Through The Outpouring Of The Spirit

by Geoffrey Hydon, North York, Ontario, Canada | Category: The Eternal God Revealed | Aug 1994

Think of the days of suspense between Christ's return to heaven and Pentecost. The eternal triune God was patiently waiting to fulfil in power Christ's promised sending of the Holy Spirit (1).

Because some of the waiting disciples had had their eyes and minds thoroughly opened (2) (Gk: dianoigo) in the light of the thorough opening of the Scriptures, passages such as Joel 2:28,29 would hold new meaning for them. Now, in contrast to the time when Moses could only wish that the Spirit would not be restricted to just the seventy privileged elders (3), they could expect a great outpouring of the Spirit upon all kinds of people, with no exclusions by reason of gender, age or social rank. What could be expected from such a revelation of God the Spirit?

Old Testament Revelation:

Approximately 75 places where the word "spirit" occurs in the Old Testament refer specifically either to "the Spirit of the LORD" or "the Spirit of God" or were otherwise considered by the translators of the American Standard, New King James and New International Versions to refer to the Holy Spirit (as recognized by their use of a capital "S"). Let us look at some of these references (noting corresponding New Testament passages), to see what they reveal about the Spirit.

1.His deity is evident from His characteristics of being everywhere present and all knowing (4). Although not evident in our English Bibles, Christ indirectly confirmed the Spirit's deity in his use of the Greek word allos (meaning "another" of the same sort) when comparing the Spirit to Himself (5), and Peter refers to the Spirit as God (6). His personality is confirmed in that He could be grieved, resisted and sinned against (7). These latter aspects also evidence the quality of mercifulness.

2.He works in creation and recreation or conversion (8). These works confirm the Spirit's divine, creative power, which is seen magnificently in the new birth disclosed by Christ to Nicodemus(9).

3.He is described as anointing or being poured or put upon people (10). In Old Testament times He could be taken away from a person (11). Also, from the fact that in certain contexts the Spirit is Himself subject to such action, we learn that another person of the Trinity must actually take the action (See Acts 2:33), and so we witness subjection within the Godhead. His permanent indwelling of every believer is a comforting truth for our times (12).

4.He commands and promotes that which is good, and guards against the work of evil spirits (13). God is holy (14).

5.A very frequent mention of the Spirit in the Old Testament is in connection with special gifts given by God to people, especially prophecy (15); see also in the New Testament Ephesians 3:5 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. Divine inspiration is the work of the Spirit (16); His enabling in the matter of special knowledge, wisdom and skill is also prominent (17). Such gifts are linked to the matter of leadership and instruction (18), and He gives special strength, courage and motivation for such tasks (19). These evidence a God of order, purpose and enabling grace.

6.He is seen in relation to God's covenant promises to His people, provides the pattern of their place of worship (20), and is the vehicle for their blessing. A God who foretells and promises is One with foreknowledge, and He who blesses demonstrates the quality of love (22).

7.He enables people, by vision or other means, to be found in different settings of time or place (23). God is spirit and is not confirmed to the physical limitations of human beings, or even the universe.

Although this is an impressive list of activities and attributes, the Old Testament passages show that the Spirit's work in human beings was then relatively localized, and by far the most significant activity was His work in bringing the Word of God to mankind. Let us consider for a moment this principal activity.

Prophetic Revelation:

It is certainly logical for God to reveal Himself, for the One who has given the capability of communication to His creature might be expected to evidence that ability Himself. Although supernatural, God communicating with people through the expression of thoughts in chosen words - as in: the Spirit's use of prophets - is entirely reasonable.

Isaiah and Ezekiel's familiar phrase, "Thus saith the LORD" is equivalent to David's statement: "The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and His word was upon my tongue" (24). In the activity of inspiring men and women to utter divine, eternal truth, the Spirit of God has prominence. Why is this so? We may turn to Paul's inspired words: "The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (25). Who better to reveal truths concerning God than the One who Himself searches deep divine realities? This is not a search by the Spirit into matters previously unknown to Him, but rather a confirmation of His limitless insight when meeting our need; consider also Romans 11:33-36 in its comment on the divine mind. "Now the Lord is the Spirit" (26), writes Paul in the context of Moses turning to "the LORD" (27) to receive the Word of God in his day, and so in the New Covenant the Lord who gave the prophetic Word is the Spirit.

The Manner of the Revelation:

The great prophet John the Baptist said the Spirit descended upon the Son of Man as a dove (28). Christ interpreted the symbolism of a dove, for He told His disciples to be harmless as doves (29): harmless in the sense of being absolutely pure and unmixed. This symbolism may help to explain the use of doves in sacrifice, and certainly identifies a key characteristic of God seen in Father, Son and Spirit. The promise of the Spirit to disciples was the promise of One with powerful, effective, sanctifying purity; how necessary for those who were to testify to a wicked and perverse generation! (30). At Pentecost the Spirit's coming was likened to rushing wind and tongues of fife. The unseen God is thus revealed in power; power which both energizes and cleanses. Fire suggests judgement, and the Spirit's work in this age includes convicting sinners by revealing God's righteousness in judgement (31).

The most direct New Testament references to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit are Acts 2:17, 18, 33; 10:45 and Titus 3:5, 6, where His coming is unseen but gloriously testified by its results. The verses record first the pouring out on Jewish believers at Pentecost, then upon the first Gentile converts at Cornelius' house. Paul provides a general statement of principle covering all believers in His letter to Titus: "...He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He poured Out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour" (3:5,6). The unity of the Trinity seen here merits further comment.

Revelation of the Trinity:

The Spirit's unity with the Father and Son shines in many New Testament passages. For instance, when the Lord gave His command to baptize disciples He said: "...baptizing them into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (32). It is significant that He used the word properly translated "into"; baptism is not only done "in" the Name of the Trinity, it is done "into" that Name. By being baptized in water a person signifies an intent to show transition from the domain of worldly attitudes and practices into the place of subjection to God's authority. Note, Christ did not say Names but the "Name" of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit. In scriptural usage "name" signifies authority, so here we have a united, threefold authority. Subjection to the Lordship of the Son should be reflected in the disciple's obedience to the leading of the Spirit, who will then prompt a trusting response to the Father's sweet and essential assurance of His eternal purpose for us (33). Again, the blessing of the three Persons of the Godhead is expressed in 2 Corinthians 13:14 grace, love and divine fellowship. The Spirit is seen as being particularly associated with the latter. In this is seen both a fellowship with the Father and the Son, and a fellowship with other faithful disciples; the condition is the same in all cases: walking in the light, that is, living in obedience to Spirit revealed truth (34).

Revelation of Divine Rule:

An important aspect of revealed truth concerns how God expects people to worship and serve Him. Divine rule, displaying God's authority and care, was established alter Pentecost through Christ's provision of those equipped by the Spirit to be apostles and prophets, and also men to be pastors and teachers, to tend to the spiritual needs of a rapidly growing flock (35). Overseers, fitted and designated by the Spirit, formed an elderhood or presbytery, expressing unity through subjection one to another (36). The churches of God grew in number and in numbers, in doctrinal conformity to the Spirit - given New Covenant pattern and practical expression in the community of "the unity of the Spirit" (37). Again the Spirit's work displayed the character of God in divine order, purpose and enabling grace. Miracles revealing an all-powerful God accompanied the early stages of development of this new testimony, confirming the truth of the apostles' teaching, and commanding obedience to it (38). And for obedient disciples there was provided through the Spirit the privilege and responsibility of access to God and worship (39).

The Lord is still ready to thoroughly open the heart of repentant believers and, through the Spirit, prompt them to further obedience (40). What divine power and patience are thereby displayed!

References

(1) Luke 24:49: Acts 1:4.

(2) Luke 24:31,32, 45.

(3) Num. 11:29.

(4) Ps. 139:7; Is.40:13.

(5) John 14:16.

(6) Acts 5:3,4.

(7) Is. 30:1; 63:10; Jech. 7:12 and see also Eph. 4:30; Acts 7:51 and I Thess. 5:19.

(8) e.g. 1 Sam. 10:6; Job 33:4; Ps. 104:30.

(9) John 3:5.

(10) e.g. Is. 32:15; 42:1; 61:1; Ezek. 39:29; 1 John 2:20.

(11) Ps. 51:11.