The Bible Doctrine of the Enduement of the Spirit

Some Summary Points of the Doctrine of “Enduement” The Spirit was given to believers before Pentecost

for specific purposes. The focus of enduement was on results of the

Spirit’s presence in the believer. The language used to describe the ministry of

God’s Spirit is Resting, in the case of Moses in Num 11 and the

Messiah in Is 11. Breaking forth: Samson, Saul, and David Filling: Craftsmen in Ex 28:3, Ex 31:3, 35:3; Joshua in

Dt 34:9, Micah 3:8 Clothing/Putting on: LABASH: Gideon, Jdg 6:34,

Amasai, 1 Chron 12:18, Zechariah, 2 Chron 24:20

The Bible Doctrine of Enduement

I. Purpose of the Ministry

Summary: The Spirit was present in OT believers for a purpose. This is the point of so many of the stories concerning the special works of the Spirit of God in people, whether He was “resting,” “breaking forth upon, “ “filling,” or “clothing” them.

a. Rulership: God’s purpose was very often one of the various facets of rulership over Israel: Moses, the Judges, Saul, and David.

i. National rulership required Wisdom in military strategy and tactics, including recruitment of an army. Judges 14:6, 19; 15:14, 1 Samuel 11:6

ii. National rulership required Wisdom in passing judgment to resolve a dispute—1 Kings 3:16-28

iii. National rulership required Wisdom making important decisions in the conduct of affairs of a nation—Numbers 11, Dt 34:9

iv. Summary: Rulership required special Wisdom, which was the Holy Spirit’s purpose in the OT special empowerment ministries.

b. Craftsmanship: Sometimes the purpose is a non-ruling specialized task of craftsmanship.

i. The craftsmen making the High Priestly garments were “ filled with the spirit of wisdom” in Ex 28:3

ii. Bezaliel and other craftsmen were “filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom” for creating the Tabernacle and its contents according to God’s designated pattern in Ex 31:3, 35:31

iii. Summary: Special projects of God’s self-revelation required special wisdom, which the Holy Spirit supplied directly to the craftsmen, according to His purpose.

c. Prophecy: Sometimes the purpose was to be a vessel of God’s self-communication through prophecy: 1 Sam 10:6, 10, Micah 3:8 (explicit examples)

i. We have direct statements indicating that some prophets were endued by the Spirit—Moses in Num 11, Micah 3:8.

ii. We correlate with these explicit statements with Peter’s testimony, 2 Pet 1:20-21

iii. Therefore we can conclude that all the prophets were endued with the Spirit.

2. Revelation and Enduement

Summary: Every special ministry of the Holy Spirit to OT believers involved God’s special revelation. He was showing His direct involvement in the lives of the Rulers/Craftsmen/Prophets.

a. Rulership: The miraculous rulership of those endued with the Spirit demonstrated God’s character through God-enabled human works.

i. The people would follow the instructions of the designated judge or king because the Spirit’s work established his authority.

ii. The people would worship the Lord because of His attributes being revealed in the righteous and successful rulership of those who were endued.

iii. Man as God’s image is to rule the works of God’s hands, and so God’s rulership empowerment of man would be a revelation to the world of God’s essence.

b. Craftsmanship: The miraculous craftsmanship of those endued by the Spirit demonstrated God’s character through God-enabled human works.

i. The pattern in heaven, Ex 25:9, is revealed by their works. This is direct revelation of God’s abode.

ii. God as creator and Master-builder is revealed in the miraculous works of creation and building by the image of God, a man empowered by the Spirit to build. We find more about what He’s like by these works of craftsmanship.

c. Prophecy: The miraculous self-communication of God through the prophets demonstrated God’s character through direct communication, with humans as the instrument of communication.

i. When prophets spoke under the enduement of the Spirit, God was directly revealing Himself in the media of language and visual demonstrations

ii. Prophecy itself was God’s self-communication in two different approaches:

1. forth-telling “what is” and could not be known by the hearer otherwise

2. fore-telling “what will be” and certainly could not be known by anyone otherwise

3. Worship

Summary: Every enduement ministry of the Holy Spirit involved worship of the Lord according to His special revelation.

a. Rulership that was endued by the Spirit led the people to worship

i. Military deliverance by God’s power resulted in the people’s worship in gratitude

ii. Every decision of national Israel was to be in accordance with the Law, which led the people to worship in the Fear of the Lord

b. Craftsmanship endued by the Spirit erected the structures of worship in National Israel

i. The priests’ garments were designed with a view to worship of the Lord

ii. The Tabernacle was the focus of the ceremonial worship in national Israel

c. Prophecy directed the people to worship the Lord by providing content, prescribing protocol, and commanding obedience

i. Initially, the prophets speaking God’s Word to people meant they could understand God and worship Him based on knowledge revealed from Him.

ii. Eventually, the prophets also called the people back to worship the Lord in direct communication of God through prophetic utterance.

Why the “Cessation” of the Miracle Workers and Prophets

Mk 16:17-20, cf. Heb 2:3-4: The “sign” gifts were for CONFIRMATION, bebaiow, bebaiow.

The NT writers did not think the OT needed confirmation by miracles, cf. every quote of the OT in the NT. They just assumed the OT was true.

Miracle workers in the Bible are always present during a period of prophecy or new revelation.

The passages in the NT that present gifts of healing or other miracles are written in the plural, suggesting a specific number of such miracles, not a constant ability.

Think about the Apostle Paul

1 Cor 12:8-10, 28-30—the miraculous in Paul’s day.

Phil 2:27, 2 Tim 4:20—Paul could not heal at will because the Word had already been authenticated in the past!

The miraculous was for getting the ball rolling in the FOUNDATION of the Church.

Why the “Cessation:” Completeness of the Word of God

I-III of the Doctrine Illustrated

The Future Enduement of the Spirit Illustrated

Enduement of the Spirit PLEROMA Enduement of the SpiritPLEROMA

4. Characteristics of the Enduement of the Spirit

a. It was temporary: A person endued could lose the Spirit, Ps 51:11.

b. It was rare: Less than 1% of OT saints are said to have been empowered by God the Spirit. Num 11:29

c. It was miraculous (“flashy”): A person endued often had obvious manifestations of supernatural power. These demonstrated various aspects of God’s essence: omniscience, omnipotence, veracity, etc. e.g. Samson, Jdg 15:14ff

d. It was sufficient for the task God had designated. Num 11e. Usually it required a person’s cooperation: Samuel obeyed in

selecting David, Isaiah accepted the call to be a prophet, etc.

f. Sometimes God demonstrated His sovereignty by taking over a person’s faculties, as in Saul in 1 Sam 10:6, 10 and Saul’s messengers in 1 Sam 19:20.

g. It was impacted by the person’s sanctification: Ps 51. For example: Losing the enduement of the Spirit was a matter of personal rebellion against God, 1 Sam 16:14

5. Differences Between Enduement in the OT and the spiritual life of the believer todaya) The indwelling ministry of the Spirit is not temporary

today. It is eternal, Eph 1:14.b) The indwelling of the Spirit is not rare among believers;

everyone has it.c) Our indwelling and filling of the Spirit are supernatural

enablement, but they are not “flashy.” Whereas the miracles in the Age of Israel and pre-

Canon Church Age were designed to reveal God’s power and the authority delegated to the person performing them, today the prophetic Word of God is complete, and there is no need for such authentication. In other words, Paul’s miracles authenticated Paul’s message.

d. The temporary spiritual gifts of the Church Age, like prophecy, tongues, wisdom, and healing were gifts of authentication of the apostolic or prophetic message—the Word of God. This authentication is a fact of history and is apparently no longer necessary.

e. It would appear that these temporary gifts of the Church Age were consistent with enduement in the OT, at least in their characteristics.

f. The protocol for the faith and practice of believers in this post-Canon portion of the Church Age is defined sufficiently and perfectly in the Word of God. This is true Apostolic succession.

g. Today we are not looking for leaders with special Spirit-enabled wisdom, beyond the normal function of every believer. Our attainment of God’s Wisdom depends on the

Spirit-enabled intake and application of the Word of God.

h. Today we are not looking for miraculous pronouncements of knowledge or special revelation from God to man through additional prophets. The Word of God is the completed prophetic message

until the events of Revelation take place, where prophecy is resumed (i.e. after the Rapture).

i. Today we are not looking for miraculous revelations from God to us through the Spirit’s speaking directly to us. He has spoken successfully and sufficiently in His Word.

j. Today we are dealing day-by-day with our God in His Word. As He directs our steps through circumstances, He

provides in His Word what we need for making decisions according to His Mind.

k. In terms of communicated information, it is through the teaching function of the local church that God develops and matures believers in their ability to glorify Him.

6. Similarities between the Spiritual Enablement of the Church Age Believer and Enduement

a. Same source of Power: God the Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity.

b. He has been given to us for a purpose.i. Leadership: The Spirit progressively enables self-

governance in the process of sanctification and provides gifts for the government of the local church.

ii. Divine Self-revelation: The Spirit demonstrates the truth of the Word through the life of the individual believer and the corporate function of the local church.

iii. Worship: The Spirit enables all the works of the Church age believer, so that his life comes under the full submission to God to the glory of God.

c. Sufficiency: The work of the Spirit in you is more than enough to accomplish God’s plan for your life.

d. Cooperation: The Spirit’s success in your life depends on your willingness to be used by Him. Phil 2:12-13, Eph 4:30, 1 Thes 5:19

e. Sanctification: Sin stops the Spirit’s work in you, and fellowship with God is absolutely imperative for His work through you.

7. The Works of the Spirit in the Church today are built on the Enduement Works of the Spirit in the past

Summary: Under the Enduement of the Spirit, the OT Prophets

and NT Apostles and prophets recorded the Word of God.

Their work was also influenced and informed by the craftsmen who built the infrastructure of the OT worship system.

The rulership function of those endued in the OT produced the environment and much of the historical content of the Word of God recorded by the prophets.

8. Future Enduement by the Spirit

Summary: We look forward to the fulfillment of Isaiah 11:2-5. There will be a nation to RULE, a Temple to

CONSTRUCT, and PROPHETIC utterance yet to be communicated.

We can reasonably conclude that the function of the Spirit that enables Jesus Christ to rule in the Kingdom will be shared by those who overcome with Him in the Church Age.

This will be different than the Spirit’s works in us now.