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Spirit of God in the Old Testament

Onyenuru Okechukwu. pauloke24@gmail.com


Department of Theology, Dominican Institute, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Introduction
The concept or idea of the existence of an immaterial world is not one that began during the
Old Testament writers. In every age and time, it is arguable that humans not only identify the
existence of immateriality, but have some kind of special reverence for this form of existence.
The philosophical term called dualism, used as far as the period of the Greek Stoics, is one
that acknowledges the concomitant existence of both material and immaterial realties.
In this essay, I shall try to present the typical Jewish understanding of the term spirit, using
one the most reliable sources of Jewish tradition: The Bible. I shall then look at how this
tradition plays out in contemporary times, considering the fact that we are 20 centuries away
from the development of the last sets of books of the canon of the Bible.
Spirit in Old Testament Times
Spirit means any reality that in its nature, existence, and activity is intrinsically independent
of matter, is not subject to determinations of time and space, is not composed of parts
spatially distinct from one another, and is, or is related to, an original source of such activities
as are centered on being under the universal aspects of truth, goodness, and beauty.1 The
word spirit is from the Hebrew word ruah or neshamah which means breath or wind.
Whereas ruah is often synonymous to the breath or element that gives life, neshamah
indicates raw power. In animals that have lungs, cessation of breath is an indication that death
has occurred, so that breathing soon became synonymous with having life, or possessing the
element of vital force.2 Since in the Jewish tradition, Yahweh is the author of all things,
creating ex nihilo, ruah as a creative, life giving, supernatural force has its origin in Him,
such that whenever Yahweh withdraws His breath, man and all living thing cease to exist. 3
This breath, blast or wind were mere imageries used to signify the supernatural element of
life that proceeds for the mouth of Yahweh.
According to W. Harrelson, in ancient Israel, one of the basic usages of the term spirit is the
notion of power. Spirit is a power that cannot be fully controlled by the one upon whom it
comes, and also power that cannot be summoned by human activity designed to bring Gods

A. J. Mcnicholl, Spirit Peter M. Gareffa (ed), The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 13. Washington DC: Gale
Group Inc., 2001. P. 421
2
Gen. 6: 17; Jer. 10: 14
3
Ps. 104: 29

presence in times of need.4 Its activity is so sudden and unpredictable. The word spirit often
occurs with other (especially genitive) modifications such as Spirit of God, Spirit of Yahweh,
Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of Holiness, Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding. It may also be a
carrier of vice such as spirit of jealousy, spirit of fornication, evil spirit.
On the sources of evil spirits, there seem to be two traditions. One that attributes the Spirit to
Yahweh, for instance, ruah as spirit of evil that took over Saul, causing him to act abnormally
(1 Sam. 19: 9) and the other is that there is usually a vacuum created when the Spirit of God
departs from a person. This vacuum is filled by a contrary and diabolical spirit. However,
when we consider that according to Jewish tradition, nothing is hidden from God, nothing is
created outside of Him, no activity is outside his divine providence and that evil is contrary to
His eternal holiness, we are forced to say that although God is aware of the presence of other
forces contrary to His, Yahweh uses them to achieve His divine plan for humanity. This is
evident in the use of the ablative case from to designate the source of the evil spirit which
may mean that the thing is beside or around the subject and never from the essence the
subject as opposed to the use of the genitive form of to designate the source of the Spirit of
God, making the spirit a part of God.
Functions of the Spirit.
The history of the people of Israel is marked by a revelation of God to them as the chosen
race on one hand and their undulating responses to this hand of fellowship. The revelation of
God is a function of His saving action in every step of their history. Considering the fact that
the actions of God are wrought by His spirit, the finger of God,5 the spirit has the task of
creation (bringing things into existence, which was not) and recreation (sustaining that which
has been created). Re-creation can also be in the form of maintaining of the action of man
over man and man over other things in creation.
Creative Power of the Spirit of God
On the eve of the creation of the universe, the Spirit of God hovered over the chaotic waters
getting ready for creation. The spirit re-ordered the distorted universe, introducing order,
peace and harmony. At the creation of the most important of all creatures, the spirit enters
into man to give him life. As Spirit, God creates the heavens (Job. 26:13), the earth and all
that is in it (Ps. 104: 30). The creative power of the spirit is not limited to creation ex nihilo,
but also creation from what already exists thorough the hands of a person of even by natural
4

Harrelson, Walter Creative Spirit in the Old Testament: A Study of the Last words of David (2 Sam 23: 1-7)
In Daniel Durken ed., Sin, Salvation and the Spirit. Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1979, pp. 127
5
Ex. 8: 19; Deut. 9: 10; Lk. 11: 20

re-ordering. In Exodus 31: 3ff, we see Yahweh filling Bezalel with the spirit of intelligence,
knowledge and all form of craftmanship in order for him to build the tabernacle and all the
furnishings according to the form in the mind of God.

Re-creative Power of the Spirit.


Wherever the Spirit of God flows, it renews the life given to a person or to people. In the life
of the people of Israel, the Spirit of God continues to guard and guide them as a chosen
people in order that they may live and observe the precepts of the covenant they made with
Yahweh. Just as the spirit brought order and harmony in the universe at creation, so it does in
the life of the people of Israel, both individually and as a group, especially when they stray
from Yahweh due to their numerous sins. Yahweh has been able to achieve this by various
means at various times. The Spirit may fall on a single person compelling the person to do
powerful actions or upon the people in order to challenge the disorder brought by sin and
evil. The vision of the dry shown to prophet Ezekielin the time of the Israels exile is a
reassurance by God that He was going to restore the fallen walls of Israel by recreating lost
vigour. 6 Let us look at how the Spirit of God has renewed the Israel at different points in
history
Mosaic Times.
The empowering of the 70 elders to relieve Moses of some of the task of governing the
people of Israel when they left Egypt was made possible by the resting of the Spirit of God
upon them, which caused them to prophecy.7 We notice that God says that I will take some
of the spirit that is on you (Moses), not in you. This is an indication that it is the Spirit of
God, and not Moses active force (spirit) that is responsible for the mighty deeds done by
Moses. Also, in Deut. 34: 9, we see Joshua, who took over the task of shepherding the people
being filled with the spirit upon the laying of hands of Moses on him. Thus by Gods spirit,
Yahweh guards and guides His people to the promise land, and commence a new covenant
with them which will surpass the old.
Period of the Judges
Upon possessing the land of Canaan, Yahweh promised to be with Israel, protecting them
against invaders. But as fallible beings, they derailed and paid direly for it. Yahweh did not
abandon them but sent a deliverer since the loose organization of Israel (twelve tribes ruled
by elders) was not enough to safeguard them whenever there was an external threat. During
6
7

Eze. 37 : 1-14
Num. 11: 17; 29

this period, leadership was taken over by a single person upon whom the spirit of Yahweh
rested. This spirit bestowed on the person the charism of leadership though transient: the
spirit came upon the leader during the emergency, stayed with him during the mission to
supply courage, power and authority, and departed upon accomplishment of the mission.8
This deliverer leads the people to war against their enemies, so restoring peace and harmony
in the land. Their heroic activity begins to be noticed when the Spirit of God falls upon them.
Othniel went to war against the Edomites; Gideon defended Israel against a military attack of
the Midianites and Amalikites; Samson tore the jaws of a lion and harassed the Philistines
who were tormenting and oppressing Israel.9 All these were possible only when the Spirit
came upon them.
Period of the Kings
It is no different when the Israelites requested to have a King to rule them. Yahweh did not
abandon them to the wisdom of the King but was with the King via His Spirit to ensure that
the King ruled in justice and fairness (Ps. 72: 1). After the anointing of Saul by Samuel, the
Spirit of God came mightily upon him and he prophesied (1 Sam. 10: 10-13). During his
activities, the Spirit came specially upon him such as when he was about going to was against
the men of Jabesh (1 Sam 10: 5-6), and after his tenure the Spirit of God left Saul.(1 Sam. 16:
14). Also, when David was anointed, the spirit seized him, but without an outward
manifestation. (1. Sam. 16: 13).
Prophetic Power of the Spirit
In the Major Prophets, there exists no clear relationship between the falling on of the Spirit
of God and actual prophetic manifestation. Rather, what we have are records of events when
God called the prophets and set them apart.10 However, in the II Chronicles, we find the
Spirit of God coming upon Azariah, Jahoziel and Zechariah which are clear instances that
prophecy came as a result of being moved by the spirit.11 Elisha was given a double portion
of the spirit of Elijah, and he performed great feats. Mckenzie opines that during the Classic
Period of prophecy, beginning from Amos (including Hosea, Isaiah and Jeremiah, but not
Ezekiel) ca. 750, during which the prophet speaks the word of Yahweh, the Spirit is not
widely the principle of the utterances and their activities as prophets. This he contrasts with

1 Sam. 10: 6; Eze. 2: 8-3.


Jug. 3: 10; 6: 34; 14: 56; 15: 4-17.
10
Is. 6: 1-3.
11
II Chr. 15: 1-2; 20:14-15; 24: 20)
9

the exilic and post-exilic times where the spirit is the inspiring agent (Neh 9:30; Zech 7:12)12
Whatever the case may be, due to the seamless connection between the word of God and the
Spirit of God, prophets were endowed with the gift of prophecy by the Spirit of God coming
upon them. This power to prophecy comes with the courageous heart to face civil authorities
and declare bad news even when the life of the prophet is at stake (1 Kg. 17: 14). There is
therefore a shift of perception of the role of the Spirit of God from a dynamic conception
where the charismatic leader is empowered by the Spirit (Num. 11: 25) to a static one
whereby the Spirit rests upon the king permanently (2 Kg. 2:5). This shift is not unrelated to
the liturgical act that precedes the pouring out of the spirit such as the laying on of hands
(Num. 21:18) or rite of anointing (1 Sam. 16:13-14) characteristic of enthronement or
coronation in contrast to the private revelation or outpouring found among the judges.
The spirit was also instrumental in preparing the people for the messianic era. During the
exilic and post-exilic period, we see the prophets prophesying of the coming of the messiah
upon whom the Spirit of God shall dwell13 (Isa. 11:1-2; 42:1-4; 62:1-6). Apart from this, in
these writings, we find that Yahweh promises to shower the people with His Spirit which will
enable them keep the commandments (36:27), which in this case will have a stable
transforming effect on the souls of the individual and all peoples.
Relationship between the Word and the Spirit of God
The active power of the Spirit of God to create and renew creation is achieved by a nexus
with the Word of God. We recall that even though the spirit hovered over the chaotic
universe, it was not until the Word was proclaimed that creation took effect. 14 When God
wanted to bless the Israelites in the wilderness, the Spirit of God entered Balaam the seer who
rather than curse the people as his employer had asked, proclaimed words of blessing on the
people. We see that the Word and the Spirit work side by side. This nexus is even made
clearer in the vision of the valley of bones received by prophet Ezekiel. Not only that the
Spirit of God carried him into this vision, but the Spirit could not act upon the dry bones until
the prophet proclaimed the words (Eze. 37: 1-10). This shows that the Word and Spirit are
necessary and sufficient for the creative and re-creative act of God, so the active power of
God lies in both the Word and the Spirit.
The Spirit, Soul and Morality
12

John, McKenzie. Aspects of Old Testament Thoughts In Raymond E. Brown et al. (ed), The New Jerome
Biblical Commentary. London: Burns and Oates, 1990, p. 1290.
13
F. W. HORN. Holy Spirit. David Noel Freedman (ed.), The Anchor Bible Dictionary. New York: Doubleday,
1992. p. 3671.
14
Gen. 1: 1-4

The soul in man is the subject of personal life whereas ruah is a principle.15 Therefore, it can
be said that spirit is morally neutral manifesting in various ways according to the will of man
who possesses it.16 During the exilic and post-exilic times, we witness the power of the Spirit
of God acting strictly as an external force.17 The Spirit is said to clothe; be poured out; leap
upon18 and it soon departs as soon as the mission is accomplished. Thus the Spirit does not
have any interior transforming potential. But in the prophet age, the Spirit is to be put into the
hearts of men, to accomplish the task of moral development. This may be considered as a
prophecy of the messianic age. The Spirits moral status changes according to the will and
actions of the person and so when a man submits to the powers of sin , a new direction is
given to his spirit such that it comes under a spirit of whoredom (Hos. 4: 2) or the person may
become proud in spirit (Eccl. 7: 8). Thus, moral responsibility resides not in the spirit, but on
the agent who acts. The spirit is merely there to give the impetus, courage and sometimes, as
in the case of Samuel, the physical ability to act. Also, the spirit does not in any way help the
individual build a sound character. It is the duty of everyone to personally strive to love God
and keep his commandments
The Israelites did not have a systematic approach to the theology of the soul and spirit,
although they are not ignorant of the gift of free will given to man by God. Whenever the
people sinned against God, they could admit that they had by their own free will sinned
against God, and not claim that God had used them: we have sinned, we have acted
perversely and wickedly (I Kg. 8: 46). When destruction stares them in the face they could
also out of their own free will choose to repent and turn back to God. So, although they may
use spirit to designate soul, they often there is no ambiguity in differentiating between the
Spirit of God and spirit in a person.
The soul is the seat of emotions, self or person.19 The Jews observed that strong feelings
affected respiration. Thus dejection, sadness, astonishment, anger, patience, pride and all
experiences by corresponded to changes in mans breathing. Therefore, spirit is the subject of
human emotions and good and evil habit.20 This spirit that is in man is not mistaken for that
which comes from God to achieve an extraordinary task that is why some passages have it as
nesharah.
Spirit of God in the New Testament
15

Spirit In International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. James Orr, Ed. 1979.


John, McKenzie. p. 1290
17
John, McKenzie. p.1291
18
Judg. 6: 34; Isa. 29: 10; Judg. 14: 6, 9.
19
Judge. 15: 19
20
Spirit In International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. James Orr, Ed. 1979.
16

In the Greek version of the New Testament, spirit is translated as : spirit, breath, soul,
angels, blowing wind. The fundamental meaning of spirit did not change in the New
Testament times. It still remained the principle of life (Mat. 27:50). The Gospel of Luke talks
about the soul surviving bodily dissolution by going into a kind of coma which will become
revived upon infusion of the Spirit of God.21 But it was Paul who made a distinction between
soul and spirit. He seems to have given the spirit a higher order of being to the soul since it is
more amenable to Gods influence, whereas the soul would pertain more to mans rational
nature-intellect and will.22 For Paul, the spirit is the source of creation and the recreating
power of God (Rom. 8: 20-23). It is only by living according to the Spirit of Christ that our
own spirit (2 Cor. 16b-7:1) can be turned towards God (Rom. 8: 10-11). Here, we see a
different concept in that the Spirit of God dwells in man to make him keep the law of God (1
Cor. 3: 16). However, it behooves upon man to make that radical choice to accept the gift of
the Spirit of God which comes as grace to go beyond the writings of the Law.
The new role taken up by the spirit as prophesied by the prophets is manifest in the person
and life of Jesus Christ who is the messianic fulfillment of Gods covenant with man, even
though the Jews saw interpreted the prophecy as words of consolation when they were in
Babylon during the exilic times and reread it as the prophecy of a prophet yet to come after
the exile. Luke (4:17-21) records Jesus reading the Isaiah prophecy into his mission, making
him the long awaited messiah.
The Synoptic Gospels speak also of unclean spirits which possess people and force them to
act in abnormal ways. But these spirits are foreign to God since they act in contrast to the
peace and harmony willed by God. Thus they are always in conflict with Christ who does not
hesitate to cast them out. These spirits do not therefore have their source in God.
The Spirit of God in the New Testament becomes not just personal (by being an indwelling in
the soul of the believer) but also a personified figure (Rom. 8: 9). He is referred to not in the
language of the Old Testament, but strictly as Holy Spirit to mean that nothing contrary to
Holiness should be attributed to God who is spirit. Before Jesus began his ministry, he was
infused by the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove which gave him power and authority to
perform all sorts of miracle and even the courage to lay down his life. In order to actualize
the plan of the God, he promised and actually did fulfill his promise of sending the Holy
Spirit on all those who believe, in order that the redemptive work of his death and
21

Lk. 8: 52-55 compare with Ps. 86: 13; 30: 3


Bushinski, L. A, Spirit in the Bible Peter M. Gareffa (ed), The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 13. Washington
DC: Gale Group Inc., 2001. P. 424
22

resurrection would continue.23 It is also the Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave and is
instrumental in granting resurrection to all Christians, so the faith of the believers in Jesus has
an eschatological notion with the Spirit at the heart of this hope (Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 6: 13).
The origin of the Church is also attributed to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the
Apostles on Pentecost day. When a person is initiated into the Christian fold, he/she is
baptized during which the Holy Spirit is conferred upon the person by the use of the
Trinitarian formula. The persons life is by this very act configured to preach fearlessly.24 The
spirit also endows Christians to speak in tongues, prophecy, preach, heal and perform
miracles.25 Above all these gifts is the gift of love which makes one live like Christ did.26 The
personification of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament set the stage for the development of
the Trinitarian doctrine in the early Church.
Spirit of God in Contemporary Times.
Christian thought recognizes three main kinds of spirit: (1) the human soul, incomplete in its
mode of subsisting and extrinsically dependent on the body; (2) pure finite spirit, i.e., the
angel, perfectly subsisting and independent of matter; and (3) Absolute Spirit, or God,
infinite, utterly pure, and fully actual being (subsistent existence) without any limitation.
Mans primary apprehension of these forms of spirit is gained through self-knowledge. 27
As God, the Holy Spirit is the re-newer of mankind and the sustainer of life. In the church,
there is a lopsided approach to the person of the Holy Spirit. In the Catholic Church, the Holy
Spirit is restricted to character and moral formation on one side and a deepening of the faith
of the Apostles. On the other hand, we have the new generation churches popularly called
Pentecostal churches. Most of them are product of the pragmatic culture of America. Thus the
Holy Spirit for them is an instrument of actualizing their social, financial and generally
material good. There is an exploitation of the Spirits power to heal the sick, give prophecy
by vision or speaking in tongues etc. with little or no emphasis on character formation.
Among the Pentecostals, there is what is called the Holy Ghost Syndrome. This is the
culture of invoking the Spirit of God as fire to consume persons who are considered enemies
of Christians. There is no distinction between the evil that one commits or the evil spirit in a
person, and the person itself. Being images of God, how is that the Holy Spirit will be
destructive to His most treasured creature? This is contrary to what the Spirit is. The Spirit of
23

Jh. 20: 22ff


Mk. 16: 15-18; Mt. 28: 19
25
1 Cor. 12
26
1 Cor. 13: 13
27
Spirit In International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. James Orr, Ed. 1979.
24

God is a spirit of Love and Love does not hurt, but as fire consumes whatever it torches, the
Holy Spirit consumes all that is evil, both moral and spiritual, whenever the people of God
call on Him with faith, not the individuals since we are temples of the Holy Spirit.
There is also confusion on the use of the phrase Holy Ghost in place of Holy spirit. For
the African, the mention of spirits is repellant since it is often draws our attention to
supernatural state of dead relatives and ancestors, such that even the prefix Holy may not
change it. But Pentecostalism is at home with this phrase, while most Catholics prefer to
remain with Holy Spirit. However, both ghost and spirit have the same meaning in Greek. Therefore, both Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit mean the same thing.
Conclusion
In Old Testament times, the Spirit of God is the creative and sustaining power of Yahweh.
His Spirit is not considered to a personal being nor is different from God in essence. The
spirit is also the life giving element, though this spirit proceeds from God, it is not the same
as the one through which God performs His divine actions in the world (Spirit and spirit).
Thus the Spirit of God does not dwell in humans, but overshadows them during the period of
action. In New Testament times, Christ is the complete revelation of God, and If Christ dwelt
among us, then the Spirit of God does dwell among us also. The Spirit of God in later
thoughts is a person, precisely the third person of the Holy Trinity.

Bibliography
Boadt Lawrence. Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction. New York: Paulist Press,
1984.
David Noel Freedman. The Anchor Bible Dictionary. New York: Doubleday, 1992.
McKenzie John. Aspects of Old Testament Thoughts In The New Jerome Biblical
Commentary. Raymond E. Brown et al. (ed), London: Burns and Oates, 1990, pp.
1284-1315.
Walter Harrelson. Creative Spirit in the Old Testament: A Study of the Last words of
David (2 Sam 23: 1-7) In Sin, Salvation and the Spirit. Daniel Durken ed.,
Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1979, pp. 127-133.
Orr James. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. 1979.
Peter M. Gareffa, The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 13. Washington DC: Gale Group Inc.,
2001.

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