Lesson 2 for January 14, 2017
The work of the Holy Spirit goes unnoticed in the Bible
because the focus is on the work of the Father and the Son.
That’s because the Holy Spirit willingly and gracefully accepts
a supporting, helping, sustaining, and equipping behind-thescenes role.
 The hidden work of the Holy Spirit:
 His mysterious work.
 His creative work.
 His work in illustrating the plan of salvation.
 Hidden behind Jesus.
 Glorifying Jesus.
 Working for Jesus.
“Also He said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and
say to the breath, “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Come from the four winds,
O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’”’” (Ezekiel 37:9)
When talking with Nicodemus, Jesus
compared the work of the Spirit with the
wind (John 3:5-8).
“It blows where He wishes”. No one
can control Him. He does His will
efficiently in a totally mysterious way.
“You hear His sound”. Although we
can’t see Him, His work is tangible.
We can see the effect of His work in
people.
When He blows in us (dry bones), we
receive new spiritual life.
We need humbleness to accept that
mysterious work in our lives even if we
can’t fully understand it.
“The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2)
“You send
forth Your
Spirit, they
are created;
and You renew
the face of
the earth.”
(Psalm 104:30)
He was hovering over the waters as the eagle moves over her chicks to protect
them (Deuteronomy 32:11). The Holy Spirit was present in Creation.
The Spirit was a secondary actor as he supported the work of the Father
(Genesis 1:1) and the Son (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2)
He was present when man was created (“let us make”) and He is a main actor in
renewing life on earth.
“See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son
of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the
Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and
in all manner of workmanship.”
(Exodus 31:2-3)
When God wanted to explain the
plan of Salvation with the sanctuary,
He chose the Spirit for a very
important role, although it was
behind the scenes again.
The Holy Spirit gave special gifts to
Bezalel to do all the workmanship
that was needed with skillfulness
and beauty (Exodus 31:4-5).
•
•
•
•
Wisdom
Understanding
Knowledge
Creative skills
• Inventing designs
• Shaping gold,
silver and bronze
• Mounting stones
• Working with
wood
• All manner of
workmanship
“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to
you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who
proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me…
He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is
Mine and declare it to you.” (John 15:26; 16:14)
How does the Holy Spirit glorify Jesus?
The Spirit hides behind Jesus. His work is
to attract us to Christ and His redeeming
work.
The Spirit is working whenever Jesus is
exalted.
If someone emphasizes the work of the
Holy Spirit but belittles the person and
work of Jesus, then the Holy Spirit is not
actually in him.
We most attract everyone to Jesus like
the Spirit does, not to ourselves (and not
even to the Holy Spirit).
He made His
incarnation
possible
(Lk. 1:35)
“how much more shall the blood
of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered Himself
without spot to God, cleanse
your conscience from dead
works to serve the living God?”
He anointed Him
for His mission
(Lk. 3:22)
He supported
Him in
temptations
(Lk. 4:1, 14)
(Hebrews 9:14)
The Holy
Spirit played
an active role
in the life of
Jesus.
He supported
Him in His
redeeming work
(Heb. 9:14)
He made His
resurrection
possible
(1P. 3:18)
He teaches us
about Jesus by
using the
Scriptures
“But you are not in the flesh
but in the Spirit, if indeed the
Spirit of God dwells in you.
Now if anyone does not have
the Spirit of Christ, he is not
His.” (Romans 8:9)
The Holy
Spirit is still
working for
Jesus in the
life of each
one of us.
He leads us to a
saving relationship
with Jesus
He reproduces the
character of Jesus
in us
He empowers us so
we can live a life like
Jesus’
E.G.W. (Steps to Christ, cp. 7, p. 58)
“Those who become new creatures in Christ Jesus will
bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, ‘love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance.’ Galatians 5:22, 23. They will no longer
fashion themselves according to the former lusts, but by
the faith of the Son of God they will follow in His steps,
reflect His character, and purify themselves even as He is
pure. The things they once hated they now love, and the
things they once loved they hate.”