The Holy Spirit - God's Spirit
E-book and Audio series
PART 2 - The Roles and Activities of the Holy Spirit
Chapter 11 - The Work of the Spirit in OT - Pt 1 - An Enabler
Summary: The role of the Holy Spirit enabling people to perform extraordinary deeds in OT times.
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No.11 - The Work of the Holy Spirit in the OT - Pt 1 - an Enabler - Study notes
(there is greater detail about some of these points on the accompanying audio message)
In regards to the Holy Spirit’s activities, I have tried to emphasise two aspects –
(1) The Holy Spirit is the intangible arm of God, interacting with mankind.
(2) The Spirit’s activities vary throughout the ages, depending on the different ways that God is dealing with mankind at any given point in time.
In the last study, we looked at the Spirit’s activities as recorded in the book of Genesis. It was seen that the Spirit had a role in creation, also that God said that His spirit would no longer abide the corruption of humans, and then He brought about the Flood. We then observed that there is no activity of the Spirit mentioned in the lives of Abraham, Isaac or Jacob, and it is only when we get to Jacob’s son Joseph that we read of the Spirit of God working in him. In that instance, the Spirit enabled Joseph to interpret dreams – a skill beyond that which would normally have had.
In this study, we're going to continue looking at some of the works and activities of the Holy Spirit during OT times. This is worthwhile, because it will provide us with a good platform for exploring the Spirit's work in the NT, and especially when we consider the Spirit’s work with us today. If you can't wait that long, go straight to chapters 36-43, where the Spirit's work today is dealt with. You may also like to read Michael Penny's booklet "The Work of the Spirit in an Age of Grace" for his thoughts about the Spirit's activities today. Before you do that, however, I must say that I have found it very helpful to observe the patterns and principles established in the OT first, in order to better understand how things work today.
Three Main Activities of the Holy Spirit in the OT
In essence we can say that the main activities of the Spirit in OT are threefold (there may be a few others, but these are the main ones):
(1) As a Guide to those appointed as leaders over God's people;
(2) As a Revealer of God’s word, most often through prophets;
(3) As an Enabler, the Spirit enabled people to perform extraordinary miraculous deeds – the subject of this particular study.
All of the above are roles of the Holy Spirit - the intangible arm of God, interacting with mankind.
In this study, we'll focus on how the Spirit enabled some people to perform extraordinary miraculous deeds during OT times – “evidential miracles” –
miracles for which there is indisputable, visual, tangible evidence. We'll look at these first because they are the sort of activities of the Spirit that
are easiest to understand, and that we are most familiar with. In reality though, they are actually the least spoken about activity of the three. Perhaps surprisingly, much less is said about the Holy Spirit being an enabler in OT times, than Him being a Guide or a Revealer of God’s Word.
Joseph
READ Gen 41:8 Pharaoh's dream.
Joseph was in prison at this time. Pharaoh hears of a man who interprets dreams, calls for Joseph, ...
READ v.14-17 .... 25 ... and declares v.38, 39
Bezaleel and fellow craftsmen
READ Ex 31:1-5 … 35:31-35
Samson - READ Judges 13:24,25 … 14:5,6 … 19 … Philistines 15:13b-15
Samson was given strength in his outer man. Compare this with Ephesians 3:16 – Paul’s prayer that we may be strengthened with might in the inner man).
Elijah & Elisha
The Spirit on them is barely mentioned, but READ 2 Peter 1:20,21.
Elijah miraculously produced a plentiful supply of food amidst a time of drought - 1 Kings 17:1…8-16
- Raised a widow’s son …17, 21-24 - note the result – this work of the Spirit through Elijah showed that God’s word was really with this man.
This is similar to what we see in the NT – Christ’s miracles and apostles’ miracles showed this also. In NT times, Christ’s miracles attested to the fact that His message really was from God; likewise the apostles, when they performed miracles – they performed a miracle, and then they taught the people.
The first actual mention of God’s spirit being present in their lives is an unusual one READ 2 Kings 2:9.
The “double portion” of Elijah's spirit that Elisha inherited may manifest itself in the number of miracles recorded by Elijah as compared with Elisha. The Companion Bible notes on 2 Kings 2:15 suggest that whilst eight miracles of Elijah were recorded in Scripture, sixteen (i.e. twice as many) were recorded as being performed through Elisha. Whilst this is perhaps true, I suspect it actually has more to do with with inheritance, and the idea of
being Elijah’s successor. Note the progression of the text:
Elijah’s last miracle – 2 Kings 2:8
Elisha's request for a double portion – v.9
Elijah taken away - v.11
Elisha’s cry – my father, my father - v.12
Elisha’s first miracle – v.14. Note that it included Elijah’s mantle (a cloak symbolising Elijah’s, and others', position)
The reaction of sons of the prophets (more likely disciples of prophets) - v.15 – "the spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha".
Elisha, another miracle - 2 Kings 2:19-22 – healing of the waters
After Elisha
Mention of miraculous works being performed via God’s Spirit really tails off after Elisha. The messages of prophets were generally ignored, especially during the time of the divided kingdom. Plenty of prophets, but no mention of evidential miracles. HOWEVER, there are plenty of examples of the words of the prophets coming to pass during that time. A lot about the impending judgement, destruction and exile. Both kingdoms are then exiled.
Daniel
The next evidential miraculous working of the Spirit is recorded in Daniel’s time, Daniel himself being an exile from Judah to Babylon.
Daniel 4.1–9,18,24; Dan 5:11,12,14 - interpreting dreams by the spirit of God
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:
In this study, we’ve focussed on one of the Spirit’s main roles in the OT – that of an Enabler – empowering people to perform deeds beyond normal human capabilities. Such evidential miracles are along the lines of what we see plenty of in Christ's earthly ministry, and then in the Acts period. The
enabling of miracles, whilst common enough at certain times during the OT, seems to actually be the least prominent / frequent type of activity of the Spirit during the OT times.
In the next study, we’ll look at another one of the Spirit’s main roles in OT times – that of His work in revealing the messages of God.
(there is greater detail about some of these points on the accompanying audio message)
In regards to the Holy Spirit’s activities, I have tried to emphasise two aspects –
(1) The Holy Spirit is the intangible arm of God, interacting with mankind.
(2) The Spirit’s activities vary throughout the ages, depending on the different ways that God is dealing with mankind at any given point in time.
In the last study, we looked at the Spirit’s activities as recorded in the book of Genesis. It was seen that the Spirit had a role in creation, also that God said that His spirit would no longer abide the corruption of humans, and then He brought about the Flood. We then observed that there is no activity of the Spirit mentioned in the lives of Abraham, Isaac or Jacob, and it is only when we get to Jacob’s son Joseph that we read of the Spirit of God working in him. In that instance, the Spirit enabled Joseph to interpret dreams – a skill beyond that which would normally have had.
In this study, we're going to continue looking at some of the works and activities of the Holy Spirit during OT times. This is worthwhile, because it will provide us with a good platform for exploring the Spirit's work in the NT, and especially when we consider the Spirit’s work with us today. If you can't wait that long, go straight to chapters 36-43, where the Spirit's work today is dealt with. You may also like to read Michael Penny's booklet "The Work of the Spirit in an Age of Grace" for his thoughts about the Spirit's activities today. Before you do that, however, I must say that I have found it very helpful to observe the patterns and principles established in the OT first, in order to better understand how things work today.
Three Main Activities of the Holy Spirit in the OT
In essence we can say that the main activities of the Spirit in OT are threefold (there may be a few others, but these are the main ones):
(1) As a Guide to those appointed as leaders over God's people;
(2) As a Revealer of God’s word, most often through prophets;
(3) As an Enabler, the Spirit enabled people to perform extraordinary miraculous deeds – the subject of this particular study.
All of the above are roles of the Holy Spirit - the intangible arm of God, interacting with mankind.
In this study, we'll focus on how the Spirit enabled some people to perform extraordinary miraculous deeds during OT times – “evidential miracles” –
miracles for which there is indisputable, visual, tangible evidence. We'll look at these first because they are the sort of activities of the Spirit that
are easiest to understand, and that we are most familiar with. In reality though, they are actually the least spoken about activity of the three. Perhaps surprisingly, much less is said about the Holy Spirit being an enabler in OT times, than Him being a Guide or a Revealer of God’s Word.
Joseph
READ Gen 41:8 Pharaoh's dream.
Joseph was in prison at this time. Pharaoh hears of a man who interprets dreams, calls for Joseph, ...
READ v.14-17 .... 25 ... and declares v.38, 39
Bezaleel and fellow craftsmen
READ Ex 31:1-5 … 35:31-35
Samson - READ Judges 13:24,25 … 14:5,6 … 19 … Philistines 15:13b-15
Samson was given strength in his outer man. Compare this with Ephesians 3:16 – Paul’s prayer that we may be strengthened with might in the inner man).
Elijah & Elisha
The Spirit on them is barely mentioned, but READ 2 Peter 1:20,21.
Elijah miraculously produced a plentiful supply of food amidst a time of drought - 1 Kings 17:1…8-16
- Raised a widow’s son …17, 21-24 - note the result – this work of the Spirit through Elijah showed that God’s word was really with this man.
This is similar to what we see in the NT – Christ’s miracles and apostles’ miracles showed this also. In NT times, Christ’s miracles attested to the fact that His message really was from God; likewise the apostles, when they performed miracles – they performed a miracle, and then they taught the people.
The first actual mention of God’s spirit being present in their lives is an unusual one READ 2 Kings 2:9.
The “double portion” of Elijah's spirit that Elisha inherited may manifest itself in the number of miracles recorded by Elijah as compared with Elisha. The Companion Bible notes on 2 Kings 2:15 suggest that whilst eight miracles of Elijah were recorded in Scripture, sixteen (i.e. twice as many) were recorded as being performed through Elisha. Whilst this is perhaps true, I suspect it actually has more to do with with inheritance, and the idea of
being Elijah’s successor. Note the progression of the text:
Elijah’s last miracle – 2 Kings 2:8
Elisha's request for a double portion – v.9
Elijah taken away - v.11
Elisha’s cry – my father, my father - v.12
Elisha’s first miracle – v.14. Note that it included Elijah’s mantle (a cloak symbolising Elijah’s, and others', position)
The reaction of sons of the prophets (more likely disciples of prophets) - v.15 – "the spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha".
Elisha, another miracle - 2 Kings 2:19-22 – healing of the waters
After Elisha
Mention of miraculous works being performed via God’s Spirit really tails off after Elisha. The messages of prophets were generally ignored, especially during the time of the divided kingdom. Plenty of prophets, but no mention of evidential miracles. HOWEVER, there are plenty of examples of the words of the prophets coming to pass during that time. A lot about the impending judgement, destruction and exile. Both kingdoms are then exiled.
Daniel
The next evidential miraculous working of the Spirit is recorded in Daniel’s time, Daniel himself being an exile from Judah to Babylon.
Daniel 4.1–9,18,24; Dan 5:11,12,14 - interpreting dreams by the spirit of God
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:
In this study, we’ve focussed on one of the Spirit’s main roles in the OT – that of an Enabler – empowering people to perform deeds beyond normal human capabilities. Such evidential miracles are along the lines of what we see plenty of in Christ's earthly ministry, and then in the Acts period. The
enabling of miracles, whilst common enough at certain times during the OT, seems to actually be the least prominent / frequent type of activity of the Spirit during the OT times.
In the next study, we’ll look at another one of the Spirit’s main roles in OT times – that of His work in revealing the messages of God.