THE NATIONAL HOLY SPIRIT CONFERENCE
Theme: THE MYSTERY AND MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Topic: THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL
(1st – 4th September 1993)

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SYNOPSIS
Israel’s history demonstrates the Holy Spirit establishing God’s law as the only
framework for a blessed and peaceful nation.

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PREAMBLE
In the past few years, the National Holy Spirit Conferences have been concerned with the
issue of translating the vision of God for the redemption and restoration of men and
bringing them as people and nations to Himself and His Kingdom under the Lordship of
Jesus Christ.
Under the banner of The LORDSHIP of JESUS CHRIST over the nations, we have sought
to spell out how best we as a people can work out our national processes in accordance
with the Revealed will of God in the scriptures, so the will of God be done in Ghana, and
Africa as it is done in heaven.
In short, we have been considering the Kingdom of God as a social Reality, where God
the Father of Jesus Christ is acknowledged as The God of Ghana for example, and The
Law and politics – economic, and social-cultural arrangements are determined with the
Holy Scriptures as the Spiritual, Religious, Philosophical basis of Law and Life in the land,
and thus framework of any manifesto for political and social action.
This idea and hence confession, and thus prayer is based on the scripture – Psalm 33:12,
“Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah, and the people whom He has chosen as
His own inheritance.”
The vision, confession and open declaration of the Psalmist Hope was not only that God
be acknowledged and avowed us God of the chosen people, there shall be established
Righteousness and Justice in the land, and that God will look upon from His throne on
high and bless such people. His Hope and Trust was on the mercy of God, and that the
earth be full of the goodness of the Lord.
This noble vision, prayer and hope as we know was inspired from our knowledge of the
scriptures and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we can say that this noble Vision of a People
Chosen by God for His Inheritance could not have been otherwise but inspired by the
Holy Spirit. It is a revelation of God’s intentions to extend His mercy and goodness
towards mankind. The same good intentions caused Him to send His only begotten Son
Jesus Christ to come and die for the remission of our sins and the gathering of a people,
Redeemed unto Himself and His Kingdom hence the full expressions “Blessed is the
nation whose God is Jehovah; and the people whom He has chosen for His own
inheritance.”
To be sure of the frame of reference for the Psalm was the nation Israel, the chosen
People of God and the conduct of whose affairs had been organized or was expected to
be organized and function according to the Revealed will of God.
For God did not just choose Abraham to be the person through whom to establish the
nation Israel, He deemed it necessary to order the affairs of the nation, with political,
economic, social, cultural and religious arrangements acceptable to Him, hence the scriptures.
As the scriptures speaks of itself, the fact that God was revealing Himself through the
scriptures, He used the scriptures as an instrument or mechanism through which to rule
and order their affairs. Deut. 28 gives as a background to this: Read Deut. 28: 1-10, 13-15.

Therefore 2nd Tim. 3: 16-17 says
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
THAT the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
That is to say, the scriptures are not for national or social objectives alone, they are also
meant to guide individual conduct.
The primary aim of God is that there shall be established on the earth His Kingdom of
Peace, Righteousness, Justice and Joy in the Holy Ghost. (Ps. 33: 5; Is. 9: 6-7; 11; Rom.14: 17).
It might be appreciated from the foregoing and from our knowledge of the ministry of the
Holy Spirit that the Holy Spirit might have been involved in the founding, establishment
and ordering of the affairs of Israel.
For example, the Bible says in 2nd Peter 1: 21
“For prophecy never came by the will of man,
but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
The scriptures are essentially prophecy, written by the inspiration of God. God the Holy
Spirit caused them written.
In our considerations of the mystery and ministry of the Holy Spirit therefore, we must of
needs consider also how God the Holy Spirit moved in the history of Israel.
We have already been led through the Holy Spirit Revealed in the scriptures and The Holy
Spirit and the History of the church.
INTRODUCTION
My task has therefore been made very simple in this afternoon talk on the topic: – THE
HOLY SPIRIT IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL.
I have chosen to dwell on two main things: first the Spiritual and Religious Order, and the
Political and Social Order, as aspects of God’s Revelation and of His Will and Knowledge
and the practical ordering of the affairs of a chosen people.
In this regard, we will concentrate on the establishment, appointment to and work of
three important national offices in the nation of Israel: Prophets, Kings and Priests as the
God’s main institutional arrangements for ordering the life of a nation, or national affairs.
BACKGROUND (ASSUMPTION)
Fundamentally, it is necessary to have in mind the Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit,
presented already. Our discussion of His ministry in the morning pertained essentially to
His work in and with the church and human redemption. There were only scanty
reference, if any to Israel or national affairs. However, the principle of His Presence,
Impartation of Powers, overshadowing and guiding conduct at individual and group
levels, community levels should apply equally in national affairs. For example, in place
of the five-fold ministry in the church, we have the Priest/King (Leader/Prophet) system
of the nation.
THE FOUNDING AND ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL
We read from the scriptures that God revealed Himself to and called Abraham (Gen.
12:1-3). We could treat this as a direct work of the Father, as the Holy Spirit had not come
on the scene.
We can infer the Spirit, God’s action in the story of Jacob, but there is no mention of Him
as such. The Spirit of God came on the scene after Moses assumed authority and
leadership of Israel. Moses was a kind of prophet-king, with priestly anointing.
It is clear that the Spirit of God was in action in complete control over Israel’s life from
Egypt to Canaan. But the demonstration of the Spirit and Power of God began first with
Joseph who had special gifts – interpretation of dreams (Gen. 40: 8-41).
Moses was called out of the wilderness to lead his people and take them to the Promised
Land, Moses encounter was basically with the Father, but there is no doubt that the Spirit
of God was involved with in the whole process, particularly Moses encounter with
Pharaoh, the deliverance at the Red Sea, and the entire wilderness experience. The Holy
Spirit accompanied Israel and performed wonders assisting them in their battles
throughout the journey, such that all the nations feared Israel.
The Spirit of God also was upon Aaron, Joshua, the wise-hearted and Bezaleel for the
building of the tabernacle (Gen. 28: 1-3, 31:3). Then of course was the religious life and
the co hole of the Judaism established through Moses.
After Israel settled in the Promised Land, the ordering of the society after God’s heart
started with the appointment of Samuel as Prophet–Judge, outside the Aaronic
Priesthood established in the wilderness. The Spirit of prophecy was no doubt upon
Moses and through him the anointed leaders for the establishment order (righteousness
and justice in Israel).
This has established the principle that the judge and kings or leaders need to be filled
with the Holy Spirit requires that the leadership be filled and moved upon by the Spirit of
God for their daily tasks.
From the wilderness, God established a principle, namely that the leadership of his
people be filled and moved upon by the spirit of God for their works – Moses, Aaron, the 70 elders, Joshua. From this system emerged prophet-king-priest offices for the ordering of life and the affairs of Israel.
The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samuel after entry into the Promised Land to raise Prophets/Judges (after Moses) for Israel for God’s rule. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samuel and all the other judges, Gideon, Deborah, Samson……. later kings, Saul and
David, (the book of Judges).
The appointment of the judges who were civil and military rulers were due to the fact that
Israel had gone serving other gods, breaking their covenant with God. The judges came
to bring deliverance from foreign oppressors.
Theologically, the book of judges established the principle that in the LAW that
obedience to the Law of God/or commandments of God brings peace and life, and
disobedience brings oppression and death

(Judges 3: 7, 16-31).
Besides, the Judges underscores centralized hereditary leadership or monarchy – if God
calls a man He calls his household.
Israel’s disobedience of the Lord’s Kingship brought apostasy and anarchy. There is need
for centralized hereditary monarchy (Judges 2: 6; 3:6)
The Holy Spirit’s activity with the judges is to raising up of charismatic leadership,
through whom the Spirit of the Lord moved when necessary to deliver Israel. e.g. The
Spirit of the Lord clothed Himself with Gideon literally. The Spirit equipped with
leadership skills, military powers and might (Jeptha and Samson).
When Israel demanded a king rather than direct Theocracy through Prophet/Judges, the
Spirit of the Lord had to come to the scene – Saul and David (1st Samuel 10:16; 16: 19)
and Solomon.
Meanwhile, Israel maintained her religious order, albeit in a fluctuating manner. Idolatry
was the most serious leading to foreign oppression, scattering and even destruction of
the temple.
But let us note that the Spirit of the Lord inspired worship (1st Samuel 10: 19; 20) in the
day of Samuel and of course David. David’s Tabernacle.