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Holy Spirit Notes

Holy Spirit Notes
 
August 25
 

The Activity of the Holy Spirit in the Messiah

Jesus: Incarnation, Hypostatic Union, Kenosis

 

His Birth
Mary was told that her son would be conceived "from the Holy Spirit."
"Before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit." (Matt.1:18)


An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit."  (Matt. 1:20)

Mary was told by Gabriel, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)

The Holy Spirit was active in the creation of a "new humanity" in the conception of Jesus.  He was unrelated to Adam's sin nature but a descendent of Adam's humanity.  Jesus had no father from Adam's line, but did have a mother from Adam.  This gave him humanity but no human sin nature.  He was born holy as a creation direct from God as a second Adam.

The Person of Christ
Isaiah prophesied the coming of the Messiah as the God/Man:


"For to us a child is born (this refers to the humanity of the Messiah, he was conceived and born and so had a beginning as all humans do),
to us a son is given (this refers to the deity of the Messiah, he was given for he is eternal). Isaiah 9:6

 



 

The Council at Chalcedon in 451 AD formulated a statement to explain this for orthodox Christianity.  It says:

"Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,

at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood,

truly God and truly man,

consisting also of a reasonable soul and body;

of one substance with the Father as regards His Godhead, and

at the same time of one substance with us as regards His manhood;

like us in all respects apart from sin;

as regards His Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but

yet as regards His manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the virgin, the God bearer;

one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-Begotten,

recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without union, but

rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one Person and

subsistence, not as parted or separated into two Persons, but

one and the same Son and

only begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ;

even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of Him, and

our Lord Jesus Christ Himself taught us, and

the creed of the fathers has been handed down to us."



 

Charles Ryrie in "Basic Theology" summarizes this portion of the Creed of Chalcedon as:


"More concisely one may describe the person of Christ incarnate as being full Deity and perfect humanity united with out mixture, change, division, or separation in one person forever.  The key components of the description include 'full Deity' (no diminution of any attribute of Deity), 'perfect humanity' ('perfect' rather than 'full' in order to emphasize His sinlessness), 'one Person' (not two), and 'forever' (for He continues to have a body, though resurrected, Acts 1:11; Rev. 5:6)"

This union of the nature of God with the nature of man in one person is called the hypostatic union (or, the one person union). 

Jesus is the unique being in the universe.  So you have Deity and perfect humanity living unmixed in one person.

The nature of God and the nature of man belong to Jesus. 

The attributes of these two natures can not be mixed or else the nature of God would take on human attributes or the nature of man would take on divine attributes.  Meaning if the human nature had divine attributes the human nature would no longer be human.

So these two natures exist unmixed in one person. 

Jesus could and can speak, act, or think from the perfect human nature or from the nature of deity.  Or, both natures could be involved, yet unmixed, in his speech, actions or thinking.



 

Some false doctrine concerning the incarnation of Christ:


Docetism
     150 AD         Christ only appeared to be a man
Ebionism     100's AD       Christ was the natural son of Joseph and Mary but was united with the eternal Christ at his baptism
Arianism      325 AD         Believed that Jesus, the second member of the trinity was produced by the eternal God in eternity past.
Apollinarianism  380 AD Taught that Jesus had a human body and a human soul but had the divine Logos instead of a human spirit.
Nestorianism 400's AD    The two natures were separate forming two people in one
body.
Eutychianism 400's         In response to Nestorianism said there was only one nature.
The divine nature was part divine but not full nor was the human nature full. Result: one mixed nature

Kenosis: Self-Emptying of Christ

"Kenosis" is the verb in Phil.2:7:


"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
Did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
But made himself nothing,
(Literal: "but himself emptied") taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled himself and became obedient to death. . ."
(Philippians 2:5-8)

The Linguistic Key says this about the word "ekenwsen" (the aorist active indicative of "kenow", or "kenosis"):
"to empty, to make empty, to make of no effect.  The word does not mean He emptied Himself of His deity, but rather He emptied Himself of the display of His deity for personal gain.  The word is a graphic expression of the completeness of His self-renunciation and His refusal to use what He had to His own advantage."



 

The concept is he left his position but not his nature. 

He became a servant, but he maintained his full attributes of deity.

As God, he served man.
He left glory to go to the cross.
He did not leave the nature of deity.

Philippians 2:6 makes it clear he maintained full deity: "being in very nature God."
Christ continued as God on the earth.

Compare "very nature God" to "taking the very nature of a servant."
These are the same phrases used to describe His divine nature and his human nature.

If he was not God on earth, then he was not a servant on earth either.

The "kenosis", or self-emptying, refers to His taking or accepting "the very nature of a servant." 

Even in the form of a servant He maintained his deity.
The glory was veiled due to his nature as a servant, but it was with Him.
His deity was with Him, available to Him and used by Him while on the earth in the form of a servant.

"Made in human likeness" means two things:
1) He was really man.
2) He was different from men.

"The self-emptying permitted the addition of humanity and did not involve in any way the subtraction of Deity or canceling the use of the attributes of Deity.  There was a change of form but not of content of the Divine Being.  He did not give up Deity or the use of those attributes; He added humanity.  And this in order to be able to die."



 

Points:
1) Christ's Deity was veiled, but only in the sense that people naturally saw his humanity with their eyes.  His Deity was always operational because it was always there and available.


a. Matt 17:1-8, The transfiguration.
b. John 1:14, "The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father full of grace and truth."
c. John 17:5, "Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."
d. Luke 4:34, "Ha!  What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are - the Holy One of God."
e. Luke 4:41, "Demons came out of many people, shouting, 'You are the Son of God!'  But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ."



 

2) Occasionally Jesus voluntarily choose not to use his divine attributes, but often choose to use his divine attributes.  Sometimes he acted out of His new human nature and other times out of His divine nature.


a. John 1:48, " 'I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.'  Then Nathanael declared, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.'  Jesus said, 'You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree.  You shall see greater things than that. . . you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.'" (the angels even appear when Jesus was born.)
b. John 2:24, "But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.  He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man."
c. John 16:30, "Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions.  This makes us believe that you came from God."
d. John 13:3, "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God."


3) Jesus did miracles in the power of the Spirit, but sometimes in His own power.


a. John 11:25, 40, 41, 43, "I am the resurrection and the life. . . Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? . . Father, I thank you that you have heard me. . .Lazarus, come out!"
b. John 5:25, "I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.  And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man."
c. John 18:6, "When Jesus said, 'I am he,' they drew back and fell to the ground."



Kenosis in Philippians 2 is not a discussion concerning how much of Christ's divine attributes were laid aside or tell us that these divine attributes were restricted. 

Philippians 2 is telling us that the second member of the trinity humbled himself and added to himself the "very nature of a servant", which means he became a man. 

By becoming a man he did not become less God or have to conceal his deity.
By becoming a man he could think, speak and act as a man, but
By being God he could continue to think, speak and act as God.

Philippians 2 tells us Jesus became a man in order to die as a man for the sins of man.

Reference Book:  "Basic Theology" by Charles Ryrie


August 18
 

Holy Spirit Between Old Testament and New Testament

 

Old Testament Prophecies of the New Covenant

1.  The Holy Spirit will be poured out upon all flesh. 

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.  Even on my servants both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” Joel 2:28-29)

2.  The Holy Spirit will be poured out on Israel  

“For I will pour water on the thirsty  land, and streams on the dry ground;  I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.  They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.”  Isaiah 44:3;  

“I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.”  Ezekiel 39:29

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;  I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”  Ezekiel 36:26, 27

“From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory.  For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along.  ‘The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,’ declares the Lord.  ‘As for me, this is my covenant with them,’ says the Lord. ‘My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever,’ says the Lord.”  Isaiah 59:19-21

3.  The Spirit then will remain forever   (Isaiah 59:21, above, “My Spirit. . . forever.”)

4.  The Spirit will live in the heart of man to renew it and sanctify it.

“Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.  I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land.  Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.”  Ezekiel 37:13-14

(Ezekiel 36:26,27, Above)

“ ‘This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,’ declares the Lord.  ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.  No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord.”  Jer. 31:33

5.  The Spirit will rest upon the Messiah who is the Mediator of this New Covenant. 

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots  a branch will bear fruit.  The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”   Isaiah 11:1-2;  

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put ,y Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.  He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.  A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.  In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged. Thill he establishes justice on earth.  In his law the islands will put their hope.”   Isaiah 42:1-4;

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners.  To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”  Isaiah 61:1)



 

The Old Testament spoke of:

1)       Messiah who would be anointed with the Holy Spirit and do a work among the people.

2)      A people who would respond to the Messiah and receive this same Holy Spirit.  They all would:                                                                                                                                   

a)  be given a new nature                                                                                                                     

b)  supernaturally manifest the Holy Spirit that was in them                                                                

c)  live obedient lives of holiness.

 

Closing of the Old Testament

 

Zechariah, 520 BC, the second to last book of the OT, says that all God’s works are by his Holy Spirit and not by the efforts of man.  “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:  ‘Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit.,’ says the Lord.” (Zech.4:6)

 

Zechariah’s prophecy gives a comprhensive view of the future history of the Jewish people from 520 BC through the coming of the Messiah until the establishing of the Kingdom of God on the earth.  (The church age was still a hidden mystery at this time.)

 

Malachi, (430) a contemporary of Nehemiah, lived at a time when Israel had returned from captivity, resettled their land, rebuilt the temple and where once again functioning from Jerusalem under an operating priesthood.  He is appealing to the Jews to return to the Lord in:                

a)      proper ritual obedience to the Law of Moses

b)      a righteous attitude toward God. 

If they did not return to God, he would not return to them.(3:7)

The closing comments of his book are:                                                                         

a)      Remember the Law of Moses (4:4)

b)      “I will send you the prophet Elijah. . .” (4:5)

Elijah was to be the next man to be anointed with the Holy Spirit to bring a message to the people from God.  This man was John the Baptist.

Matt. 11:14, “If you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.”

Matt. 17:12, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.  I tell you,Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.”

Luke 1:15-17, “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.  Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”



 

The Concept of the Holy Spirit Between the OT and NT

Judaism at this time developed the concept that the spirit of prphecy had ceased within Israel with the last of the biblical prophets.

 

First Maccabees 4:45, 46, “They therefore pulled down the altar, and stored away the stones in a suitable place on the temple hill, until there should arise a prophet to give a decision about them.”

First Maccabees 14:41, “The Jews and their priests confirmed Siomon as their leader and high priest in perpetuity until a true prophet should appear.”

Psalm 74:9, “We cannot see any sign for us, we have no propohet now; no one among us knows how long this is to last.”

 

The people of this time lived in a state of continual hopeful expectation of the arrival of a prophet.  Many men and groups stepped up in hopes of fulfilling this position. 

 

“But a Pharisee named Gamaliel a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.  Then he addressed them: ‘Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.  Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him.  He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.  After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt.  He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.”        Acts 5:35-37

 

A religious sect of Judiasm known as the Qumran community understood Isaiah’s promise of the coming of “Elijah” as a reference to themselves.  “A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.”  (Isaiah 40:1)  They moved into the wilderness of Judea near the Dead Sea to fulfill their work of preparing the way for the Lord.  They were one of the popular sects of Jesus day along with the Sadducees and the Pharisees.  They do not appear in the scriptures as clearly because they were in the wilderness preparing the way for the Lord.

The Dead Sea Scrolls come from their communities.

 

In Qumran literature “the spirit of prophecy” begins to be identified as “God’s Holy Spirit.”

 

The title “Holy Spirit” appears in Judaism in IV Ezra (14:22)and in the Ascension of Isaiah (5:14).  In these writings and in the writings of the Rabbis the Holy Spirit is a reference to “God’s spirit of prophecy.”

 

The people of this time did not look for the Holy Spirit nor anticipate his work because it was their assumption that the spirit was the spirit of God in a prophet.  Indeed, the prophets had ceased, but the Spirit continued his work.  This was not identified in their theology since they could only understand the Spirit of God as he appeared in a prophet.

In a sense, they believed the Spirit’s power and disappeared along with the office of the prophet. 

 

They believed this spirit, or the Holy Spirit, would appear again in the new age to a purified Israel along with the Messiah who also had this spirit.[i]



[i] Evangelical Dictionary of Theology



 

The Prophets Had Ceased, but The Spirit Had Continued

The biblical teaching on this time period would say that Judaism was waiting for Elijah to come and restore the office of the prophet and introduce the Messiah.

 

Also, the biblical teaching would include a continuation of the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.  Remember, the Holy Spirit is the communicator.  His ministry of communicating to people has always been a functioning office.  The Spirit’s use of people as judges, kings, prophets, craftsman has been in a divine season and at random to the human view.

 

Consider these people of this time period who lived in the Old Testament time and between Malachi and John the Baptist (Elijah):

 

Simeon in Luke 2:25-35

 

Anna, the prophetess, in Luke 2:36-38

 

Also, consider the spiritual utterances of Elizabeth, Mary, and Zechariah:

 

Elizabeth – Luke 1:41, “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  In a loud voice she exclaimed: . . .”

 

Mary – Luke 1:46, “And Mary said: . . .

 

Zechariah – Luke 1:67, “His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: . . .”

 

Jesus Reveals the Holy Spirit

When Jesus began to teach he taught the idea that the Holy Spirit was a personality.  He showed that the Holy Spirit was God and that the Holy Spirit would work in the church and in all believer’s lives.

John 15:26

John 16:7



August 11
 

Holy Spirit in the Men of Israel

 

Points of Doctrine concerning Holy Spirit in Men in the Old Testament:

1)  The Spirit was not given to all people.

            a)  Individual’s received the Spirit at some level to do the work he assigned to them. 

                        It is never said that all of Israel received the Holy Spirit. 

            b)  The Spirit of God came on those he choose for special ministries:

                        i)  Bezaleel, Exodus 31:3

                        ii)  Othniel, Gideon, Jephthah, Judges 3:10; 6:34; 11:29

                        iii) David, 1 Samuel 16:13

                        iv) Prophets, 1 Peter 1:10-11

2)  The Spirit was temporarily given, and could be withdrawn.

            a)  Samson

                        i)  Judges 13:25, the Spirit of God came and stayed until it  departed

                         “The  Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he was in

                           Mahaneh Dan.”

                        ii)  Judges 16:20, the Spirit of God withdrew from Samson:  He did

                              not know that the Lord had left him.”

            b)  Saul

                        i)  1 Samuel 10:10, “When they arrived at Gibeah, a procession

                       of  prophets met him; the Spirit of God came upon

                      him in  power, and he joined in their prophesying.”

                        ii)  1 Samuel 16:14, “Now the Spirit of the Lord had

                      departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord

                      tormented him.”

            c)  Ezekiel

                        i)  The Spirit entered Ezekiel in Ezekiel 2:2, “As he spoke, the Spirit                                     came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard

                                    him speaking to me.”

                        ii)  The Spirit enters Ezekiel again in Ezekiel 3:24, “Then the Spirit                              came into me and raised me to my feet.  He spoke to

                             me and said: ‘Go, shut yourself inside your house. . .’ ”

          d)  David pleads with God not to withdraw His Holy Spirit after he had sin 

                        with Bathsheba and killed Uriah in Psalms 51:11, “Do not cast me from

           your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.”

 

This kind of prayer is never found in the New Testament, in fact John 14:12-17 says this:

            “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I

            have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these, because I

            am going to the Father. (NOTE:  This is a reference to Jesus being glorified

               which John says will occur before the Spirit is given in John 7:39)  And I will

            do whatever you ask in my name, (NOTE: We are told in Luke 11:13 to ask

               the Father to give the Holy Spirit) so that the Son may bring glory to

            the Father. (Note: The Spirit brings glory to Jesus in John 16:14) You may

            ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.  If you love me, you

            will obey what I command.  And I   will    ask the Father, and he will           give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of           truth. . . You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

 

           The Spirit came on David when Samuel anointed him with oil in 1 Samuel 16:13, 

                “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of 

                his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon

               David in power.”

 

          e)   1 Samuel 19:20, “. . The Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men and they also                                 prophesied.”

            f)   1 Chronicles 12:18, “Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the

                              Thirty, and he said. . .”



 

g)   2 Chronicles 20:14, “Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel son of                               Zechariah, the son of . . As he stood in the assembly.  He said . . .”

 

3)   Before the cross and Pentecost the Spirit could not do in men what He does now:

            a)  He could not raise them up with Him

            b)  He could not make them members of the Body of Christ

            c)  He could not baptize them into one Body

            d)  He could not live eternally within them

 

            Jesus death on the cross and his shed blood has purified us from sin.  Since the atonement has historically been accomplished, the Spirit of God can now in history live in men.  Before the historical occurrence of Jesus death and resurrection, the Old Testament saints could believe in it or have faith in the coming Messiah and so secure for themselves a place in the kingdom of God and be called believers.  They could not have the historical effects in their lives, namely the personal presence of the Spirit of God in their life as a historical response to the finished work of Christ on this side of eternity.  Regeneration, baptism, indwelling, sanctification are all New Testament terms for New Covenant realities of which we have experienced now in time.  Non were true nor available in the Old Covenant.

 

The Holy Spirit could be with individuals, or clothe them, but he could not live in them and change their nature.  Not yet.  They had not been made holy by the blood of the Lamb of God, though they could be “saved” since they were believers in the future work of Christ.  Yet, they could not be made holy in their inner nature.   Some examples:

            i) Numbers 27:18, “Joshua . . .a man in whom is the Spirit.”

            ii) 1 Peter 1:11, “The Spirit of Christ which was in them.”         

            iii) Exodus 31:3, “I have filled him (Bezaleel) with the Spirit of God.”

            iv) Micah 3:8, “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord,                                    and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression.”

            v)  Luke 1:41, Elizabeth

            vi) Luke 1:67, Zacharias

            vii) Numbers 11:25, “The Lord . . took of the Spirit that was upon him (Moses)                                     and put it upon the seventy elders.”

 

viii)  What about 1 Samuel 10:9, “As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed            Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day.  When

            they arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of

            God came upon him in power, and he joined in their prophesying.”

 

POINT:  This indeed says God changed his heart, but that does not mean he was regenerated.

 

 4)  The Spirit worked within the nation of Israel, but did not unite it as one body as the Spirit of God does when church age believers are placed into one spiritual body (church).

          a)  The Spirit was with Israel.  Haggai 2:4,5, “ ‘Now be strong,

              O Zerubbabel, . . .Be strong, O Joshua . . .Be strong, all you

               people of the land. . .and work.   For I am with you,’

              declares the Lord Almighty.  This is what I covenanted with you 

              when you came out of Egypt.  And my Spirit remains among you. 

              Do not fear.”

 

          b)  Nehemiah 9:20, 30, “You gave your good Spirit to instruct them.  . .

              For many years  you were patient with them.  By your

              Spirit you admonished them through your   prophets.  Yet they

              paid no attention, so you handed them over. . .”

 

          c) Isaiah 63:10-11, 14, “Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. 

              So he turned and became their enemy. . .Where is he who set his 

              Holy Spirit among them, who sent his glorious arm of

              power  to be at Moses’ right hand, . . .they were given rest by the

              Spirit of the Lord.”

 

The Spirit of God worked in Israel but it was a limited work before the cross, just as he worked in the individual lives of believers but in a limited way.  The death of Christ and his cleansing work would make all the difference in the world to the individual, to the body of believers and eventually to his work in Israel.   John 11:51,

“He prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation and not only for that   nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.” 



 

5)  The Spirit of God acts in sovereignty in the lives of people in the Old Testament.

 

God is sovereign.  The Spirit of God is sovereign.  He moves in believers but if it please him he moved in and spoke through unbelievers.  An example is the prophecy above in John 11:51.  This was a prophecy from the Spirit of God through the unbelieving high priest Caiphas, the one who had Jesus crucified.

 

            a)  Balaam in Numbers 24:2

            b)  Saul and his soldiers prophecied by the Holy Spirit as they tried to find

                     and  kill David in     1 Samuel 19:20-23.[i]



[i] Systematic Theology, vol. 6, Lewis Sperry Chafer

 

Imparting of Powers for Service

Most of the Old Testament passages that mention the Holy Spirit deal with people being empowered for service.

 

 

When these verses are studied we find the Holy Spirit empowering his chosen people. 

It is the Israelites in their mission to establish the kingdom for God that these powers were manifested.

The Spirit communicated with the Gentiles before Abraham, but in Israel people were empowered.

 

This empowerment for acts of service falls into three areas:

Powers given to judges and warriors.

Wisdom and skill given for various purposes.

Prophecy for encouragement, direction and revelation.

 

1.  Old Testament Powers to judges and warriors

1)  Othniel, Judges 3:10, “The Spirit of Jehovah came upon him and he judged Israel.”

      a.  When the Spirit came the men did something.  Here the Spirit came and Othniel began to judge.

                        b.  The Spirit did not come upon someone for no reason and with

                                 no  reason.           

                  c.  Gideon, Judges 6:34, “The Spirit of Jehovah came upon

                        (literally ‘clothed itself with’) Gideon.”

                  d.  Jephthah, Judges 11:29, “The Spirit of Jehovah came upon Jephthah.”

                  e.  Samson, Judges 13:25, “The Spirit of Jehovah began to move.”

                  f.  Samson, Judges 14:6, “The Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him.”

                  g.  1 Samuel 16:14, “The Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil                    spirit from Jehovah troubled him.” 

                  h.  2 Kings 2:16

                  i.  Ezekiel 2:1

                  j.  Ezekiel 3:12

 

Point: 

a)  Special powers were given to men

b)  It was not necessary that these men be moral in character to receive the empowerment

c)  The purpose was not personal but concerned:

1.   the theocratic kingdom, “the end in view is not personal, merely to the agent, but concerns the theocratic kingdom.” (International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia)

2.   involved the covenant between God and Israel

It was God fulfilling his end of the covenant.

 

Wisdom and skill bestowed for various purposes

       We see a combination of thought, wisdom and skill coming from the Holy Spirit

       1)  Bezalel filled with Spirit for wisdom and understanding as a metal worker  in     

               Exodus 31:2-4; 35:31

       2)  In making Aaron’s garments in Exodus 28:3

       3)  Builders of Solomon’s temple, 1 Kings 7:14; 2 Chron. 2:14

       4)  Joshua was given leadership ability in Numbers 27:18

                 a)  Joshua received the Spirit from the laying on of Moses hands

                      (Nu.27:18; Dt.34:9)

       5)  Daniel could interpret dreams and received governmental authority because of

                      the Spirit in

                   Daniel 4:8; 5:11-14; 6:3

       6)  Zerubbabel could build the temple by the Spirit in Zecariah 4:6



 

The Spirit in the Old Testament Prophets and Prophecy

 This was the Spirit’s most common and productive work in the Old Covenant

 Early in the Old Testament the man who spoke by the Spirit was a “seer” (“roeh”) later they were called “prophets” (“nabhi”)

 

A “prophet” is one who speaks for God. (Not one who hears from God.  Many heard from God but were not prophets.)

 

They began there message with “This is the word of the Lord”, or “The Lord says.”

In Hosea the prophet is called, “the watchman over Ephraim.” (Hosea 9:8)

 

The focus of the prophets ministry was to the Nation and not to the individual. 

 

In the earlier days (1 Samuel) the prophets spoke from ecstasy and accompanied by musical instruments.

                     1 Samuel 10

                     2 Kings 3:14,15, “Now bring me a harpist.”  While the harpist was playing,                                  the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha and he said. . .”

In the later days the prophetic focus was on teaching and drawing the people back to the           Law of Moses.

 

The earlier days required action, deliverance. 

The later days required a teaching and a call to righteousness.

      

The Holy Spirit Led People to Holiness in Character

      The very name, Holy Spirit, gives the main focus of his work. 

      The Holy Spirit was called “holy” in Psalm 51:11, Isaiah 63:10.

      The inward nature of the Spirit was God’s nature or character.

      He is called:

                           a) “good Spirit” in Neh. 9:20

                           b) “Your Spirit is good.” in Psalm 143:10

                           c)  The Spirit is good because it teaches God’s will (Ps. 143:10

                           d)  The Spirit gives fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2-5”

                           e)  Righteousness in Isaiah 32:15,16

                           f)  Devotion to the Lord in Isaiah 44:3-5

                           g)  Repentance and prayer in Zechariah 12:10[1]

 

Old Testament Prophecies of the New Covenant

1.  The Holy Spirit will be poured out upon all flesh. (Joel 2:28-29)

2.  The Holy Spirit will be poured out on Israel (Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 39:29)

3.  The Spirit then will remain forever (Isaiah 59:21)

4.  The Spirit will live in the heart of man to renew it and sanctify it. (Ezekiel 37:14; 36:26,27; Jer. 31:33)

5.  The Spirit will rest upon the Messiah who is the Mediator of this New Covenant (Is. 11:2; 42:1; 61:1)



[1] The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia



August 4
 

Holy Spirit

 

Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

The Hebrew word for spirit is “ruach”

It is a word that refers to the atmosphere and notably to the wind.

The “ruach”, or wind, is an invisible, irresistible power, sometimes harsh and destructive and sometimes gentle and beneficial.[i]

 

“ruach” means “breath, wind, breeze.”

The verb form means “to breathe”, “to blow.”

A kndred verb “rawah” means “to breathe,” “having breathing room,” “to be spacious.”[ii]

 

Recognition of God’s Spirit

 Just as man was given and possesses a “breath” or “ruach”, God was described as having “breath” or “ruach.”

 

Old Testament Phrases or Names that Identified the Holy Spirit[iii]

1)      The Spirit of the Lord was an expression for God’s power.  It was the extension of himself that resulted in many of the might deeds of God in the Old Testament

a.       Judges 14:6, “The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have town a young goat.”

b.      1 Samuel 11:6, “Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became very angry.”

2)      The hand of God

a.       Psalms 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech.”

b.      Psalms 102:25, “In the beginning you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.”

3)      The word of God

a.       Psalm 33:6, “By the word of the Lord, were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.”

b.      Psalm 147:15, “He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.”

c.       Psalm 147:18, “He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes and the waters flow.”

4)      The wisdom of God

a.       Exodus 28:3

b.      1 Kings 3:28

c.       Job 32:8

5)      The spirit of prophecy in that the Holy Spirit was the motivating force that caused the prophets to hear and speak.

a.       The Holy Spirit brought them revelation

b.      This is identified by the prophets familiar opening statement: “Thus saith the Lord.”

c.       Numbers 11:17

d.      1 Samuel 16:15

e.       Micah 3:8

f.        Ezekiel 2:2



[i] The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, vol 3, Zondervan.

[ii] The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Vol. 3, editor James Orr, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody Mass.

[iii] Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Edited by Walter A. Elwell, baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan.



 

In Creation

Genesis 1:1,2  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  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.”

 

“hovering” is a term that gives the figure of a brooding or hovering bird over its nest of hatching eggs. 

 

The Spirit was moving like a wind on the dark, empty, dead earth. 

The Spirit was working on combining, arranging and preparing the chaotic elements for the recreated earth.

 

This event is in Paul’s mind when he writes to the Corinthians:

            “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your             servants for Jesus’ sake.  For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,”             made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the              glory of God in the face of Christ.”                           2 Corinthians 4:6, 7

 

Other verses that identify the Holy Spirit in the act of creation:

“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

                                                                                                Job 33:4

“When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.”

                                                                                                Psalm 104:30

“If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, all mankind would perish together and man would return to the dust.”                             Job 34: 14, 15

 

From Adam to Abraham [i]

In the first 11 chapters of the Bible, the days known as the age of the Gentiles, there are 5 direct references to the Holy Spirit.  It was during this  2,000 year period before Abraham and the Jews that some foundational truths of the Spirit of God was revealed and recorded.

 

These next verses indicate what had been revealed and understood about the work of the Holy Spirit from the beginning of time.

 

1)      Genesis 1:2

a.       The truth that is seen here is the Holy Spirit was involved in:

                                                               i.      Recreating the earth

                                                             ii.      Changing ultimate chaos into perfectly arranged order

                                                            iii.      Bringing life and hope to death and darkness.

2)      Job 26:13, “By his breath the skies became fair; his hand pierced the gliding serpent.”

a.       The book of Job occurred near the time of Abraham.  There are three references to the Holy Spirit in the book of Job

b.      “skies became clear” is a reference to Genesis 1:2

c.       “gliding serpent” is a reference usually taken to refer to the Milky Way.

d.      This shows the Spirit’s direct hand in the work of the material universe.

3)      Genesis 6:3, “Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

a.       In the days of Noah the Spirit of God was trying to draw all men back to him.  The Spirit did this in a variety of ways that we know:

                                                               i.      The preaching of  Noah (1 Peter 3:19, 20)

                                                             ii.      The inward checks and the law written on their hearts (Rm. 2:15)

b.      Point One:  The Spirit strives with sinners to turn them to God

c.       Point Two:  The Spirit will eventually stop calling each individual and group back to himself.  There is a ending point to the Spirit’s work of urging men to repent.

                                                               i.      “The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. . .Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!”                           Hosea 4:16,17

d.      Point Three:  Man is mortal (also translated, “flesh”) and is naturally opposed to the immortal Holy Spirit.  It is simply natural and must be accepted that many men will resist the Spirit’s work.  Grace is not an eternal option.  In every case the day of opportunity passes.

e.       contend” (NIV)  also means “strive” with, “rules” in or is “humbled” in.[ii]  In his 1870 book “Old Testament Word Studies,” Wilson gives the meaning of this Hebrew word as “to judge, contend, to be at strife.  Most of the ancient versions give it the sense of remaining or dwelling. . . .Gen. 6:3 may be translated, ‘My spirit shall not always be despised by man, i.e. I will not suffer my spirit, admonishing them and pleading with them by the prophets, to be perpetually neglected, I will punish them.”[iii]  More modern studies of etymology show the meaning of “contend” to be better translated as “continue” or “last”.  The Septuagint and the Vulgate confirm this.  This makes more sense of the context and fits the whole theology of the Holy Spirit than the word “strive.”[iv]

 

4)      Job 27:3 and 33:4, “As long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils. . .The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

a.       Human life is totally dependent upon the Holy Spirit of God.[v]



[i] Systematic Theology, vol. 6, Lewis Sperry Chafer

[ii] The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

[iii] William Wilson (1783-1873), Old Testament Word Studies, Reprint of 2nd edition from 1870

[iv] New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis, vol. 1, Zondervan, 1997.

[v] Matthew Henry



 

The Revealer of Truth

As we will study the Spirit of God is the source or the written word and the understanding of that written word.

 

We will understand now that the Holy Spirit is the one who produces and provides all communication from God to men.

 

God spoke to men during the days of Adam to Abraham.

1)      God spoke with Adam

2)      God spoke with Cain

3)      God spoke with Noah

4)      The knowledge of why Abel’s offering was acceptable and Cain’s was rejected had been previously taught and communicated to the first generations on earth.

5)      The book of Job has many highly developed truths of doctrine including Creation, redemption and the Redeemer, righteousness, and end times.  This is the first book written.  Meaning, all these doctrines had been known and developed but scripture was not yet available.  How?  The Holy Spirit.

6)      Melchizedek, a Gentile priest and king, approached Abraham with wine and bread.

7)      Genesis 26:5 says, “Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws.”  Have you ever wondered how he knew them?  Moses wasn’t going to live for another 600 years.  This is from the 26th chapter of Genesis and Genesis had not been written down.

8)      Noah, in the sixth chapter of Genesis, and the 10th generation was a preacher of righteousness.

 

Lewis Sperry Chafer writes: “A distinction should be made between:

1)  a thing revealed from God which calls for no proclamation of it and

2)  a revelation from God which anticipates its publication.

 

            “God spoke to Adam, to Cain, and to Noah, but with no instruction that it be                transmitted to others and preserved as revelatory truth.  But to the prophets He                spoke with the expectation that the message would be conveyed somehow to others.  Of this distinction Kuyper writes: ‘God spoke also to others than prophets                     e.g., to Eve Cain, Hagar, etc.  To receive a revelation or a vision does not make                    one a prophet, unless it be accompanied by the command to communicate the                    revelation to others.  The word ‘nabi,’ the Scriptural term for prophet, does not                indicate a person who receives something of God, but one who brings something                       to the people.  Hence it is a mistake to confine divine revelation to the prophetic             office”[i]

 

The Spirit of God is the source of Scripture and the full revelation of God as recorded in Scripture. 

 

But, the completion of the Scripture does not change the Holy Spirit’s ministry of communication nor does it confine the Holy Spirit to speak only through the Scripture.

If this was so, it would be the only time in history that the Spirit was not directly communicating with people.  And, this is the age of the Holy Spirit.

 

It would appear to be accurate to say that no man will again be called on to receive a revelation from God that should be published along side the Scriptures. 

 

But, it also would appear to be accurate to say that people will always be communicated to by the Holy Spirit in a variety of ways to reveal to them things they need know but are not intended for proclamation or publication.

 

 

Imparting of Powers for Service

Most of the Old Testament passages that mention the Holy Spirit deal with people being empowered for service.

 

When these verses are studied we find the Holy Spirit empowering his chosen people. 

It is the Israelites in their mission to establish the kingdom for God that these powers were manifested.

The Spirit communicated with the Gentiles before Abraham, but in Israel people were empowered.

 

This empowerment for acts of service falls into three areas:

1)      Powers given to judges and warriors.

2)      Wisdom and skill given for various purposes.

3)      Prophecy for encouragement, direction and revelation.

 

Old Testament Powers to judges and warriors

1)      Othniel, Judges 3:10, “The Spirit of Jeovah came upon him and he judged Israel.”

a.       When the Spirit came the men did something.  Here the Spirit came and Othniel began to judge.

b.      The Spirit did not come upon someone for no reason and with no reason.

2)      Gideon, Judges 6:34, “The Spirit of Jehovah came upon (literally ‘clothed itself with’) Gideon.”

3)      Jephthah, Judges 11:29, “The Spirit of Jehovah came upon Jephthah.”

4)      Samson, Judges 13:25, “The Spirit of Jehovah began to move.”

5)      Samson, Judges 14:6, “The Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him.”

6)      1 Samuel 16:14, “The Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him.” 

7)      2 Kings 2:16

8)      Ezekiel 2:1

9)      Ezekiel 3:12

 

Point: 

a)      Special powers were given to men

b)      It was not necessary that these men be moral in character to receive the empowerment

c)      The purpose was not personal but concerned:

1.      the theocratic kingdom

2.      involved the covenant between God and Israel

a.       It was God fulfilling his end of the covenant.



[i] Systematic Theology, vol. 6, Lewis Sperry Chafer and The Work of the Holy Spirit, p. 70, as cited by Walvoord, The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, p. 46)






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