TEXT: Nehemiah 9:20

SUBJECT: Doctrine of the Holy Spirit #3: The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out in a unique way; fully, on all kinds of people, and worldwide. Thus, we enjoy His ministry in a way unknown to the saints of old. But this does not mean that He came into being at Pentecost--or was first revealed then. No, the Holy Spirit is God and therefore, eternal and unresting.

Last week, we saw Him as Maker of all things and Sustainer of life. "You send Your Spirit and they are created; and You renew the face of the earth" as the Psalmist put it.

But His work did not end on the Sixth Day. Nor is it limited to the prevention of decay and death. The Holy Spirit is equally involved in the salvation of His people. And this is seen--not just in the church after Pentecost--but long before in the history of Israel.

And so today, God willing, we examine "the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament"--especially in the saving aspects of His work.

Now, what did the Holy Spirit do to save His ancient people?

Many things, of course. Did they "see the Kingdom of God?" Then they must have been "born of the Spirit". Did they understand the Bible? Then they must have been "taught by the Holy Spirit". Did they have "life"? Then it must have been "the Spirit that quickened--for even then--"the flesh profited nothing". And so, they were saved in the same way that we are: by the work of the Holy Spirit.

But chiefly, what the Spirit did in the Old Testament is to "anoint". This just means to "pour over" something. Objects were anointed with a special oil and thereby consecrated to the worship of God. The altars, food, and clothing associated with the Tabernacle, for example, were "anointed".

Men, too were "anointed" with oil. The High Priest, Aaron, was inducted into the office with a sacred pouring. King David was made king by anointing. And the prophets as well. Thus, the leading men of Israel were called "the anointed of the LORD".

But this anointing was more than an oily shower. It represented the coming of the Spirit upon a man, and the gift of His enabling power. This is seen, most vividly in the life of David. Samuel named the young man king in the usual way. But notice what occurred with the ceremony: "Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward".

Thus, in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit "anointed" three kinds of people: prophets, priests, and kings. And His coming identified them with His cause and equipped them for His service.

So powerful was this anointing, that it could empower the weakest men for His service. Jeremiah was "too young and inarticulate"; but by the Spirit's anointing, he was "set over nations and kingdoms, to root out and pull down, to destroy and throw down, to build and to plant".

But more than this. The anointing would even overrule bad men and force them to do God's bidding. King Saul consorted with familiar spirits, yet under the Spirit's anointing, would produce great victories. And Baalam, too, the man who worshiped money, would, by the Holy Spirit, see "a Star rising out of Jacob and a Scepter never departing from Judah".

But Saul and Balaam were exceptions to the rule. Normally, the Spirit's unction made the man good and eager to do God's will. And it produced the three offices just mentioned:

Prophet. A prophet is one who speaks for God. And this they did by the Holy Spirit. Nehemiah 9:30 is plain: "Yet for many years you had patience with them, and testified against them by your Spirit in your prophets". And this is not true of a select group of prophets, but all the holy band. "No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private origin, for the prophecy came not in the old time by the will of men, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit". And so dominant was the Spirit's work in the utterance, that sometimes, even the prophets did not know what they were saying. Yet what they said was absolute truth. Thus, the word of the prophet was nothing less than the Mind of the Holy Spirit spoken.

Priest. A priest is one who (ritually) brings men to God. And this, too, they did by the Holy Spirit. When Uzziah presumed to undertake this work without His anointing, he was struck down with leprosy. But the priest was allowed to mingle with the Holy things, offer an atonement for sin, and bring the nation back to God. And although his work was not final--it was meaningful. "The blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh". And his mediation was accepted, only by the Spirit's anointing.

King. A king ruled the people for God. Not in God's place. For "the LORD is king for ever". But he ruled on God's behalf; entrusted with the administration of God's law. And this, office he occupied--not by birth--but by the LORD's anointing. Jonathan was the "heir apparent" to his father's throne. But the Spirit made David king.

Thus, the Spirit ruled Israel by anointing prophets, priests, and kings to do His will. And the nation prospered under them.

Prophets told men what God wanted them to do. Priests enabled them to do it. And kings rewarded those who did and punished those who didn't. Thus, Israel was greatly blessed by the work of the Holy Spirit. Without Him, they would have been left as the other nations: ignorant, wild, and "without God and without hope in the world".

But as marvelous as this anointing work was, it was not meant to be final. It looked forward to something else. Something like it, to be sure--but better. And that is the Coming of the LORD's Anointed.

And who is that? One day, a young man came to synagogue. And because He had unusual insight into Scripture, He was asked to read. He opened the scroll, and found the text He was looking for, Isaiah 61:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He was anointed Me to preach

the Gospel to the poor.

He has sent Me to heal the

brokenhearted,

to preach deliverance to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are

oppressed,

To preach the acceptable year of the

LORD".

He then closed the book and gave it back to the attendant. Every eye was fixed on Him to see what He would say about this powerful Scripture. He spoke but a sentence in its exposition: "Today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing".

And who was that man? He was either the greatest presumer who ever lived or the Christ. There is no middle ground. He is one or the other. But which one?

Let Peter answer for the Church at large: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God".

Thus, the Holy Spirit prepared Israel to recognize its Savior as the "Anointed of the Lord".

Is He a Prophet? Let Moses respond: "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren; Him you shall hear".

Is He a Priest? Will the oath of God satisfy? "The LORD has sworn and will not repent, `You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek".

Is He a King? The prophet had no doubt: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of your shall come forth to me the One to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting".

And so, what was the Holy Spirit doing in the Old Testament? Ultimately, what He is doing now: glorifying Jesus Christ! This He did in three ways:

And so, the Holy Spirit caused men in those days, to look to Christ. And He does the same today. He shows us our need; shows us Christ's fulness; and enables us to look to Christ--not as "the one to come"--but as the One who came, "in the fulness of time, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who are under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons".

I wish He would do that for you. And me, too. "Come Holy Spirit, breathe upon these dead bones, that they may live". Amen.