The Holy Spirit has been at work from the very beginning of time. We know of the Holy Trinity, but we talk more about God the Father and God the Son. It seems we know little about God the Holy Spirit. The first mention of God is in the first verse of Scripture. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2). The word “God” comes from the Hebrew word Elohim, which is a plural masculine noun. In Hebrew, a plural is at least three. In this verse, the structure is such that it is a plural used as singular, indicating God in three persons… the Trinity.

After all things were in place for mankind, God created Adam and took Eve from him to be a helper and companion. After they were evicted, Adam and Eve had many children, and the population of Earth grew. Satan and his fallen angels were busy trying to destroy humanity by corrupting the human genome, but the Holy Spirit was leading a few, such as Enoch, away from the corruption. Eventually, the corruption and evil became so bad that God had to put an end to it.

“And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years” (Genesis 6:3).

God called Noah, who was genetically pure, to build the Ark. God had set 120 years until His judgment would come. Only those who had not been corrupted by evil would be saved: eight humans and the animals which God selected. The Holy Spirit would no longer strive with man. Before the judgment, Enoch was Raptured, and when the Ark was ready, the flood came. All of creation was destroyed because of the corruption and evil, but the few who weren’t corrupted by the evil were saved. After the flood waters subsided, the Ark came to rest, and life began anew.

After the flood, Satan still worked his evil by corrupting the minds of many people, but the Holy Spirit was still active. The Hebrew word for spirit is “ruah,” and when speaking of the Holy Spirit, it’s defined as “the Spirit of God, the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son.” He came upon the prophets, and they spoke God’s words of warning, and sometimes spiritual gifts were given for specific reasons.

In the book of Judges, the Spirit of the LORD came upon Othniel, and he led the Israelites to victory against Chushanrishathaim and the oppression he inflicted (Judges 3:9-10). The Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon (Judges 6:34), and so on. With the help of the Holy Spirit, the Israelites had many victories; however, the Spirit wouldn’t indwell people for many years but would accomplish the task then leave that man.

When Samuel anointed Saul as king over Israel, he said that Saul would meet a band of prophets, “And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man” (1 Samuel 10:6).

The Holy Spirit changes a person, but Saul eventually turned against God, and the Holy Spirit departed from him (1 Samuel 16:14). When Samuel anointed David to be king after Saul, “…the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward…” (1 Samuel 16:13b). In spite of that anointing, David sinned greatly. He impregnated another man’s wife, then made sure her husband, a soldier, was killed in battle. David was in danger of the Spirit departing from him. “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11). David’s repentance and remorse were heartfelt, and God forgave him.

There are many references to the Holy Spirit working during the Old Testament days, but the Spirit wouldn’t stay with a person, whether prophet or king, continually. When Jesus entered His creation, the working of the Holy Spirit changed. The men who followed Jesus were Jewish and understood the things of God through their knowledge of the Law of Moses. Their understanding would be changed.

When it was time for Jesus to shed His blood for the salvation of mankind, the disciples didn’t know what was coming. Jesus knew, and it was necessary for His disciples to be given some final instructions. They ate supper, and Satan entered into the heart of Judas Iscariot. Then, Jesus humbly washed the disciples’ feet, giving an example of humility every follower of Christ should show. He even washed the feet of Judas. “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:13-14).

Jesus always led by example, and if you call Him Lord and Master, humble yourself before Him and before other people. Pride will always stumble a Christian.

After Judas departed, Jesus spoke to His true disciples. “Therefore when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him” (John 13:31). Jesus knew the men who followed him were a rowdy bunch, and they would have to change their ways. John and James were nicknamed The Sons of Thunder (Mark 3:17)! They all needed to learn Christian love, and so do we.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35). It isn’t always easy to love each other, but remember, Jesus even washed the feet of the one who would betray Him. Jesus is our example.

Jesus’ words brought concern to the hearts of His disciples. He was going away, and they couldn’t follow, but they were to love one another. Then Jesus told of mansions He would prepare, and He assured them (and us) that He would go, but He would also return. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3).

The disciples tried to understand, but Thomas spoke up and said that they didn’t know where He was going, so how could they know the way? Jesus answered with words that we need to take to heart. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). There is no other way to salvation than through Jesus Christ. Buddha, Mohammad, and good deeds cannot save you from eternity in Hell. Only faith in Jesus will bring eternal life with Him.

The disciples had become very disturbed by His words. He was going away, and they couldn’t follow; He would prepare a place for them, then return to get them. Jesus had more to promise them, and us.

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” (John 14:16). This is the promise of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

There are important words to understand in this verse. One is the word “another.” In Greek there are two words translated “another.” One is heteros, which means a similar thing but different. For example, if I was using a red pencil but asked you for a heteros pencil, I wouldn’t want a red pencil, but a blue or green one. The other word for “another” is allos, which is another of the same sort. If I’m using a red pencil and want an allos pencil, I’m asking for another red pencil. In this verse, Jesus promised to give allos Comforter, which is another like Him… God.

Think back to the Old Testament when the “…Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2b), and prior to the Flood “…My spirit shall not always strive with man…” (Genesis 6:3), and the Spirit which would come upon prophets and kings. That Holy Spirit of God would soon abide with believers. The other word to understand is “Comforter,” which comes from the Greek word “parakletos.” In Scripture it’s the Holy Spirit that would lead the disciples to a deep knowledge and understanding of the Gospel. This same Comforter that led the disciples also lives in us and leads us.

All people who have truly accepted Christ also have this blessing of the Comforter. He leads us into a deeper knowledge of Scripture and guides us in our way of life. Friends who haven’t accepted Christ haven’t received the Holy Spirit and will have no understanding about the Gospel, salvation, and why they need to come to Jesus. “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:17). The Holy Spirit indwells Christians (1 Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 1:12-14, Ephesians 4:29-30). He lives in us and is our guide. If we learn to lean on Him, He will open our understanding of Scripture and help us to apply it to our lives.

These things were hard for the disciples to understand. Jesus was telling them a truth that hadn’t been revealed before, so they had questions. How would Jesus manifest Himself only to His followers and not to the world? “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you” (John 14:23-25).

Anyone can say they are Christian, but it takes more than words to be a Christian. If you have truly and honestly accepted Christ, then you will obey His commandment; if you love Jesus, you will obey Him. You’ll be humble, remembering that Jesus even washed Judas’ feet. You will love people because that’s a commandment from the lips of Jesus. If you are swelled with pride, then you need to ask yourself if you’ve truly surrendered your life to the One who died for you. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). You cannot be led by the Holy Spirit if you’re living in disobedience to Christ’s words.

Jesus had much more to teach the disciples that night. It was important that they understood they needed to continue to follow the example of Christ. The next few hours would be a test of their faith, but their life after the Resurrection would also be filled with persecution, and most would be martyred. If they feared what the world threatened them with, they would fail in their commission to share the Gospel with the lost souls in this world. They had to follow Christ’s example. Jesus’ words are also for Christians today.

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10).

“Abide” means continue, or remain, in God’s love. It’s not a suggestion that we love our fellow Christians. Jesus gives this commandment more than once in this teaching. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:12-14).

Need I remind you that Jesus spoke these words just after Judas had left to betray Him? Jesus would soon be arrested, tried illegally, and crucified. Yet, He would do this willingly. He laid down His life for you and for me.

As Jesus continued teaching, He spoke of the fact that the world hated Him, and so it will hate His followers. People would kill Christians and think they were serving God. Remember, Satan hasn’t stopped trying to draw people away from God, and he still lies to people today just as he lied to Eve in the Garden. It was Satan who entered into Judas, a man who had followed Jesus, and turned his thoughts to betrayal. Judas wasn’t indwelt by the Holy Spirit. It was Satanic evil that caused Judas to betray the Messiah, but it fulfilled prophecy regarding the crucifixion. Only God’s pure blood would take sin away.

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:7-11).

Jesus knew He had to die on the cross. He knew that the only way for eternal life to be open to mankind was if the pure blood of God was shed as the once for all sacrifice for sin. He knew that the only way for the Holy Spirit to indwell humans was by His death on the cross.

Christ was crucified. Christ was buried. Christ arose on the third day. He conquered death and gives eternal life to anyone who truly accepts His death, burial, and resurrection for salvation. What’s more, His death allows the Comforter to indwell those of us who have given our life to Him. This truth should change your life. Don’t quench the working of the Comforter living in you. Live for Christ who died for you.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

It takes study to understand prophecy. To gain some understanding of it, it’s essential to remember a very important rule: God is always right. That seems simple enough, but people tend to look at the future in terms of the present. George Washington could never have imagined weapons of today, so he would have no idea how to interpret “And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth” (Zechariah 14:12).

Is this referring to a nuclear explosion?

We also forget that God is all powerful. For instance, the prophet Isaiah said, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

Because they didn’t believe God’s word, people who should have known better interpreted this as meaning God’s sign would be a young woman giving birth to the Messiah. Only women give birth, and many are young, so nothing would be unusual about it. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a young virgin when she gave birth to the Messiah. Now, that’s a sign! Although the Pharisees missed the Messiah, many other prophecies proved that Jesus was the long-expected Messiah. The men who should have recognized the Messiah crucified Him instead. That also fulfilled prophecy.

John the Baptist knew who Jesus was. In fact, John fulfilled prophecy. The book of Isaiah contains many warnings to the people of Israel to return to the Lord or face judgment. It also contains many prophecies of comfort. One of those is found in Isaiah chapter 40. Israel is God’s chosen nation, but they spent many years ignoring Him and disobeying Him. The time had come for judgment, and Isaiah had told of the coming Babylonian captivity. In spite of that, Isaiah was directed to speak of comfort to this rebellious nation. This would be a future comfort when the Messiah is finally accepted.

“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins” (Isaiah 40:1-2).

Israel needs to stop fighting God for this to be fulfilled. One day soon, they will stop their rebellion. Isaiah also said someone would announce the arrival of the King. “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isaiah 40:3).

John the Baptist announced the Messiah, and he called Israel to repentance. That would clear the way for the King of kings. The Jewish leaders knew of John’s ministry and sent “priests and Levites” to ask who he was. They wanted to know if he was the long-awaited Messiah.

“And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ” (John 1:20).

These men who read Scripture were looking for the Messiah but were looking in the wrong place. “Then said they unto him, Who art thou? That we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees” (John 1:22-24).

They should have paid attention to John’s words and known he was the fulfillment of a prophecy and that meant the Messiah would soon be made known.

There were many more signs that Jesus was the Messiah, and if the religious leaders had believed prophecy as God-breathed it to the prophets of old, they would have recognized that Jesus Christ was the one they were looking for.

An interesting prophecy is found in Daniel. It describes 70 weeks of years. Had the Pharisees paid attention to this prophecy, they would have known exactly the day that the Messiah would ride into Jerusalem. Daniel was young when he was taken captive by the Babylonians when they captured Jerusalem. Although taken to a very pagan nation, Daniel never forgot that he was Jewish and first and foremost served God Almighty. He was given a prophecy of when the Messiah would appear.

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of the sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

^“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:24-27).

Daniel was Jewish, and this prophecy is about “thy people” and “thy holy city.” This isn’t about Gentiles or Christians. The 70 weeks prophecy is about Israel.

When was the decree to restore and build Jerusalem issued?

When the Babylonians conquered Judah, they had destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. They took many captives, but God had told Jeremiah the captivity would only last 70 years. When it was over, some returned to Jerusalem, but some stayed in Babylon. Time passed, and when Artaxerxes had been king for 20 years, Nehemiah, cup bearer to the king, felt driven to return to Jerusalem and rebuild it. Many years after Daniel was given the prophecy, Artaxerxes issued the decree to rebuild. According to Daniel’s prophecy, 483 years would pass from that decree until the Messiah appeared. People who are smarter than me, Sir Robert Anderson, for instance, have calculated the time from when Artaxerxes issued the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as 483 years.

The prophet Zechariah spoke of the Triumphant entry into Jerusalem. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9).

The people cheered and sang from Psalm 118 “And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9).

The people praised their Messiah, but Jesus knew the Pharisees hadn’t paid attention to prophecy; He grieved over their ignorance. “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation” (Luke 19:41-44).

Prophecy had been very clear that these events would happen, but the Pharisees wouldn’t believe God’s word was being fulfilled and that Jesus was the Messiah. Because of their ignorance, the nation of Israel would face judgment.

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem fulfilled Zechariah 9:9. “All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass” (Matthew 21:4-5).

Had the Pharisees believed God’s word, they would have known that they were watching prophecy being fulfilled. God knew they wouldn’t accept Jesus as the Messiah, and more prophecy describes the horrible things they did to Him. Daniel’s prophecy says that Messiah would be cut off…killed. He was. One of the men who had followed Jesus and was considered a disciple betrayed Him. Jesus knew that Judas was the traitor.

“When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me” (John 13:21).

During this final gathering with His disciples, they shared a last supper, and then Judas went off to betray Jesus. This betrayal fulfilled prophecy. “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9).

Judas fulfilled the prophecy in this Psalm, but he also fulfilled one in Zechariah. “And I said unto them, if ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver” (Zechariah 11:12).

Brothers and sisters, we need to take warning from this. Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, but let’s look to our own hearts. Every time we follow the way of the world rather than the way of our Lord, we betray Him. Are you filled with pride? Do you anger easily, feel that other people are beneath you, or gossip? Jesus said to love one another, and He demonstrated that love by washing Judas’ feet even though He knew Judas would soon betray Him. Jesus knows that you’ll betray His love for you when you behave like the world dictates, but He loves you anyway and is willing to forgive you.

Prophecy continued to be fulfilled. Judas led the band of scoundrels to arrest Jesus but then regretted his actions because he had betrayed an innocent Man. He threw the silver into the temple, and the Pharisees bought a “potter’s field” in which to bury strangers, fulfilling Zechariah 11:13. Jesus was arrested and tortured. He was tried by both the Jewish leaders and by the Gentiles. No one person or ethnic group can be blamed. The prophet Isaiah gives graphic detail of the torture.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him: and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Isaiah said that He would be led as a lamb to the slaughter and remain silent (Isaiah 53:7). He was “…cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken” (Isaiah 53:8b). He made his grave with the wicked and the rich (Isaiah 53:9), and Jesus was buried in a rich man’s tomb.

Psalm 22 also describes the crucifixion. “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death” (Psalm 22:14-15). This Psalm seems as if it’s an eyewitness account of Jesus on the cross.

I’ve just mentioned a few of the prophecies about Jesus’ life among men and His crucifixion. Fulfilled prophecy proves we can believe God, but many prophecies are yet to be fulfilled.

When Daniel was given the 70-week prophecy, it says Messiah would be cut off (Daniel 9:26). When that happened, there was a “pause” in the prophetic timeline. This pause is where we are today. We live in the age of grace. If anyone today is convicted of their sin, they can turn to Jesus in repentance and accept His death, burial, and resurrection for salvation.

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25).

People will continue to come to Jesus until the “fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” At that time, Christians will be called home in the Harpazō – the Rapture. The pre-trib Rapture will fulfill prophecy. When that happens, the world will face tribulation like never seen before; God’s word says so. Many prophecies cover this time period, and it would be wise for you to study them. We are very close to the Rapture, and many things are swiftly falling into place. The books of Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Zechariah contain prophecies of the end times. Jesus told of the end times, and Revelation, beginning in chapter 6, tells what will happen after the Rapture. The stage is being set, and if you have an understanding of prophecy, you will be listening for the call to “Come up hither.”

It’s easy to look back in time and see the ignorance of the Pharisees, but many people today are just as ignorant of prophecy. Many prophecies are being fulfilled today. Study Biblical prophecy, and you’ll be able to understand the times in which we live.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.