In this series of posts I would like to look at the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I want to look at this doctrine fairly comprehensively, starting with this post by looking at the promise of it, when the promise was first given and how God later enlarged on it. Whenever we study a doctrine in the Word of God, we will see that it is first hinted at, then enlarged on, and lastly fulfilled and made openly available. This is true of redemption seen first vaguely in Gen. 3:15 before being enunciated more and more clearly until being seen and fulfilled in Christ. In the same way the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was first promised in the Old Testament, being gradually amplified and enlarged until poured out on the day of Pentecost.
The first seed of the promise is found, at least as far as I see, in Numbers 11. In this passage of Scripture Moses was weary because the people were constantly complaining and asked God for help. God took a measure of the Spirit that was upon Moses and placed it on the elders of Israel, including Eldad and Medad who had neglected to come when summoned. This angered Joshua who wanted to silence them. Moses replied in Verse 29, ""Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!" Moses shows the heart of God in desiring to place His Spirit upon all of His children, this is the promise in a seed form.
It is also worth noting here that while the Feast of Pentecost was not kept in the wilderness journey, because it was a harvest feast, the law was apparently given on the day of Pentecost as seen from Exodus 19. It was on that day that the mountain shook and the Law was given externally and the people were commanded not to draw near lest they die. On that same day many years later, there was a mighty wind and tongues of fire and many were called to draw near, that the law might be written internally.
Later in time we come to Joel, who having prophesied the removal of the current difficulties Israel was then facing upon the repentance and turning unto God, further promised, "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" (Joel 2:28-32). The "afterwards" is one of those little jumps in the prophetical timeline skipping several hundred years, as Peter pointed out at Pentecost. Again the promise was to all from the oldest to the youngest, regardless of sex or rank.
The prophet Isaiah begins chapter 28 by pronouncing woes upon Ephraim, specifically their rulers, and continues with a promise of His being in place of the rulers the crown of glory, the spirit of judgment, and the strength of those in battle. Then Isaiah carries on and referring firstly to the Babylonians yet looking beyond them as Paul shows us in 1 Cor. 14:21 says, "For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the LORD will speak to this people, to whom he has said, "This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose"; yet they would not hear" (Isaiah 28:11-12). In this chapter also this speaking in a foreign language is shown in contrast with the exterior law which was precept upon precept and was not heeded.
This promise is also alluded to in Jeremiah's promise of the New Covenant where the law be written on the heart and not on stones. A few years later, God speaking through Ezekiel reiterates the same promise, "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. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." The putting of His Spirit within us is the hall mark of the New Covenant. It is true that we all receive the Holy Spirit at salvation, but there is a greater depth of the Spirit than mere salvation spoken of here. We will look at this more in depth in the future.
Progressing to the beginning of the New Testament John the Baptist proclaimed Christ as the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Luke 3:16).
Jesus in John chapter 7 gave the promise of rivers of living water flowing out from believers speaking specifically of the Spirit who was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified (v.37-39). Jesus also encouraged men to ask seek and knock for the Spirit that the Father would give to those who ask (Luke 11:9-13).
In the last discourse He had with His disciples before going to the cross, He spoke concerning the coming Comforter. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you" (John 14:12-18). Then a little later He continues, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Notice that this portion of Scripture is an expansion of the promise of the New Covenant, with believers receiving the Spirit as indwelling, and teaching us the right way, and reminding us of what Christ has taught.
Looking now at the same discourse, but chapter 15, Jesus says, "But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning" (v.26-27). He repeats some of the previous thoughts in John 16, and adds that the Spirit will convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
Some reading these chapters would refer them to receiving the Holy Spirit at salvation, however, I refer this portion to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and not to salvation for several reasons. Firstly, Christ says that this will happen after He went to the Father, and the disciples received the Spirit prior to their baptism in the Spirit in John 20:22. Secondly, this reception of the Holy Spirit is specifically tied to the ability to witness which is related to the infilling in Acts 2 (compare Acts 1:8 with John 15:26-27). Also Christ specifically told them to await the promise of the Father after this which implies a previous promise that if not found here and in the continuing discourse is found nowhere at all in Christ's teaching.
The coming of this Comforter is important, so important that Jesus commanded the disciples to wait for it in Jerusalem. This is the promise spoken of first by Moses that all God's people would have His Spirit upon them, reiterated and enlarged on by Joel, and foretold as one of Christ's ministries by John. Christ is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit. It is the Father that sends the Spirit through Christ, who is the Baptizer. So what are the effects of this promise? We will look at that in the next post.
No comments:
Post a Comment