Getting Dressed
Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who was the chief of the thirty, and he said, . . . 1 Chronicles 12:18 NASB
Came upon – “The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is that in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit is only seen occasionally and in special circumstances but in the New Testament the Spirit is poured out on everyone.” Have you ever heard someone say something like this? They usually point to Peter’s declaration that now the Spirit has been given to everyone, as if that implies before Pentecost the Spirit was limited to only certain individuals. But if we knew a bit more about the Hebrew idioms associated with the Spirit, we might draw a different conclusion.
In this passage, we find the typical Hebrew use of the verb labesh. Here it is translated “came upon,” but the literal meaning would be “dressed.” This is the verb for putting on clothes. There are three elements to this verb: 1) the act of being clothed, 2) the status that comes with certain clothing, and 3) the symbolic or metaphorical imagery of being clothed. We can easily find examples of all three. Aside from the obvious act of getting dressed, the second nuance is found in the garments typically worn at a funeral or in royal robes. The third usage is particularly important for it is here that we see the operation of the Spirit. In other words, experiencing the presence of the Spirit is much like being clothed. A “garment” is put on someone. This is clearly the imagery that Paul has in mind when he talks about putting on the “new” man or donning the armor of God. The apostolic writings employ the same metaphors as the prophets and the narrators of the Tanakh; just another evidence of Hebraic thinking in what we call the New Testament.
Does this mean that the Spirit was limited to certain people and situations prior to Pentecost? If we realize that the idiomatic expressions try to capture those moments when the invisible hand of God becomes obvious to others, then we also realize that even if there is no public manifestation of God’s invisible operation that does not imply that the Spirit is absent. For example, Genesis 1:2 clearly speaks of the involvement of the Ruach Hakodesh in the creation, but this does not imply that the Spirit was only present while hovering over the deep. In Hebrew, the Spirit is the summary of God’s usually invisible handiwork. The Spirit is God active in hidden ways which are only occasionally viewed by the rest of us. With this in mind, Peter’s declaration is not a temporal demarcation such that before the Spirit was exclusive but now the Spirit is inclusive. It is rather an announcement that now the operation of the Spirit is visible and can be seen in the lives of all followers of YHWH at this moment because the presence of the Spirit has been revealed to everyone on the Temple mount.
Does this idiomatic Hebrew alter your understanding of the Spirit? Do you see the continuity between the Tanakh and the apostolic writings? Is the Spirit manifested in the lives of followers of Yeshua today? Have you been dressed?
Topical Index: Spirit, clothed, labesh, 1 Chronicles 12:18, Acts 2:17, Ephesians 4:24
Great post, Skip. (Two more examples of this in the Tanakh: Judges 6:34 and 2 Chron 24:20) As I understood it: This might be a different word, though – Lavshah (lamed, vet, sheen, hey) – to wrap, clothe, put on meant that the “Breath covered Himself with the person” – it seemed the other way around. Not that we clothe ourselves with the Spirit, but that He clothes Himself with our flesh.
I don’t know Hebrew, but I just made notes about this listening to Nehemia Gordon.
It is the same word Ida. The root is Lamed, beit [veit] sheen. Strongs # H3847.
In Zechariah’s case the Spirit was put on Zechariah.
Yeshua did not put on a person. He clothed Himself with flesh and became a human being by doing so.
In both cases you have to look who the subjects and objects are.
I hope I made myself clear 🙂
Rein, thanks for your reply. I was sure I listened properly when I heard that it was the other way around, but I did consult with my Hebrew scholar friend again: He replied that in this case Yehovah’s spirit is the subject. “Ruach is feminine (usually) which is why it says lavshah (she put on a garment) and not lavash.” So, just wanted to get back to you. Shalom!
Yes, you are right. I blame it on dislexia 🙂 that I didn’t notice that…
🙂 No problem! I think now that we’ve cleared that up, Skip’s post becomes even more INTERESTING. Now if we meditate on what it means that the Spirit clothes Himself with us!! That is just an AMAZING concept when you consider what it means that the Spirit lives inside of us — i.e. put us on as a garment. WOW!
That is amazing. I was thinking about that. Hebrew uses a definite direct object marker.
I searched for similar uses of the verb and found Lev 16:23 which also uses the Qal Perfect [masculine].
2Ch 24:20 And the Spirit of God [subject] came upon [lav-shah] Zechariah [direct object]
Lev 16:274 and he [subject] shall put on [la-vash] his garments [direct object]
I love looking for this kind of stuff 😀
I like this post very much, it´s a clear explanation that we are spirit with a body, not bodies with spirit. Thanks Skip.
Don’t know if Skip is still in Greece or not….6.1 magnitude earthquake in Greece….let everyone know to pray for safety….
Region: CRETE, GREECE
Geographic coordinates: 34.512N, 25.091E
Magnitude: 6.1
Depth: 39 km
Universal Time (UTC): 16 Jun 2013 21:39:09
Time near the Epicenter: 16 Jun 2013 23:39:09
Local standard time in your area: 16 Jun 2013 21:39:09
Location with respect to nearby cities:
54 km (33 mi) S of Pirgos, Greece
80 km (49 mi) SW of Ierapetra, Greece
90 km (55 mi) S of Irakleion, Greece
91 km (56 mi) S of Nea Alikarnassos, Greece
404 km (250 mi) SSE of Athens, Greece
Thanks Skip, this post reminds me once again that the Father’s desire is that each one of His children become the ‘ Human-Being’ He purposed us to be before the fall. The Spirit was visible before the fall, and Adam and Eve were reflectors of the Father. So as we are now living in the ‘during stage of redemption and restoration of the world’, should we flow with the workings of God in returning us to the ‘before stage’……Guardian Angel (pg 24).
This is my take and understanding, but I am open to more insight in this.
Shalom all
If we say we are “filled with the Spirit”, like Skip here said, we should be “seen” in the Spirit, as a clothing does cover and reveal the character within by the choice of style, or colours we put on.
Very clear picture as usual being a photographer, Skip!
When the Ruach (YHWH’s Spirit) comes upon me/us, the paradigm change in our lives can be quite obvious. For me, the Scriptures become so alive, and my understanding seem so clear at that stage of my walk, my hunger for truth consumes me.
It has been a progressive walk, though stumbling along the way at times, the past thirty years, as the truth was so unclear without being in Torah, keeping the Feasts and dietary commandments, then going back to learning the original language of the Scriptures was the exciting part of the journey.
The Ruach leads me along pure green pastures that are full of His beauty and goodness, unpolluted nor corrupted by mankind!
HalleluYAH!, Truth gets clearer by the day for the past ten years, as I continue to seek that special relationship with ABBA, having my mindset renewed according to Hebraic perspectives.
There is so much to learn as HE is revealing and restoring and re-generating us, preparing us to be His beautiful yet to be chosen Hebraic Bride.
Thank YOU, ABBA YHWH for the trimming that is so necessary in these critical days before Your soon return. Amein!
Blessings and Shalom to all!
This topic got me plowing through all this. Very delightful study time!
There are (at least) 4 areas in which the Holy Spirit works:
1) regeneration, 2) indwelling/filling, 3) restraint, and 4) empowerment for service.
Evidence of these areas of the Holy Spirit’s work is just as plain in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament.
Regeneration is “rebirth,” or being “born again”
Proof text: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” John 3:3.
What does this have to do with the Holy Spirit’s work in the Old Testament?
In dialogue with Nicodemus, Jesus has this to say to him: “You are Israel’s teacher…and do you not understand these things?” John 3:10.
Jesus was making the point that Nicodemus should have known the Holy Spirit is the source of new life because it is revealed in the Old Testament.
For instance, Moses told the Israelites prior to entering the Promised Land that “The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live”. Deut. 30: 6
Circumcision of the heart is the work of God’s Spirit and can be accomplished only by Him.
We also see the theme of regeneration in Ezek. 11:19,20 and Ezek. 36:26-29. (These are just beautiful!)
The fruit of the Spirit’s regenerating work is FAITH. Eph. 2: 8.
Hebrews 11 names many men of faith from Old Testament time. Faith is produced by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.
The O.T. saints who looked ahead to the cross, believing that what God had promised in regard to their redemption was as good as done.
They saw the promises and “welcomed them from a distance” Heb. 11:13, accepting by faith that what God had promised, He would also bring to pass.
The second aspect of the Spirit’s work in the O.T. is indwelling/ filling.
Here is where the major difference between the Spirit’s roles in the Old and New Testaments is apparent.
The New Testament teaches the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20.
When we place our faith in Christ for salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to live within us, the “guarantee of our inheritance” Eph. 1: 13-14.
He is permanently with us in the New, but selective and temporary in the Old.
The Spirit “came upon” Joshua, Num. 27: 18, David, 1 Sam. 16: 12-13, and Saul, 1 Sam.10:10.
The Spirit “came upon” various judges whom God raised up to deliver Israel from their oppressors.
The Holy Spirit came upon these individuals for specific tasks. The indwelling was a sign of God’s favor upon that individual (like David),
and if God’s favor left an individual, the Spirit would depart (Saul’s case in 1st Samuel).
The third aspect of the Spirit’s work in the Old Testament is His restraint of sin. Gen. 6: 3 indicates that the Holy Spirit restrains man’s sinfulness, and that restraint can be removed when God’s patience regarding sin reaches a “no return point.”
What has been, will be again. Hear the echo in 2 Thess. 2: 3-8, when in the end times growing apostasy will signal the coming of God’s judgment.
Until the preordained time when the “man of lawlessness” (vs.3) will be revealed, the Holy Spirit restrains the power of Satan and will release it only when it suits His purposes to do so.
The fourth part of the Spirit’s work in the O.T. is the granting ability for service. Much like the spiritual gifts operate in the N. T., the Spirit would gift certain individuals for service. Bezalel in Ex. 31: 2-5 was gifted to do artwork relating to the Tabernacle. Selective and temporary for individuals for certain tasks,– even the task of ruling over Israel (Saul and David).
Similar to the Spirit’s role in Genesis “hovering over the waters” and superintending the work of creation, He is the One who creates the new creation 2 Cor. 5:17, bringing people into the kingdom of God through regeneration. Bringing order out of chaos as it were.
Same unchangeable God, — the major difference now is the permanent indwelling of the Spirit in believers.
“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him: but ye know Him; for He dwells with you, and shall be in you.” John 14: 17.
* * * * *
“Have you been dressed?”
Yes, I am dressed and in my right mind since meeting Jesus. (ref. to Mark 5: 15)
It is possible that we need to review Skip’s study of the term “born again” to affirm or reject these conclusions. Skip has shown us the mistranslations of the term, the fact that it should be translated “born from above” in some cases, and the fact that Peter actually “made up” this word in his statement. Rabbi Gorelik tells us that the term was actually an expression used when a Gentile proselyte was put into the waters of the mikvah, or the baptismal waters, he was said to emerge as “born again” or “born from above.” That is why Nicodemus seems so insulted when Yeshua told him he must be “born from above” or begin again as a Jew, and he was a high-ranking Jew.
Since the only Scriptures Yeshua had available to quote and teach were in the Tanakh, or what is now called the “Old Testament”, we have to look to the meanings of Yeshua’s words in the Hebrew of His day and the Language of that Scripture. He most of asked when there was confusion or question, “What did Moses say?” All of this must be considered in the study of “born again,” “born from above,” or “born of the Spirit” or we will completely miss the point of Yeshua’s words, and adopt only the current Church’s opinion, most of which is based on Greek philosophers and early Church Fathers, who were violently anti-Jewish.
Great post, Skip. However, I still have trouble understanding the following scripture:
“[Paul] said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? ” (Acts 19:2)
Could you share some of your thoughts on this? Thanks in advance.