Some believe that God the Father was at work during the time of the Old Testament, that God the Son was active only during the time that He was upon the earth, and that God the Spirit is now active during the Gospel dispensation. The Scriptures reveal that all three members of the Godhead have been active in every dispensation.
We should not make the mistake that the Holy Spirit did not begin to work until the time of the New Testament. Although His role may be more prominent in the New Testament, any Bible student can see that the Holy Spirit was active during the time of the Old Testament. This article will examine the work that the Holy Spirit performed in the Old Testament.
His Work in Creation
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2).
The Hebrew word used for “God” in these verses is elohiym. This word is a plural form of the Hebrew word for God – el. Scholars tell us that this is “a term conveying both the unity of the one God yet allowing for a plurality of persons” (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Harris, Archer, and Waltke, vol. 1, p. 44).
The account of man’s creation reveals that there is a plurality in the Godhead. “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ 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). The Holy Spirit was present and active alongside the Father and the Son in the creation of the universe and mankind.
His Work of Inspiration
The apostle Paul reminded Timothy that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). The particular Scriptures that Paul had in mind were the Old Testament Scriptures that Timothy had known from his childhood (vs. 14-15).
The Old Testament Scriptures were inspired by the Holy Spirit. The prophets of God wrote or spoke as they were moved or carried along by the Holy Spirit. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21).
Many people have wondered exactly how inspiration worked. Perhaps this question is best answered in the account of Balak and Balaam. King Balak called for Balaam to come and curse the children of Israel (Numbers 22:1-6). He was afraid of the Israelites, and sought to employ Balaam’s assistance in defeating them. Balak’s confidence in Balaam’s ability is shown in his statement: “for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed” (v. 6).
When Balaam finally came to Balak, he told the king, “Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak” (Numbers 22:38). The prophet tried to make the king understand the way that his prophecies worked. Blessings and curses did not occur because Balaam spoke them. They occurred through the power of God, and Balaam was simply revealing the words that God had put in his mouth. These words came to Balaam through the Holy Spirit.
“And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him. Then he took up his oracle and said: ‘The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened, the utterance of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, with eyes wide open’” (Numbers 24:2-4).
When king Balak objected to the words of blessing spoken by Balaam, the prophet defended his message by reminding the king of the manner in which prophecy worked. “So Balaam said to Balak, ‘Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD, to do good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that I must speak”’” (Numbers 24:12-13).
All of the prophets in the Old Testament were inspired by the Holy Spirit. They only spoke those things that were revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. Among them were Saul (1 Samuel 10:6, 10-11), David (Acts 1:16, 2 Samuel 23:2, Psalm 51:11), Isaiah (Acts 28:25), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 11:5), and the unknown psalmist (Hebrews 3:7-8, Psalm 95:7).
His Workings With Mankind
The Old Testament reveals that the Holy Spirit’s work with mankind was not limited to inspiration. Consider the following works that are credited to the Holy Spirit.
- The Spirit was involved in casting man from the Garden (Genesis 3:22).
- The Spirit was striving with man during the days of Noah (Genesis 6:3). God gave mankind 120 years, during which time Noah preached righteousness to the world (2 Peter 2:5)
- The Spirit interpreted dreams (Genesis 41:38, 16).
- The Spirit filled men with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and workmanship (Exodus 31:1-5).
- The Spirit fell upon men to give them extraordinary power. Among them were Othniel (Judges 3:10-11), Gideon (Judges 6:34), and Samson (Judges 14:5-6)
- The Spirit revealed the plans for the Temple (1 Chronicles 28:11-12).
- The Spirit sent prophets to preach (Isaiah 48:16).
- The Spirit gathered nations for judgment (Isaiah 34:16).
- The Spirit brought destruction upon nations (Isaiah 59:19).
- The Spirit revealed the will of God to prophets through visions and dreams (Ezekiel 8:3, 11:1, 24-25).
- The Spirit was involved in the restoration of Israel after Babylonian captivity (Ezekiel 36:27-28, 37:14).
- The Spirit was instrumental in the rebuilding of the Temple (Zechariah 4:6-9).
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit played an important role in the Old Testament. He is not a manifestation of the Father or of the Son. He did not sit quietly, waiting His turn until the time of the New Testament. He was active from the beginning, as was the Father and the Son.
