The Church of Divine Guidance (CDG) Sunday morning adult bible study group is doing a study of The Holy Spirit. The study will look at who the Holy Spirit is, His role in the Trinity, His interaction with man, His role in and after man's salvation. This is an intense study of the Holy Spirit in scripture. We are using the bible as our primary reference resource. These posts are my notes for each session. Please study with us. You can participate by asking your questions or making comments below. We welcome your thoughts, questions, comments, and prayers
Last week when we were discussing fire and cloud as symbols of the Holy Spirit we said that in the Bible fire often represented the Shekinah glory or the visible manifestation of the presence of God we didn’t talk much about it, last week, but so does the cloud.
After Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem he held a dedication service during the Festival of Shelters, which was in the fall of the year. After the priests had taken the Ark of the Covenant, which had the stone tablets of the commandments into the place called the Holy of Holies here’s what happened;
1 Kings 8:10-11 (NLT)10 When the priests came out of the Holy Place, a thick cloud filled the Temple of the LORD.11 The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple.
That thick cloud was the Shekinah glory of God.
This is from bible.org,
When He instructed His disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit, He spoke of the Spirit as “the promise of the Father”
Luke 24:49 (NLT) “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”
.Acts 1:4 (NLT) Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.
It is clear that Jesus spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit on several occasions. Why then did Jesus not tell the disciples to wait for the Spirit He promised? I believe the reason is because our Lord wished the disciples to see the coming of the Holy Spirit to have been that which was promised long before He came. If the Holy Spirit was promised by the Father, then the Holy Spirit was promised by the Old Testament. Our Lord could only reiterate a promise already made, a promise made by the Father. Indeed, in the Gospel of John, Jesus emphasized that it would be the Father who would send the Spirit to them
John 14:16 (NLT) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.
John 14:26 (NLT) But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
If the Holy Spirit’s coming was a matter of the Father’s promise, then that promise should be clearly indicated in the Old Testament
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament is mentioned in connection with Creation, Revelation and Filling
Creation - In the very first verses of the Bible the Holy Spirit is seen as involved in the creation of the universe.
Genesis 1:1-2 (NLT)1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
In Job one of his friend, Elihu said;
Job 33:4 (NLT) For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Elihu is a fellow human being, made out of clay (v. 6b) by God's creative breath - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Job 33:6 (NLT) 6 Look, you and I both belong to God. I, too, was formed from clay.
After Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem he held a dedication service during the Festival of Shelters, which was in the fall of the year. After the priests had taken the Ark of the Covenant, which had the stone tablets of the commandments into the place called the Holy of Holies here’s what happened;
1 Kings 8:10-11 (NLT)10 When the priests came out of the Holy Place, a thick cloud filled the Temple of the LORD.11 The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple.
That thick cloud was the Shekinah glory of God.
Today we are going to start looking at the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament.
This is from bible.org,
When He instructed His disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit, He spoke of the Spirit as “the promise of the Father”
Luke 24:49 (NLT) “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”
.Acts 1:4 (NLT) Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.
It is clear that Jesus spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit on several occasions. Why then did Jesus not tell the disciples to wait for the Spirit He promised? I believe the reason is because our Lord wished the disciples to see the coming of the Holy Spirit to have been that which was promised long before He came. If the Holy Spirit was promised by the Father, then the Holy Spirit was promised by the Old Testament. Our Lord could only reiterate a promise already made, a promise made by the Father. Indeed, in the Gospel of John, Jesus emphasized that it would be the Father who would send the Spirit to them
John 14:16 (NLT) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.
John 14:26 (NLT) But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
If the Holy Spirit’s coming was a matter of the Father’s promise, then that promise should be clearly indicated in the Old Testament
The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament is mentioned in connection with Creation, Revelation and Filling
Creation - In the very first verses of the Bible the Holy Spirit is seen as involved in the creation of the universe.
Genesis 1:1-2 (NLT)1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
In Job one of his friend, Elihu said;
Job 33:4 (NLT) For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Elihu is a fellow human being, made out of clay (v. 6b) by God's creative breath - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Job 33:6 (NLT) 6 Look, you and I both belong to God. I, too, was formed from clay.
Reminiscent of the creation of man with Adam
Genesis 2:7 (NLT) Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
Remember last week I said that the Greek word for spirit was pneuma which can be translated breath or wind? Well the Hebrew word, which is the original language of most of the Old Testament, ruach can also be translated as breath or wind.
Revelation - One of the names of the Holy Spirit we talked about was Author of Scripture. That applies to all scripture Old as well as New Testament.
When Peter and John were released from jail after being arrested for preaching in the Temple (read Acts 3 and 4 on your own), they went back to tell the other believers what happened and after they heard their story
Acts 4:24-26 (NLT)24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, ‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? 26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the LORD and against his Messiah.’
What they were talking about was what David said in Psalm 2.
Psalm 2:1-2 (NLT)1 Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one.
They are saying that the Holy Spirit revealed this to David who wrote it. The human author is David but the source of is the Holy Spirit. The Christians experienced the persecution predicted in Ps 2:1-3. The rulers opposed both God and his Anointed One or Messiah. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Hebrews 3:7(NLT)That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice,8 don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness.
The writer of Hebrews is saying that the Psalmist got a revelation for the Holy Spirit to write what he wrote in Psalms 95. said what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 95
Psalm 95:6-9 (NLT)6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,7 for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!8 The LORD says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.9 For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did.
Filling - In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit filled individuals for various kinds of service.
Genesis 2:7 (NLT) Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
Remember last week I said that the Greek word for spirit was pneuma which can be translated breath or wind? Well the Hebrew word, which is the original language of most of the Old Testament, ruach can also be translated as breath or wind.
Revelation - One of the names of the Holy Spirit we talked about was Author of Scripture. That applies to all scripture Old as well as New Testament.
When Peter and John were released from jail after being arrested for preaching in the Temple (read Acts 3 and 4 on your own), they went back to tell the other believers what happened and after they heard their story
Acts 4:24-26 (NLT)24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, ‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? 26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the LORD and against his Messiah.’
What they were talking about was what David said in Psalm 2.
Psalm 2:1-2 (NLT)1 Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one.
They are saying that the Holy Spirit revealed this to David who wrote it. The human author is David but the source of is the Holy Spirit. The Christians experienced the persecution predicted in Ps 2:1-3. The rulers opposed both God and his Anointed One or Messiah. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Hebrews 3:7(NLT)That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice,8 don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness.
The writer of Hebrews is saying that the Psalmist got a revelation for the Holy Spirit to write what he wrote in Psalms 95. said what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 95
Psalm 95:6-9 (NLT)6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,7 for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!8 The LORD says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.9 For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did.
Filling - In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit filled individuals for various kinds of service.
Exodus 35:31-35 (NLT) 31 The
LORD has filled Bezalel with the
Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of
crafts. 32 He is a master craftsman,
expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. 33
He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving
wood. He is a master at every craft. 34
And the LORD has
given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to
teach their skills to others. 35 The
LORD has given them special skills
as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet thread on
fine linen cloth, and weavers. They excel as craftsmen and as designers.
In some cases this filling is explicitly seen as temporary. A good example of the temporary nature of the filling of the Spirit in the Old Testament occurred in the life of Israel’s first king, Saul.
1 Samuel 10:9-10 (NLT)9 As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day.10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy.
The Spirit of God changed his character into headstrong courage and endowed him with the qualities needed for kingship. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
After Samuel anointed Saul as king he told him that he that he Holy Spirit would come on him and that he would prophesy
1 Samuel 10:5-6 (NLT)5 “When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying.
6 At that time the Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person.
But;
1 Samuel 16:14 (NLT) Now the Spirit of the LORD had left Saul, and the LORD sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear.
The Spirit left Saul because he was disobedient. Does anybody know what happened?
God told Saul through Samuel to completely take out the Amalekites. They were people in Cannon who opposed Israel when the came from Egypt. They were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother.
They attacked the Israelites at Rephidim in the neighborhood of Sinai and killed the stragglers on the exodus from Egypt. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary
Exodus 17:8 (NLT)8 While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them.
Anyway Saul didn’t take them all out like God told him to.
1 Samuel 15:3 (NLT) Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”
Here’s what he did;
1 Samuel 15:7-9 (NLT)7 Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt.8 He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else.9 Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.
Opps he didn’t finish the job and it was obviously intentional.
1 Samuel 15:10-11 (NLT)10 Then the LORD said to Samuel,11 “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the LORD all night.
Then Samuel had to go tell Saul “you messed up” by not following the Lord’s command completely so he is going to take the kingdom away from you and oh by-the-way His Spirit too.
David, the guy who followed Saul as king may have learned from this:
Psalm 51:10-11 (NLT)10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
This is the Psalm that David wrote after Nathan confronted him about his adultery with Bathsheba and Uriah’s death.
Exodus 17:8 (NLT)8 While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them.
Anyway Saul didn’t take them all out like God told him to.
1 Samuel 15:3 (NLT) Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”
Here’s what he did;
1 Samuel 15:7-9 (NLT)7 Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt.8 He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else.9 Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.
Opps he didn’t finish the job and it was obviously intentional.
1 Samuel 15:10-11 (NLT)10 Then the LORD said to Samuel,11 “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the LORD all night.
Then Samuel had to go tell Saul “you messed up” by not following the Lord’s command completely so he is going to take the kingdom away from you and oh by-the-way His Spirit too.
David, the guy who followed Saul as king may have learned from this:
Psalm 51:10-11 (NLT)10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
This is the Psalm that David wrote after Nathan confronted him about his adultery with Bathsheba and Uriah’s death.
Don't Confuse the Temporary Filling of the written about in the Old Testament with the Infilling of the Believer
Now don’t confuse temporary filling with the indwelling of the believer at salvation. This is a permanent act of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Remember salvation is permanent and so is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascension and God The Father sending the Holy Spirit.
John 14:15-17 (NLT)15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
Acts 1:4-5 (NLT)4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Ephesians 1:13-14 (NLT)13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
We’ve discussed these verses many times in the past.
The Holy Spirit occurs first in the Old Testament in Genesis then through out the Old Testament, and we will look at some of those in this study. The last instance in the Old Testament is;
Malachi 2:15 (NKJV) But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.
Later we will compare the work of the Holy Spirit as recorded in the Old Testament with the work of the Spirit in the New Testament and today.
Psalm 104:30 (NKJV) You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.
This divine announcement came from Jehovah when he found his creatures dominated by sin. It is God's declaration that he must abandon man to the doom of death. Sin had set in motion that which would guarantee death. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
This is at the time right before God chose Noah.
Genesis 6:9 (NLT) This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.
Nehemiah 9:30 (NLT) In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still they wouldn’t listen! So once again you allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them.
This was during a covenant renewal ceremony of the people of Israel after their return from captivity in Babylon They were talking about how God instructed them, through the law given to Moses while they were in the wilderness and then how the Holy Spirit warned them when they were in the Promised Land through the prophets. They didn’t listen so they were then conquered and taken into captivity. .
Psalm 143:10 (NLT) Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.
This is from a psalm written by David and it’s a prayer for guidance and deliverance.
Here’s the psalm that we always seem to come back to where David is asking forgiveness for his adultery with Bathsheba and Uriah’s death. He’s asking that God not take away His presence for him, because of what’s he’s done.
Psalm 139:7-12 (NLT)7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.11 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.
By means of two rhetorical questions, the psalmist shows that he can never move beyond the reach of God's personal concern. He does not contemplate trying to do so, but uses this method of presenting his thoughts. The four suppositions which follow express the extremes of the universe and reinforce his basic premise. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Haggai 2:4-5 (NLT)4 But now the LORD says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.5 My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’
When the folk came back from captivity they needed to rebuild or fix up the temple which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Zerubbabel was the governor of the folk who had come back.
God, offered the people spiritual undergirding for the performance of their task. His purpose was to bring them to a realization of the magnitude of the work, their inadequacy to accomplish it in their own strength, and the necessity of relying on his sufficiency. The Lord was their strength. The uplifting word was given that the presence of the Lord would be with them - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
John 14:15-17 (NLT)15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
Acts 1:4-5 (NLT)4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Ephesians 1:13-14 (NLT)13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
We’ve discussed these verses many times in the past.
Occurrences of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
The Holy Spirit occurs first in the Old Testament in Genesis then through out the Old Testament, and we will look at some of those in this study. The last instance in the Old Testament is;
Malachi 2:15 (NKJV) But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.
Later we will compare the work of the Holy Spirit as recorded in the Old Testament with the work of the Spirit in the New Testament and today.
The Holy Spirit as the Source of Life
We already looked at Genesis 1:2 and Job 33:4Psalm 104:30 (NKJV) You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.
The Holy Spirit Strives with Men
Genesis 6:3 (NKJV) And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."This divine announcement came from Jehovah when he found his creatures dominated by sin. It is God's declaration that he must abandon man to the doom of death. Sin had set in motion that which would guarantee death. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
This is at the time right before God chose Noah.
Genesis 6:9 (NLT) This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.
The Holy Spirit as a Teacher and Guide
Nehemiah 9:20 (NLT) You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst.Nehemiah 9:30 (NLT) In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still they wouldn’t listen! So once again you allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them.
This was during a covenant renewal ceremony of the people of Israel after their return from captivity in Babylon They were talking about how God instructed them, through the law given to Moses while they were in the wilderness and then how the Holy Spirit warned them when they were in the Promised Land through the prophets. They didn’t listen so they were then conquered and taken into captivity. .
Psalm 143:10 (NLT) Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.
This is from a psalm written by David and it’s a prayer for guidance and deliverance.
The Holy Spirit as the Manifestation of God's Presence
Psalm 51:11 (NLT) Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.Here’s the psalm that we always seem to come back to where David is asking forgiveness for his adultery with Bathsheba and Uriah’s death. He’s asking that God not take away His presence for him, because of what’s he’s done.
Psalm 139:7-12 (NLT)7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.11 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.
By means of two rhetorical questions, the psalmist shows that he can never move beyond the reach of God's personal concern. He does not contemplate trying to do so, but uses this method of presenting his thoughts. The four suppositions which follow express the extremes of the universe and reinforce his basic premise. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Haggai 2:4-5 (NLT)4 But now the LORD says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.5 My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’
When the folk came back from captivity they needed to rebuild or fix up the temple which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Zerubbabel was the governor of the folk who had come back.
God, offered the people spiritual undergirding for the performance of their task. His purpose was to bring them to a realization of the magnitude of the work, their inadequacy to accomplish it in their own strength, and the necessity of relying on his sufficiency. The Lord was their strength. The uplifting word was given that the presence of the Lord would be with them - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
