God The Holy Spirit,
The Revealer of and
Restorer to the Plan
His Advent
The Holy Spirit’s Advent
In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was in the
world as the omnipresent God;
yet
He is said to come into the world
on the day of Pentecost.
During the present age He is said
to remain in the world
but
will depart out of the world – in the same sense as
He came on the day of Pentecost – when the2
rapture of the church occurs.
The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
• Throughout the extended period before the first
coming of Christ, the Spirit was present in the
world in the same sense in which He is present
everywhere, and He worked in and through the
people of God according to His divine will.
Exodus 31:3
Genesis 41: 38
Exodus 35:31
Job 33:4
Numbers 27:18
Psalm 139:7
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Haggai 2:4-5
Zechariah 4:6
The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
• In the Old Testament the Spirit of God is seen to
have a relationship to the creation of the world.
• He had a part in the revelation of divine
truth to the saints and prophets.
• He inspired the Scriptures which were
written, and had a ministry to the world in
general in restraining sin,
in enabling believers for service,
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and in performing miracles.
The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
• All these activities indicate that the Spirit was
very active in the Old Testament.
• There is no evidence in the Old Testament that
the Holy Spirit indwelt every believer.
John 14:17
• Likewise there is no mention of the sealing work
of the Spirit or of the baptism of the Holy Spirit
prior to the day of Pentecost.
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
The Holy Spirit During the Life of Christ
on Earth
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Holy Spirit During the Life of Christ on Earth
• In relation to Christ,
– The Spirit was the generating power by which the
God-man was formed in the virgin’s womb.
– The Spirit is also seen descending, in the form of a
dove, upon Christ as the time of His baptism.
– It is revealed that it was only through the eternal
Spirit that Christ offered Himself to God.
Hebrews 9:14
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Holy Spirit During the Life of Christ on Earth
• In relation to Christ,
• The relation of the Spirit to men during the earthly
ministry of Christ was progressive.
– Christ first gave assurance to His disciples that they
might receive the Spirit by asking.
Luke 11:13
– At the close of His ministry and just before His death,
Christ said in John 14:16-17
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Holy Spirit During the Life of Christ on Earth
• In relation to Christ,
• The relation of the Spirit to men during the earthly
ministry of Christ was progressive.
– Likewise, after His resurrection the Lord
breathed on them and said, “Receive ye the
Holy Ghost”
John 20:22
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Holy Spirit During the Life of Christ on Earth
• In relation to Christ,
• The relation of the Spirit to men during the earthly
ministry of Christ was progressive.
• However, in spite of this temporary gift of the
Spirit they were to tarry in Jerusalem until they
should be indwelt with power permanently from
on high.
Luke 24:49
Acts 1:4
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
The Holy Spirit During the Life of Christ on
Earth
The Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
• As promised by the Father, and by the Son
John 14:16-17
John 14:26
John 16:7
• The force of this seeming repetition of ideas is
seen when it is understood that His coming on
the day of Pentecost was that He might make His
abode in the world.
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
• God the Father, though omnipresent, as to His
abode resides in heaven
Ephesians 4:6
Matthew 6:9
• Likewise God the Son, though omnipresent,
Matthew 18:20
Colossians 1:27
• as to His abode now, is seated at the right hand
of God
Hebrews 1:3
Hebrews 10:12
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
The Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
• In like manner the Spirit, though omnipresent, is
now, as to His abode, tabernacling (dwelling)
here on the earth.
• His dwelling place was changed from heaven to
earth.
• It was for this coming of the Spirit into the world
that the disciples were told to wait.
• The new ministry of this age of grace could not
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begin apart from the coming of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit’s Advent
• The Spirit of God first of all has a ministry to the
world as indicated in
John 16:7-11
• Here He is revealed as convicting the world of sin
and of righteousness and of judgment.
• This work which prepares an individual to
accept Christ intelligently is a special work of the
Spirit, a work of grace, which enlightens the
Satan-blinded mind of unbelieving men, in
respect to three great doctrines.
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
1. The unbeliever is made to understand that the sin
of unbelief in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior
is the one sin that stands between him and
salvation.
• It is not a question of his worthiness, his feelings,
or any other factor.
• The sin of unbelief is the sin which prevents his
salvation
John 3:18
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
2. The unbeliever is informed concerning the
righteousness of God.
• While on earth Christ was the living illustration
of the righteousness of God; upon His departure
the Spirit is sent to reveal the righteousness of
God to the world.
• This includes the fact that God is a righteous
God who demands much more than any man can
do himself. This eliminates any possibility of
human works being the basis for salvation. 17
The Holy Spirit’s Advent
2. The unbeliever is informed concerning the
righteousness of God.
• The Spirit of God reveals that there is a
righteousness available by faith in Christ and
that when one believes in Jesus Christ he can be
declared righteous, justified by faith, and
accepted by his faith in Christ, who is righteous
both in His person and in His work on the cross.
Romans 1:16-17
Romans 3:22
Romans 4:5
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
3. The fact is revealed that the prince of this world,
that is, Satan himself, has been judged at the cross
and is doomed to eternal punishment.
• This reveals the fact that the work on the cross is
finished,
– that judgment has taken place,
– that Satan has been defeated,
– and that salvation is available to those who put
their trust in Christ.
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
• The Holy Spirit is said to regenerate every
believer
John 3:3-7
John 3:35-36
• The Holy Spirit indwells every believer
John 7:37-39
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Romans 5:5
Romans 8:9-11
Acts 11:15-17
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
• The Holy Spirit is our seal unto the day of
redemption
Ephesians 4:30
• Further, every child of God is baptized into the
body of Christ by the Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:13
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
• In addition to these works that are related to the
salvation of the believer, there is the possibility
• of the filling by means of the Spirit
• and of walking by the Spirit
which opens the door to all the ministry of the
Spirit to the believer in the present age.
• These great works of the Spirit are the key not
only to salvation but to effective Christian living
in the present age.
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
• When the purpose of God in this age is brought
to completion by the rapture of the church, the
Holy Spirit will have accomplished the purpose
of His special advent into the world and will
depart from the world in the same sense that He
came on the day of Pentecost.
• Unlike Christ, however, the Holy Spirit will
continue to be omnipresent and will continue a
work after the rapture similar to that which was
true before the day of Pentecost.
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The Holy Spirit’s Advent
• The present age is, accordingly, in many
respects, the age of the Spirit, an age in which
the Spirit of God is working in a special way to
call out a company of believers from both Jew
and Gentile to form the body of Christ.
• The Holy Spirit will continue to work after the
rapture, as He also will in the kingdom age which will have its own special characteristics
and probably will include all the ministries of the
Holy Spirit in the present age except that of the
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baptism of the Spirit.
1.In what sense was the Holy Spirit in the world
before Pentecost?
In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was in
the world as the omnipresent God; yet He is
said to come into the world on the day of
Pentecost.
2.What important works of the Holy Spirit are
found in the Old Testament?
In the Old Testament the Spirit of God is seen
to have a relationship to the creation of the
world. He had a part in the revelation of
divine truth to the saints and prophets. He
inspired the Scriptures which were written,
and had a ministry to the world in general in
restraining sin, in enabling believers for
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service, and in performing miracles.
3.Distinguish the meaning of the Holy Spirit being
“with” the Old Testament saints in contrast to
the present age, when the Holy Spirit is “in”
them.
The Holy Spirit being “with” the Old
Testament and Gospel saints refers to them
being near someone whom the Holy Spirit
had empowered. When Christ spoke in John
14:7 that they knew the Holy Spirit because
he abides with them, He meant that since
Christ was indwelt and empowered by the
Holy Spirit, they experienced the presence of
the Holy Spirit when they were with Christ.
However, as he told them, one day the Holy
Spirit would be in them. Of course, that day
came on Pentecost 30 A.D., and continues till
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today.
4.How is the Holy Spirit related to the conception
and birth of Christ?
The Spirit was the generating power by
which the God-man was formed in the
virgin’s womb.
5.What ministry did the Holy Spirit have in the
period of the gospels?
The Holy Spirit primary ministry during the
time of Christ was the minister in and
through Christ. Though the Spirit had
previously come upon men according to the
sovereign will of God, His presence in the
human heart had never before been
conditioned upon asking, and this new
privilege was never claimed at that time by
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any one, as far as the record goes.
6.Why did the disciples have to wait until
Pentecost for the coming of the Spirit even
though the Lord had breathed on them (John
20:22)?
The Father could not send the Holy Spirit
until Jesus Christ retuned to heaven as John
states in John 7:39 But 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. (NASB)
Christ also told them that the Holy Spirit
could not come until after He departed from
them. John 16:7 "But I tell you the truth, it is
to your advantage that I go away; for if I do
not go away, the Helper will not come to you;
but if I go, I will send Him to you. (NASB) 28
7.In what sense did the promise of Christ of giving
another Comforter who would abide with the
disciples forever promise a new ministry of the
Spirit?
The Holy Spirit would comfort them, He
would help them, He would teach them, He
would seal them, He would lead and guide
them.
8.In what sense did the Holy Spirit come on the
day of Pentecost, and how does this relate to His
omnipresence?
As the Omnipresent One, had always been in
the world, but He came into the world on the
day of Pentecost. His coming on the day of
Pentecost was that He might make His abode
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in the world.
9.What three doctrines are taught by the Spirit in
convicting the world?
1. The unbeliever is made to understand that
the sin of unbelief in Jesus Christ as his
personal Savior is the one sin that stands
between him and salvation.
2. The unbeliever is informed concerning the
righteousness of God.
3. The fact is revealed that the prince of this
world, that is, Satan himself, has been judged
at the cross and is doomed to eternal
punishment.
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10. In coming on the day of Pentecost, what
important works of the Spirit are contemplated?
–
–
–
–
The Holy Spirit is said to regenerate every believer
The Holy Spirit indwells every believer
the Holy Spirit is our seal unto the day of redemption
every child of God is baptized into the body of Christ
by the Spirit
11. Where is the home of the Father and the Son
during the present age?
God the Father resides in heaven “Our
Father which art in heaven”
God the Son is seated at the right hand of
God the Father.
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12. Where is the home of the Holy Spirit during the
present age?
God the Holy Spirit now dwells in the human
spirit of every born-again, Church Age
believer.
13. What change in the ministry of the Spirit will
take place at the time of the rapture?
the Holy Spirit will have accomplished the
purpose of His special advent into the world
and will depart from the world in the same
sense that He came on the day of Pentecost.
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14. Will the Holy Spirit continue to work in the
earth after the rapture?
Yes, the Holy Spirit will continue to be
omnipresent and will continue a work after
the rapture similar to that which was true
before the day of Pentecost.
15. What may be expected of the ministry of the
Spirit in the millennial kingdom?
He also will in the kingdom age – which will
have its own special characteristics and
probably will include all the ministries of the
Holy Spirit in the present age except that of
the baptism of the Spirit.
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16. How important is the ministry of the Spirit to
the present purpose of God?
The coming of the Spirit should be regarded
as an important event, essential to the work
of God in the present age, even as the coming
of Christ is essential to salvation and God’s
ultimate purpose to provide salvation for the
whole world and especially for those who will
believe.
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