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Do We Know The Holy Spirit?
Short explanations to 335 Bible texts that speak of the Holy Spirit
II. The Holy Spirit in the Gospels

1. The Spirit of God in the events at the birth of Christ


The announcement of the birth of John the Baptist
The two announcements of the birth of Christ
Mary´s visit to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist
The working of the Holy Spirit at the incarnation of Christ
The leading of the Holy Spirit at the circumcision of Christ


The Announcement of the Birth of John the Baptist

Luke 1:13-17
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother´s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, `to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,`and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

After more than 500 years of waiting, the promises surrounding the powerful entrance of a new age of grace began to be realized. The birth of the promised prophet was announced by an angel, the voice of one crying in the wilderness (Is. 40:3-5) who would prepare the way of the Lord in the power of Elijah (Mal. 3:1; 4:5-6). He would be born to the aged and barren Elizabeth. His name, “John”, opened the oratorio for the age of grace, for Yahweh has mercy and compassion!

The promised prophet would be filled with the Holy Spirit already in the womb, reflecting the fact that John was the greatest of all prophets of the Old Covenant and, at the same time, the one who would open the door to the new age (Matt. 11:11,13). His proclamations, spoken in the power of the Spirit of God, brought about the conversions of many, both young and aged, in the people of the Old Covenant. His ascetic lifestyle and service would forge the Spirit-led preparation of his people for the coming of the Covenant-God.


The two Announcements of the Birth of Jesus

Luke 1:30-35
30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

The announcement of the birth of Christ by the Angel Gabriel began with the words: ”Do not be afraid!” The age of grace dispels all fear of God´s judgment and Satan´s power. The unlimited grace of God was promised to the bewildered Mary. The Redeemer of her people was to be born through this virgin. His name is Jesus: The coming “Son of the Highest” would be the invincible Lord and Protector of His people in His eternal kingdom.

The Angel Gabriel kindly explained to the perplexed Mary the mystery of her pregnancy. Her Son would not be begotten in a normal human fashion, but the Holy Spirit would come upon her as the power of the Most High. Therefore, the Holy One to come forth from her was to be called the Son of God.

At the birth of Jesus there was to be no humanly conceived embryo filled with the Holy Spirit, such as there was with John the Baptist. Much more, God Himself, by way of His Spirit, became a man in Jesus. The Eternal One joined Himself with that which is passing, the Living One with mortal man, the Holy One with the inherited burden of generations of sinners! Why? He did it so that those in iniquity could become children of God, so that mortal men could be born-again and reconciled to God. With the announcement of the birth of Christ, the age of Grace had descended on our world.

Matthew 1:18-25
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for he will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” 24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

Joseph was shocked, sad, and dismayed when he heard that the woman to whom he was legally engaged was pregnant. He loved Mary, and first wanted to flee as if he had been the cause of her pregnancy.

The angel of the Lord did not appear personally to Joseph, but in a dream. He forbade him to be fearful or sad, and commanded him not to abandon Mary. Instead, he was to take her under his protection, since Mary was righteous, and had only become pregnant through the will and power of God. Joseph was God-fearing and knew from the Old Testament scriptures the promises regarding the Holy Spirit. He believed the message of the angel, and took the woman to whom he was engaged to be his wife. Nevertheless, he did not touch her until after she had born her Son.

The angel also commanded the descendant of the kingly generation of David to give the future Son the name “Jesus”, for He was to be the God-sent Saviour of His people. He would not be the redeemer from the Roman occupation, but the Saviour from the slavery to sin and the imminent judgment of God. We should never forget that the name Jesus means: “Yahweh helps, saves and is victorious!” Joseph believed, obeyed the revelation, and did not name the newborn after his family, but gave Him the name “Jesus”. The entire plan of God´s salvation is contained in this singular and unique name!

An angel of the Lord helped him who knew the Holy Scriptures to understand the entry of the Spirit of God into his family and into our whole world. He referred him to the promise of the prophet Isaiah (Is. 7:14), that the birth of the Messiah would be by a virgin. Thereby he understood that his foster son would also be called “Immanuel”, which means: “God with us!” The woodworker or carpenter had to comprehend that Jesus, the Son entrusted to him, would not be a normal man, but God incarnate, who had come to mankind in order to redeem him.


Mary´s visit to Elizabeth, the Mother of John the Baptist

Luke 1:39-45
39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

The angel of the Lord had revealed to Zacharias, the priest, that the son promised him would be filled with the Holy Spirit already in the womb. John was not conceived through the Holy Spirit, but through his parents. His filling with the Holy Spirit, however, extended to Elizabeth, when Mary approached her with Jesus in her body. The yet-to-be born John jumped with joy in the womb of his mother, when he sensed the approach of the coming Christ.

His mother, Elizabeth, immediately recognized through the spirit of prophecy and confessed, as perhaps the first person ever, that Jesus is Lord, who created and maintains everything. She called Mary the mother of “her Lord”, something illogical, yet spiritually true. She instantly submitted herself totally to her Lord. She had been spiritually instructed to understand that Mary was with child of the Holy Spirit. The betrothed Mary did not have to explain to her the mystery of her pregnancy. Elizabeth further recognized that Mary was not with child without her permission, but had become pregnant by the Holy Spirit through her faith in God´s word. For the sake of this faith Elizabeth blessed Mary, and further prophesied that the promised plan of God would be completed through Jesus. Nothing could hinder the accomplishment of this salvation.


The Working of the Holy Spirit at the Incarnation of Christ

Luke 2:8-11
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.

The three special titles of honour of the newborn Jesus are Spirit-filled Names for the Son of God.

The Saviour” means, (from the Greek) the Prince of Peace and the sovereign world ruler, who is victorious on all fronts and secures lasting blessing for His kingdom. Upon Him rest the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of council and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (Is. 11:1-2).

Christ” means the one anointed with the Holy Spirit, just as He Himself testified: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God.” (Is. 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-19)

The Lord” is God Himself, who through His Holy Spirit in Jesus became man, as He had revealed to Isaiah and to John the Baptist: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; The crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places smooth; 5 The glory of the lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 10 Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him…13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counsellor has taught Him? (Is. 40:3-5, 10, 13; 42:1-4; 60:1-3).


The Leading of the Holy Spirit at the Circumcision of Christ

Luke 2:22-32
22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” 25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord´s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: 29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

We read in the peculiar report of Simeon, a pious member of the Old Covenant, that he was encompassed and inspired by the Holy Spirit. He responded in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit and encountered the baby Jesus when His parents brought Him, as their firstborn, to present Him to the Lord of the Covenant. The Spirit of God revealed to this faithful and obedient aged one: This young one wrapped in swaddling clothes is the promised Messiah! He is the Prince of Peace and the World-Ruler, who has not only been sent to His obstinate people, but also to all the lawless nations as the Light of the World. Now you can die in peace, for the age of grace has arrived.

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