes Joshua, Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Zachariah. The human authors had the office of prophet.

c. The KETHUBIM, which means “the writings.” The human authors had the gift of prophesy only: David, Solomon, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah.

C. The Ministry of the Holy Spirit to Old Testament Believers.

1. It was extended to very few believers and only for special purposes. The Spirit’s ministry in the Old Testament was to less than one percent of believers. There was no indwelling or filling of the Spirit in the Old Testament.

2. The purpose was to empower and enable certain believers to accomplish the will of God under certain and varying circumstances.

a. In the Old Testament this ministry was always to a few believers, but in the New Testament the Spirit’s ministry is to all believers.

b. Because people do not understand this, there is a great deal of confusion. Pentecostal groups have picked up the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the Old Testament saints and have attempted to bring it into the Church Age.

3. This ministry is called enduement, or being clothed with the Spirit (LABACH). Enduement means to empower; to invest or endow with some gift, quality, or faculty of power; to clothe with power or ability above and beyond human ability.

4. Examples.

a. Joseph, Gen 41:38.

b. Skilled labor to make Aaron’s high priestly clothes, Ex 28:3; and to build the tabernacle, Ex 31:3.

c. The seventy administrative assistants to Moses, Num 11:25.

d. Joshua was empowered to be successful in warfare, Num 27:18.

e. Othniel and certain judges were empowered to kill Israel’s enemies, Jud 3:10; Gideon to kill Arabs, Jud 6:34; Jephthah, Jud 11:29; Samson to kill a lion, Jud 14:6, and the Philistine army, Jud 15:14ff. All of these passages link the empowering of the Holy Spirit with killing the enemy or ruling the nation, and not as a part of spirituality.

f. Saul was empowered for ruling and communicating, so that the people could identify their leader, 1 Sam 10:9-10.

g. David, whose great feats were accomplished in the power of the Spirit, 1 Sam 16:13. David was perpetually empowered with the Spirit.

h. Daniel was empowered: Dan 4:8, 5:11-12, 6:3.

i. The human authors of the Old Testament, 1 Pet 1:11-12; 2 Pet 1:20-21. These men knew all about Jesus Christ in His first advent. They preached by means of the power of the Holy Spirit.

5. There were three carnal believers in the Old Testament whom the Holy Spirit empowered.

a. Balaam, Num 24:2.

b. Samson, Jud 13-15.

c. Saul, 1 Sam 19:23-4.

6. The Holy Spirit empowered a few Old Testament believers to perform miracles. There were three great periods of miracles.

a. During the ministry of Moses.

b. During the time of Elijah and Elisha.

c. During the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union by the Lord Jesus Christ. Mt 12:28; Lk 4:14-18.

D. Old Testament believers could request the empowering of the Holy Spirit.

1. Elisha requested a double portion of the Spirit, 2 Kg 2:9-10.

2. The disciples were told to ask for the Spirit, but did not, Lk 11:13. So before the beginning of the Church Age and after His resurrection Christ gave them the Holy Spirit, Jn 20:22.

E. Old Testament believers who received the Holy Spirit could lose the Holy Spirit as a matter of discipline.

1. Saul, 1 Sam 16:13-14.

2. David, Ps 51:11.

3. The warning to Solomon, Prov 1:23.

F. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union.

1. During the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union, there were a few believers who were filled by the Holy Spirit, such as John the Baptist. However, the most important ministry was the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the humanity of Christ.

2. The filling of the Spirit is always related in the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union or the Church Age to the divine dynasphere.

a. The humanity of Christ dwelt in the prototype divine dynasphere; we have the operational type divine dynasphere. This is why the filling of the Spirit which we have takes its precedence from the filling of the humanity of Christ.

b. The humanity of Christ was both indwelt and filled with the Spirit. That is precedence for out relationship with the Holy Spirit in the Church Age.

c. Efficacious and common grace are the same in every dispensation. Salvation is the same in every dispensation, but not the ministry of the Spirit to the believer.

3. The prophesy of the ministry of the Spirit to Christ is found in:

a. Isa 11:2, “And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and knowledge, and occupation with the Lord.”

(1) When anyone has the Holy Spirit, they have their own counsel and understanding. They do not have to go to anyone else for counselling. With doctrine, you have the ability to counsel yourself.

(2) “Wisdom” is doctrine that causes spiritual growth. “Understanding” is exposure to the teaching of doctrine. With doctrine, you do not depend on anyone with influence or power to do anything for you; you will depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit.

(3) “Knowledge” is understanding and being able to us the problem solving devices, which only the Spirit can reveal.

b. Isa 42:1 quoted in Mt 12:18, “Behold My Servant [Jesus Christ], whom I sustain. My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit on Him.”

c. The Spirit filling Christ is the fulfillment of Jn 3:34, “For He whom God has sent speaks the doctrines of God; for He does not give the Spirit by measure.”

d. Mt 12:28, “Jesus said, `If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom has come to you.’”

e. Lk 4:14, “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.”

4. Our Lord was sustained in His humanity by the Spirit. He did not use His own divine attributes to glorify Himself or to fulfill anything in the strength of His divine power. It was a part of the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union that our Lord would depend on the Father’s provision, including the Father’s provision of the Holy Spirit. This would establish a precedent for the royal family of God in the Church Age.

5. Our Lord offered the filling of the Holy Spirit to any of his disciples who would ask for Him.

a. This is why it says, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” That was Jesus giving a promise to the disciples to show them the mechanics for getting the filling of the Holy Spirit prior to the Church Age.

b. Lk 11:13, “If you being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children [and you do], how much more shall your Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for Him.” We do not ask for the Holy Spirit during the Church Age, since we receive Him as of the moment of salvation.

c. None of the disciples ever did ask the Lord for the filling of the Spirit. Consequently, just prior to the ascension, our Lord gave the Holy Spirit to the disciples without their asking. Why? Because He knew that in the ten days before the Church Age began, they would be tested beyond their power. Therefore, He gave them the power, so that they would be in fellowship and ready for the Church Age to begin on the day of Pentecost. Jn 20:22, “And when Jesus had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, `Receive the Holy Spirit.’”

G. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age to the royal family is unique.

1. Regeneration and efficacious grace are the same in all dispensations. The Holy Spirit makes the Gospel a spiritual reality to the unbeliever in every age.

2. But in the Church Age the key is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which enters us into union with Christ.

3. Christ was appointed royalty at the session. But He is alone and must have a royal family to compliment His third royal patent, His battlefield royalty “sit down at My right hand until I make your enemies the footstool for Your feet.”

4. God the Father stopped the Jewish age to provide a royal family for our Lord as the “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

5. Therefore, because we are royalty, God the Holy Spirit does more for us at salvation than for believers of any other dispensation.

a. He makes our faith effectual, the ministry of efficacious grace.

b. He creates a human spirit for the imputation of eternal life, the ministry of regeneration.

c. He enters us into union with Christ as a guarantee of our escrow blessings, the baptism of the Spirit.

d. He enters us into the divine dynasphere for the power to execute the protocol plan of God, the ministry of the filling of the Holy Spirit. (The system of spirituality for Old Testament saints was not related to the Holy Spirit but to the faith-rest drill.)

e. He indwells us to provide a temple for the indwelling of the Shekinah glory (our Lord), the ministry of indwelling.

f. He provides a spiritual gift for function as a member of the body of Christ.

g. He guarantees our escrow blessings and eternal security, the sealing ministry of the Spirit.

6. Every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and cannot lose that indwelling.

7. Every believer is filled with the Spirit at the point of salvation (because we are entered into the divine dynasphere) and loses the filling of the Spirit at the point of post-salvation sinning or carnality. The filling of the Spirit is only valuable when we know doctrine. The filling of the Spirit is the means of learning doctrine.

8. Recovery of the filling of the Spirit occurs through the use of the rebound technique, 1 Jn 1:9, not by asking for the Spirit.

H. Summary.

1. The ministry of the Holy Spirit to the Jewish Age believer was quite different than His ministry to the Church Age believer.

2. In all dispensations the Holy Spirit is the agent of regeneration.

3. In the Church Age the Holy Spirit does much more for the royal family than He did for the believer in the Old Testament, or will do for the believers in the Millennium.

4. Fundamentalist Christianity today sometimes fails to make this distinction, resulting in apostasy and heresy.

5. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament was limited to a very few believers and was very different than His ministry to believers in the Church Age.

6. Not only was His Old Testament ministry limited to a few believers, but it could be taken away because of the believer’s carnality and reversionism.

7. The Holy Spirit may be quenched or grieved in the Church Age, but He continues to indwell every believer. Sin neutralizes the filling of the Spirit until rebound occurs.

8. In the Church Age we are never commanded to ask for the Spirit, since we receive Him at salvation.

9. In the Church Age we are only commanded to be filled with the Spirit. This is accomplished by the use of the rebound technique, 1 Jn 1:9.

10. In the Old Testament a believer could ask for the Holy Spirit and pray for His continued presence.

_________________________________________________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------------------------