Is the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament?
You bet it is.
Suppose you remember only one thing after reading this article. In that case, it should be this: the Christian concept of the Holy Spirit is already present in the Old Testament.
- The Holy Spirit is mentioned dozens of times in the Old Testament.
- The Holy Spirit is God in the Old Testament.
- He is a person distinct from the other divine persons of the Godhead.
- He has roles similar to those in the Old and New Testaments.
- The Holy Spirit’s indwelling in the believers is prophesied in the Old Testament.
The New Testament’s revelation about the Holy Spirit is entirely in line with how the Holy Spirit is depicted in the Old Testament. Thus, Christians didn’t “create” a new theology but continued what was already revealed in the Old Testament.
Contents
1. Where is the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Old Testament?
Almost everywhere. The Holy Spirit is mentioned around 80 times in the Old Testament, from the first chapter of Genesis to the last book, Malachi.
Every Old Testament book category mentions the Holy Spirit.
- The Law, also known as the Pentateuch or Torah
- The Historical books
- Poetic books
- Prophetic books
First mention of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
Genesis 1:2
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Top 10 verses about the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
Genesis 1:2
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Genesis 2:7
then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
“The breath” in Gen 2:7 is the same word as “the breath” below in Job 33:4 where that breath gives man his life.
Job 33:4
The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
2 Samuel 23:2
“The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me;
his word is on my tongue.
Psalm 33:6
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
Psalm 51:11
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Nehemiah 9:30
Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
Job 26:13 NKJV
By His Spirit He adorned the heavens;
His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
Psalm 139:7
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2. The Holy Spirit is divine in the Old Testament
The Old Testament depicts God’s Spirit as having divine features and carrying out actions reserved only for God. The Bible attributes the same features and actions to God the Father and Jesus.
The Spirit has divine features. He is omniscient in Isaiah 40:12–14, omnipresent in Psalm 139:7, and omnipotent in Zechariah 4:6.
The Spirit carries out divine actions. He participates in Creation in Genesis 1:2, Psalm 104:30, Job 33:4, and sanctification in Ezekiel 36:26-27.
3. The Holy Spirit is a person in the Old Testament
The Old Testament depicts God’s Spirit engaging in personal activity, refers to Him with personal pronouns and distinguishes Him from Yahweh.
God’s Spirit is a person. He speaks in Ezekiel 11:1-5, is grieved in Isaiah 63:10, and is referred to by personal pronouns in 2 Samuel 23:2, Isaiah 40:13.
The Spirit is distinct from God. He is distinguished from Yahweh, the LORD in Isaiah 48:16, Numbers 27:18, and Zechariah 4:6, from God in Psalm 51:10-11, and the Lord GOD in Ezekiel 36:24-28.
Note that the above-mentioned verse, Isaiah 48:16, is a Trinitarian verse. At best, it shows all three persons of the Godhead in the same verse (WEB version in the image below), and at worst, it proves that God is multi-personal and God’s Spirit is distinct from Yahweh (KJV version in the image).
4. The roles of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is often called the “Spirit of God” or the “Spirit of the Lord.” The role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament is multifaceted and can be understood through various contexts.
While you read the below examples, try to connect them to passages in the New Testament to understand how the Spirit’s roles are in continuation between the Old and New Testament.
1 Creation
In the opening verses of Genesis, the Spirit of God is described as hovering over the waters during the world’s creation. This suggests a role in the creative process and emphasizes the Spirit’s involvement in the origin of life.
Like God’s Spirit hovered over the water in the beginning, so did a dove hover over the waters after Noah’s Flood and the Holy Spirit descended as a dove on Jesus during His baptism. These are all scenes of new creation in the power of the Holy Spirit. The dove symbolism in the Bible solidifies the Holy Spirit’s role in the new creation.
Psalm 33 clarifies that creation was a Trinitarian act of the Father (the Lord), the Son (the Word of the Lord), and the Holy Spirit (breath, rûaḥ). In other words, creation came from the Father through the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 33:6
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
Read more:
- 7 days of creation: What really happened?
- Days 1-7 Creation story pattern
- Why did God destroy the world by flood?
2 Giving life
In Genesis 2, God breathes the breath of life into Adam, and only after this man is considered a living being.
Genesis 2:7
then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
3 Empowering leaders
The Spirit of God is frequently portrayed as empowering and equipping individuals for specific tasks. For example, the Spirit came upon leaders, judges, prophets, and kings to give them wisdom, strength, and guidance. Some notable examples include the Spirit empowering leaders like Samson, Moses (Numbers 11:16-17), King David (1 Samuel 16:13), and Joseph (Genesis 41:38).
Judges 14:5-6
Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
4 Inspiration of prophets and Scripture
Prophets in the Old Testament often spoke under the influence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would come upon them, enabling them to deliver messages from God. The prophetic books frequently mention the Spirit’s role in inspiring and guiding the prophets in communicating God’s will to the people.
Micah 3:8
But as for me, I am filled with power,
with the Spirit of the LORD,
and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression
and to Israel his sin.
5 Sanctification and guidance
The Spirit was involved in sanctifying and guiding God’s people. It provided moral and spiritual guidance, helping individuals and the community live according to God’s laws and commandments.
Read more: Clouds in the Bible
Nehemiah 9:20
You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst.
6 Anointing and consecrating for service
Oil is one of the eight symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. The act of anointing with oil symbolizes setting individuals apart for specific roles or services.
God’s chosen leaders received the Spirit “upon them” in an anointing ceremony, which empowered them to advance God’s Kingdom.
1 Samuel 16:13
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
The leaders of Israel weren’t the only ones being separated. God separated the nation of Israel from other nations (Deuteronomy 32:8-9) and put His Holy Spirit among them (Isaiah 63:11 below).
The Spirit’s presence among Israelites and their obedience to God set them apart to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6), just like the Spirit’s indwelling in believers sets them apart as “a royal priesthood, a holy nation” in the New Covenant (1 Peter 2:9).
Isaiah 63:11
Then he remembered the days of old,
of Moses and his people.
Where is he who brought them up out of the sea
with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is he who put in the midst of them
his Holy Spirit,
5. Promise of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
In the New Covenant, after Jesus’ ascension, the Holy Spirit dwells in believers. Believers’ bodies become the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). The Old Testament prophesied the indwelling of the Spirit and described it as God putting His Spirit in believers and pouring out His Spirit on them.
Read more: Water in the Bible – Waters above the firmament
Ezekiel 36:26-27
I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.
Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants.
Joel 2:28-29
“And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit is not an invention of the New Testament but a consistent presence throughout the Old Testament. From creation to prophecy, from empowering leaders to sanctifying God’s people, the Spirit’s role has always been vital in God’s divine plan.
The Old Testament testifies to His deity, personhood, and work, laying the foundation for the New Testament’s fuller revelation of the Spirit.