Holy Spirit and the Old Testament

The first mention of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament is seen as early as in Genesis 1:2. We are so used to hearing Christian ministers say that the Holy Spirit is the third in the order of Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Ironically, the Lord Holy Spirit is even described as the “youngest” among the Trinity. Here we see Him mentioned as the Second Person. In his benediction in 2 Cor. 13:14 St. Paul revises this order again. (Son—Father---Holy Spirit). Seriously, there is no ‘’pecking order’’ in Trinity. They are co-equal and co-existent.

We see the Lord in Genesis 1:2 where He hovers over the void and chaotic earth bringing order to the world. We see the Holy Spirit playing an active role in the recreation of the earth, sun, moon, stars, vegetation, birds, fish, and animals.

Man doesn’t become a living being until God says, “let US make man in our own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26) and seeks the assistance of the Holy Spirit. In giving life to man made of clay, God breathes His breath (the Holy Spirit) into his nostrils (Genesis 2:7).

The Holy Spirit empowered men and women for specific tasks during Old Testament days. He accompanied Joseph as he grew up in an alien land. “God was with him,” the Bible says on three occasions. The Pharaoh, an alien king and the ruler of the most powerful nation on earth asks his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?”, as he bestows the highest honor on Joseph (Genesis 41.38). For Christians he is a type of Christ who brought salvation to his people.

No one is too humble for the Holy Spirit’s indwelling.  Bezalel was a technician who worked with metal, bronze, wood and cloth. The Bible talks in great detail about the intricate work he did for building the Ark of the Covenant making a special mention of his being possessed by the Holy Spirit and performing His work exactly as God had instructed Moses. (32:3-5).

Moses, filled with Holy Spirit obeyed God, and in spite of his speech impediment spoke to the Pharos with great courage and humbled him with the ten plagues.  He rescued the Hebrew slaves who were about 2.5 million and led them through the harsh desert over 40 years, after splitting the Red Sea and annihilating the enemy army. It was the Lord Holy Spirit who blessed Joshua as Moses passed on the baton to him and enabled him to conquer seventy nations for God.

Othniel, (Caleb’s son-in-law) the first judge of Israel was an expert administrator and army general; with the help of the Holy Spirit, he defeated enemy armies and freed his people from foreign oppression. (Judges 3.10); The Spirit of the LORD took control of Gideon, a weakling, and a coward, and imbued in him strength and courage so that he could go against a huge enemy army, with just 300 soldiers and destroy them (6:34). The Holy Spirit rushed into Samson when he was in danger, filling him with the superhuman power to overcome 1000 Philistines with a raw jaw bone of a donkey and to kill a lion with his bare hands. Even when he was blinded and chained by the Philistines he was able to bring down a huge stadium and kill three thousand of his enemies (Judges 14:6).

The Holy Spirit’s indwelling helped the prophets speak God’s words. Read the magnificent vision involving the Holy Spirit in Ezekiel 37 where the prophet turns a mound of bleached bones into a mighty army and blows the Spirit into them. The prophets delivered God’s message to the people, warned them in times of rebellion, rescued them from God’s wrath, instructed them and also foretold the nation’s future. They performed mighty miracles for God’s glory. The Lord even influenced evil Balaam to bless the Israelites when the king wanted them cursed. Ironically, one of Balaam’s oracles contains one of the earliest of Messianic prophecies (Numbers 24:17b).  1Peter 1:10-12 tells that the prophets who predicted Christ ‘s arrival with the help of the Holy Spirit themselves had no clear idea about the time or subject of their prophecies!

If the Lord can possess a person, He can leave him also. God’s presence in you is conditional. Joshua 1:5-8 contains some of Jehovah’s condition to Joshua, if the later desires the Holy Spirit to be present in him and enable him to successfully complete the humongous task before him. Paul warns the Ephesians not to grieve the Holy Spirit who has sealed them for the day of redemption (4:30). Isaiah 63:10 describes a sad situation when the people rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; so He changed and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them. How terrible!

King Saul and Samson are primary examples of this. Saul was a great warrior and administrator, a great king before the world. But blatant disobedience cost him the presence of the Spirit. God had forsaken him. Samson was gifted with enormous physical strength, but he abandoned his Nazirite vows and misused his great strength for personal vendetta and had a weakness for women. He didn’t seek the presence and help of the Holy Spirit who had blessed him with victory after victory.

When David repented after his notorious sexual sin, He begged God in prayer not to take the Holy Spirit away from him (Psalms 51:11). Among all Old Testament saints who experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit, David stands apart. Even though through his transgressions he had grieved the Holy Spirit in the most abominable way, the Lord had mercy on Him, granted him pardon and David received Him back!  It’s a joy to listen to his marvelous experience of the Holy Spirit:

Psalms 139:5 -10: You hem me in behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea, then there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast.

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Holy Spirit is shown in the Old Testament as someone who descends upon men to enable them to perform a specific task. What you have just read is a sample of the occasions where the Spirit was involved.

When Christ arrived, He ensured that the Spirit came upon all believers, not only to empower them to do God’s will but also to dwell in them day after day (Acts 2:14-21). We are told that the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at the time of His baptism at Jordan River. It was an extraordinary scene with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit coming together publicly.

When the time had come for him to leave the earth, He promised the disciples He would be sending “another comforter” to be with them. he cannot send Him unless he first goes away. He assured them He will not leave them as orphans and disappear. After His resurrection, He stayed on earth and was seen at least by at least 5000 people and ascended to heaven in public view. On the fiftieth day, His followers received the Holy Spirit amidst high drama. The rest of the New Testament speaks about how the Holy Spirit worked through them.

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