THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Who He Is!

We come now to a mammoth undertaking: a study about The Holy Spirit of God! We will learn that He lives within the Christian; He guides, teaches, protects and coaches the Christian toward EXCELLENCE in our spiritual journey. We will see that the Holy Spirit is God; He deserves our worship, our obedience, our allegiance and loyalty. We will learn about His Power and Glory. We will see the important role He has played in human history through the ages. We will find out how He works on the human heart to bring God's chosen to Christ. We will see how The Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ are inseparable in their salvation of souls. We'll learn how important He is to us every day of our lives.

We introduced a study about God's Creation in 1995. We'll begin our new study about the Holy Spirit where we left off in Genesis 1:2. We've learned that God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning. We've seen that the earth was formless and empty and darkness was over the surface of the deep. "...and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." Who is this Spirit of God? Is it a piece of God? Is it another God? Is it an "it"? A He? A She? We turn to the Hebrew language for answers.

The words "Spirit of God" are Ruah Elohim . Ruah , is translated 180 times as spirit(s), 92 times as wind(s) and 32 times as breath(s). Keil and Delitzsch have expert insight to the usage of the word.

Ruah , "denotes wind and spirit, like pneuma , from pnew . Ruach Elohim , is not a breath of wind caused by God (Theodoret, etc.), for the verb does not suit this meaning, but the creative Spirit of God, the principle of all life (Ps. xxxiii. 6, civ. 30), which worked upon the formless, lifeless mass, separating, quickening, and preparing the living forms, which were called into being by the creative words that followed." (Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume I, C.F.Keil and F. Delitzsch, Eerdmans Publishing Co., Fifth Printing, June 1978)

I will make some statements about the Spirit of God now as fact. I'll present Biblical proof for these statements as we progress through the study.

God is the first Person we learn about in the Bible. The second Person is the Spirit of God. Moses stated that both were involved in creation. "God created the heavens and the earth." The Spirit of God "was hovering over the waters." What do those words mean? The word "hovering" is the Hebrew rahapl . It is used only three times in the Old Testament. The first time is Genesis 1:2. The second is Deuteronomy 32:11: "...like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on it pinions." The third usage is in Jeremiah 23:9: "My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble..." The translators apparently did not think the word "hover" explained the meaning of rahapl , in Jeremiah, so they chose something more akin to the context.

Why was the Spirit of God hovering over the waters? God began His creative acts with water. The earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and there was the Spirit of God hovering over those waters. The next verses tell us the order of God's creation following water.

  1. Light (vs. 3)
  2. Sky (vs. 6)
  3. Land (vs. 9)*
  4. Vegetation (vs. 11)
  5. Sun, moon, stars (vs. 14)
  6. Fish and birds (vs. 20)
  7. Animals and creatures that move along the ground (vs. 24)
  8. Man (vs. 27)

    * God created dry land by gathering all the water to one place and then having dry ground appear. He called the dry ground "land" and the gathered waters "seas." The water for the seas is the same water that the Spirit of God hovered over in verse 2.

    I believe God inspired Moses to mention the Spirit of God's involvement in creation because He played a significant role in the beginning of all things. The Spirit of God was also extremely active during the first several thousand years of human history, as we will see in our study. The writers of the Old Testament spoke openly about the Spirit's activities but hid details about God's Son. It is in the New Testament that God reveals Jesus Christ and His Plan of Grace. Christ also was vitally involved in creating the heavens and earth, but that fact was withheld from the human race until thousands of years later. (See John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:15-17)

    Rahapl , means "to brood over, to hover with a gentle wavering or fluttering motion, as of a bird over her young." What a beautiful picture! God is about to bring into being every living thing and His Spirit hovers over the waters of creation as a mother cares for her children. C.F. Schultz wrote: "Over the lifeless and formless mass of the world-matter this Spirit broods like a bird on its nest, and thus transmits to it the seeds of life, so that afterwards by the word of God it can produce whatever God wills." (C.F. Schultz, "Old Testament Theology")

    A mother bird hovers over her eggs until life hatches from them. After that, the mother bird continues to hover over the baby birds while the new life gains strength. That's an excellent picture of what the Holy Spirit was doing during creation. He moved over the waters giving life and nourishment to all that He, the Father and the Son had created.

    The Bible gives us other evidence for the Holy Spirit's involvement in creation. Remember that the Hebrew word for Spirit is ruah .

    "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath [ruah ] of his mouth." Psalm 33:6 "The Spirit [ruah ] of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life." Job 33:4

    The Holy Spirit was not sitting by idly watching God create the heavens and earth and all that lives within it. The Spirit was also doing the creating. The Holy Spirit is God. When the Bible says "God created," that includes the Spirit of God. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit created. The Hebrew word for "God" in Genesis 1 and 2 is elohim . It is the plural word for God in the Hebrew language. When Elohim created the human race, He said: "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness ... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:26-27) Notice that God used the plural "us" and "our" when speaking about creating man. Only God can create, so He couldn't have meant the angels or some other created beings. God also didn't create man in any image other than Himself. I believe this is another evidence of the Triune Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All were equally involved in creation.

    The Spirit is God

    This is probably a good time to give you more evidence to support the belief that the Holy Spirit is God and not just a part or influence of God (as some teach today). I'll share several points of evidence with you. Consider them and see if you agree that the Spirit of God is God.

    The Spirit is Called God

    "Then Peter said, 'Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land...You have not lied to men but to God."

    Acts 5:3-4

    The Spirit is United with the Father and Son

    "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

    Matthew 28:19

    "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

    2 Corinthians 13:14

    The Spirit has Characteristics of God

    • Eternal --- "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" (Hebrews 9:14)

    • Everywhere present --- "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." (Psalm 139:7-10)

    • All-knowing --- "...but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God." (1 Corinthians 2:10-11)

    • Gave Great power --- "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

    • Raised Christ from the dead --- "He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3:8)

    Peter had earlier taught that "God" raised Christ from the dead (Acts 2:24).

    Peter teaches that God raised Christ and the Spirit of God made Christ alive. It's the same teaching. The Holy Spirit is God!

    • Works miracles --- "But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." (Matthew 12:28)

      "...by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit." (Romans 15:19)

    • Gives spiritual life --- "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (John 3:6-8)

    The Spirit Does the Work of God

    • He created --- "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." (Genesis 1:2) "The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life." (Job 33:4)

    • He gave life to God's creatures --- "When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth." (Psalm 104:30)

    • He guided God's people --- "Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them, who sent his glorious arm of power to be at Moses' right hand, who divided the waters before them, to gain for himself an everlasting renown, who led them through the depths?" (Isaiah 63:11-12) "

      You gave your good Spirit to instruct them." (Nehemiah 9:20)

      "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground." (Psalm 143:10)

      "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me." (Psalm 51:10-11)

    • He gave power to Israel's leaders --- "Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him." (Judges 6:34) "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." (1 Samuel 16:13)

    • He inspired God's prophets --- "But Moses replied, 'Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them.'" (Numbers 11:29)

      "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, to Israel his sin." (Micah 3:8)

      "They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry." (Zechariah 7:12)

      "For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:21)

    The Holy Spirit: Member of the Godhead

    One of the arguments I've heard for decades about the Holy Spirit is whether He is a Person of the Godhead or simply an influence of the Godhead. If the Spirit of God is just an influence of God, the argument is made that the Spirit is not a Person; therefore, not a member of the Godhead. I believe the Holy Spirit is a Person of the Godhead: as much God as the Father and the Son. Look with me at the following Scriptural proof that the Holy Spirit is a Person.

    • He teaches --- "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26)

    • He hears and speaks --- "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me [Jesus Christ] by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." (John 16:13-15)

    • He testifies about Christ --- "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me." (John 15:26)

    • He encourages --- "Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord." (Acts 9:31)

    • He counsels --- "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor [Christ being the first Counselor to the disciples] to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." (John 14:16-17)

    • He convicts people of sin --- "Unless I [Jesus Christ] go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment; in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned...But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth." (John 16:7-11, 13)

    • He prays for us --- "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." (Romans 8:26-27)

    • He sends people out on missions --- "The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus." (Acts 13:4)

    • He experiences grief --- "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30)

    • He can be resisted --- "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! (Acts 7:51)

    • He can be tested --- "Peter said to her, 'How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?" (Acts 5:9)

    These are the traits of a Person, not an influence. Also, notice how the Bible writers use the personal term "he" when speaking about the Holy Spirit. That's no accident.

    Please continue this study with The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament Part 2.

    Taking God's Grace to the World!

    "Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright ©, 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."

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    Copyright © , Mark McGee , 1990-2000 / mamcgee@mindspring.com

    Last Updated: 12/20/1999