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Jan 4, 2022 · Answer. The role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament is much like His role in the New Testament. When we speak of the role of the Holy Spirit, we can discern four general areas in which the Holy Spirit works: 1) regeneration, 2) indwelling (or filling), 3) restraint, and 4) empowerment for service. Evidence of these areas of the Holy Spirit ...
- The Spirit Created and Sustained Life
- The Spirit Spoke God’s Words
- The Spirit Promoted Holiness
- The Spirit Addressed Evil
- The Spirit Regenerated
- The Spirit Indwelled
- The Spirit Empowered
- The Spirit Taught and Led
- The Spirit Granted Special Skills
- The Spirit Pointed to The Messiah
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We observe the initial work of the Holy Spirit in Genesis. The Spirit hovered over the waters that God made out of nothing (Genesis 1:1-2), bringing life and setting things in order. Unlike people in contemporary culture who promote evolution and natural selection, Old Testament saints understood creation was a sovereign act of God. The Spirit of G...
Throughout the Old Testament, the Spirit of God is connected to God’s words. The Lord said He would put His words in His people’s mouths (Isaiah 59:21). In 2 Samuel 23:2, David said the Spirit of the Lord spoke through him. Old Testament saints received God’s words through their prophets and leaders. Moses told the Israelites, “The word is very nea...
The Spirit is holy. In the Old Testament, God contended with humans in their sinful nature, and Jehovah wisely limited man’s years (Genesis 6:3). The escalating evil (Genesis 6:5-6) proved Romans 3:23 is true: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God’s people “rebelled and grieved” His Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:7-10), and as a result,...
Genesis 6:3suggests the Holy Spirit restrains sin, and He motivates God’s people to confront it. The prophet Micah was bold to denounce evil and declare the righteousness of God, and he attributed this to filling by the Spirit of the Lord (Micah 3:8). Micah said the Spirit filled him with “justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression an...
Old Testament believers were regenerated by the Spirit, because all believers must be regenerated to overcome their natural hostility toward God and be able to please Him (Romans 8:7-9). The Bible teaches all humans are either born “in the flesh” or born “in the Spirit.” In this sense, Old Testament saints looked forward to the coming of their Rede...
In regard to the indwelling or filling by the Spirit in the Old Testament, most scholars believe the indwelling was selective and temporary. This is in contrast to the New Testament where the Spirit permanently indwells believers (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20). The Spirit was said to “come upon” Old Testament believers for God’s purposes. Joshua ...
As the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile, the Lord encouraged them to build His temple. He wanted them to know He would protect them from threats and enable them to be courageous. God told His people through Haggai, “… my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear” (2:5). The Lord of Hosts told the prophet Zechariah that Zerubbabel, the governor o...
Ezra said of God, “You gave your good Spirit to instruct them” (Nehemiah 9:20). Old Testament believers were enabled by the Spirit to understand what God said to them, especially through the words of the prophets—even if they refused to listen (Nehemiah 9:30). In other instances, the Spirit gave instruction to individuals. For example, David gave h...
The Holy Spirit gifted Old Testament individuals to accomplish God’s divine plans. When God told Israel how He wanted His tabernacle built, He also equipped craftsmen and artisans by His Spirit to do the work (Exodus 31:1-5). The Spirit enabled saints like Joseph (Genesis 41:1-38) to interpret God’s revelation through dreams, and He gave some belie...
Isaiah prophesied about Israel’s coming Messiah, noting that the Spirit would rest upon Him (Isaiah 42:1). When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, Luke says “the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove” (Luke 3:22). In Jesus’ early ministry, it was clear He was the promised mashiach—Messiah—the “anointed one.” He fulfilled the ...
Learn how the Holy Spirit created, spoke, promoted holiness, addressed evil, regenerated, indwelt, empowered, and gifted believers in the Old Testament. See biblical examples and references for each role of the Spirit in the Old Covenant.
- Genesis 1:2 ESV / 41 helpful votes. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
- Psalm 51:11 ESV / 31 helpful votes. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
- Judges 14:6 ESV / 27 helpful votes. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat.
- Psalm 104:30 ESV / 26 helpful votes. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
Feb 21, 2017 · Learn how the Holy Spirit participated in creation, gave life, strived with sinners, came upon prophets, inspired holiness, and anticipated the Messiah in the Old Testament. See a free infographic and a commentary from the New King James Study Bible.
Jun 20, 2013 · We have noted that the old covenant ministry of the Spirit to gift individuals for service was mainly limited to prophets, priests, and kings, although He regenerated all believers during the old covenant period. The Holy Spirit anointed prophets to speak God's Word, priests to intercede for the people, and kings to lead Israel against the ...
The Spirit upon Saul (1 Samuel 10) It is especially instructive to consider the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Saul and David. In 1 Samuel 8, the Lord tells the prophet Samuel to anoint a king over the people of Israel. In chapter 9 God identifies Saul as his choice of king to Samuel. After several other events, Samuel suddenly anoints ...
The Spirit of the Lord Worked in Five Main Areas. As we study the Old Testament we find that the Spirit of the Lord worked in five main areas. They are as follows. First, He was at work in the creation and sustaining of the universe. Second, He was at work in the history of redemption—particularly with the nation Israel.
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