Why was the Holy Ghost never mentioned in the OT?

[setyourselffree]

I was reading 1 Nephi chapter 11 and Nephi talks about the Holy Ghost a lot. Why was he never mentioned in the Old Testiment?

[inho]

I don't know.
There are some indirect references, just like there are indirect references to Christ even though his name is never mentioned like it is mentioned in BoM.

[setyourselffree]

I don't know.
There are some indirect references, just like there are indirect references to Christ even though his name is never mentioned like it is mentioned in BoM.

So do you think the prophets in the OT just didnt know, or were they told not to talk about them.

[inho]

I don't know.
There are some indirect references, just like there are indirect references to Christ even though his name is never mentioned like it is mentioned in BoM.

So do you think the prophets in the OT just didnt know, or were they told not to talk about them.

I would say that the prophets must have known.
What about the regular people, did they know? Did they have the gift of the Holy Ghost.

When the children of Israel failed to live up to the privileges and covenants of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the Lord took away the higher law and gave them a lesser priesthood and a lesser law. These were called the Aaronic Priesthood and the law of Moses.

Bible Dictionary: Melchizedek Priesthood

Since confirmation is an ordinance of the MP, maybe the Israelites didn't always have gift of the Holy Ghost. If that was the case, then there would naturally also be less talk about HG.

[setyourselffree]

I don't know.
There are some indirect references, just like there are indirect references to Christ even though his name is never mentioned like it is mentioned in BoM.

So do you think the prophets in the OT just didnt know, or were they told not to talk about them.

I would say that the prophets must have known.
What about the regular people, did they know? Did they have the gift of the Holy Ghost.

When the children of Israel failed to live up to the privileges and covenants of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the Lord took away the higher law and gave them a lesser priesthood and a lesser law. These were called the Aaronic Priesthood and the law of Moses.

Bible Dictionary: Melchizedek Priesthood

Since confirmation is an ordinance of the MP, maybe the Israelites didn't always have gift of the Holy Ghost. If that was the case, then there would naturally also be less talk about HG.

Why would the people in the America's have a greater portion of the law given? How come they knew more than the Israelites?

[inho]

Why would the people in the America's have a greater portion of the law given? How come they knew more than the Israelites?

I don't know. Why do we know more than the people living during the great apostasy? Why am I given a greater portion of the law than someone living in the rural China, who has no knowledge of Christ?

[marc]

The priests were all limited to the Aaronic Priesthood after Moses was taken.

[mcusick]

The priests were all limited to the Aaronic Priesthood after Moses was taken.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.
2 Samuel 8:18 (ESV)

[mes5464]

Why would the people in the America's have a greater portion of the law given? How come they knew more than the Israelites?

Christ answered this question in 3 Nephi 19

35 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying he came again to the disciples, and said unto them: So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their unbelief.

36 Verily I say unto you, there are none of them that have seen so great things as ye have seen; neither have they heard so great things as ye have heard.

[mcusick]

I was reading 1 Nephi chapter 11 and Nephi talks about the Holy Ghost a lot. Why was he never mentioned in the Old Testiment?

I assume we should ignore the JST material (i.e., the Book of Moses).

The Spirit is clearly present in the Old Testament.

For example, Numbers 11:26.
But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

Also, 2 Samuel 23:2.
The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

I guess a related question is: how much do you differentiate between the Spirit and the Holy Ghost?

Two other thoughts.
1. The language of the Old Testament and New Testament are different so translating into English may account for "the Holy Ghost" not being in the Old Testament. You should find out the Greek phrase for the Holy Ghost and see if it appears in the LXX.
2. Deuteronomist revisions emphasized the supremacy of keeping the Law of Moses in religious life. A separate guide and source of truth undermines the structural religion and may have been eliminated from manuscripts, like a feminine deity was excised from the current Old Testament.

[JohnnyL]

I don't know.
There are some indirect references, just like there are indirect references to Christ even though his name is never mentioned like it is mentioned in BoM.

So do you think the prophets in the OT just didnt know, or were they told not to talk about them.

I would say that the prophets must have known.
What about the regular people, did they know? Did they have the gift of the Holy Ghost.

When the children of Israel failed to live up to the privileges and covenants of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the Lord took away the higher law and gave them a lesser priesthood and a lesser law. These were called the Aaronic Priesthood and the law of Moses.

Bible Dictionary: Melchizedek Priesthood

Since confirmation is an ordinance of the MP, maybe the Israelites didn't always have gift of the Holy Ghost. If that was the case, then there would naturally also be less talk about HG.

Why would the people in the America's have a greater portion of the law given? How come they knew more than the Israelites?

The part that kept the law right, had the MP. Those that didn't, didn't have anything, and were worse off than the Israelites. The Israelites had the MP, but very, very few people; while the Nephites had much more of it.

[mcusick]

I was reading 1 Nephi chapter 11 and Nephi talks about the Holy Ghost a lot. Why was he never mentioned in the Old Testiment?

As a follow up, this was a good article that probably answers your question: http://www.hebrew-streams.org/works/spi ... ghost.html

[gclayjr]

We don't know what all was said or written by OT prophets. We only know that which the gatekeepers of the records retained of what the OT prophets preached.

Regards,

George Clay

[marc]

D&C 84 plainly answers the question.

[Sirocco]

Why do some Christians call it the Holy Ghost and others the Holy Spirit?

[Alaris]

Why would the people in the America's have a greater portion of the law given? How come they knew more than the Israelites?

Christ answered this question in 3 Nephi 19

35 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying he came again to the disciples, and said unto them: So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their unbelief.

36 Verily I say unto you, there are none of them that have seen so great things as ye have seen; neither have they heard so great things as ye have heard.

Nephi was aware of this and was aware that he and his father received a greater portion of the word because of their communion with the Holy Ghost:

1 Nephi 10:17 And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God—and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come—I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men.
18 For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.
19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.

The children of the golden calf worshipers did not deserve to have anything withheld from them. We don't believe in original sin. However, just like the gentiles are given a chance to accept, so were the children of Israel given a chance to uncover the mysteries of the Holy Ghost just as Nephi and Lehi did. And what does the Holy Ghost do? He testifies of Christ. This is why Israel was blind both to the Holy Ghost and to the prophecies and even fulfillment of those prophecies. They were given the schoolmaster, but they did not graduate. They hadn't earned that right to commune with the Holy Ghost yet in their eternal progression by diligently seeking Him.

Galatians 4:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

[Spaced_Out]

My most favourite scripture about the HG is in the OT, I must have a different set of scriptures that what your guys have in the US!!!!.

1 Kings 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

The ordinances of baptism and HG and way to get salvation has never changed since Adam. Most scripture is given by the HG.

Joel 2:28 ¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

1 Samuel 16:13-16,23
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Isaiah 61:1,3
1 The aSpirit of the Lord bGod is upon me; because the Lord hath canointed me to dpreach egood tidings unto the fmeek; he hath sent me to gbind up the brokenhearted, to hproclaim iliberty to the jcaptives, and the opening of the kprison to them that are bound;

[JohnnyL]

My most favourite scripture about the HG is in the OT, I must have a different set of scriptures that what your guys have in the US!!!!.

Isaiah 61:1,3
1 The aSpirit of the Lord bGod is upon me; because the Lord hath canointed me to dpreach egood tidings unto the fmeek; he hath sent me to gbind up the brokenhearted, to hproclaim iliberty to the jcaptives, and the opening of the kprison to them that are bound;

Well, if you names for them like aSpirit and bGod, and you do stuff like "canointing", yes, we probably do have a different set of scriptures...

[Thinker]

I was reading 1 Nephi chapter 11 and Nephi talks about the Holy Ghost a lot. Why was he never mentioned in the Old Testiment?

I assume we should ignore the JST material (i.e., the Book of Moses).

The Spirit is clearly present in the Old Testament.

For example, Numbers 11:26.
But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

Also, 2 Samuel 23:2.
The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

I guess a related question is: how much do you differentiate between the Spirit and the Holy Ghost?

Two other thoughts.
1. The language of the Old Testament and New Testament are different so translating into English may account for "the Holy Ghost" not being in the Old Testament. You should find out the Greek phrase for the Holy Ghost and see if it appears in the LXX.
2. Deuteronomist revisions emphasized the supremacy of keeping the Law of Moses in religious life. A separate guide and source of truth undermines the structural religion and may have been eliminated from manuscripts, like a feminine deity was excised from the current Old Testament.

Interesting - where or how did you discover a feminine deity in OT? I’m genuinely interested.

[Vision]

I was reading 1 Nephi chapter 11 and Nephi talks about the Holy Ghost a lot. Why was he never mentioned in the Old Testiment?

Because it wasn't available until the Day of Pentecost

[setyourselffree]

I was reading 1 Nephi chapter 11 and Nephi talks about the Holy Ghost a lot. Why was he never mentioned in the Old Testiment?

Because it wasn't available until the Day of Pentecost

Not according to Nephi. He clearly said he had it.

[mcusick]

I was reading 1 Nephi chapter 11 and Nephi talks about the Holy Ghost a lot. Why was he never mentioned in the Old Testiment?

I assume we should ignore the JST material (i.e., the Book of Moses).

The Spirit is clearly present in the Old Testament.

For example, Numbers 11:26.
But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

Also, 2 Samuel 23:2.
The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

I guess a related question is: how much do you differentiate between the Spirit and the Holy Ghost?

Two other thoughts.
1. The language of the Old Testament and New Testament are different so translating into English may account for "the Holy Ghost" not being in the Old Testament. You should find out the Greek phrase for the Holy Ghost and see if it appears in the LXX.
2. Deuteronomist revisions emphasized the supremacy of keeping the Law of Moses in religious life. A separate guide and source of truth undermines the structural religion and may have been eliminated from manuscripts, like a feminine deity was excised from the current Old Testament.

Interesting - where or how did you discover a feminine deity in OT? I’m genuinely interested.

I will readily admit I am influenced by Margaret Barker's work. For example:

"She must have been the one who appeared when the LORD came from Sinai, with his host of holy ones, and with an 'uncertain word' at his right hand (Deut. 33.2). The impossible consonants are 'sdt and, given that d and r are very similar in Hebrew, must once have been 'srt, Asherata. This must have been the LORD appearing with his holy ones and with the Queen, as in Revelation 19-21" (The Great High Priest, 2003, p. 236).

I have not yet read her book The Mother of the Lord, but may do so after I finish her commentaries on John's gospel and Revelation.

[harakim]

I was just thinking about this.
John 7:39

(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

[Vision]

I was reading 1 Nephi chapter 11 and Nephi talks about the Holy Ghost a lot. Why was he never mentioned in the Old Testiment?

Because it wasn't available until the Day of Pentecost

Not according to Nephi. He clearly said he had it.

Could be the Light of Christ?

[Alaris]

Could the one hidden by the shadow of the Lord's hand also refer to the Holy Ghost? The Holy Ghost's identity is hidden after all.