“the spirit of …” (Luke 1:17, OAV)
Now we understand why – when Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit – He calls the Spirit “the promise of my Father” (Luke 24:49) and “’the Promise of the Father, which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me’” (Acts 1:4). In fact, if the promise comes from the Father, it must be from the Old Testament. In three instances in the prophetic book Ezekiel we find the promise of a new covenant, and a subsequent dispensation:
- “Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh. (Ezek. 11:19).
- “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezek. 36:26).
- “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezek. 36:27).
The new dispensation that starts once John the Baptist has concluded the previous dispensation is concerned with the coming of Jesus Christ, but is also absolutely connected to the Holy Spirit.
The entire history of Israel, we know by now, was concerned with restoring and building Jerusalem … Messiah the Prince” (Dan. 9:25). The Anointed is also a three-in-one: “Jesus, the Spirit and the anointed Body of Christ”.
But before we explore the implications of this, let us take a wider look at the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. The exact term ‘Holy Spirit’ is only found in three instances:
- 51:11: “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”
- Isa 63:10 – “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.”
- 63:11 – “Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying: ‘Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit within them …’”
Other times it is called: “the Spirit of the Lord”, “my Spirit”, “the Spirit”, “the Spirit of God” and “Your Spirit”. Then we find a variety of combinations that are concerned with the Spirit of God, but have another application: “the spirit of Jacob”, “the spirit of wisdom”, “the spirit of king David”, “the spirit of Elijah”, “The spirit of Korah”, “the spirit of Zerubabbel … and the spirit of Joshua …” The term “the spirit of” points to a spiritual mantle. More on this in the next teaching.
- Selah: What is a spiritual mantle?
- Read: 1-3.
- Memorise: Nahum 1:12.
