PNEUMATOLOGY

HOLY SPIRIT WORK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

MOSES OGUTA OMINO

BT/ 006/ 20135

PRESENTED TO REV. DEDAN GITARI MARETE

PNEUMATOLOGY

COURSE CODE : BIL 2033

DATE: 30TH JUNE, 2017

PAN AFRICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

 The Holy Spirit Work in the Old Testament

Much controversy and dissension has emerged through the centuries among Christians

concerning the three Persons in the Holy Trinity. Arianism, whose doctrine follows after Arius,

maintained that the Son is not God, neither is he eternal but was created at some point (Knight,

n.d.). Sabellianism, which takes after the doctrine of Sabellius on the other hand maintained that

God is just one person who manifested Himself in the modes of the Father, then later as the Son,

but lastly as the Holy Spirit (Sabellianism, 2015). In other words, there is no Trinity. Orthodox

Christianity however, maintains that God is three persons in one God-head known as the Holy

Trinity. The Godhead is composed of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, who are all of the same

essence, are all deity and none is inferior to the other (Giles, 2012). This discussion will focus on

the Holy Spirit, and how He has manifested himself in the Old Testament.

There are two biblical words for Spirit, the Hebrew ruach, and the Greek pneuma. The

Hebrew ruach means wind or breath and the Greek pneuma means wind. These could imply the

natural wind, the breath of life in the living creatures, creating power, superhuman strength or

some special power of enablement as is used in the various contexts in the Bible. Since this

discussion focusses on the Holy Spirit as God, the terms ruach and pneuma will be taken to

imply a powerful action of God on an individual or a group, or upon the universe, depending on

the cited context of the Holy Spirit manifestation.

It is worthy to note that the Holy Spirit participated in the creation of the world as God

created the heavens and the earth in the beginning. The Spirit of God was hovering and moving

over the waters (Genesis 1:12). The Psalmist further records that when God sends forth His

Spirit, then creation happened and the earth’s face was renewed (Psalm 104:30). As He broods
over the surface of the deep, He brings creation to be. Moreover, man was made from the dust

and then God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life to make him a living being (Genesis

2:7).

From the fall of man and his subsequent ejection from Eden, the Spirit of the Lord

continued to participate in the lives of the patriarchs. When God saw the lawlessness that man

had sunk into, He repented and said that His Spirit, which had hitherto been involved in the

affairs of men, would not abide with man forever (Genesis 6:3). On another occasion, Pharaoh

recognizes the manifestation of the Spirit of the Lord in Joseph as Joseph interprets his visions

by the help of the Spirit of the Lord, and wonders whether they would find anyone like him in

whom the Spirit of the Lord dwelt (Genesis 41:8).

At the time of Israel’s exodus from Egypt, the Spirit manifested himself in the leaders of

the newly delivered nation. The Lord would have Moses assemble the elders of Israel who were

officials and leaders among the people. God took of the Spirit and put it on them to help Moses

carry the burden of the people. When the Lord put the Spirit on the seventy elders, they

prophesied, even the two who were in the camp and did not appear at the tent of meeting

(Numbers 11:16-30). Later on, the Lord commanded Moses to lay hands on Joshua, the son of

Nun, a man in whom was the Spirit of the Lord, for the leadership of His people as the leadership

of Israel would pass from Moses to him (Numbers 27:18).

The Spirit of the Lord was much participant in the construction of the temple or

sanctuary. The ornate design of the worship items required a high level of artistry and technical

skills that the Spirit granted to several individuals for the temple work. God told Moses that He

had chosen Bezalel son of Uri of the tribe of Judah and filled him with the Spirit of God, and

with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts. Bezalel would make artistic designs for
work in gold silver and bronze. Moreover, he would cut and set stones, work in wood and to

engage in all kinds of craftmanship (Exodus 31:15). All this had to be done as God commanded,

with the help of the Spirit.

He gave the ability, wisdom and special strength to Joshua to lead the nation of Israel into

Canaan. The Lord commanded Moses to consecrate Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom in

whom the Spirit of God took control of, and lay hands on him for the leadership of the Israelites

after Moses (Numbers 27:18). Without the Spirit’s aid, he could not lead the chosen people of

God into the promised land through the many hostile nations they encountered and made war

with.

During the time of the judges after Joshua, God raised several leaders who were Spirit

filled, to lead and deliver Israel. The book of Judges records that the Spirit of the Lord came

upon Othniel, so that he became Israel's judge and went to war with the oppressive nation of

Aram. The Lord gave Cushan Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who

overpowered him (Judges 3:10).

Later on, the military campaign of Gideon was initiated by the Spirit of the Lord which

came upon him. Initially, Gideon was a scared man who felt inferior and least amongst his kin,

but when he got empowered and emboldened, he blew the trumpet and summoned the Abiezrites

to follow him to war against the Midianites (Judges 6:34). Actually, the message from the Lord

reportedly ordered him to march forth in this newfound might or empowerment by the Spirit to

save Israel from the hand of Midian with the promise that God would be with him to strike down

the Midianites (Judges 6:14).

The military campaign of Jephthah is also recorded as initiated by the Spirit of the Lord.

He was a mighty warrior from Gilead at the time of the Ammonite oppression against Israel. The
Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he advanced against the Ammonites. The Lord gave them

into his hand and he struck them down with a great destruction and subdued them (Judges 11:1-

29).

The life of Samson was one which was punctuated with extraordinary involvement by the

Spirit of the Lord which endued him with superhuman physical strength. He led no army but

performed mighty deeds by himself against the oppressing forces of the Philistines. The Spirit of

the Lord began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh-Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol (Judges

13:25).

Later on, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power so that he tore a lion apart with

his bare hands as one would tear up a young goat (Judges 14:6). On another occasion when the

Spirit came upon him in power, he journeyed to Ashkelon of the Philistines, struck down thirty

of their men by himself to rid them of their garments as payment to the pledge he had made to

the Philistines who solved his riddle (Judges 14:19-20). At one time, the men of Judah handed

him over to the Philistines who would revenge on him for his atrocities. They bound him fast

with ropes and gave him over to the Philistines. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and

he tore the ropes that had bound him to free himself. He then fought them back singly with

nothing but the jawbone of a donkey and slew a thousand men (Judges 15:14).

The Spirit was also much involved in the time of the kings as He assisted the first kings

of Israel in their task of guiding the people of God. Samuel anointed Saul as a prince who would

reign over the people of the Lord and save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. The

spirit of the Lord came upon Saul in power to change him to a different person and he prophesied

as a sign that the Spirit has possessed him (1 Samuel 10:6).

 When Saul displeases God, David is set by God to take over the leadership of God’s

people. Here also, the Spirit of the Lord participated mightily in the election of David. Samuel

the prophet took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. It is important

to note that from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power (Samuel 16:13-

14). On the other hand, the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul and an evil spirit tormented him.

Towards the end of his life, David finally reveals that his leadership had been under the guidance

of the Spirit of the Lord, for He spoke by him, and that David’s words were inspired by Him (2

Samuel 23:2).

The Spirit also gave the ability to some individuals to prophecy. This was the actual

witness to the express revelation of the word from God. When Balaam looked out and beheld the

Israelites in camp by their tribes, the Spirit of God came upon him. Though he had set out to

curse them as requested by Balak, yet he was constrained by the Spirit of God to pronounce

blessings upon the Israelites (Numbers 24:2).

Nehemiah reports that God maintained His patience with His people for many years

while he admonished them by the Spirit through His prophets, yet they paid no attention. It is

apparent that the Spirit was speaking God’s commands to the people who were too obstinate to

hear Him. For this reason, God handed them over to the neighboring peoples (Nehemiah 9:30).

The prophet Micah also reports that as for him, he is filled with power, with the Spirit of the

Lord and with justice and might. In this manner, he is to declare to Jacob his transgression, and

to Israel, his sin (Micah 3:8). Such a task would require a revelation of the underlying

transgressions which could only be made manifest by the omniscient Spirit of God.

Isaiah expressly maintains that from the onset, he has made all his prophetic

pronouncements publicly and not in secret. It is important to note in his announcement that, it is
the sovereign Lord who had sent him with His Spirit (Isaiah 48:16). It becomes apparently clear

therefore, that no real prophecy came by the will of man but those who prophesied did so from

God as they were directed by the Spirit of the Lord. This fact is supported by Peter in his epistle

(2 Peter 1:21).

It is interesting to notice how the Spirit manifested Himself in these different contexts. At

the creation, He dried up the land as the waters separated to make way for dry land (Genesis 8:1)

when again, at the exodus, He parted the sea for the Israelites to pass through dry land (Exodus

14:21). In these contexts, He acts with power and no one can know or predict what He would do.

At other times, the Spirit came forcefully and powerfully upon the human vessels of God’s will.

For example, the took possession of Gideon (Judges 3:10) and lead him into the tactical warfare,

whereas He overwhelmed Saul and changed him to another person (Samuel 10:5-11; 19:18-24).

Sometimes He manifests Himself in vision and dreams, like in the case of Joseph’s dreams

which clearly revealed God’s presence through Joseph to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:38-39).

It is therefore evident that the Holy Spirit has been actively involved in the acts of God

throughout eternity and was much active even in the Old Testament period. It is also apparent

that the Spirit of the Lord did not work directly in all the people in the Old Testament but a select

few. There was however a promise that there would come a day when He would dwell in all

men, such a time when the old men would see visions and young men dream dreams when the

Spirit would be poured upon all people (Joel 2:28). Both Ezekiel and Jeremiah hint prophetically

that a new Spirit will be given (Jeremiah 31; Ezekiel 36:2).

 References

Giles, K. (2012). The Orthodox Doctrine of the Trinity. Retrieved from Priscilla Papers:

https://www.cbeinternational.org/resources/article/priscilla-papers/orthodox-doctrine-

trinity

Knight, K. (n.d.). Arianism. Retrieved from Catholic Encyclopedia:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01707c.htm

Sabellianism. ( 2015, July 23 ). Retrieved from New World Encyclopedia:

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Sabellianism