The Spirit is the Breath of the one God

Spirit in action in the Old Testament

Spirit is an action word.

The Spirit of God is God in action amongst his creatures in his creation.

The word used to translate Spirit in the Hebrew (Ruach)
Literally means breath so the Spirit is the breath of God.
We see that clearly right from the beginning.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ...

God’s Words are carried by God’s breath powerfully calling creation into being.

I liked what J. I. Packer had to say, "Spirit in this sense was what the big bad wolf was threatening the little pigs with when he told them, “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down!” The picture is of air made to move vigorously, even violently, and the thought the picture expresses is of energy let loose." The word Spirit in English loses this sense of power in action.

The majority of references to the Spirit of God in the Old Testament refer to God’s breath coming onto individuals to anoint them for action, the judges, the kings, and the prophets....

'He has filled him with the Spirit of God'
'The Spirit of God came upon him'

Power in action is the biblical thought whenever God’s Spirit is mentioned
In the Old Testament 'the Spirit of God' is always at work changing things .

There are 90+ references to the Spirit of God in OT

1. The Spirit moulds creation
2. the Spirit controls the course of nature and history
3. the Spirit teaches God’s people
4. the Spirit draws out a personal response to God
5. the Spirit equips individuals for leadership judges kings priests prophets
6. the Spirit equips with skill and strength and craftsmanship who will build the Tabernacle and the Temple

The Spirit is the power of God himself in action.

Packer highlights Spirit in the OT is God active as creator, controller, revealer, lifegiver, enabler God makes himself present to men in a dynamic and demanding way. By the end of the Old Testament the prophets leave us looking forward to the Age of the Spirit which the Lord's Messiah will bring in.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;

I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Ezekiel 36:27-28

Who will bring in this age of the Spirit ?

Walk in the Spirit!

GP