Last Sunday, Pastor Herk of Little Church on the Pines continued in his sermon series on the Holy Spirit with an overview of the work of the Old Testament Holy Spirit. The Bible makes it clear that God is immutable, therefore never changes. Malachi 3:6a tells us, “For I, the Lord, do not change.” James 1:17 confirms, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” Hebrews 13:8 reinforces that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” But, that doesn’t mean that God operated in the same way in the New Testament as He did in the Old Testament. That is particularly true concerning God, the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of God, the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son.
In John 14:16-17 Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” Jesus says that the Holy Spirit “abides” (present tense) with and in the Believer permanently and continuously. The word “abide” is defined as: to be, or exist, to continue; to dwell, rest, continue, stand firm, or be stationary for anytime indefinitely; permanently or in the same state; to be firm and immovable. Clearly, there is a change in the way that the Holy Spirit operates after Jesus’ earthly visitation. Let’s look at how the Holy Spirit operated in the Old Testament in order to understand this change in operational methods instilled. But, we have to understand that the character of the Holy Spirit has not changed, not one bit from the Old Testament to the New Testament.
Know that there are two studies in Theology on the Holy Spirit: (1) Covenant Theology and (2) Dispensational Theology. Let’s see what we can learn from the operation of the Holy Spirit that are so very relevant, so we can see how we can accomplish “good works” goals that the Lord has for us now. Beyond this message, I encourage you to take some time to research and study the Holy Spirit more on your own. The term “Holy Spirit” or “Holy Ghost” is used only three times in the Old Testament (in Psalm 51:11, Isaiah 63:10, 11). But, there are other terms in the Old Testament that speak of Him and His work (the Spirit of God, the spirit of the Lord, My Spirit, Your Spirit, His Spirit, and the Spirit) used widely.
We are going to concentrate and limit our discussion in this message to basically two aspects of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. (1) What was the purpose of God giving the Holy Spirit? and (2) what was the process by which he gave the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament? The ways of infinite God are above our finite comprehension, except for that which is revealed to us for our understanding. We cannot fathom ever reason and purpose that God gave the Holy Spirit to us, but we can focus on some of the things that are most significant and relevant for us, even to this day.
The first purpose of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament was to give life. Genesis 1:2 tells us that in the beginning, “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.” God the Spirit played an integral part in the creation of the earth and life on earth. In Genesis 1:26 it says, Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” The three persons of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) are present and involved in the Creation (physical) and establishment of Life (biological). Psalm 104:30 says, “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the ground.” The Hebrew word for “Spirit” is rûwach, roo'-akh; meaning wind; by resemblance breath, exhalation; figuratively life. Knowing that breath is required for life, confirms that the Holy Spirit is the “Giver of Physical Life”. We have to keep that in mind as we get to the New Testament, that the Holy Spirit is the “Giver of Spiritual Life” as well.
The second purpose of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament was to reveal the things of God. Speaking of the Exodus from Egypt, Nehemiah 9:20a says, “You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them.” The Holy Spirit revealed God’s ways and led them according to God’s ways. Isaiah 48:16-17 tells us, “Come near to Me, listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, from the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent Me, and His Spirit.” Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go.” Psalm 143:10appeals, “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” One of the most important purposes and tasks of the Holy Spirit is to reveal the truth of God. This is the same basic work of the Holy Spirit in both the Old and New Testament.
Let's continue Pastor Herk's message on the Holy Spirit in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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