The Holy Spirit

Sermon/Bible study about the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is present thru out the whole Bible. From Genesis 1 to Revelation. Genesis 1:2 says “darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Revelation 22:17 says: “The spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’”. In that text you can feel that the Spirit long for Christ to return in all His glory.

It is evident that the Holy Spirit is present through out the whole Bible, but his function is a bit different in the Old Testament and in the New Testament.

The Holy Spirits function in the Old Testament.

In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit dwells upon certain people in certain times.

The presence of the Spirit were rare and limited.

The great prophet Moses, and received the holy Spirit from God as a Helper in his giant mission to lead the people of God out of Egypt. And when Moses felt that this burden fell too hard on his shoulders, God let the Spirit also come upon 70 other men. They too got the power to be leaders of the people.

You can read about this event in Numbers 11.

Later in the story, in Deuteronomy 34, shortly before the death of Moses, he put his hands on a younger man, but with our perspective a rather old man. Joshua must have been at least 60 years old. When Moses prayed for Joshua He too received the Holy Spirit. The Spirit gave Joshua wisdom to be a good leader for the people after the death of Moses.

If we proceed to the first book of Samuel we will notice that the Holy Spirit is associated with the kings, Saul and David. When Saul in 1 Samuel 10 is anointed king of Israel, the Spirit of God falls upon him and changed his heart and mind and he would himself prophecy when he met God’s prophets.

Later, when Saul turns away from the Lord and God reject him as king of His people we can read in 1 Samuel 16:13-14 what happened. (Tolken läser stycket)

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon certain people at certain times. A humble attitude and obedience to God is closely associated with the Holy Spirit. That is why King David pray like he does in the well known psalm nr, 51, vv 8-13.

David had committed adultery and slept with Batsheba, someone elses wife. Afterwards he tried to cover it up by having Batsheba’s husband killed in the war.

The Prophet Natan had confronted David with his sin, and it is when he repent from his wrongdoings, he pray with the words of psalm 51. He ask God to let him keep the holy Spirit he received when he was anointed King of Israel.

2. Where the Holy Spirit is, remarkable things happen.

In the book of Judges we can read the fascinating story about Simpson and his enormous strength. It was a supernatural strength given to him by the Holy Spirit. He needed that strength to fulfil his mission for the Lord.

In 1:st Kings 18:45-46 we can read about how the old prophet Elijah is filled with the Holy Spirit. When that happened he got the ability to run in front of King Ahab’s carriage on his way back from the battle with the prophets of Baal.

And in 2 Kings 2:13-15

The companions of Elisha understand that the Spirit of the Lord is now upon Elisha since he now can divide the water with his cloak. The Spirit that had dwelled on Elijah, now was upon Elisha.

3. The Spirit is at work in building the Tabarnacle

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament is often associated with prophets and a few kings. But he is not only given to them. When the people of God under the leadership of Moses were to build the Tabernacle, God’s special tent, the craftsmen who were going to work on the Tabernacle got the holy Spirit. The Spirit made them extra good in their professions and they made the Tabernacle extra beautiful. In that Tabernacle I think we had the most beautiful and perfect artworks in the history of man. The Spirit of God made that possible.

4. God made a promise. He promised that He would pour out the Spirit on all people.

Even though the Holy Spirit were present in Kings and prophets and craftsmen, He is mostly a promise. A promise God gives that he in the future will pour out the Spirit on all people. The most famous text talking about this is taken from Joel 2:28-32 This famous prophecy was spoken some 800 years before the fulfilment! The time of God is amazing!

This promise was fulfilled at the first Pentecost in Jerusalem. That promise keep getting fulfilled every time someone come to faith in Jesus Christ.