Often, we think of the Holy Spirit primarily within the context of the New Testament.
Whether it’s the birth of the Church at Pentecost, the empowering of believers, or the process of sanctification, the Holy Spirit is usually boxed into these moments. And while the Spirit was and is active in these ways, He was active long before that.
His presence and work are woven throughout the Old Testament. From the moment of creation, the Holy Spirit was an active member of the Trinity.
And it’s important that we understand His role in the Old Testament. Because His work helps us to see the bigger picture of how He moves in history and in our lives today.
How was the Holy Spirit Active in the Old Testament?
The Holy Spirit is present from the first page of Scripture. He’s moving and shaping. Creating and speaking. Healing and redeeming.
And He continued to be active all throughout the Old Testament.
In Creation
The Holy Spirit is present at the very beginning.
Moses penned in Genesis 1:
…The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Genesis 1:2 NIV)
From the first page of Scripture, the Holy Spirit is there. But the Holy Spirit was not a passive spectator. He was an active participant in creation. The Spirit was bringing order and life out of chaos.
As David writes in Psalm 33:
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. (Psalm 33:6 NIV)
The word David uses for breath is ruah in Hebrew, meaning “wind, spirit.”
By God’s Spirit, the stars were breathed into existence.
By God’s Spirit, a formless, chaotic earth was brought into order.
And the Spirit wasn’t just giving life to creation. He was breathing life into humanity. As the author of Job writes:
The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (Job 33:4 NIV)
The Holy Spirit was, and still is, the life-giver. The One who breathes God’s presence into humanity, causing them to become living beings.
In Empowering
Unlike in the New Testament, where the Spirit permanently indwells believers, the Spirit’s presence in the Old Testament was often temporary and linked to a specific calling.
Throughout the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit filled individuals for specific tasks. Whether it was preparing prophets or equipping warriors, the Spirit was instrumental in empowering people for fulfilling their callings.
In Exodus 31, Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God to build the Tabernacle with wisdom and skill.
In the Book of Judges, Othniel, Gideon, and Samson were empowered by the Spirit to lead Israel in times of crisis.
The Holy Spirit consistently filled and empowered God’s people for the work they were called to.
In Prophecy
One of the Holy Spirit’s most significant roles in the Old Testament was inspiring the prophets.
In Isaiah 61, the Spirit is connected with prophecy, as Isaiah penned:
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. (Isaiah 61:1 NIV)
Jesus later applies this passage to Himself in Luke 4, showing how the Spirit’s work in prophecy ultimately points to Him.
And in Ezekiel 2, the Israelite priest describes the Spirit entering him and enabling him to receive God’s words:
As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. (Ezekiel 2:2 NIV)
Both Isaiah and Ezekiel give us a glimpse of what would later become the norm in the New Testament. The time when the Holy Spirit would not just come on believers, but dwell with them and in them.
From the Old to the New
New Testament scholar, Craig S. Keener, writes in his book, Gift and Giver: The Holy Spirit for Today:
From creation to new creation, the Holy Spirit is the divine power at work in the world, empowering God’s people, revealing truth, and confirming the presence of the kingdom.
As a member of the Triune God, the Holy Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
While the Holy Spirit breathed life into humanity in Genesis, the Spirit is still breathing life into people today. While the Holy Spirit empowered men and women to lead in the Old Testament, the Spirit is still empowering God’s people to lead today.
The role of the Holy Spirit today is the same as it was in the Old Testament. To breathe. To heal. To equip. To empower.
The Old Testament isn’t a history book for how the Spirit used to move. It’s a reference point for how the Spirit has moved and continues to move. And it would serve us well to look back at the work of the Spirit. Because how He has moved can fill us with faith for how He can move today.
The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
If you’d like to learn more about the Holy Spirit, be sure to check out our free course, The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit.
In this course, Dr. Joel Muddamalle explores who the Holy Spirit is and what he does. He’ll cover the ontological status of the Godhead and the distinction and personhood of the Holy Spirit. He’ll also explain how the Holy Spirit enables worship of God, is the source of spiritual life, reveals the will and mystery of God, and conforms us to the image of Christ.
By the end, you’ll walk away with a deep understanding of the importance of studying and learning about the Holy Spirit.
To learn more about the course, click here.
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