Living in the Presence of God: A Study of the Holy Spirit Week 6: The Holy Spirit in the Prophets – Ezekiel and Minor Prophets

Living in the Presence of God: A Study of the Holy Spirit

Week 6: The Holy Spirit in the Prophets – Ezekiel and Minor Prophets

I. Ezekiel

a. Introduction - Prophecy is God speaking to humans by the power of the Holy Spirit and humans speaking that word to others.

i. No mention of God’s Spirit in Jeremiah.

ii. Ezekiel prophesies during the reigns of Josiah (good), Jehoahaz (bad), Jehoiakim (bad), Jehoiachin (bad), Zedekiah (bad).

iii. Judea is on the verge of collapse and exile to Babylon.

iv. The kings of Israel look to neighbors – specifically Egypt, for help instead of returning to YHWH.

v. Ezekiel was exiled to Babylon and started his book there.

vi. Ezekiel 33:21 – Ezekiel learns that Jerusalem had fallen and the temple had been destroyed.

vii. Throughout the book, Ezekiel offers hope to the exiled nation.

b. The Holy Spirit in Ezekiel 36:25-28

i. It is through the Spirit of YHWH that exiles will be restored.

ii. Ezekiel uses the water motif for cleansing again.

iii. He also uses the imagery of “a new heart” – spiritual and personal transformation.

iv. The Holy Spirit will sustain faithfulness to YHWH.

v. Vs. 28 is the promise to all who follow YHWH – “you will be my people, and I will be your God.”

c. The Holy Spirit in Ezekiel 37:12-14

i. Valley of dried bones.

ii. The dried bones are the people of Israel. Lost and hopeless. Dead.

iii. In a prophetic message, YHWH is promising to restore life to the people.

iv. He promises to lead them back to the land of Promise (back to Eden).

v. Vs. 13 – restoration of life from death.

1. This goes back to the creation when the Spirit of God brought life out of the chaos of nothing.

vi. Vs. 14 – The Holy Spirit to dwell in the people, bring life to them, and return them to the land of Promise (Eden).

d. The Holy Spirit in Ezekiel 39:29

i. God promises intimacy with His people by pouring His Spirit on the House of Israel.

II. Application from Ezekiel

a. The same applications as we discussed in creation

b. God’s Spirit breathes life into dead things.

c. What seems hopeless and dead is where God, through His Spirit, brings life.

d. Jesus did not come to make bad people good, but to make dead people live.

III. Micah and Haggai

a. We will cover Joel when we get to the Gospels / Acts

b. Micah prophesied under Jotham (good), Ahaz (bad), and Hezekiah (good).

c. Prophesied to both the Northern and Southern kingdoms.

d. Micah – Empowerment and commission for ministry

i. Micah 2:6-7

1. Micah is engaging with skeptics of his ministry

2. “Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient?” – rhetorical question, the answer is obviously “no.”

3. The Spirit of God is not impatient, but does things in order to bring good.

4. The one who remains faithful will receive “good.” yth – to make prosper, to do well, do good, to be glad, cause to be good.

ii. Micah 3:7-8

1. False prophets will be ashamed, disappointed, no answer from God.

2. Micah, speaking truth empowered by the Spirit of YHWH, will accurately prophesy the rebellion of Israel.

e. Haggai – comfort during hard times

i. Haggai is prophesying to Judea in Exile.

ii. Haggai 2:5 – Renewing the promise made when Israel was enslaved in Egypt - Exodus 33:14-17. The Spirit of YHWH is with them – don’t be afraid.

IV. Zechariah

a. Zechariah is preaching to Judea on their return to the Land of Promise.

b. Zechariah 4:6

i. The governor of Jerusalem, Zerubbabel, is frustrated by the problems he encountered rebuilding the Temple.

ii. Zechariah is having a series of visions (John borrowed this imagery in his Apocalypse), speaking with a Christophany (vs. 6).

iii. Zechariah is given a word meant for Zerubbabel – The Holy Spirit will overcome whatever problems you are facing. He’s got this.

c. Zechariah 6:8

i. Another vision, this time with four chariots (see Revelation 6:1-8).

ii. Each Chariot is a Spirit going out to deliver justice to the four corners of the Earth.

iii. Vs. 6 – Because God’s people are in the North (Babylon and Persia were considered to be Northern countries), the Holy Spirit is pacified and will not deliver judgment.

d. Zechariah 7:9-12 – Justice and judgement

i. The Lord called for Justice (9-10).

ii. Those who were in Israel refused to show justice.

iii. The Holy Spirit worked through the prophets to warn them, but they ignored what God was saying through the prophets.

e. Zechariah 12:10

i. Messiah pierced.

ii. The suffering Messiah will cause grief for Israel.

V. Conclusion of Old Testament Pneumatology

a. Same as Torah.

b. Creation – Dead dried bones form into living humans. The Spirit makes dead, purposeless things alive and full of order.

c. Judgement – Exile

d. Commission – The prophets were empowered to do hard things and deliver hard messages.

e. The Ruach Elohim, which is the presence of God, is conditional and can be rejected and lost.