This is not totally exhaustive, but it is a solid survey of what is revealed about the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. Interestingly He is only referred to as the "Holy Spirit" three times in the O.T. But He is spoken of often in various other ways such as "the Spirit of God" etc.
I jumped into this subject for a few reasons. First because our teaching team is starting a series on the Holy Spirit tomorrow morning. Second because many believers are weak in all things Old Testament. Third I wanted our children's church team to spend a couple of Sundays at least with our elementary children looking at these things.
May you be ever more filled and anointed by the Holy Spirit as you learn of Him in the O.T.
His Role in Creation –
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.” Genesis 1:1,2
"The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. - Job 33:4
You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the ground." – Psalm 104:30
His Role in Restraining and Convicting of Evil –
Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." - Genesis 6:3
His Role in Empowering Craftsmen –
"I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship," - Exodus 31:3
"And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all craftsmanship;" - Exodus 35:31
His Role In Empowering Leaders to Lead/Shepherd God’s People –
"Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone." - Numbers 11:17
"So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;" - Numbers 27:18
"Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses." - Deuteronomy 34:9
His Role in Empowering His People to Prophesy –
"Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do it again." - Numbers 11:25
"But two men had remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them (now they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the tent), and they prophesied in the camp." - Num 11:26
"But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD'S people were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!" - Numbers 11:29
His Role in Empowering Deliverers –
"The Spirit of the LORD came upon him (Othniel, the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother) and he judged Israel. When he went out to war, the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand, so that he prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim." - Judges 3:10
"So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him." - Judges 6:34
"Now the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon." - Judges 11:29
"And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him (Samson) in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.' - Judges 13:25
"The Spirit of the LORD came upon him (Samson) mightily, so that he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done." - Judges 14:6
His Role in Empowering Kings –
"Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you (King Saul) mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man." - 1Samuel 10:6
"When they came to the hill there, behold, a group of prophets met him (King Saul); and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them." - 1Samuel 10:10
"Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became very angry." - 1Samuel 11:6
"Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah." - 1Samuel 16:13
His Role in Empowering Military Leaders -
"Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who was the chief of the thirty, and he said, "We are yours, O David, And with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, And peace to him who helps you; Indeed, your God helps you!" Then David received them and made them captains of the band." - 1Chronicles 12:18
His Role in Speaking Through His Servants -
"The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue." – 2 Samuel 23:2
His Role in Instructing His People -
"You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst." - Nehemiah 9:20
His Role in Empowering/Anointing Prophets to Warn/Admonish/Rebuke His People -
"Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, "Thus God has said, 'Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has also forsaken you.” II Chronicles 24:20
"However, You bore with them for many years, And admonished them by Your Spirit through Your prophets, Yet they would not give ear. Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands." - Nehemiah 9:30
"On the other hand I am filled with power-- With the Spirit of the LORD-- And with justice and courage To make known to Jacob his rebellious act, Even to Israel his sin." - Micah 3:8
His Role in Empowering/Anointing the Coming Messiah -
"The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD." - Isaiah 11:2
"Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations." - Isaiah 42:1
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;" - Isaiah 61:1
His Role in Transporting His Servants Where He Wants Them -
"It will come about when I leave you that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you where I do not know; so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth." - 1Kings 18:12
"They said to him, "Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley." And he said, "You shall not send." – 2 Kings 2:16
"Seek from the book of the LORD, and read: Not one of these will be missing; None will lack its mate. For His mouth has commanded, And His Spirit has gathered them." - Isaiah 34:16
"As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me." - Ezekiel 2:2
"Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me, "Blessed be the glory of the LORD in His place." - Ezekiel 3:12
"So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away; and I went embittered in the rage of my spirit, and the hand of the LORD was strong on me." - Ezekiel 3:14
"He stretched out the form of a hand and caught me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located."- Ezekiel 8:3
Promises for the Holy Spirit for Israel & the Nations -
"Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fertile field, And the fertile field is considered as a forest." - Isaiah 32:15
'For I will pour out water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring And My blessing on your descendants;" - Isaiah 44:3
"As for Me, this is My covenant with them," says the LORD: "My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring," says the LORD, "from now and forever." - Isaiah 59:21
"It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions." Joel 2:28
"I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances." - Ezekiel 36:27
"I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it," declares the LORD.'" - Ezekiel 37:14
"Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. - Joel 2:29
"I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I will have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel," declares the Lord GOD." - Ezekiel 39:29
"I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn." - Zechariah 12:10
Prayers for the Holy Spirit -
"Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me." - Psalm 51:11
"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? - Psalm 139:7
"Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground." - Psalm 143:10
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