(By Mark Zhakevich)
While attending the Feast of Booths, Jesus exclaimed, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” The apostle John comments that “this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37–39). The latter part of this verse has generated no small amount of discussion in church history. In what sense was the Spirit “not yet given”? (Literally in the Greek, “the Spirit was not.”) Although some see this text as support for a lack of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling of OT believers, there are three reasons why we can affirm the Spirit’s indwelling of OT saints: regeneration, sanctification, and empowerment.
Regeneration
Regeneration can be defined as “a secret act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life to us” [1] and this process is the work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3–8). If depravity is universal (Rom 3:9–23) and justification is apart from works (Rom 3:20), then OT saints (e.g. Noah and Abraham) were justified solely by the work of the Holy Spirit (Gen 6:9, Rom 4:3). Otherwise, how were individuals before Christ justified?
The Holy Spirit has always been the regenerating agent. Although the OT does not explicitly use NT terminology of regeneration, [2] Larry Pettegrew observes that “circumcise your heart” (Deut 10:16, 30:6: Ezek 44:7, 9) is the OT reference for regeneration. [3] Deuteronomy 30:6 shows that love for God is a result of a circumcised heart. Similarly, in 1 John, love for God is a byproduct of fellowship with God, which occurs after regeneration. Effectively, John is saying unless you are born of God, you cannot love Him. In the OT, circumcision of the heart preceded love for God; in the NT, regeneration precedes a love for God, both of which are a result of the work of the agent of regeneration, the Holy Spirit.
Sanctification
OT indwelling is also affirmed by holy lives of OT saints. Arthur Pink summarizes the complete and instantaneous process of regeneration, leading to holiness, in this way: “Regeneration consists in a radical change of heart, for there is implanted a new disposition as the foundation of all holy exercises; the mind being renovated, the affections elevated, and the will emancipated from the bondage of sin.” [4] After the Holy Spirit regenerates, it is difficult to imagine that He would leave that individual to rely on his own ability to produce the fruit of the Spirit. Paul teaches that no one can live by the law of God unless the Spirit of God lives within him or her (Rom 8:2–17, Gal 5:16–26).
A glimpse into the lives of OT saints confirms that they did not carry out the desires of the flesh. Genesis 6:9 presents Noah as a “righteous man, blameless in his time” who walked with God. Likewise, Job is described as blameless, upright, God fearing, and turning away from evil (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3). Hebrews 11 is a gallery of OT saints who lived in the power of the Spirit. Since regeneration and holiness are works of the Spirit, any ongoing evidence of holy living must also be done in the power of the Holy Spirit. Leon Wood helpfully summarizes this truth when he says “since these OT saints . . . remained in a regenerate condition, it must have been the Holy Spirit who kept them so.” [5]
Since faith is a gift of God (Eph 2:8) and sanctification is a work of God (Phil 2:12–13), an OT saint’s continual display of the fruits of the Spirit leads to the conclusion that the Spirit indwelt that person, producing the fruit that is pleasing to God and proving genuine faith.
Empowerment
The Holy Spirit’s empowerment of the OT saints for ministry is the final proof of indwelling. There are numerous examples in the OT that demonstrate the Spirit coming upon certain men for ministry. The examples can be divided into three categories: craftsmanship, administration, and prophecy.
Exodus 31:1–5 describes Bezalel being filled with the Spirit of God for the purpose of artistry in the tabernacle. Judges, kings and civic rulers were also filled with the Spirit of God to accomplish the administrative duties required of them. Samson was chosen by God to resist the Philistines (Judg 14:19). Joshua was empowered by the Spirit to assist Moses in leading the Israelites (Num 27:18). 1 Samuel 16:13 describes David under the guidance of the Spirit of Yahweh following his anointing as the king of Israel. Prophets were also filled with the Spirit of God (2 Chron 15:1–7, Mic 3:8) and prophesied, resurrected the dead (1 Kgs 17:17–24), and performed supernatural works (2 Kgs 1:10). These miracles glorified God and were committed in the power of the Spirit.
The Meaning of John 7:39
If regeneration, sanctification, and empowerment affirm OT indwelling of believers, what is the meaning of John 7:39? What is the meaning of “the Spirit was not”?
Jesus is saying that in comparison to the Spirit’s upcoming work, His prior activity made it seem as if He was not active on the earth. Leon Morris writes that “there is nothing that we can compare with the activity of the apostolic age. Then it was ‘Spirit’ in a way it had never been before.” [6] H. F. Woodhouse adds that “the power revealed at Pentecost was so amplified that it was as though till then the Spirit had not been acting.” [7] Woodhouse makes an analogy with an athlete who after performing extremely well in a game is said to “have arrived” or that he “was unknown until now.” This does not mean that the athlete has never played or played successfully, rather that his current performance is much better than previous competitions; it is as if he were unknown until now. [8] Likewise, although the Spirit acted in the past, His outpouring and explosive activity at Pentecost becomes so much greater that it could be said that He was not active in the same extent.
For example, He is (1) the comforter, (2) a witness to Christ, and (3) one who glorifies Christ. [9] All three of these roles were commenced after Jesus’ ascension. In the OT, the Spirit of God is never described as the comforter, [10] or a witness and glorifier of Christ. He testifies to Jesus’ death and resurrection through the Scriptures, apostles, and the church. [11] Similarly, the Spirit could not glorify Christ to the full extent until after ascension. All the events related to the mission of Christ were completed and now the Holy Spirit had all the historical events of redemption to refer back to in His work of regeneration, sanctification, empowerment of people and glorification of Christ so that He now operated as He had never done before. The Holy Spirit “was not” in the sense that He was not as majestically active in the OT as He would be post-ascension.
Both the OT and NT present the Holy Spirit as the only regenerating agent in the plan of redemption, the sole agent of sanctification—working in the hearts of OT and NT believers, convicting them of sin and producing genuine God worshippers—and as the only agent of empowerment, enabling the saints of both testaments to live holy lives which are acceptable to God. He continues to fulfill this role in us today as He had done from the beginning of time. The extent of His work in believers has increased, but He was always in believers and among believers.
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ENDNOTES:
[1] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 699.
[2] “Born again” appears to be the terminology used in the NT to describe regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Cf. John 3:3, 7; 1 Peter 1:3, 23.
[3] Larry D. Pettegrew, The New Covenant Ministry of the Holy Spirit, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 2001), 26.
[4] Arthur W. Pink, The Holy Spirit (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Guardian Press, 1970), 49.
[5] Leon Wood, The Holy Spirit, 70.
[6] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1971), 427.
[7] H. F. Woodhouse, “Hard Sayings-IX: The Holy Ghost Was Not Yet Given,” Theology 67 (1964): 311.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Gary Fredricks, “Rethinking the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Lives of Old Testament Believers,” Trinity Journal 9, no. 1 (1988): 99-101.
[10] The Greek term for comforter and helper is parakaleto which occurs once in the LXX in Job 16:12, where a reference is made to Job’s friends being his “comforters.” G. Braumann, “ Advocate, Paraclete, Helper,” NIDNTT, 1:89.
[11] Fredricks, 101.