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work of God to completion, Job 33:4; 34:14,15; Ps. 104:29,30; Isa. 42:5. It is evident from the
Old Testament that the origin of life, its maintenance, and its development depend on the
operation of the Holy Spirit. The withdrawal of the Spirit means death.
Extraordinary exhibitions of power, feats of strength and daring, are also referred to the Spirit
of God. The judges whom God raised up for the deliverance of Israel were evidently men of
considerable ability and of unusual daring and strength, but the real secret of their
accomplishments lay not in themselves, but in a supernatural power that came upon them. It is
said repeatedly that “the spirit of Jehovah came (mightily) upon them,” Judg. 3:10; 6:34; 11:29;
13:25; 14:6,19; 15:14. It was the Spirit of God that enabled them to work deliverance for the
people. There is also a clear recognition of the operation of the Holy Spirit in the intellectual
sphere. Elihu speaks of this when he says: “But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the
Almighty giveth them understanding.” Job 32:8. Intellectual insight, or the ability to understand
the problems of life, is ascribed to an illuminating influence of the Holy Spirit. The heightening
of artistic skill is also ascribed to the Spirit of the Lord, Ex. 28:3; 31:3; 35:30 ff. Certain men,
characterized by special endowments, were qualified for the finer work that was to be done in
connection with the construction of the tabernacle and the adornment of the priestly
garments, cf. also Neh. 9:20. Again, the Spirit of the Lord is represented as qualifying men for
various offices. The Spirit was put, and rested, upon the seventy who were appointed to assist
Moses in ruling and judging the people of Israel, Num. 11:17,25,26. These also received the
spirit of prophecy temporarily, to attest their calling. Joshua was chosen as the successor of
Moses, because he had the Spirit of the Lord, Num. 27:18. When Saul and David were anointed
as kings, the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, to qualify them for their important task, I Sam.
10:6,10; 16:13,14. Finally, the Spirit of God also clearly operated in the prophets as the Spirit of
revelation. David says, “The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me, and His word was upon my tongue,”
II Sam. 23:2. Nehemiah testifies in Neh. 9:30: “Yet many years didst thou bear with them, and
testifiedst against them by thy Spirit through the prophets: yet they would not give ear.” Ezekiel
speaks of a vision by the Spirit of Jehovah, 11:24, and in Zech. 7:12 we read: “Yea, they made
their heart as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Jehovah of
hosts had sent in His Spirit by the former prophets.” Cf. also I Kings 22:24; I Pet. 1:11; II Pet.
1:21.
2. THE RELATION BETWEEN THE GENERAL AND THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT.
There is a certain similarity between the general and the special operations of the Holy
Spirit. By His general operations He originates, maintains, strengthens, and guides all life,
organic, intellectual, and moral. He does this in different ways and in harmony with the objects
concerned. Something similar may be said of His special operation. In the redemptive sphere
He also originates the new life, fructifies it, guides it in its development, and leads it to its