The Holy Spirit - God's Spirit
E-book and Audio series
PART 2 - The Roles and Activities of the Holy Spirit
Chapter 32 - The Abiding of the Spirit Upon All Believers
Summary: Comparing the OT situation with the abiding permanency we see in the times after the Lord's resurrection.
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Study notes for this audio:
(Note: This is just a summary of the points covered. There is greater detail in the audio message).
A summary of this series so far….
- Holy Spirit's being and nature: “the intangible arm of God, interacting with mankind”
- The Holy Spirit's activities and roles:
The activities of the Holy Spirit are quite diverse, and change throughout the ages. Just because we read about the Spirit performing some deed in the OT, we should not assume that He works that same way today.
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In this study, we pick up the thread, continuing to look at the roles and activities of the Holy Spirit in the Acts period.
In order to appreciate some of the significance of the Spirit’s activity in Acts, I’d like to go back to earlier passages of Scripture, make a general note of the Spirit’s activities prior to Acts, and then compare it with what we see in Acts.
READ Numbers 11:24,25 - The OT situation is exemplified in this passage
- The Holy Spirit came upon only a select few people, and did not remain with them permanently after a particular task or phase of God’s plan had been completed. All through the OT, this was the situation. God would interact with only a relatively few individuals via His spirit, and usually not with permanence (in rare instances, but mostly not).
Furthermore, Read v.26-29 - note Moses' desire for the Holy Spirit to be upon all of God's people. Moses would eventually get his wish, but it wouldn't happen until quite a few centuries later - after Christ’s resurrection.
Moving forward in time, compare and contrast that with what we read in John 14:16-18 - amongst the last words of the Lord to His disciples.
The promise of the Holy Spirit – would be permanently abiding with the disciples after Christ's ascension.
Tenses in these verses require some unravelling
v.16 – future
v.17b looks present, but refers to a future situation
v.18 – future again
Bear that in mind as we read John 7:37-39
- "all" that would believe on Him (not just the disciples)
The Lord spoke about the Holy spirit that would be poured OT upon all who believed in Him, but the commentary tells us that it wasn't taking place yet (during the gospel period) because the Lord had not yet risen at that point in time.
This event in John 7 took place during the Feast of tabernacles, a picture of the future kingdom, of which the earlier feast of Pentecost was a foretaste. In the annual feast of Pentecost, only firstfruits were offered, at the annual feast of tabernacles, lots of produce was offered, didn't have to be the firstfruits. In Acts 2 we saw the firstfruits of those who would be blessed with the Holy Spirit; a foretaste of the greater numbers to come into the kingdom and be blessed with God’s Holy Spirit at some future time.
With these two passages (John chs 14 & 7) we get a glimpse of the new way that God would soon be interacting with man via His Spirit:
From the time of the resurrection /ascension onwards:
(a) all believers would be blessed with the Holy Spirit
(b) this blessing would be permanent.
READ Mark 16:14-20 - We see these aspects promised
All who believe would receive gifts. Such miracles in OT times were always the work of God’s Holy Spirit, enabling, revealing and guiding people.
After Christ’s resurrection and ascension, there were two differences:
(a) God's Spirit would be with all believers
(b) Gods Spirit would remain permanently with the believer
READ Ephesians 1:13,14 – same case today. All Christian believers … permanently.
Note that some of the ways the Spirit is manifested in our lives is different to the believers of the Acts Period.
The presence of God's Holy Spirit in our lives is an act of grace – we are not always the best company to live with!
He didn’t have to do this … but He did.
(Note: This is just a summary of the points covered. There is greater detail in the audio message).
A summary of this series so far….
- Holy Spirit's being and nature: “the intangible arm of God, interacting with mankind”
- The Holy Spirit's activities and roles:
The activities of the Holy Spirit are quite diverse, and change throughout the ages. Just because we read about the Spirit performing some deed in the OT, we should not assume that He works that same way today.
----------------------
In this study, we pick up the thread, continuing to look at the roles and activities of the Holy Spirit in the Acts period.
In order to appreciate some of the significance of the Spirit’s activity in Acts, I’d like to go back to earlier passages of Scripture, make a general note of the Spirit’s activities prior to Acts, and then compare it with what we see in Acts.
READ Numbers 11:24,25 - The OT situation is exemplified in this passage
- The Holy Spirit came upon only a select few people, and did not remain with them permanently after a particular task or phase of God’s plan had been completed. All through the OT, this was the situation. God would interact with only a relatively few individuals via His spirit, and usually not with permanence (in rare instances, but mostly not).
Furthermore, Read v.26-29 - note Moses' desire for the Holy Spirit to be upon all of God's people. Moses would eventually get his wish, but it wouldn't happen until quite a few centuries later - after Christ’s resurrection.
Moving forward in time, compare and contrast that with what we read in John 14:16-18 - amongst the last words of the Lord to His disciples.
The promise of the Holy Spirit – would be permanently abiding with the disciples after Christ's ascension.
Tenses in these verses require some unravelling
v.16 – future
v.17b looks present, but refers to a future situation
v.18 – future again
Bear that in mind as we read John 7:37-39
- "all" that would believe on Him (not just the disciples)
The Lord spoke about the Holy spirit that would be poured OT upon all who believed in Him, but the commentary tells us that it wasn't taking place yet (during the gospel period) because the Lord had not yet risen at that point in time.
This event in John 7 took place during the Feast of tabernacles, a picture of the future kingdom, of which the earlier feast of Pentecost was a foretaste. In the annual feast of Pentecost, only firstfruits were offered, at the annual feast of tabernacles, lots of produce was offered, didn't have to be the firstfruits. In Acts 2 we saw the firstfruits of those who would be blessed with the Holy Spirit; a foretaste of the greater numbers to come into the kingdom and be blessed with God’s Holy Spirit at some future time.
With these two passages (John chs 14 & 7) we get a glimpse of the new way that God would soon be interacting with man via His Spirit:
From the time of the resurrection /ascension onwards:
(a) all believers would be blessed with the Holy Spirit
(b) this blessing would be permanent.
READ Mark 16:14-20 - We see these aspects promised
All who believe would receive gifts. Such miracles in OT times were always the work of God’s Holy Spirit, enabling, revealing and guiding people.
After Christ’s resurrection and ascension, there were two differences:
(a) God's Spirit would be with all believers
(b) Gods Spirit would remain permanently with the believer
READ Ephesians 1:13,14 – same case today. All Christian believers … permanently.
Note that some of the ways the Spirit is manifested in our lives is different to the believers of the Acts Period.
The presence of God's Holy Spirit in our lives is an act of grace – we are not always the best company to live with!
He didn’t have to do this … but He did.
