Old Testament Foundations Of The Pentecostal Faith

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OLD TESTAMENT

FOUNDATIONS

OF THE PENTECOSTAL FAITH

by Stanley

Monroe Horton

Was the people tunity

Holy

Spirit

discovery?

Some

On

were wives of who

represented

several by

how much the Old

denominations,

were

surprised Testament has to

say

about that

always

be afraid. But after

hearing creation;

how He

helped, God’s

people;

how He

brought outpourings

were

promised,

a New Testament

seem to think so. Thus I am

always happy

for an

oppor-

to discuss the work of the

Spirit

in the Old Testament. one such occasion in Brussels most of those

present

American business executives. The

ladies,

and blessed

the

Spirit

of God. One said afterward

before the

very

mention

how the

Spirit

filled, inspired,

all that fear was

gone.

I. THE HOLY SPIRIT

IN CREATION

God’s

of the

Spirit

caused her to

hovered

gently

in

and won victories for message,

and how future

Stanley

Monroe Horton is

professor

of Biblical Studies at the Assem- blies of God Graduate

School, Springfield,

Missouri. He earned the Th.D.

at Central

Baptist Seminary

in Kansas

City.

degree

– 21-

1

work of the entire

Creation was, of course, Trinity.

The mention

Spirit’s power

and concern the NEB translation

Vriezen

compares

the verbs in Genesis 1. Moreover, is used elsewhere

hovering

over her

young

the

cooperative

of the

Spirit

of God draws attention to the

and to His.

gentle activity.

of a

“mighty

to a tornado.1 God is the

subject

in the Old Testament

in a

vibrant, 32:11 ).

The

Holy Spirit

in the

beginning

Spirit

we have come to know

today.

of the

Spirit

powerful

recognizes

the work sendest forth the face of the earth” active in both

thy Spirit,

and

they

are created:

(Psalm 104:30). creation and

through

Though nothing

further

I

reject

wind” in Genesis 1:2 which

of most of the Hebrew verb

(merahepheth)

only

of a mother bird

protective way (Deut.

was the same

gentle

but

The Psalmist also in creation as he

says,

“Thou

and thou renewest

The

Spirit

is thus seen as

God’s

continuing providence.

is said about the

Spirit

in connection with the creation of

man,

the Bible makes it clear that the

image and likeness of God in man have to do with our

spiritual

nature. Paul

prays

that the believers

by

his

Spirit

in the inner

man,”

and moral

be

“strengthened

with

might and

goes

on to

urge

us to

“put

on the new

man,

which after God

(that is,

in the

image

and like-

is created in

righteousness

We

may

consider

ness of

God)

(Ephesians 3 :15 ; 4:24). to believe that the

Holy Spirit creation.

II.

THE HOLY SPIRIT

HELPING

was indeed

and true holiness” it reasonable therefore active in our

original

GOD’S

PEOPLE

among

men

As we

go

on we find the

Holy Spirit judging

“to restrain them from their evil

ways”

But as we

go

on after the flood little is said about

before the

flood, striving (Genesis 6:3).2

the

Spirit dealing

with mankind shows Him

helping

God’s

people. individuals whom the

Spirit enough

story

of

Spirit-filled

men.”3

came

upon for William

Barclay

to

say,

“The

Abraham,

identified him as a

prophet

as a whole.

Rather,

the Bible He did this

primarily through

or filled. This is clear

story

of the Bible is the

20:7),

one of those

“holy

the man of

faith,

was also a man of the

Spirit.

God

(Genesis

men of God” who

spoke

as

they

were moved

(led along) by

the

Isaac, Jacob,

and as God’s

Holy Spirit” (2

Peter identified as

prophets

1 :21).

– 22-

and

Joseph anointed

(Psalm

are also 105:15).

2

BUILDING THE TEMPLE

After Israel opportunity glory

and

presence the

people

was

brought

to build a Tabernacle where

in their midst. It was an

opportunity

to learn to work

together

and

using

their skills

(Exodus 25:1-9;

who do not have

anything

What do

you

do with them? You

get

them to-

out of

Egypt

God

gave

them an

He would manifest His

also for

in

giving

of their

possession

35:5-26).

But in

every

situ-

and can-

ation there are

always people not do

anything.

gether

and teach them.

God, and Aholiab

but to enable them

31 ).

with the

Spirit,

not

only

to

sharpen

to teach others

HELPING

MOSES

Moses,

however,

therefore, promised

to fill Bezelel

their own

skills,

also

(Exodus 31:2, 3; 35:30,

whom God was

using

in a

became too

babies.

God’s

was the

prophet

special way

at that time. The

Spirit

of God was

upon

him. Never-

of the

people’s murmuring

he told God that He

might

as well kill him as make him

care of all those

spiritual

Let Moses select 70 elders. Then the

would take of the

Spirit

which

theless,

when the

pressures great,

carry

the load of

taking answer was a

gentle

rebuke. Lord

same

Spirit

on them.

They

would the

people (Numbers

think he had to

carry

Spirit

of God was able to

carry all

11 : 17).

In other

all the burden in his own

strength?

was on Moses and

put

the help

Moses bear the burden of

words,

what made Moses

The the load.

When these elders

prophesied they

soon ceased and did not

‘do it

again (welo’

yasafu,

“and

the

experience

upon

Eldad and Medad prophesy.

Joshua then

they

added

no more”

(Numbers

But the

Spirit

came and

they

continued to

people

were

prophets them”

(Num. 11:29). normal level of God’s speakers

them. Later

on,

Jeremiah

11 :25) ;

note how the same verb is translated in Deut.

5:22). Thus,

of these elders was

temporary.

out in the

camp

rushed to Moses and demanded that he make them

stop.

Moses had no

jealousy,

only

did not make them

stop,

he

said,

“Would

and the Lord would

The

people

people ought

for God with the

Spirit

of God

continually

31:31-34

that such a time will indeed come for Israel. Joel also

prophesied

29).

But for Moses and the

prophets this was

only

a desire

they

never saw fulfilled.

it for all flesh

(Joel 2:28,

– 23-

however. In

fact,

he not

that all the Lord’s

put

His

Spirit upon were

living

below what the to be.

They

all

ought

to be

resting

on and Ezekiel 36:25-27

predict

3

FILLING

JUDGES,

ANOINTING KINGS

Most of those who were filled with the

Spirit

following

Moses

were

leaders

real

way (Numbers

to sell his services

(Numbers 31:8).

was the

Spirit” (Numbers 27:19). the

70,

for he is

distinguished But somewhere

during

was filled with the

Spirit

Balaam. The

Spirit

of God came

upon

him

temporarily

23:

24).

But

greed

for

money

to the Midianites

In contrast to

him,

Joshua

in the times of

the

people.

An

exception

was

in a

very

later caused him

and he died

fighting

Israel

was a man “in whom

He was

probably

not one of from them in Numbers 11:28.

journeyings,

he

(Deut. 34:9).

Not

for occasional

for

wisdom, insight,

and

lapses,

learned to

depend ability

During

the

period cial attention

used were not

entirely

the 40

years

of wilderness

of God and wisdom

only ‘so,

he remained full of the

Spirit and, except

on the

Spirit

to

carry

out God’s

purposes.

of the

Judges,

to the work of the

Spirit.

free from the

failings

of the

times, it seems that the

Spirit

of God worked in

spite

of the

people

used. In

fact, were

unimportant

I

get

the

impression

27, 29).

the Bible

again

draws

spe-

Most of the

people

God

and

He that God chose

people

who

in themselves so that He

1 :

and filled these

them to

victory,

and

inspired

Some

suppose

that the of the

Judges

this in Deborah’s case.

People tess because

they recognized brought

their

problems, disputes God

gave

her the wisdom

and

undistinguished

could show that the

power

was of God and not of man

(

Cor.

But when the

Spirit aroused, moved,

men and

women, they

turned the hearts of the

people

to

God,

led

them to serve the Lord.

only

work of the

Spirit

in the time

was a sort of

ecstasy

came to her as a judge and

prophe-

she was in touch with God.

They

Nor was the

experience

or enthusiasm. We do not see

and

questions.

The

Spirit and

challenge

of the

to

exhort, comfort, people

as well as to settle their differences.

of Gideon Spirit

of the Lord came

upon (lavashah)

Himself with Gideon.”

As Oehler also

points covering

mere enthusiasm. “The

Gideon”

(Judges 6:34)

is

Cassel in

Lange’s that the Hebrew can

only

mean

out,

Gideon

of the

Spirit,

which

rules,

better

translated,

“clothed Commentary correctly recognizes that the

Spirit

filled Gideon.4 was

just

the

clothes,

“the speaks,

and testified in him.”5

A

superficial

visitations

Rather,

God and of the

grace

and

power

look at Samson causes some liberals

of the

Spirit demonic, excesses,

the Bible uses Samson as an

object

– 24-

to call his

or at

least,

abnormal.6

lesson of

patience

of of the

Spirit

in a difficult time.

4

The Bible does use a word of the

Spirit’s moving

that means to

or break in

upon (tsalah).

Just when Samson needed

it,

him an enduement of

mighty

rush

upon the

Spirit strength. that

brought

But this was not

against

That

is,

in

previous expected

the

Spirit time he was not

disappointed. cooperation

when his lack of inner consecration

he

said,

“I will

go

out as at other times

before,

times he

simply

of God to move with

him,

and

up

to that

power

and his will.

Judges

16:20 tells us

caught up

with

him,

and shake

myself.”

took a

step

of faith and

In other

words,

it was Samson’s

with the

Spirit

that was the real secret of his

strength. He failed after his hair was cut because “the Lord was

departed

from him”

(Judges

16:20).

Samuel,

the last

judge,

the fact that the

symbolic pouring

of the

Spirit. as soon as he left Samuel. 10:9).

Then

became an anointer of

kings.

For this he was

prepared by

God.

But,

more

important

action

In the case of

Saul,

an inner

change

God

gave

him another

as he met a band of

prophets

with

them,

and became another man

(

Samuel

In David’s

case, however,

Spirit

of the Lord came

upon

him (tsalah,

power)

from that

day

forward

for us to notice is

was. followed

by

a real out-

came

heart

(I Samuel

who were

prophesied

10:6).

when Samuel anointed

him,

the

rushed in with

mighty (

Samuel

16:13).

The same verb

temporary

and intermittent. case also there was

that

inner

day

and Saul. Their

experiences The

Spirit

no immediate

mighty surge

of

power preparation

for the upward (‘alah).

he sinned the

Holy Spirit in his

repentance,

51:11).

is used of the

Spirit’s coming

as is used of His

coming

on Samson and Saul. But there is a difference. The

Spirit

came

upon

Samson

were

came to or into David. In David’s

outward reaction as there had been in theirs. This

filled David’s

future from

It was a

rising, growing experience.

was still with him and he cried out

“Take not

thy Holy Spirit

being

and

began

a forward, literally,

Even when

from me”

(Psalm

of God as the

Holy Spirit

is

This

recognition

significant.

David

probably recognition

of the

Spirit’s see that the

Spirit

is

personally

of the

Spirit

does not use the name with the full

distinct

In Psalm 51 also we see that through

and that he wanted

falling again,

and

bring

sinners to the Lord.

aware of God’s

presence merely

to

keep

him from others

– 25-

personality.

But he does active in relation to his needs.

the

Spirit

David was made

the

Spirit’s help,

not

but to

help

him teach

5

III.

SPEAKERS

FOR GOD

in the Old

In

fact,

references to the

Spirit

in connection with the

prophets. are often little more than framework for the

history.

on the real work of God and laid the

foundation

of

course,

So much was

Elijah

characterized

Elisha asked for a double

2:9). By

this he did not mean

of God which was

upon

he was not

asking

for twice as much. He

of the heir. He wanted to be

Elijah’s

inspired

and moved

by

by

the

Spirit,

for ex- portion

of his

Spirit (2 Elijah’s

human

spirit

or

him.

By

a

the

martyr

“clothed Himself’ and rebuked a

backsliding

successor

of the schools of the

prophets.

Zechariah with whom

Joash

(2 who

said,

“I am full of

power by

‘eth)

the

Spirit

of the Lord”-filled

Most of the

remaining Testament are found

the

kings

Prophets

carried

for the future.

All true

prophets were, the

Spirit.

ample,

that

Kings

enthusiasm,

but the

Spirit double

portion, however,

meant the

portion

in ‘his

ministry

and in his

leadership

Other

examples

include the

Spirit

Chronicles

24:20),

and

Micah, (rather

with or

even,

Hebrew to come to

grips

with sin

(Micah quently

24; 8:3; 11:1, 5, 24; 37:1; 43:5). Spirit

entered

of the

Spirit moving upon

him

personally

into him and caused him to stand lifted him

up

that he

might

hear God’s

God had for him.

IV. THE SPIRIT

IN THE FUTURE

3:8).

Ezekiel also

speaks

fre-

(2:2; 3:12, 14, We

read,

for

example,

that the

on his feet or

message

or see the vision

Messiah will continue.

dictions. Like the other

prophets, between the first and second that

the

Spirit.

Isaiah

28:5,

Isaiah sees also that the

ministry

Isaiah 11:6-9

of the

Spirit through

the

jumps

to millennial con- he did not see the time

gap

of Christ. But he does see

the residue of his

people, sitteth in

judgment,

turn the battle to the

gate.” that rests

More than

that,

Isaiah 32:15

plying

transformation

ther

pictured

in 44:3 as

poured

comings

the ideal conditions of the

age

to come will be the work of

6 adds that in that

of hosts be for a crown of

glory

and for a diadem of

beauty,

and for a

spirit

of

justice

and for

courageous

Clearly,

on the Messiah is made available

speaks

of a future

Spirit

from heaven which will make the desert a fruitful

of both land and

people.

– 26-

day

“shall the Lord

unto

to him that

strength

to them that

the same sevenfold

Spirit

to the

people

also.

outpouring

of the

field,

im-

The

Spirit

is fur- out like floods on a

dry ground.

6

restoration of the

people

spiritual

the

importance

and the land is then linked

renewal

(Isaiah 44:5, 6).

of the

Spirit

in the ( 11:19, 20; 11 :31, 32; 36:26,

Outward

directly

with salvation and

Ezekiel also

emphasizes time of Israel’s future restoration 27; 37:14; 39:29).

spirit

that God

puts

in His

people, putting

His

Spirit

Again

and

again

he

speaks

of a new heart and

Joel’s

prophecy

and that is followed

by

God’s

pictured

in the

37).

in them. This is

dramatically

vision of the

valley

of

dry

bones

(chapter

is another that looks ahead to the end of the age (2:30, 31).

In view of Moses’ desire that all the Lord’s

people

and that the Lord would

the

promise

is

especially significant.

be God’s of the

Spirit only

in relation

put

His

Spirit upon

that God would

pour

out “your

sons and

your daughters

It

gave important will

finally

be realized and that

people.

As a result some

say

has

only

a future fulfillment

to the Jews on the

Day

of –

like that.”8

that

goes

so far as to

say

that Peter did not

really

mean What he meant was “This is

something

of what Joel has to

say shows, however,

may

not have understood the full

scope

of

we cannot limit it to the Jews. Like the

Joel did not see the time

gap

between

as the use of the

phrase

“All flesh” in

many

the first

clearly

means all other

passages

indi-

would be

prophets

them

(Numbers 11:29),

His

Spirit

on all flesh and that shall

prophesy” (2:28)

assurance that God’s

promises the

people

would indeed that Joel’s

prophecy

and can be fulfilled

the Lord.7

Gabelein

“This is that.”

Closer examination

though

Joel himself

God’s

promises here,

other

prophets,

and second

comings

of Christ. mankind,

cates.9

Nor does

“your

pouring

to Israel. It

simply regard

removal of

limitations,

and there the

meaning

to the Jews.10

Old men

dreaming prophetic prophetic

visions is a further

sons and

your

shows there to

age

or sex. As Keil

indicates,

daughters”

restrict the out-

are no restrictions with

the

phrase

is

part

of a is no intention of

restricting

dreams and

young

men

seeing

on the removal of limita-

poured

ants or slaves. The abundant available for

all,

Jew or

Gentile, or

female,

educated

national

origin.

Nor would The Hebrew

(‘eshpok?

indicates making

the

outpouring

emphasis

tions. Social restrictions would also be removed as the

Spirit

is

out in the same rich abundance

or

uneducated, regardless

this

outpouring

of the

Spirit

available

– 27-

on male and female serv- outpouring

of the

Spirit

is thus rich or

poor, young

or

old,

male

of

race, color,

or

be a one-time event.

progressive

or

repeated action,

to

generation

after

7

repentance

and re-

speaks

of the

in Joel 2:28

may

mean after

It

may

also refer back to verse 23 which

and latter rain. The latter half of this verse

may

be trans-

the Teacher

for

righteousness

generation.11

Afterward

storation.

former

lated,

“For he will

give you (hammoreh litsdakah)

fall, early rain,

makes the

overflowing supply a “second and later

consequence righteousness.”12

and will cause to come down for

you

rain- and latter rain first of all.”

Thus,

“afterward” of the

Spirit

to

be,

as Keil

says,

of the

gift

of the Teacher of

From this we can

say

that the

sending

fulfilled his

prophecy

Joel’s

day

not

only

their

repentance,

it

guaranteed would

pour

out His

Spirit

after the

Messiah,

receive.

came. The

only

limit would be our

willingness

of the literal rain in

of restoration after the further

promise

that God the Teacher of

righteousness,

to

In line with this also it is

striking will “come unto us as the

rain,

that Hosea

promises

that

as the latter and former 6:3).

“Former rain” here is best “saturating.”

Tha

is,

God will

the earth. The context here

saturating

connected also with the death and resurrection of

it is

immediately

preceded

by

God

rain

upon

the earth”

(Hosea taken as a verb form meaning come as the latter

rain, is

possibly

Christ

(Hosea 6:1, 2).

At

least, restoration to the

knowledge with Him. It thus

gives grounds ing

of the

Spirit following latter rain.

of God and to

personal fellowship

Christ’s death

for

characterizing

the

outpour-

and resurrection as

One more

passage

is

very significant.

the

Spirit

as the Giver of

power. of a series of

eight,

building

the

temple

Zechariah 4

emphasizes The

message

is the fifth vision

those who were re-

by

the

Babylonians.

all

given

to

encourage

after its destruction

All

eight

visions have the work and times of the Messiah in view

Zerubbabel and his

people

to know that what

was of more than local

significance.

of a

great plan

that would find its consummation

as well. God wanted they

were

doing

the Messiah.

Of

special significance immediately

after a

picture priestly

work of the

Messiah, from the rootstock

23 : j ;

Ezra

3:1-10).

is the fact that

of

forgiveness

the

“Branch,” of David

(as

in Isaiah

It was

part in the work of

this vision comes of sin

through

the that is the new shoot 11:1; 53:1;

Jeremiah

and

The vision itself is hard to

picture.

But God’s word to Zerubbabel

indicates

49

lights.

– 28-

It

speaks

of seven

lamps

was

8

“Not

hosts”

(4:6). Might

and

power times

indicating

inherent

power of

armies, riches, organization, human

work.

by might,

nor

by power,

but

by my Spirit,

saith the Lord of

might

and

power put together

are used

interchangeably,

some- or

bravery; sometimes,

the

power

or other external means. All

are not

enough

to do God’s

ducing

of

carrying

where God used

armies, Moses and Joshua found Rephidim (Exodus 17:9-15).

Zechariah 4:6 does not

mean, however,

a new

way

of

doing things.

out His

plan

at

every stage

from

the

victory

out

that God was intro-

His

Spirit

has been the means

Creation on. Even

was

always

the

Lord’s,

as when Moses lifted his rod at

moves on the

in full

measure,

people

to

respond them

(Zechariah 21 : 10). respect

to what Zechariah they

have

pierced.

The latter

part

of Zechariah also looks ahead to a time when the

Holy Spirit

as the

Spirit

of

grace pours

out the

grace

of God

and as the

Spirit

of

supplications,

to that

grace

and seek the favor God offers

Grace also must

says

about

looking

be

interpreted

with

on the One whom

nized

9:20). Then, though

the

ministry came to an end with

Malachi, the

Spirit

as well as of divine revelation.

The Old Testament

kept and

right training

could not The

prophecies

of future that there was still

something

Near the end of the Old Testament that God

gave

His

good Spirit

to instruct

as the source of

power,

be had

except through outpourings

period,

Nehemiah

recog-

Israel

(Nehemiah

of the Old Testament

prophets the

people

continued to

recognize

strength, miracles,

and

help,

before them the fact that wisdom

the

Spirit.

kept

before them the fact ahead. What

they

had

already

re-

after 400

years father, Zecharias, who were

open

ceived was not all God had for them. There was more. Thus, even

still

priests

there were

and common to the

Spirit

– 29-

like John the

Baptist’s

people

like Simeon and Anna and who

experienced

His

filling.

9

ENDNOTES

lTh. C. Vriezen, An Outline of Old Testament Theology. 2nd. ed., rev. (Newton, Mass.: Charles C. Branfor, 1970), p. 214.

2H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1950), 1, 255,

256.

3William Barclay, The Promise of the

Spirit, (Philadelphia: The Westminster

11.

Press, 1960), p.

4Paulus Cassel, Judges and Ruth (Lange’s Commentary; (Grand Rapids: Zonder- van, reprint

from 1865), p. 119).

Gustave F. Oehler, Theology of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, reprint

from 1883), p. 142.

6George

Foote Moore, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Judges, ICC (Edinburgh:

T. & T. Clark, 1895), p. 87.

7George

E. Ladd, The Pattern of New Testament Truth (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1968), pp. 100, Arno

101. Also held by others as Ryrie and Babelein.

C. Gabelein, The Holy Spirit in the New Testament (New York: Our Hope, n.d.), p. 34.

9Stanley Horton,

What the Bible Says About the Holy Spirit (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 1976), p. 56.

l OC, F. Keil, The Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., ., 1954 reprint), I, 211.

11T? is also the conclusion of Theo. Laetsch, The Minor Prophets (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1965), p. 128.

12Keil, op. cit., 1,

204. See also Pusey, 1, 193.

– 30-

10