#20 On the Nature of God: The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

Do you believe in ghosts or spirits, especially at Halloween? The Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit of God certainly existed in the Old Testament.

Unfortunately, studies about the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament have been neglected, possibly due to the King James’ translation of the word spirit as ghost. Our childhood fear of ghosts may have added to this reluctance.

See, for example, Matthew 1:18-20 (King James translation in parenthesis):

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit (Ghost). And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit (Ghost).”

The irrational fear of ghosts drilled into us as children has shrouded the subject of the Holy Spirit in mystery. In fact, there is not one word in the Bible that suggests that the Holy Spirit at Halloween wears a sheet and hovers like a ghost or appears to human beings.

However, in understanding the nature of God, it is important to see the work of the Holy Spirit as the actions of the Spirit of God directed by the Father. We do not have to understand all about how the Spirit works to appreciate the many activities that He has accomplished.

Many people imagine that the work of the Holy Spirit of God is confined to the New Testament. Not so. The Holy Spirit is mentioned all through the Old Testament.

The following make these activities clear:

  1. The Holy Spirit inspired the writing of both the Old and New Testament to ensure accuracy: 2 Peter 1:20-21:

“…knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

The Apostle Paul stated that even the words were inspired, 1 Corinthians 2:12-13:

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

  1. The Holy Spirit was present and active in creation, Genesis 1:1-2:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 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.”

It is unclear as to what hovering entails. But the Holy Spirit of God was present from the beginning.

  1. The Holy Spirit was given to various Old Testament leaders such as judges and kings. King Saul is an example, 1 Samuel 10:10:

“When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them.”

We do not know exactly how the Holy Spirit affected Saul. However, we do know that when Saul willfully disobeyed the Lord, the Spirit departed from him, 1 Samuel 16:14:

“Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul.”

After the Spirit departed, Saul continued down the road of sin and decay.

Other Israelite leaders, Othniel, Gideon, Samson, and King David, were also guided in a special way by the Holy Spirit.

  1. Hundreds of years before Jesus lived, the Holy Spirit inspired prophets in the Old Testament to prophesy about the Spirit of God anointing Jesus. Isaiah 42:1 is an example:

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.”

Isaiah in chapters 52 and 53 also prophesied about Jesus as the suffering Servant and described many of the events of the cross.

  1. The Holy Spirit enabled special, beautiful, and superior work to be done on the tabernacle and its furniture, Exodus 31:1-3:

“The LORD said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship,”

Another man, Oholiab, was also enabled to do this special work.

In summary, the Father sent the Holy Spirit to perform various tasks during Old Testament times. This sending of the Holy Spirit to the earth for these tasks is part of the nature of God.

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