The reading today is a summary of some of the actions and charasteristics the Holy Spirit revealed in Old Testament times.
The next section of reading will study the work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament The Holy Spirit was the essential element in Old Testament prophecy. Defining words: The definition of the word “Prophet” is someone: Who God is using to speak for Him. The definition of the word "Prophecy" is the content of the message delivered to God’s people by God. The Holy Spirit is extremely active in being a conduit for prophecy to His people. Prophecy is not predicting the future. It is the communicating the Word of God to His people through one particular person.
The Holy Spirit is inparted by God
Numbers 11:29The Message (MSG)29
But Moses said, “Are you jealous for me? Would that all God’s people were prophets. Would that God would put his Spirit on all of them.”
Joel 2:28 The Message (MSG)
The Sun Turning Black and the Moon Blood-Red
28-32 “And that’s just the beginning: After that—“I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people:Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters.Your old men will dream, your young men will see visions. I’ll even pour out my Spirit on the servants, men and women both. I’ll set wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below:Blood and fire and billowing smoke, the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,Before the Judgment Day of God, the Day tremendous and awesome.Whoever calls, ‘Help, God!’ gets help.On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be a great rescue—just as God said.Included in the survivors are those that God calls. The Holy Spirit is sent to make an appearance that is most effective to the person with which is being dealt with. Not all apprearances have the same outward appearance.Some appearances are dramic and others are a still small voice. A unique appearanceGod appeared to Moses in flames of a bush through the action of the Holy Spirit. This was unique to Moses. The Spirit appeared to other Old Testament individuals in other ways, depending upon the circustance and the personality of the person.
Deuteronomy 33:16
New Living Translation (NLT)
16 with the best gifts of the earth and its bounty,and the favor of the one who appeared in the burning bush.May these blessings rest on Joseph’s head,crowning the brow of the prince among his brothers.
The Holy Spirit delivered personal messages to men in the Old Testament times, before the arrival of Jesus.When Jesus arrived, The personal message from God was directed to all mankind through His work and word. There is no limitation. All mankind are included. The only requirement is repentance.It is not earned, worked for or deserved. God is love.God loves all mankind. God wants to bring blessing to all mankind.
John 3:16 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
16 God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.
Here is a good question:Why did God chose Abraham? He was chosen because he responded to God's call. He was the first man who responded to the self relevation of God. No one knows how many men God approached with His message. But we know of one who responded. Abraham. Abraham was the first and only person that listened, responded, and accepted God and His message. People who do/did not respond to the call from God and the nudge from the Holy Spirit are cut off from God because of their sin. Because of the choice they made. Not because of the fickleness of God. By the choice of Abraham, a blood line was started that ended up with the Messiah.
God does not cut men off, rather men themselves have the responsibility to respond to God in repentances.If a person is found cut off from God, it is not because of lack of God trying to reach the man. Galatians 3:16Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)16 God made promises to Abraham and his Descendant. The Scripture does not say, “and to your descendants.” That would mean many people. But it says, “and to your Descendant.” That means only one, and that one is Christ.
Can man break God’s heart?Yes, man can break the heart of GodRead for yourself in Hosea 11Especially verse 8.Hosea 11:8
New Living Translation (NLT)
8 “Oh, how can I give you up, Israel?How can I let you go?How can I destroy you like Admahor demolish you like Zeboiim?My heart is torn within me,and my compassion overflows.
God's heart is broken if his call to salvation is rejected.
Micah 2:7 Living Bible (TLB)
7 Is that the right reply for you to make, O House of Jacob? Do you think the Spirit of the Lord likes to talk to you so roughly? No! His threats are for your good, to get you on the path again.
God uses the Holy Spirit to get our attention. We mean much to God for Him to go this far to communicate with us.The Holy Spirit was given, not to promote fleshly pleasure, but to deal with sin. The Holy Spirit sends individuals with His message.
Isaiah 48:16-17 Living Bible (TLB)
16 Come closer and listen. I have always told you plainly what would happen, so that you could clearly understand. And now the Lord God and his Spirit have sent me (with this message):
17 The Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: I am the Lord your God, who punishes you for your own good and leads you along the paths that you should follow. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is described as an extension of God’s Hand In Ezekiel, the hand of the Lord is often parallel to the Spirit of the Lord.
The verses that illustrate this is found in the following passages. Ezekiel is illustrating the power of the Spirit of God as a hand of God.
Ezekiel 1:3; 3:14, 22,24; 8:1; 11:1
Summary:
Before we look at the Holy Spirit in the New Testament
1. The Holy Spirit was active in the creation of the earth
2. The Holy Spirit was involved with and had direct contact with mankind
3. The Holy Spirit was a teacher and a guide to the Children of Israel
4. The Holy Spirit had a special relationship with the nation and Children of Israel
5. Because of the trinity, the Holy Spirit was actually God
6. God used the Holy Spirit to give guidance and power and love to those who trusted Him
7. The Prophets of the Old Testaments were speaking for God through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit
8. It is impossible to speak for God with out the instruction and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
9. The names of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament are:
a. The Spirit
b. The Spirit of the Lord
c. My Spirit
d. The Spirit of God. The Spirit of Judgment
f. The Spirit of Fire
g. The Spirit of Justice
The Holy Spirit is constantly around us. The Spirit does not come and go. The Holy Spirit is not a "sometime thing". Rather the Holy Spirit is always trying to establish relationships between man and God. He does not come and go any more than your own loving parents "come and go" in support of you.When the Holy Spirit is finally allowed to work in our lives or the lives of the Old Testament Children of Isreal, the result are awesome but not always evident to the outsider. Not everyone will see burning bushes or chariots of fire. But the inner experience is simply awesome.
The Holy Spirit will not force a person into acceptance. The individual must go through a process of recognizing the condition they are in and come to repentance.
The Holy Spirit is speaking for God. The Holy Spirit is God, one of the trinity.