Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and He took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed that Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but they never did so again.

— Numbers 11:25

Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

— Deuteronomy 34:9

11 Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.

— Psalm 51:11-13

And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

— Joel 2:28

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

The Holy Spirit in Old Testament time came upon people for specific assignments. The presence of the Spirit was real. Every of His appearance, empowerment, and whisper in the Old Testament was a foreshadowing, a preview of something far greater that was coming because the prophets spoke of a day when the Spirit wouldn’t just come and go but stay, He wouldn’t just empower kings but fill sons and daughters. He wouldn’t just rest on prophets but pour out on all flesh though that day hadn’t arrived yet, but the hunger was building.

Imagine it that generation after generation people catching glimpses of God, who would come near, but never dwell within. They saw God moving in fire and cloud, but having not yet taken up residence in human hearts. And still, the Spirit, God Himself moved quietly, strategically powerfully. So what does this mean for us today? It means God has always been writing the story, the history through the moving and operating of His Spirit.