The Holy Spirit in the Days of Old
Who is the Holy Spirit?
The Old Testament provides a picture of what will happen when the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of a believer
Genesis 1:1-2 New International Version
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Ruah – spirit, breath, wind
Neshamah – power
John 1:1-3 New International Version
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Genesis 1:26 New International Version
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…
The Holy Spirit came so that God could
2 Samuel 23:1-2 New International Version
These are the last words of David: “The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel’s songs:
“The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.
Numbers 24:2-3 New International Version
When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him and he spoke his message:
The Holy Spirit came to bring glory to God through
Exodus 31:1-5 New Living Translation
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft!
The Holy Spirit came to deliver and bring freedom from oppression
The Holy Spirit came to display God’s power
Judges 13:8 New International Version
Then Manoah prayed to the LORD: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.”
Judges 13:24-25 New International Version
The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the LORD blessed him, and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judges 14:5-7 New International Version
Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.
Judges 14:14 New International Version
He replied,“Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet.”
Judges 14:16 New International Version
Then Samson’s wife threw herself on him, sobbing, “You hate me! You don’t really love me. You’ve given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.”
Judges 14:18 New International Version
“What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?”
*“If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.”*
Judges 14:19-20 New International Version
Then the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he returned to his father’s home. And Samson’s wife was given to one of his companions who had attended him at the feast.
Judges 15:8 New International Version
He (Samson) attacked them viciously and slaughtered many of them.
Judges 15:14-15 New International Version
As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands. Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men.
Judges 16:15-16 New International Version
Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.” With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.
Judges 16:19-21 New International Version
After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.
*Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”*
He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him.
*Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison.*
Judges 16:28-30 New International Version
Then Samson prayed to the LORD, “Sovereign LORD, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came
1. so that God could speak truth
2. to bring glory to God through skills
3. to deliver and bring freedom from oppression
4. to display God’s power
Sermon Based Questions
- What are the first things you remember learning about the Holy Spirit?
- What do you think may have been difficult for the Israelites without having the consistent presence of the Holy Spirit?
- What in the story of Samson (Judges 13-16) surprises you?
- Samson does some things that seem in conflict with what we picture a leader for God’s people would be (marries two Philistine women who both are losers, takes revenge personally, is ruthless, etc.). How could God use a person like that to accomplish His purposes?
- Have you ever experienced a time when you sensed that the Holy Spirit gave you power you didn’t have on your own, or spoke through you in a way you never would have expected?
- Finish your group time together by asking the Holy Spirit to deliver any spoken or unspoken needs within your group.