THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

The first work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament is His participation in creation.

Genesis 1:2 – “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

The main work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament is to give certain servants of God power and ability to accomplish something for God’s people or His kingdom.

Exodus 35:30-31 – “Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, ³¹ and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skill.”

Here we see Bezalel filled with the Spirit of God that he might have wisdom, understanding and knowledge to work on crafting items for the Temple of God. It was not purely a natural task, but a spiritual one because He needed to be able to do it just as God prescribed. It is very possible that Bezalel did not have the ability in himself to make all the items and things God required. Therefore, he gave him His Spirit. As we will see later on, in our studies on the Holy Spirit did not reside in him but only rested on him to do the work necessary and more than likely removed from him when the task was done.

Numbers 11:16-17 – “The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.”

Here we see that God’s Spirit was on Moses. This was necessary because Moses was first and foremost a prophet.  (Acts 3:22) All the prophets were mouth pieces for God and as result were under the power of the Holy Spirit when they spoke. 

2 Peter 1:21 – “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Secondly, Moses was God’s leader for the people of Israel so He needed God’s Spirit on him to know the will of God and work the miracles of God before the people. In turn, God took some of the power of God’s Spirit from Moses and put it on the 70 elders that God had selected to lead the people of Israel together with Moses. “Taking some of the power of Moses spirit”, it was a figure of speech. God did not give the 70 elders some of His Holy Spirit but all of it that they might have God’s authority and power to lead and serve the people of Israel. Another way of saying it is that God gave them ability to be leaders of God’s people along with Moses through the Spirit of God. Although they received all of God’s Spirit, they did not receive all of God’s power. Moses had greater power or greater anointing then they the rest. We see this idea of greater anointing in the story of Elijah and Elisha. Elisha received a double portion of God’s Spirit.

All the appointed judges over Israel in the Old Testament were given the Spirit of God that they might have power to deliver God’s chosen people from their enemies and power to lead and judge wisely. (Judges 3:9;-10; 6:34-35; 11:29; 14:6,19; 15:14)

All of God’s chosen kings received the power of the Holy Spirit to deliver and lead God’s people in the way that they should go. (1 Samuel 11:6; 16:13; 2 Chronicles 15:1-2; 2 Kings 2:9, 15)

It is interesting to note that there is no mention of God’s Spirit on Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. The reason being is that they didn’t have a task to accomplish. They didn’t need any special ability, power or authority from God. They were only called to live by faith and obedience to him.

We see the Spirit of God mentioned many times in the O.T., but the Holy Spirit only mentioned 3 times. (Psalm 51:13; Isaiah 63:10,11) The reason for this is because the work of the Spirit was not to sanctify people or enable them to obey God as it is in the N.T.

NAMES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We are now going to study the names of the Holy Spirit. This is very important because in the Bible a name wasn’t only a name, but it was an extension of the person and indicated the person’s character or attributes. In Bible times they took great importance in the choosing of a name. There are several examples in the Bible where God told the father what to name their child. It was often through a dream, vision or experience that a name was born. As we study the names of the Holy Spirit, we will learn much of the character, attributes and ways of the Holy Spirit.

The first place we see the Holy Spirit at work is in Genesis 1:2 & 26. Here He is called the Spirit of God. In these two verses we see the participation of the Holy Spirit in creation. It is for this reason He is called the Spirit of God because He is God the creator of all things. The Holy Spirit as God is the one who gives life and raised Christ up from the dead (Romans 8:11). God lives in us through the Holy Spirit according to 1 John 3:24 because God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are two people but one God. There is no distinction between the Spirit of God and the Holy Spirit in scripture. They are one and the same (I Corinthians 12:3) with different roles.

Another name for the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9). He is called the Spirit of Christ because it is through the name of Jesus Christ that we receive the Holy Spirit. He is called the Spirit of Christ because His mission is to reveal Christ to us and glorify Christ (John 16:14). He is called the Spirit of Christ because it is by Him that Christ dwells in us.

We see this in Romans 8:9-10 – “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.”

The next name for the Holy Spirit that we will look at is the Advocate /Comforter / Counselor. We see these names in John 14:16, 26 & 16:7 depending on verse and Bible translation.  Yet, all three words (names) are one and the same in Greek which is “Parakl­etos”.  This word literally means “call to one’s side”. Yet, it has the connotation of coming to one’s aid as a lawyer, comforter, and counselor. The Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf, strengthens us, and protects us.  According to Romans 8:26-27, He helps us pray. The Holy Spirit as “Parakletos” strengthens us with power through his Spirit in our inner being according to Ephesians 3:16. The Holy Spirit gives us strength and power. He helps us grow in our character.

The name we all know best is the Holy Spirit. He is called the Holy Spirit because He is God and He is holy even as the Father and Son are holy. Also, this name distinguishes Him from evil spirits. We see this title most often in the New Testament because His greatest mission is to sanctify the people of God and set them apart unto the Father and Son.

The Holy Spirit is here to set us “free from the law of sin and death” The Holy Spirit causes us to desire the things that God desires. Romans 8:4 –“……. those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” It is the Spirit who puts to death the deeds of the body or flesh that oppose God. (Romans 8:13) Paul says in Galatians 5:16 – “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Another name for the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. We see this in John 14:17-18. John 16:13 tells us that “….he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” All truth is in God and the Holy Spirit’s role is to help us under all the truths in God. We can count on His teachings (instructions) to be true because He only speaks what the Father and Son speak. Therefore, being God, he knows what is to come and will reveal these things to us in His proper and perfect timing. (See to John 16:14-15) He will not only guide in all truth and show us Christ, but He will remind us of what Christ has taught us. This is a good thing for us who don’t have a very good memory.

Also, the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Grace. (Hebrews 10:29) It is because of Him we find salvation and the grace that accompanies Christ’s sacrifice.

John 6:44 – “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

How does the Father draw us unto Him? It is by His Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals sin in our lives and convicts us of our sinful state (John 16:7-11) with the purpose of leading us to God’s grace.

The final name for the Holy Spirit we will look at is the Spirit of Adoption.

Romans 8:14-16 – “ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.¹⁵ For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ¹⁶ The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
He is called the Spirit of Adoption because it is by Him that we are born into the family of God. He confirms that we are children of God.
John 3:5-7 – “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”
Anyone who does not have the Spirit of God in them is not a son of God. (1 John 3:24; 4:13)
Galatians 4:4-7 – “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. ⁶ Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
I like to think of the Holy Spirit as our visa to heaven. God the Father is the issuer of our passport. God the Son is the passport and God the Holy Spirit is our visa. All three are essential to our salvation. Yes, they are three in one.
We have now finished looking at the 7 names of the Holy Spirit. Seven is the number of perfection in the Bible. In review, He is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit Advocate /Comforter / Counselor, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Grace, and the Spirit of Adoption.
We are truly blessed to have Him on our lives.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AS GOD

The last article that I wrote was on who is the Holy Spirit. We identified that the Holy Spirit was a person, not some mystical force or extension of God. In this article we will talk about the Holy Spirit being part of the God- head, one and equal to the Father and Son.

We are going to first look at the Holy Spirit as part of the trinity, trinity meaning here three in one. You will not find the term “trinity” in the Bible, but you will find the concept of trinity clearly presented. We serve one God who is made up of three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are one in thought, will, action and in their very essence. They are in complete and total unity. They are one being who the eternal God is.

Let us look in scripture to see this trinity and how the Holy Spirit is clearly part of this trinity.

Matthew 28:18-20 – “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus here speaks of the triune God. When we baptize people in water, we are to baptize them into the triune God.  Jesus understood how it is important that we recognize each person of the trinity in salvation. Each person of the God-head plays an important and indispensable role in our salvation.

Luke 3:21-22 – “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened²² and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Here is a scripture that clearly speaks of the three persons of the God-head in Jesus baptism. We see that the Holy Spirit is one of the three. Some would say, God manifests himself or plays the role of three people, but in reality it is just one person. In other words, they believe the Father came in the form of Jesus and later on takes on the role of the Holy Spirit. Yet, this scripture clearly portrays them as distinct individuals because they are all present and separate at the same time in Jesus baptism.

John 14:16 –“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.”

John 14:26 – “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

The Father sent us the Son as our first advocate. Then He sent another advocate in the Son’s name. The key word here is “another”, not the same with another name, but one whom is separate from the former. We see three distinct persons in these two verses, one of them being the Holy Spirit. (Also see John 15:26)

The Holy Spirit is not only separate and distinct but part of the trinity or God-head. He is one and equal to the others. The Holy Spirit is God.

Acts 5:3-4 – “Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? ⁴ Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

It is important to notice here that Peter does differentiate between the Holy Spirit and God. He says that Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit and clarifies his statement by saying that he has lied to God who are one and the same.

Hebrews 9:14 calls Him, “the eternal Spirit”. Eternal here means that He always existed and will always exist. Only God is eternal. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is God.

Psalms 139:7-10 says, there is no where we can be that the Holy Spirit is not there. In other words, He is omnipresent. Only God can be everywhere at the same time.

I Corinthians 2:10-11 says that the Holy Spirit knows all things, even the deep things of God. The Holy Spirit knows all that God knows because He is God.

Luke 1:35 indicates that the Holy Spirit is the power of the most High God. In other words, He is all powerful.

John 16:13 says, the Holy Spirit tells us what is to come. In other words, He knows the future. Therefore, He is God because only God knows the future.

The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is our creator. (Genesis 1:2; Job 33:4; Ezayi 44:24) This is a foreign concept to many because we always refer to our Father as our creator. Yet, more accurately, God is our creator which includes the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

One of the names of the Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of the Lord”. In other words, the Spirit is Lord.

Also, the Holy Spirit is called, “God of Israel”. (2 Samuel 23:2-3)

The Holy Spirit is the source of life which is a characteristic of God.

Romans 8:11 – “ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of  his Spirit who lives in you.”

I hope you now see clearly that the Holy Spirit is part of the God-head and no less or greater than the Father and Son. Our confusion usually lies in the roles they play. We have a hard time separating their roles from who they are, one and the same.

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? Part #1

The Holy Spirit is a person. He is not simply a power or force. He is not simply an extension of the Father or Christ. He is God. The Holy Spirit is part of the trinity or God-head.

The Holy Spirit is an indispensable part of the Christian life and church. Every aspect of the Christian life should be directed by Him. He is indispensable because it is He who enables us to bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the ability to serve God and man. It is the Holy Spirit that draws us to Christ. It is He who gives us the new birth. He in a sense is the mother of eternal life in Christ.

It is the Holy Spirit that makes us different than all other religions of the world. It is only Christianity that offers a person like the Holy Spirit. All other religions require the person to follow their principles and beliefs through self-sacrifice and discipline. It is in their own strength they seek to follow their god. While as believers, we have the Holy Spirit who guides us, and enables us to follow Christ.

It is important for us as believers to understand that the Holy Spirit is a person. He is not human because he doesn’t have a body, but He is a person because he has all the traits of a person.

We know He is a person because he has a will.

I Corinthians 12:11 – “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”

We see here that He distributes the gifts of the Spirit as he determines. One of the symbols of the Holy Spirit is wind, but He is not simply a wind that blows about. A wind cannot decide where it is going or what it is going to do, while the Holy Spirit is able to do these things.

We know He is a person because He has a mind and able to intercede on our behalf.

Romans 8:27 – “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”

Another symbol of the Holy Spirit is fire, but He is more than a fire. A fire is not able to think. A fire is not able to intercede on someone’s behalf.

We know He is a person because He has feelings.

Ephesians 4:30 – “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

The Holy Spirit could be compared to electricity. Electricity is an energy that can accomplish many things in this life. Yet, the Holy Spirit is not simply an energy or force field. He is a person because He can feel. Cut an electric wire and it does not feel a thing, but disobey the Holy Spirit, we will grieve Him.

We know He is a person because He acts only as person can act. He does the same things a person does.

I Corinthians 2:10 – “these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. “

It is only a person who can search and reveal things.

John 16:13 – “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

It is only a person who can guide, speak and hear. (See to John 15:26; Revelation 2:7; John 16;13)

John 14:26 – “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

It is only a person who can intercede, teach and remind a person of something. (See to 2 Peter 1:21; Romans 8:26)