The Person and Work of the Spirit in the Household of Israel

A number of passages directly relate to the person and work of God the Spirit in the Old Testament. Our task in this chapter is not to examine every such passage but, first, to note some of the usages that particularly describe the Spirit's task among the people of Israel, and to ascertain what it meant for the Holy Spirit to come upon certain individuals to be with them and empower them for their ministry.

Second, we want to ascertain whether the Spirit convicted people of sin in a work of pre-evangelism, and regenerated them when they came to faith.

And third, we want to ask if, aside from the permanent presence of the Holy Spirit in believers within the body of the Messiah after the great Shavuot of Acts 2, the ministry of the Holy Spirit was any different in the days of the Tanach than in the New Testament.

The Spirit and God's Being

The writers of the Hebrew Scriptures refrained from a discussion as to the being of God (as a Godhead with persons), and underscored rather His activity among the people of Israel. They spoke of the working of God, or the Spirit, in specific operations. Nevertheless, several passages imply that the Spirit of God is identical with the being of God.

The Egyptians are mere humans, not God; their horses are made of flesh, not spirit. (Isaiah 31:3)

Here the prophet Isaiah contrasts what is “flesh,” that is, something that is part of the thinking of this world, with “spirit.” From the parallelism, God and spirit, or Spirit, appear to be aligned.

Carefully read the scroll of the Lord!

Not one of these creatures will be missing, none will lack a mate.

For the Lord has issued the decree, and his own spirit gathers them. (Isaiah 34:16)

In Isaiah 34:16, where net has “For the Lord has issued the decree,” NพArabic text reads “For it is his mouth that has given the order,” reflecting the literal Hebrew pi, “mouth.” We then have a parallelism between the “mouth” of the Lord and the Spirit of the Lord, or the Spirit, where in a statement depicts the divine work the Spirit is as God's mouth, bringing to man what he so desperately needs.

Who comprehends the mind [Hebrew, ruach or spirit] of the Lord, or gives him instruction as his counselor? (Isaiah 40:13)

Again, the prophet identifies the Spirit with the mind of the Lord.

Again, the prophet identifies the Spirit with the mind of the Lord. Good reasons exist why the writers of the Hebrew Scriptures were reticent to discuss the very being of God and focused instead on His action through the Spirit. The primary emphasis on God's being in the Hebrew Scriptures is on His oneness:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

(Deuteronomy 6:4 N.I.V)

God had a hard time, so to speak, teaching this lesson to His people, and it took the Babylonian exile for Judah to finally affirm that God is one.

Therefore, the Hebrew Scriptures could not introduce a full-blown concept of the composite unity of God; such a declaration could only be more clearly seen in the ultimate revelation of the Messiah, Son of God (see Hebrews 1:1 to 3). Even so, we already saw that some Scriptures do depict a mystery of His composite nature (see above).

The Shekinah

This is a term used in the rabbinic literature to refer to God's presence, and it has affinities with the idea of God's Spirit. In discussing the Shekinah (which literally means "dwelling" or "resting," related to the verb shakhen2), Alan Unterman suggests that the term refers to the divine presence; he says that it "refers most often in rabbinic literature to the numinous immanence of God in the world ... particularly in a this-worldly context: when He sanctifies a place, an object, an individual, or a whole people ..." Payne tells us that Shekinah refers to God's glory, but a case can also be made for the identification of this term, and His glory, with that of the Spirit's work among Israel as a nation, and individuals within the people of Israel.

So sensitive were the rabbis within Israel as to the danger of equating the "Spirit," "the Holy One," or "the Shekinah" with God Himself, thereby creating a hypostasis, that they insisted that any mention of any three of these designations must be viewed purely figuratively and not as representing a separable aspect of God or as being in any sense a part of the Godhead. "The latter notion is totally alien to the strict monotheism of rabbinic Judaism for which the unity of the divine Essence is a basic premise."

However, for intimations in the Hebrew Scriptures concerning the mystery of God's composite unity, see above in an earlier chapter.

The Work of the Spirit Within the Nation of Israel

In numerous ways, the Spirit revealed Himself at work within Israel. He set the nation apart to the Lord under the Mosaic Covenant. His presence with leaders, warriors, and builders gave these individuals a distinctive status, which did not go unnoticed by other nations in the Middle East. While other peoples had their worship systems and manifestations of spirits, yet when Israel was obedient to the Lord God and the leadership of His Spirit, most among the nations recognized that a power was at work among them far greater than the powers found within their own belief system. Here we will discuss some of these unique factors.

Among the Nation as a Whole

David frequently speaks in the Psalms about his personal relationship with God.

Teach me to do what pleases you.

for you are my God.

May your kind presence lead me into a level land. (Psalm 143:10)

As David is also the teacher in Israel, he declares that the Spirit of God is the real teacher of the nation, and prays that God's "good Spirit" would lead both him and the nation on a "level ground," that is, in the good way of life.

Isaiah declares:

At that time the sovereign master will wash the excrement from Zion's women, he will rinse the bloodstains from Jerusalem's midst, as he comes to judge and to bring devastation. (Isaiah 4:4)

The Spirit worked in a unique way in the midst of Israel as a nation, for guidance and, if necessary, for judgment as well. Although this passage from Isaiah has an eschatological orientation, the prophet Isaiah also faced severe difficulties in his own day. Thus he announced that the people of Jerusalem had to be cleansed. The Spirit of God, reflecting the mind of God, reminded the people that He would take action and discipline. His people so as to preserve a faithful remnant.

This “prince of the prophets” also described how God cared for His people when He delivered them from Egypt:

But they rebelled and offended his holy Spirit, so he turned into an enemy and fought against them.

His people remembered the ancient times.

Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea, along with the shepherd of his flock?

Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them, the one who made his majestic power [Hebrew, z'roah, "arm"; N.I.V: "glorious arm of power"] available to Moses, who divided the water before them, gaining for himself a lasting reputation, who led them through the deep water?

Like a horse running on flat land they did not stumble.

Like an animal that goes down into a valley to graze, so the Spirit of the Lord granted them rest.

In this way you guided your people, gaining for yourself an honored reputation. (Isaiah 63:10 to 14)

Note that in a Hebrew poetic parallelism, Isaiah equated the “arm of power” of the Lord and “his Holy Spirit.” Through this unique manifestation of the presence of God, Israel was protected from her enemies and eventually the covenant was made with them, marking the nation distinctively as the Lord's. Note also, in Isaiah 63:10, how Isaiah describes someone can do violence against the personality of the Spirit. From this passage, it is very evident that Isaiah did not understand the Spirit as some kind of superpower or influence but rather as a person who can be grieved, as someone who can even turn and become an enemy to the nation. On the other hand, as the Spirit of the Lord guided Israel through the wilderness, He also was the one who gave them rest (verse 14).

The prophet Ezekiel also added some important details regarding the ministry of the Spirit of God:

Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why should you die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 18:31)

Taken away in the second exile from Jerusalem (597 B.C.E.), he was given the task of ministering to his fellow captives in exile. In this capacity, he had to prepare them for the greater conflagration to come, with the destruction of the Solomonic temple (586 B.C.E.), the loss of many lives, and with still more judicials going into exile. In pleading with his fellow countrymen to "get a new heart and a new spirit," the prophet held out to his countrymen the distinctive possibility for a complete change of spirit within each person. Later, he added an even more distinctive message when he announced God's program for the nation:

I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations. (Ezekiel 36:26 to 27)

In the first passage, from chapter 18, Ezekiel addresses his fellow captives in a chapter emphasizing personal responsibility. In the second passage, from chapter 36, Ezekiel delivers an eschatological message concerning the future restored Israel. The fact that he speaks of believers possessing a new spirit shows that Ezekiel had no doubt of what the new birth entailed and what happens when any individual within the nation turns to God and becomes a believer. Below we discuss the issue of regeneration, but at this point note that believers within the nation did understand that something took place within each of them when they came to faith. Through the ministry of the Spirit, a transformation of the human character occurs, and believers within the nation appeared to understand the meaning of an atonement.

The Spirit of God had a very definite influence on the nation, working in their midst through His chosen vessels, reminding the people of their necessity to follow the Lord, warning them of what would happen if they turned away from Him, but also holding out the possibility that He could have a very definite influence on the hearts of individuals.

Among the Leaders of Israel

When the Spirit came upon individuals, He became the source of mental and spiritual guidance, providing the power to accomplish various tasks. bestowed on these various leaders qualities so that they could fulfill their calling in a way pleasing to God. The Spirit provided the gifts necessary for leadership for kings and rulers.

Beginning with the judges, individuals were gifted with qualities that enabled them to provide leadership for the nation and deliver them from their oppressors. Concerning Othnie:

The Lord's spirit empowered him and he led Israel. When he went to do battle, the Lord handed over to him King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram and he overpowered him. (Judges 3:10)

With the power given him, he led the people in overcoming the king of Aram, repelling his troops. In the same way the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon:

The Lord'S spirit took control of Gideon. He blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. (Judges 6:34)

whereupon he called for soldiers from his own family as well as from Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphthali to join with him in overpowering the Midianite invaders. Likewise, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah:

The Lord's spirit empowered Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh and went to Mizpah in Gilead. From there he approached the Ammonites. (Judges 11:29)

In still another example, the Spirit of God came upon Sha'ul:

The Spirit of God rushed upon Sha'ul when he heard these words, and he became very angry. (1 Samuel 11:6)

He then led Israel in fighting against the Ammonites and so rescued the people of Jabesh Gilead.

In a special sense, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power after his anointing by Samuel:

So Samuel took the horn full of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah. Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. (1 Samuel 16:13 to 14)

This reflected God's choice, and as Israel's king David became a Spirit-led ruler. Significantly, the Scripture records that right after the anointing of David with the Spirit, the Spirit of the Lord departed from Sha'ul.

For some of Israel's other servants, the Scripture provides description too. Of Joseph:

So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” (Genesis 41:38)

Here we have Pharaoh's assessment of Joseph as (literally) "a man where the Spirit of God is in him." Then, of Daniel:

Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well. (Daniel 4:8; verse 5 M.T)

Nebuchadnezzar literally said, “In him is a spirit (or, the Spirit) of the holy gods (God).” Also, we read of Bezalcl:

And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in skill, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship. (Exodus 31:3)

The Nature of the Spirit's Presence in Israel

The Terms “Coming Upon” and “Dwelling In.” This brings up the important question as to what is meant when the Spirit of the Lord “comes upon” an individual, particularly, David. Does it mean that the Spirit rests only for a time on the ruler, giving him wisdom and qualities whereby people will instinctively sense that God's hand is on them in a special way? Or does it mean that the Spirit of God indwelt the ruler?

Let us review some of the verses considered above:

The Lord's spirit empowered him and he led Israel. When he went to do battle, the Lord handed over to him King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram and he overpowered him. (Judges 3:10)

In the case of Othniel, the Scripture pictures the Spirit's contact with him as wattehi alaw ("came upon him").

The Lord's spirit took control of Gideon. He blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. (Judges 6:34)

With Gideon the terminology is, in the Hebrew, labeshaw ("clothed").

The Lord'S spirit empowered Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh and went to Mizpah in Gilead. From there he approached the Ammonites. (Judges 11:29)

For Jephthah, the word is the same as with Othnic: wattehi al ("came upon").

The Spirit of God rushed upon Sha'ul when he heard these words, and he became very angry. (1 Samuel 11:6)

With Sha'ul, the description is wattitselach with al pointing to Sha'ul as the direct object ("the Spirit rushed upon Sha'ul").

So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” (Genesis 41:38)

Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well. (Daniel 4:8; verse 5 M.T)

In the cases of Joseph and Daniel, we read of the Spirit actually dwelling in them, and the question is raised as to what this might mean. The answer may lie in how pagan kings spoke of the Spirit; in their understanding it would be a way to contrast these individuals with other wise men who did not have the same communication with divine beings.

Turning to commentators for insight, in the case of Joseph, Keil and Delitzsch translate: "in whom the Spirit of God is." They explain, "The Spirit of Elohim; that is the spirit of supernatural insight and wisdom." The only discussion they offer is the comparison with other wise men and an assessment by a pagan ruler who recognized a distinction between Joseph and other wise men who sought to interpret dreams. But nothing is offered as to whether the Spirit indwelt Joseph in a biblical sense.

In the same way, Gleason Archer suggested concerning the similar observation made by Nebuchadnezzar regarding Daniel:

He then added that in contrast to the other soothsayers in his court, Daniel was truly inspired by God (or the gods): “The spirit of the holy gods is in him.” (That this “lahin, [“gods”] is meant as a true plural—rather than a plural of majesty—is shown by the plural form of the adjective qaddistn accompanying it.) Daniel had demonstrated real communication with the high God in transcending the merely human wisdom of the rest of the diviners (ch. 2).

Given that there are special instances concerning Joseph, Daniel, and David, can we understand this special ministry of the Spirit more generally? Ryric suggests:

... although the Spirit did indwell men in Old Testament times, it was a selective ministry, both in regard to whom He indwelt and for how long. Can this relationship be summarized in any simple way? Yes, for the Lord summarized it by telling His disciples that up to that time the Spirit had been abiding with them, though on and after the day of Pentecost He would be in them (Yohanan 14:17).

Ryrie is certainly correct regarding the New Testament. There we have specific statements that the Spirit indwells every believer. Once a person is born again, the Spirit never leaves, even though He can be grieved or His fire can be put out through immoral and rebellious actions of believers (see Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:19).

But is it that simple regarding believers within Israel under the Mosaic Constitution? While only selected leaders and persons are mentioned upon whom the Spirit came, are they not models of what was taking place among all believers as they sought to serve God? Even as it takes the ministry of the Spirit with believers today to do the tasks He asks us to do, so it would also seem to be true for believers in Israel; it would appear that the Spirit of God came upon many more people than what is recorded.

The Continual Presence of the Spirit. Let us explore further the ministry of the Spirit among a few of Israel's leaders.

So Samuel took the horn full of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah. (1 Samuel 16:13)

David's experience with the Spirit is described initially the same way as is Sha'ul's. As soon as David is anointed, the Spirit of the Lord watteselah el ("rushed upon David" or, "came mightily upon David"). But the comment that follows marks David as someone different than Sha'ul. "The Spirit was with David," we read, "from that day on."

Does this mean that the Spirit of the Lord “indwelt” David permanently? He was very sensitive to the Spirit's presence and after his moral and spiritual lapse with Bat Sheva, he himself cried out in despair:

- Do not reject me!

- Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me!

- (Psalm 51:11; verse 13 M.T)

One thing we can say is that in some way the Spirit was with David throughout most of his ministry, though on this one occasion there was the possibility that He would take leave of David. The text does not say that He actually did so, however. The best that we can say about most of Israel's leaders and people who served God is that somehow the Spirit clothed or enveloped the person. The Spirit gave him or her powers that were recognized by the people.

Isarel instinctively followed these leaders going into battle and gaining a victory over their enemies. They recognized them as leaders who possessed divinely given wisdom to guide their people. It would seem that on occasion, the Spirit of God could leave.

But even on such occasions, the question remains as to whether it actually happened for those rulers specially selected by God.

In David's case, he represented the house from which the Messiah would eventually come, and it would appear that the Spirit of God had a specialized ministry with this house that did not pertain to the house of Sha'ul. David was a divinely chosen king of Israel and in a very special sense, the Spirit was present with him, a fact that everyone recognized instinctively.

The same could be said of Joseph, Daniel, and others like them. Of Daniel, nothing is ever said of any moral or spiritual lapse in his life. Therefore, we can say that the Spirit continued to envelop him as he performed the duties of a statesman, as he stood before kings, as he shared a God-given wisdom, as he maintained a prayer life even at the cost of his own safety, and as he proclaimed prophecies pertaining to his people.

Israel as well as to the nations. This would seem to surely demonstrate that certain men enjoyed a continual presence of the Spirit, even though we may ask whether the Spirit indwelt or only enveloped these very people.

Transfer of the Spirit from One Ruler to Another

On a number of occasions, a ruler of the people of Israel sought to transfer power to another qualified and designated person to either be his representative or to succeed him in office. In particular, note what occurred regarding Joshua

The Lord replied to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is such a spirit, and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community, and commission him publicly. Then you must delegate some of your authority to him, so that the whole community of the Israelites will be obedient. And he will stand

before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the Lord by the decision of the Urim. At his command they will go out, and at his command they will come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community."

So Moses did as the Lord commanded him; he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community. He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the Lord commanded, by the authority of Moses. (Numbers 27:18 to 23)

Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had placed his hands on him; and the Israelites listened to him and did just what the Lord had commanded Moses. (Deuteronomy 34:9)

Everyone had already recognized that the Spirit of God rested on Joshua. Now, however, in a special sense, Joshua is singled out and with the approval of Eleazar, the priest, the new ruler is commissioned in the presence of all the people. The Deuteronomy passage recognizes this transfer of power after the departure of Moses. The passing of power was demonstrated through the transfer of the Spirit who now rested on the new leader. Everyone recognized the wisdom, power, and guidance he now possessed, similar to that of the prior leader.

The same occurred when seventy specially selected men were called to serve as leaders under Moses:

And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to them, and he took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but did not do so again. (Numbers 11:25)

One of the signs of the Spirit upon them was their gift to prophesy; in addition, they had wisdom from God by which to aid Moses in dispensing justice for the people.

The Spirit and God's Special Servants

God's Spirit—rendered by the Hebrew word ruach—means breath, wind, or spirit. In addition, in the context in which the Spirit or Spirit of God appears,"Spirit stands for invisible entity or power. The Spirit of God is the outgoing energy or power of God working in the world, and in particular to especially selected people." This power is not thought of as separate from God; rather, the Spirit makes God's presence very apparent among people He uses.

Israel's special people were endowed with extraordinary physical strength. Samson is an example in these two verses:

The Lord's spirit empowered him and he tore the lion in two with his bare hands as easily as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. (Judges 14:6)

The Lord's spirit empowered him. He went down to Ashkelon and murdered thirty men. He took their clothes and gave them to the men who had solved the riddle. He was furious as he went back home. (Judges 14:19)

The Spirit worked on Samson with tremendous force. Says Lampe

The Spirit of the Lord is regarded as the source of the endowment of Israel's heroes with extraordinary physical strength (Judges 14:6, 19, 15:14). It is a supernatural and unpredictable power, which takes possession of a man, and controls his actions like a tremendous inner force. In such contexts "spirit" retains something of its original meaning of "wind." As the wind seizes upon the dust of the ground and animates it, blowing it where it will, like a live object, so the divine Spirit animates the human personality.

So too with Ezekiel, where the Spirit is a force physically taking hold of him:

As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. (Ezekiel 2:2 N.I.V)

Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound—May the glory of the Lord be praised in his dwelling-place! (Ezekiel 3:12 N.I.V)

Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the Lord that faces east. (Ezekiel 11:1 N.I.V)

The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia in the vision given by the Spirit of God. Then the vision I had seen went up from me. (Ezekiel 11:24 N.I.V)

As to Gideon:

The Lord's spirit took control of Gideon. He blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. (Judges 6:34)

We have already looked at this verse, seeing how the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon. It was as if he had donned an outward garment, but because this judge was under God's complete control, he had an unmistakable dynamic. The picture is an interesting one; when God wanted His servant to minister, he or she was so under His perfect control, that each one did what He wanted—sometimes willingly (as with Gideon after he was thoroughly convinced in the fleece affair) and sometimes struggling with God's commission (as Ezekiel did in the beginning). Nevertheless, the prophet was obedient and this power of the Spirit enabled him to minister effectively to his people.

Therefore, in many ways the Spirit came upon various individuals, enabling them to serve in a number of capacities, such as rulers and leaders in battle; to succeed previous rulers; and, in several particular cases such as those of Joshua, David, and Daniel, to apparently be continually under the guidance of the Spirit.

The Spirit and the Prophets

One of the primary ministries of the Spirit was in communicating the Word of God, and in particular the material that had to do with prophecy.

In one regard, especially in the early days of the nation, prophecy was not on an "elevated" level. At times these early prophets appeared to be almost irresponsible, acting in a very peculiar manner, and appeared among communities of ecstatics. Sha'ul encountered such a band of prophets coming down from the high place, playing lyres, tambourines, flutes, and harps, who then prophesied. The Spirit of the Lord also came upon Sha'ul and he also joined the prophets, prophesying with them. As he did so, he was "changed" into a different person:

Afterward you will go to Gibeah of God, where there are Philistine officials. When you enter the town, you will meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place. They will have harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying. Then the spirit of the Lord will rush upon you and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. (1 Samuel 10:5 to 6)

On another occasion at Gibeah, Sha'ul was found in company with a similar group of prophets as they prophesied.

As Sha'ul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his inmost person. All these signs happened on that very day. When Sha'ul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a company of prophets was coming out to meet him. Then the spirit of God rushed upon Sha'ul and he prophesied among them. (1 Samuel 10:9 to 10)

In an even stranger context, as a company of prophets was prophesying with Samuel presiding over them, King Sha'ul sent his soldiers to capture David.

So Sha'ul sent messengers to capture David. When they saw a company of prophets prophesying with Samuel standing there as their leader, the spirit of God came upon Saul's messengers, and they also prophesied. When it was reported to Sha'ul, he sent more messengers, but they prophesied too. So Sha'ul sent messengers a third time, but they also prophesied. Finally Sha'ul himself went to Ramah. When he arrived at the large cistern that is in Secu, he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" They said, "At Naioth in Ramah."

So Sha'ul went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God came upon him as well, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah. He even stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel. He lay there naked all that day and night. (For that reason it is asked, "Is Sha'ul also among the prophets?") (1 Samuel 19:20 to 24)

However, as time went by, the entire experience of prophecy became more and more elevated and complicated, and one sees less and less of these ecstatic experiences. Some have questioned whether these early ecstatic prophets were genuine, and have suggested a number of means to interpret this phenomenon: According to some, ecstatic prophecy is associated with a psychological state: "All prophecy, at least until a comparatively late post-exilic period, was based on a peculiar psychological condition to which the name ecstasy is often given. It was characteristic of the false prophet as well as of the true, …" Others find affinities with the phenomena of Acts; Scott, for instance, says that these "derivish 'prophets'" did not prophesy "in intelligible speech, but resembled rather the 'speaking with tongues' in the Acts of the Apostles." Muwinckel made a distinction between the ecstatic prophets who had a "spirit" ministry while the later canonical prophets (that is, those whose books became part of the Bible, such as Isaiah) claimed to be the recipients of the Word of the Lord.

However, while the behavior of these early prophets appears odd, they were genuine, as Freeman reminds us:

the distinction between the precanonical prophets and the canonical prophets, ... is both arbitrary and artificial. The true prophets of Israel, whether precanonical or canonical, possessed both the word and the Spirit of the Lord.

With Elijah and Elisha, a more elevated ministry of prophecy took place, guided by the Spirit. It was less ecstatic, more measured and more under control. When Elijah ran from Jezebel in Samaria to Mount Horeb (1 King's

19:1 to 2), God did not rebuke His servant but instead sent him back to pursue the ministry God had given him in the Israel of the north, but with

Elisha as an assistant.

When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "What can I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha answered, "May I receive a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you." (2 Kings 2:9)

When the members of the prophetic guild in Jericho, who were standing at a distance, saw him do this, they said, "The spirit that energized Elijah rests upon Elisha." They went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. (2 Kings 2:15)

When Elijah was caught up to heaven, Elisha was also privileged to witness his master's glorious ascension in the chariot; a double portion of the divine Spirit was transferred to Elisha whereby he could perform twice the number of miracles than that of his master, and so his possession of the Spirit became all the more significant.

David, although a general and a king-statesman, also had the gift of prophecy, and was recognized as a prophet when he declared:

The Lord's spirit spoke through me;

his word was on my tongue. (2 Samuel 23:2)

The Spirit enabled David to deliver the inspired prophecies of God.

The Spirit enabled David to deliver the inspired prophecies of God. In the postexilic period, after a spiritual renewal of Judah (see Nehemiah 8:9 to 10), the priests and Levites acknowledged the history of Israel as unique in a long passage. Among many statements, they confessed their sins as well as those of the nation:

You prolonged your kindness with them for many years, and you solemnly admonished them by your Spirit through your prophets.

Still they paid no attention, so you delivered them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. (Nchemiah 9:30)

This followed the pattern whereby Israel had always been warned by the prophets that, failing to listen to His word, disaster would befall them.

With the major and minor canonical prophets, the Spirit of God played a major role in the prophetic messages regarding the nation and its people. In Isaiah we read that in a peculiar sense, the message came from the Lord God and His Spirit as He spoke in power:

"Approach me! Listen to this!

From the very first I have not spoken in secret;

when it happens, I am there."

So now, the sovereign Lord has sent me, accompanied by his spirit. (Isaiah 48:16)

The Spirit is also recognized as synonymous with the presence of God in ministry:

The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me,

because the Lord has chosen me.

He has commissioned me to encourage the poor,

to help the brokenhearted,

to decree the release of captives,

and the freeing of prisoners. (Isaiah 61:1)

In this capacity the Spirit directs the people to do in accordance with the prophetic word. In the above passage, Isaiah on one unusual occasion declared that his mission was not something personal but that from "the Spirit of the Lord God." And yet, while this passage has a prophetic Messianic significance, Isaiah's personal ministry was also unique and emphatic because of the Spirit's inspiration and authentication.

Ezekiel likewise, ministering to his fellow countrymen who had already gone into exile and also to those who would yet come after the third deportation in 586 B.C.E., declared:

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon me and said to me, “Say: This is what the Lord says: 'This is what you are thinking, O house of Israel; I know what goes through your minds.'” (Ezekiel 11:5)

In this way God gave him an authentic message to deliver to his people, reflecting a word that was one of doom. Later on, toward the end of his ministry and when most of his fellow exiles acknowledged him as a true prophet, he was then brought to the site of the new temple to receive a vision of how the new sanctuary will be filled with the glory of God. He was to then take this message back to his people of that day so as to encourage them:

Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. (Ezekiel 43:5 N.I.V)

The position of the prophet within the nation was extremely important. Sometimes these prophets had to deliver undesirable and unwanted messages. But they were faithful nevertheless to share the prophetic word, reminding their people that judgment would come if they were not obedient. So with Hosea

The time of judgment is about to arrive!

The time of retribution is imminent!

Let Israel know!

The prophet is considered a fool—

the inspired man is viewed as a madman—

because of the multitude of your sins

and your intense animosity. (Hosea 9:7)

Hosea announced to his own shame that people thought of him in a derogatory way; he described himself as a man of the Spirit, but the people only referred to him as a maniac. Likewise Micah:

But I am full of the courage that the Lord's Spirit gives,

and have a strong commitment to justice. This enables me to confront Jacob with its rebellion, and Israel with its sin. (Micah 3:8)

Micah's task was not a pleasant one, but his message was one of authentication, even though he was not comfortable with such a word. And similarly we read in Zechariah, referring to the reason for the Babylonian exile:

Indeed, they made their heart as hard as diamond, so that they could not obey the Torah and the other words the Lord who rules over all had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore, the Lord who rules over all had poured out great wrath. (Zechariah 7:12)

In many ways, therefore, the prophets had a function to fulfill, as preachers to their day, but also prophesying in a sure sense through the work of the Spirit of what would happen to people who either listened to His word and therefore could receive His blessing, or if not, face dire consequences for their disobedience.

The Spirit's Ministry and Its Eschatological Significance

The Spirit and the Coming Messiah. We have already looked at the anointing of David by Samuel. At that time, the Spirit rushed on David in power:

So Samuel took the horn full of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah. (1 Samuel 16:13)

Similarly, the psalmist Ethan explained:

I have discovered David, my servant. With my holy oil I have anointed him as king. My hand will support him,

and my arm will strengthen him. (Psalm 89:20 to 21)

Here God's "arm" can be paralleled to the peculiar work of the Spirit as He came upon David, clothing him and giving him a power only He can provide.

In a similar way, the prophet Isaiah described the ideal figure of an inspired king of the future, on whom God's Spirit would rest, providing him with a sevenfold abundance of gifts that would make him a wise and just ruler:

A shoot will grow out of Jesse's root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots. The Lord's spirit will rest on him— a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1 to 2)

This is a description of a Messiah who was yet to appear. This link between anointing and the special work of the Spirit is further described by Isaiah:

Here is my servant whom I support.

my chosen one in whom I take pleasure.

I have placed my spirit on him;

he will make just decrees for the nations. (Isaiah 42:1)

And here, Isaiah indicates that the Messiah will have a number of assigned functions:

The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners, to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance,

to console all who mourn. (Isaiah 61:1 to 2)

When the Messiah Yeshua read from this passage on that particular day in the synagogue, no doubt the Haforah for that particular Shabbat, He quite naturally made the application apply to Himself:¹⁸

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed. (Luke 4:18)

When Yeshua stopped where He did, not even finishing Isaiah 61:2, much less the rest of the passage, He folded up the scroll, returned to His seat, and then announced this passage was being fulfilled in His day! Luke evidently took special care to include this passage in his version of Yeshua's life as a way to emphasize his special claims of Yeshua as prophesied by Isaiah.

Every gospel writer announced this hope of a Spirit-possessed Messiah in the coming of the Spirit at His baptism:

After Yeshua was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming on him. (Mattai 3:16)

And just as Yeshua was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. (Mark 1:10)

Now when all the people were baptized, Yeshua also was baptized. And while he was praying, the heavens opened. (Luke 3:21)

And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, "The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining—this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." (Yohanan 1:33)

Kefa also used the same idea:

... with respect to Yeshua from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him. (Acts 10:38)

Just as God anointed David so that the Spirit of God came on him, so now the same idea is transferred to Yeshua.

But not only are messages present that speak of the long-range prophecies regarding the Messiah; the words of the prophets also speak of the last days, describing the renewal of Israel as well as the nation's repentance. In a very specific manner, the Spirit of God came on the prophets and provided them with these eschatological messages.

The Spirit and the National Renewal of Israel. Some of these prophecies for the future describe the renewal of Israel:

Look, a king will promote fairness;

officials will promote justice. (Isaiah 32:1)

till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. (Isaiah 32:15 N.I.V) I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within them; I will remove the hearts of stone from their bodies and I will give them tender hearts.

I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations. (Ezekiel 36:26 to 27)

Furthermore, the nation will in the last days repent and turn to the Messiah

I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to

me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)

Isaiah also announced that changes will occur in the entire land in the day when Israel repents:

For I will pour water on the parched ground

and cause streams to flow on the dry land.

I will pour my spirit on your offspring

and my blessing on your children. (Isaiah 44:3)

In every case, the Scripture indicates how new life will occur because of the Spirit who has been poured out so as to exert an influence on the nation.

The Spirit and Personal Renewal. Here we can make some observations about the work of the Spirit in pre-evangelism and in regeneration during the period of the Tanach.

Much has already been said about how the Spirit came on various individuals, aiding them in God's tasks. Yet the Hebrew Scriptures seem silent on how the Spirit works in the individual heart, how He brings about a sensitivity to what God desires from His people, how a person can be regenerated through the Spirit to be born again. Many scholars have various ideas on this subject and some have even suggested that salvation was not even possible until the appearance of the Messiah Yeshua.

Certainly, the New Testament provides an abundance of description of how the Spirit works beforehand to create the interest in a person's heart for spiritual things, as Yohanan describes:

And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong concerning sin and righteousness and judgment—concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. (Yohanan 16:8 to 11)

But the question is, did the Spirit work in such a way among the people of Israel under the Mosaic Constitution? There must in fact have been some work of the Spirit, judging by various statements by Israel's leaders and prophets. For example, on the occasion of the great prayer of confession of Nehemiah 9, following the revival under Ezra and Nehemiah, one of the Levites prayed this prayer:

You imparted your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths; you provided water for their thirst. (Nchemiah 9:20)

In doing so, he was referring to how the Spirit taught Israel through Moses, showing the possibility of God's presence in the lives of individuals. Then, we have the account of Israel's apostasy in Exodus:

Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you on the way. (Exodus 33:3)

The background to this verse is that Israel had sinned miserably at the base of Mount Sinai, worshipping a synthesis of Israel's God with one of Egypt's gods. The Lord's rejoinder was that while Israel could proceed on their way to the Promised Land, His presence would not go with them. In response, the people began to mourn and stripped off the ornaments they had worn in their debauchery. It appears that many genuinely turned to the Lord on that occasion. It may be that the Spirit did a "pre-evangelistic" work in the hearts of people, causing many of them to mourn and become believers as a result of His special work.

In times of great spiritual renewal, the Spirit of God came on people. This example is taken from the height of the renewal in the days of King Asa:

He assembled all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the settlers from Ephraim, Manassch, and Simeon who had come to live with them. Many people from Israel had come there to live when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. They assembled in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa's reign. At that time they sacrificed to the Lord some of the plunder they had brought back, including 700 head of cattle and 7,000 sheep. They solemnly agreed to seek the Lord God of their ancestors with their whole heart and being. (2 Chronicles 15:9 to 12)

The result was a revival of the believers; the response and their changed lives deeply moved the hearts of many unbelievers who were also present in Jerusalem at the temple services.

A second example comes from the renewal in Hezekiah's day:

But some men from Asher, Manassch, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 30:11)

The majority of the many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun were ceremonially unclean, yet they ate the Passover in violation of what is prescribed in the law. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying: "May the Lord, who is good, forgive everyone who has determined to follow God, the Lord God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple." (2 Chronicles 30:18 to 19)

Hezekiah and all the people were happy about what God had done for them, for it had been done quickly. (2 Chronicles 29:36)

The Lord responded favorably to Hezekiah and forgave the people.

(2 Chronicles 30:20)

There was a great celebration in Jerusalem, unlike anything that had occurred in Jerusalem since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel. (2 Chronicles 30:26)

Great numbers of people were present at the rededication of the temple, as well as at the observance of the Passover shortly thereafter. On this occasion the Spirit worked in great power: “it was done so quickly. Could it not be that many believers were revived and a good number of unbelievers came to the Lord as the Spirit worked in hearts and “He healed the people”?

The third example comes from the days of Nehemiah:

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priestly scribe, and the Levites who were imparting understanding to the people said to all of them, "This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping when they heard the words of the law. He said to them, "Go and eat delicacies and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:9 to 10)

In Nehemiah's time another spiritual renewal came upon the people. Ezra publicly read the Torah of God, and by the end of the reading on the first day, believers began to cry as they heard the Word. This may well have been a work of the Spirit of God in the hearts of people. No doubt the occasion also spoke to the hearts of unbelievers, when we read that "all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law."

And yet, the Scripture does not specifically say how the Spirit of God was at work; we are left to re-create the situation, reading between the lines of Scripture, imagining ourselves present, and sensing His special ministry as He strove with the hearts of the people.

Did the Spirit regenerate people, so that they repented as they turned to the Lord, and did the Spirit definitely change people's hearts? Again, Scripture does not specifically say so as it does in numerous places in the New Testament.

We do know that the lessons concerning the atonement are already present in the Mosaic Covenant through the sin offering. There, as each one brought his particular animal, four major principles are seen. (1) Each worshipper, as he brought his particular animal, had to regard it as his particular substitute; (2) the offerer's sins became identified with the animal substitute, making it thereby sin; (3) the substitute underwent death, because it had become sin and it died in place of the offerer; and finally, (4) there was an exchange of life that, while not spelled out clearly in the book of Leviticus, is described by later prophets, namely, that as the animal died, it gave its life to the offerer.

In order for these principles to be effective, the individual had to respond by faith and accept them, and then the Spirit would work in his heart and change him. But once more, the Hebrew Scriptures do not discuss how it was done.

Several passages seem to imply some particular work of the Spirit in regeneration.

Circumcision. In a pointed remark, Moses called on Israel in these verses:

Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you except to revere him, to obey all his commandments, to love him, to serve him with all your mind and being, and to keep the Lord's commandments and statutes that I am giving you today for your own good? (Deuteronomy 10:12 to 13)

Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. (Deuteronomy 10:16 N.I.V)

But how was one to live this lifestyle? We have already seen that Israel consisted of two classes of people: on the one hand, the remnant who were believers, seeking to serve God, and on the other hand the hardhearted, the unregenerate. But how could the “hard hearts” be changed? Moses' answer was interesting: “Circumcise your hearts, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.” But how was this to be performed by each Israelite who took the message to heart? Was this not the particular work of the Spirit who touched the heart of the individual, and changed him or her?

So too with Jeremiah:

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts, you men of Judah and people of Jerusalem, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done—burn with no one to quench it. (Jeremiah 4:4 N.I.V)

In Jeremiah's day, the prophet faced a nation on the skids, following the spiritual renewal that had occurred in the days of Josiah (see 2 Chronicles 35:18). The course for Judah continued to spiral downward until ultimately the temple was destroyed and many were killed or went into exile. What was Jeremiah's message in the midst of such dire circumstances? The only fitting reply was, "Circumcise yourselves to the Lord..."

The literal circumcision of cutting away the foreskin becomes the metaphor of what is necessary for a person's heart. Thompson explains regarding the passage in Deuteronomy:

If that which hinders is cut away (the parallel with physical circumcision is obvious), then the circumcised heart becomes open and, being freed from hindering obstructions, it can become pliable and amenable to the direction of God.... Indeed, without circumcision of the heart true fear of God and true love of God are both impossible.

Keil observed concerning the Jeremiah passage:

In the flesh all Jews were circumcised. If they then are called to circumcise themselves to the Lord, this must be meant spiritually, of the putting away of the spiritual impurity of the heart, that is of all that hinders the sanctifying of the heart; ... The foreskins are the evil lusts and longings of the heart ...

From the comments by these two sources, it appears that circumcision reflects the change of heart possible by the individual; he or she must make the decision to change their hearts, turning away from sin and impurity. In other words, the person must have a repentant attitude. A. B. Davidson reflects on this view of God's message to Jeremiah, that people must circumcise their hearts, but then questions whether this was possible because "… appeals to men to regenerate themselves are vain." In support of his position, he asked if the Ethiopian could change his skin, or the leopard his spots (see Jeremiah 13:23). In the light of this "impossibility" for change, Davidson declared that it would have to take the New Covenant as enunciated by God to Jeremiah to provide for this circumcision of heart: "The ethical unit becomes the individual mind, and sin and righteousness become matters of the relation of the personal mind to God."

But does this mean that no Israelite ever became a believer? Was circumcision and regeneration only a New Covenant phenomenon? Obviously not. Could the people themselves, living in the evil they had chosen, ever circumcise their own hearts? For a person to know the Lord, a work of repentance and regeneration is implied. No other course can be entertained but that the Spirit must enable a person to repent, turn to Him, and experience the change only God can perform. Moses and Jeremiah called on the people to circumcise themselves, obviously not in their flesh, but as a reminder that a supernatural work of God had to be performed to enable the person to turn away from sin and turn toward God. We are left with no word describing such an action, but if the New Covenant is any guide, there must have been some special work of the Spirit in changing the individual.

A New Heart and a New Spirit. A second message is the statement by the prophet Ezekiel, already alluded to in the above discussions:

I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)

In a day yet to come, a restored Israel will know what it means to have a new heart and a new spirit within them, for God the Spirit will take from them their heart of stone and instead provide them with a heart of flesh. But is this a message only for the future, a New Covenant message, with regard to Israel at the time when it will be restored? Could not this message also be the way the Spirit worked in the days of the Hebrew Scriptures within Israel? Was it not possible that when a person was born again, the heart of stone was removed and the Spirit provided the heart of flesh in the work of regeneration?

Yeshua seemed to allude to Ezekiel in His discussion with Nicodemus when He said that for a person to be born again, he must be born “of the Spirit”.

Yeshua replied, "I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Yeshua answered, "I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. (Yohanan 3:3, 5, 8)

Kaiser points out that Yeshua was amazed by the fact that Nicodemus did not understand this message, essentially asking, How could this man be a teacher of the Jews and not know either about being born again or being born of the Spirit? Where must this man have gone to yeshiva or seminary? Had he never read Ezekiel 36:25 to 32 with its teaching about the “new heart” and the “new Spirit”? The point must be faced: Yeshua expected Nicodemus (and all subsequent interpreters) to understand that no one (in any period of time) is ever converted into the kingdom of God without experiencing the new birth and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Says Kaiser, “If the God of the New Testament is the God of the Old Testament, then the Holy Spirit of the New Testament is the Holy Spirit of the Old Testament. He is one, not several divided deities.”

Concerning the message of Ezekiel, Montague states that it is unprecedented in the pneumatology of the Old Testament. The need for a washing clean had of course already been stressed by the prophets (compare Is 4:4) but the rah or "spirit" there was the agent of the cleansing itself. Here the new spirit appears as the positive life which follows the cleansing. The "new spirit" (vs. 26) is the Lord's own spirit (vs. 27) and that is why it manifests itself in a willing observance of the Lord's mind for his people, the law (36:27).

Kaiser adds:

Ezekiel, like Jeremiah, has a form of inaugurated eschatology which embodies a “now” and a “not yet” aspect of the Spirit's work . . . the new heart and the new spirit are likewise correctly connected to the Spirit's work in regeneration and the new birth.

Kaiser does affirm the full aspect of Ezekiel's prophecy will not be fulfilled until that "final eschaton," but again, if the prophet Ezekiel could speak of a regeneration brought about by the peculiar work of the Spirit in his day, then he and others knew something of His distinctive work in the lives of believers.

Something of this message and experience must have been known by Israel's leaders and prophets but unfortunately, until Ezekiel actually mentions this type of ministry, we can only read between the lines and formise of what did take place among unbelievers at various times and when great spiritual revivals occurred.

Conclusion

The burden of this chapter was not to discuss the work of the Spirit in creation, nor His specific work in inspiration and the producing of Scripture. The concern was to treat selected passages with regard to the nation and people of Israel and to note how the Spirit came upon various individuals to perform their God-given tasks under His guidance. We also saw how the Spirit came upon rulers of the nation and also certified the passing of power from one ruler to the next. And we have observed how the Spirit of God worked within the nation itself, in first establishing the covenant, and then in guiding the people in their life under that covenant.

Noted also was how the Spirit strove in the lives of the prophets, the preachers of their day, providing both the short-term prophecies that related to the nation as well as providing the long-range prophecies that spoke of the coming Messiah and the last days of the nation.

In conclusion, we can say that in a very special way, the Holy Spirit clothed various individuals on whom He came, empowering them, giving them wisdom, and providing them an unction from on high to serve the living God. Can we say that the Spirit ministered continually in certain individuals? For some individuals, the answer is apparently no, while for certain other individuals, the Spirit evidently enveloped the person and never left—except when specific violations of the covenant occurred, as for example, with King Sha'ul. In regard to King David, the Spirit of God was with him, as well as with other prophets as they served Him.

One major difference between the Tanach and the New Covenant is that in the latter the Holy Spirit indwells the person when he makes a confession of faith, sealing him or her with the promised Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing her or her inheritance:

And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)—when you believed in Messiah—you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13 to 14)

But in all other aspects, there does not seem to be any difference between the way the Spirit worked in the Tanach and the way He does so within the body of the Messiah. While the Scriptures specifically note particular individuals in whom we see the work of the Spirit, who is to say that He did not also work in countless other believers who also served Him, not as a king or prophet, but just in their day-to-day walk with the Lord?

We also noted the work of the Spirit in pre-evangelism as well as in that of regeneration. Nothing seems to be mentioned in the Old Testament of the specific work of the Spirit in these respects. In contrast, in the New Testament a number of passages can be adduced to demonstrate His involvement with individuals as well as with those who specifically make decisions concerning their faith. I would suggest the possibility that the Spirit worked in the same way in the Old Testament. Otherwise, we cannot satisfactorily explain what is meant for the heart to be circumcised, or for the heart of stone to be removed and a heart of flesh implanted. These are pictures in the Hebrew Scriptures of what takes place with someone who becomes a believer. No doubt, many among the remnant in Israel could testify to this particular work of the Spirit in their lives.