TEACHING NOTES Introduction The Doctrine of the Trinity: We worship one God who exists eternally as three distinct persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The doctrine of Trinity is important because each member of the Trinity reveals God’s nature and character. In this session we are going to trace the Holy Spirit through the Bible. ‌ The Spirit in the Old Testament ‌ Genesis 1:1–3 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 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. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ‌ God created = Heb. elohim bara - The main point of the creation story is not when nor how the world was created. The main point is about WHO created the world. Ancient pagan writings also have creation stories, but in those stories the world is created by accident as the result of multiple gods fighting against each other. The Bible is declaring that one God created the universe (heavens and earth) on purpose and with a purpose. ‌ The Spirit of God = Heb. ruah elohim - The Hebrew word ruah can mean spirit, breath, or wind. A spirit is invisible but can effect physical properties which can be seen. For example, wind itself cannot be seen but its effects can be seen. ‌ Hovering = Heb. rahap - tremble, shake, or back and forth motion. This word is also used to describe a bird fluttering its wings up and down. Here in Gen. 1:2 the Spirit of God is portrayed like a bird flying over the waters. On the third day in Gen. 1:9-10 God separates the waters from the land by gathering the waters. Later in Ex. 14:21 God parts the sea “by a strong east wind [ruah].” ‌ God said = Notice that the Word of God is also present and is how God creates. God creates by His Word. John makes this connection and identifies the Word as a person who is also God. John 1:1–3 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” ‌ The Ancient Understanding of Genesis 1: Genesis 1:1-3 tells us that God created the heavens and earth, but the earth is without form and void, which in Hebrew means chaotic and empty. Then the Spirit of God and the Word of God begin to solve that problem. Darkness is separated from light, chaotic waters are separated from land, and the world is filled with life. What is interesting to our study of the Spirit is that the Bible associates the Spirit with wind, breath, a dove, fire/light, comfort/rest, and fragrant oil (healing). All of these elements can be seen in the creation story, which begins with the work of the Spirit of God. ‌ Genesis 2:7 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. ‌ Note: Although the Hebrew word ruah is not present in this verse, the concept of breath is clearly portrayed as the source of life. The phrase “living creature” in Hebrew is hayyah nephesh meaning “living soul.” Since the ruah of God is associated as breath and wind (movement of air), this passage was always understood as God breathing the Spirit of life into Adam. The best evidence for this interpretation is found in John 20:22 “And when he [Jesus] had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” ‌ The Spirit of God is the Spirit of life. ‌ Genesis 41:37–39 [Pharaoh speaking about Joseph] 37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.” ‌ The Spirit of God is the Spirit of wisdom. ‌ Exodus 14:21–22 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. ‌ Wind = Heb. ruah - wind, spirit. This passage actually shows all three members of the Trinity being present at the same time. In Ex. 14:19-21 the “Angel of God” and “the pillar of cloud” and “the Ruah” are described as three separate entities, but all three are referred to as Yahweh. ‌ Exodus 15:8 “At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up; the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.” ‌ Blast = Heb. ruah - wind, spirit. Most English translations render this word as “blast.” But ruah refers to the Spirit most of the time in the Torah. In the Hebrew text, Moses clearly indicates that it was the Spirit of God who drove back the sea. ‌ Exodus 31:1–5 1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.” ‌ The Spirit of God empowers gifts and skills. ‌ Numbers 11:24–25 24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it. ‌ Numbers 11:26–27 26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” ‌ Numbers 11:28–29 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” ‌ The Spirit of God reveals the Word of God. ‌ Numbers 24:1–2 1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, ‌ Balaam = This man is a pagan prophet from Mesopotamia who was hired by Balak the king of the Moabites to pronounce curses on Israel. However, Balaam is not able to curse Israel and is only able to pronounce blessings for Israel. ‌ The Spirit of God came upon him = Notice that the Spirit of God fills a pagan prophet and speaks through him. Although Balaam has met God and obeys Him, later Balaam leads Israel into sexual worship of Baal (Num. 25:1-9; 31:16). In other words, the Spirit of God can use anyone He wants. ‌ Numbers 27:15–18 15 Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, 16 “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” 18 So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.” ‌ Deuteronomy 34:9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the Spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses. ‌ The Spirit in the Book of Judges - The Spirit was upon Othniel (3:10) - The Spirit clothed Gideon (6:34) - The Spirit was upon Jephthah (11:29) - The Spirit stirred, rushed on Samson (13-15) ‌ 1 Samuel 10:6, 9-10 “6 Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.” 9 When Saul turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day. 10 When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them. ‌ 1 Samuel 16:13 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. ‌ 1 Samuel 16:14–15 14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.” ‌ The Spirit & The New Covenant ‌ Ezekiel 36:24–27 “24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” ‌ Ezekiel 37:9–10 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath [ruah]; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.” ‌ Ezekiel 37:13–14 “13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.” ‌ Isaiah 61:1–2 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 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; ‌ The Spirit in the New Testament ‌ Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ‌ Matthew 3:11–12 “11 I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” ‌ Matthew 3:16–17 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” ‌ Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ‌ Luke 4:16–17 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, ‌ Luke 4:18–21 “18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ‌ Matthew 14:22–25 22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.” ‌ John 3:5–8 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” ‌ John 7:37–39 37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. ‌ John 14:15–17 “15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” ‌ John 14:25–26 “25 These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” ‌ John 19:32–34 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. ‌ John 20:19–22 19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” ‌ Conclusion ‌ The Father sent the Son to give the Spirit. ‌- The Father (wants to be with His children) ‌- Sent the Son (to purify us and the world) ‌- To give the Spirit (to give us life)