The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

There are 4 main themes that show up throughout the OT when you see references to the Holy Spirit (there are also some miscellaneous references to the Holy Spirit, but for times sake, I’ll limit our study to these four main categories):

1. The Holy Spirit in leadership
   -Joseph and Daniel were elevated to places of leadership because it was recognized that the Spirit of God was in them (Gen 41:38; Dan 4:8-9, 18; 5:11-12, 14)
   -God gave His Spirit and skills to Bezalel and Oholiab in order to accomplish what He commanded (Exodus 31:3; 35:31). I think this also gives us the insight that there is a distinction between skills and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, which has helpful insights into the necessity of the Spirit in order to use our skills to bring honor to God.
   -God gives His Spirit to leaders. This isn’t stated with every leader, but in many of the leaders of Israel, we see the Spirit of God in them.
   -The 70 elders - Num 11:17, 25-29
   -Joshua - Num 27:18
   -Othniel - Judg 3:10
   -Gideon - Judg 6:34
   -Jephthah - Judg 11:29
   -Samson - Judg 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14
   -Saul - 1 Sam 10:6, 10; 11:6; 16:14; 19:20-23
   -David - 1 Sam 16:13; 2 Sam 23:2

2. The Holy Spirit’s work proclaiming / prophesying
   -I would say that this is the main way we see the Spirit at work in the OT; people speak the word when the Spirit is upon them. This is instructive for several reasons, especially when it comes to understanding what prophecy is in the Bible (but more on that in a future post). But for now, notice all the examples of the Spirit's proclamation ministry in the OT:
   -The 70 elders - Num 11:17, 25-29
   Notice that not only did they prophesy when they had the Spirit, but not everyone of the people of Israel has the Spirit. Moses wishes that “all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit on them” (11:29), but it’s clear that not everyone of the people of God has the Spirit.
   -Balaam - Num 24:2
   -Saul - 1 Sam 10:6, 10; 11:6; 16:14; 19:20-23
   -David - 1 Sam 16:13; 2 Sam 23:2
   -Amasai - 1 Chron 12:18
   -Azariah - 2 Chron 15:1
   -Jahaziel - 2 Chron 20:14
   -Zechariah - 2 Chorn 24:20
   -The servant of the Lord - Is 61:1
   -Ezekiel - Ez 2:2 (also 3:12, 14, 24; 43:5)
   -Micah 3:8
   -Zech 7:12
   -Nehemiah 9:20, 30
   This is like a summary statement of the Spirit’s work in the people of God in the OT. This is how the Spirit was at work among them. He instructed them and warned them through His Spirit. He instructed them through His law (though the means of instruction is not explicitly stated here) and he warned them through His prophets.

3. The Holy Spirit in creation
   -Gen 1:2
   -Job 33:4 (also 34:14 and Ps 104:30)
   -One implication of God creating not just the physical, but also the spiritual is that people are not just physical beings, we have a spirit, because that is how God has made us. That means that God has authority over not just our physical body, but also our spiritual body. We are accountable not just for what we do, but also for what we think and what we desire. What goes on in our soul is not neutral, it can please God or displease God. This truth also reminds us that God is able to destroy not just the body, but the body and soul, and so we should follow Him and not fear people.

4. The promise of the Spirit being poured out
   -The Spirit dwelling on the Messiah
   -Is 11:2; 42:1; 61:1
   So, in the NT, when Jesus is baptized, and there is the visible descending of the Spirit onto Jesus, these OT prophecies are being fulfilled, and we’re not only supposed to make the connection that Jesus has the Spirit, but also make the connection that Jesus is the Messiah sent from God.
   -God promises to pour out His Spirit on His people
   -Is 32:15; 44:3; 48:16; 59:21; Ez 11:19; 36:26-27; 37:14; 39:29; Joel 2:28-29
   Notice the progression throughout the Bible: Moses said that he longed for all the people to have the Spirit and prophesy. And what do we see here? It is foretold that all the people will have the Spirit and prophesy. And at Pentecost, Peter connects this verse with what is happening in the NT - all the people have the Spirit, and evidence of that is prophecy, as well as the other gifts. So Peter (as well as Paul in Galatians 3 and elsewhere) sees the indwelling of the Spirit as the fulfillment of the NC promises foretold in the OT. They got this teaching straight from Jesus, because this is what He said that the Lord's supper - "This is my blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matt 26:28). The promised indwelling of the Spirit helps set the framework for us to understand how Gentiles can be made a part of the people of God and brought into the promises of God (Eph 2) and what the connection is between the church in the NT and Israel in the OT. That has major implications for how we understand the entire Bible. But that's for another time.