The Holy Spirit during the Old Testament Dispensation

by Jason E. Robertson

Because of years of inconsistent dispensationalism many today are very confused about the work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament age. The effects of this confusion has even led many to misunderstand the work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament age. A.W. Pink was right when he said, "A verse which has been grossly perverted by many of our moderns is John 7:39, "The Holy Spirit was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." It seems passing strange that with the Old Testament in their hands, some men should place the construction which they do upon those words. The words "was not yet given" can no more be understood absolutely than "Enoch was not" (Gen. 5:24); they simply mean that the Spirit had not yet been given in His full administrative authority. He was not yet publicly manifested here on earth. All believers, in every age, had been sanctified and comforted by Him, but the "ministration of the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:8) was not at that time fully introduced; the outpouring of the Spirit, in the plentitude of His miraculous gifts, had not then taken place."(Pink, The Holy Spirit, 22)

Here is the difficult task before us: How to explain the fact that, while the Holy Spirit was poured out only on Pentecost, the saints of the Old Covenant were already partakers of His gifts. Let us put this in the concrete: How are the following passages to be reconciled? "I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts, and My Spirit remaineth among you, fear ye not" (Haggai 2:4-5); and "This spake He of the Holy Spirit which they that believe should receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7:39). Scripture evidently seeks to impress us with the two facts, that the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, and that the same Spirit had wrought already for centuries in the Church of the Old Covenant. Not only does the Apostle John declare definitely that the Holy Spirit was not yet given, but the predictions of the prophets and of Jesus and the whole attitude of the apostles show that this fact may not in the least be weakened. So how shall we distinguish the outpouring of the Holy Spirit nineteen centuries ago from His entering into the soul of the unconverted to-day?

Here are some thoughts:

Concerning the nature of the Holy Spirit we confess that the Holy Spirit is true and eternal God, and therefore omnipresent; hence no creature, stone or animal, man or angel, is excluded from His presence. With reference to His omniscience and omnipresence, David sings: "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up to heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall Thy hand lead me and Thy right hand shall hold me." (Psalm 139:7-10) These words state positively that omnipresence belongs to the Holy Spirit; that neither in heaven nor in hell, in the east nor in the west, is there a spot or point from which He is excluded. This simple consideration is, for the matter under discussion, of the greatest importance; for it follows that the Holy Spirit cannot be said ever to have moved from one place to another; to have been among Israel, but not among the nations; to have been present after the day of Pentecost where He was not before. All such representations directly oppose the confession of His omnipresence, eternity, and immutability. The Omnipresent One cannot go from one place to another, for He cannot come where He is already. And to suppose that He is omnipresent at one time and not at another is inconsistent with His eternal Godhead. The testimony of John the Baptist, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode on Him," (John 1:32) and that of Luke, "The Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the Word," (Acts 10:44) may not therefore be understood as though the Holy Spirit came to a place where He was not before, which is impossible.

Concerning creation, the Holy Spirit "moved upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2).

Concerning Adam, the Holy Spirit relationship to him is quite evident from Genesis 2:7 (compare with Ezekiel 37:9-10; John 20:22). John Owen spoke wisely about the Holy Spirit's relationship to the first man and the Spirit relationship to the New Man in Christ. Owens said, "Thus Adam may be said to have had the Spirit of God in his innocence. He had Him in these peculiar effects of His power and goodness, and he had Him according to the tenor of that covenant, whereby it was possible that he should utterly lose Him, as accordingly it came to pass. He had Him not by especial inhabitation, for the whole world was then the temple of God. In the Covenant of Grace, founded in the Person and on the mediation of Christ, it is otherwise. On whomsoever the Spirit of God is bestowed for the renovation of the image of God in him, He abides with him forever" (J. Owen, 1680).

Concerning individuals, the Holy Spirit acted in a twofold manner – from without, and from within. He gave Samson physical strength and took it away and gave it back again. He gave Aholiab and Bezaleel artistic talent to build the tabernacle. He gave Joshua military genius. He gave Saul an official character of kingliness and took it away. All of these are outward workings of the Spirit's power upon people in the Old Testament dispensation, and we must remember that He does the same today. But in the Old Testament there was also an inward operation in believers. Abraham Kuyper rightly notes: "Believing Israelites were saved. Hence they must have received saving grace. And since saving grace is out of the question without an inward working of the Holy Spirit, it follows that He was the Worker of faith in Abraham as well as in ourselves. The difference between the two operations is apparent. A person outwardly wrought upon may become enriched with outward gifts, while spiritually he remains as poor as ever. Or, having received the inward gift of regeneration, he may be devoid of every talent that adorns man outwardly." (Kuyper, The Work of the Holy Spirit, 128)

Concerning Israel, again I quote Pink: A very striking and comprehensive statement was made by Nehemiah, when he reviewed the Lord's dealings with His people of old: "Thou gavest also Thy good Spirit to instruct them" (Neh. 9:20). He was, until quenched, upon the members of the Sanhedrin (Num. 11:16, 17). He came upon the judges (Judges 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 15:14), upon the kings (1 Sam. 11:6; 16:13), and the Prophets. But note it is a great mistake to say, as many have done, that the Holy Spirit was never in any believer before Pentecost: Numbers 27:18, Nehemiah 9:30, 1 Peter 1:11 clearly prove otherwise. But alas, Israel "rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit" (Isa. 63:10), as Stephen declared, "Ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye" (Acts 7:51). That the Holy Spirit indwelt saints under the Legal economy is clear from many considerations: how otherwise could they have been regenerated, had faith, been enabled to perform works acceptable to God? The Spirit prompted true prayer, inspired spiritual worship, produced His fruit in the lives of believers then (see Zech. 4:6) as much as He does now. We have "the same Spirit of faith" (2 Cor. 4:13) as they had. All the spiritual good which has ever been wrought in and through men must be ascribed unto the Holy Spirit. The Spirit was given to the Old Testament saints prospectively, as pardon of sin was given in view of the satisfaction which Christ was to render unto God. (Pink, 24)

Here are some conclusions:

First, there is the omnipresence of the Holy Spirit in space, the same in heaven and in hell, among Israel and among the nations.
Second, there is a spiritual operation of the Holy Spirit according to choice, which is not omnipresent; active in heaven, but not in hell; among Israel, but not among the nations.
Third, this spiritual operation works either from without, imparting losable gifts, or from within, imparting the unlosable gift of salvation. ‎