Some time ago I wrote some articles on this website that focused on finding Jesus in the Old Testament. Less hidden, but still present, is the Spirit of God. Recently, I enjoyed thinking about the presence of the Spirit of God in the book of Genesis.
Explicitly, the Spirit of God is mentioned three times in the opening book of the Bible. He is first found in the opening chapter, when the earth is formless and empty, hovering, brooding, over the water covering the earth. Later, in a world that has been overwhelmed by the evil thoughts and violent acts of those given dominion and authority over creation, we read that the “Spirit shall not abide in man forever” (Genesis 6:3 ESV). Finally, He is recognized in Joseph, by the pharaoh of Egypt, when his dreams are interpreted: “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” (Genesis 41:38).
We are given an image of a bird for the Spirit of God as He acts in creation. Brooding over the formless, lifeless earth, He will bring life and beauty. As a bird considers her nest of eggs, carefully turning them over in view of the safe arrival of the hatchlings, so the Spirit hovers over the pregnant creation. But the care and consideration extends beyond birth. The mother bird continues to spread her wings over her chicks as she tends to their well-being throughout development.
I suggest that this is what the divine commentary is getting at in Genesis 6. As the Spirit of God has sought to contend with man, to direct and guide, to provide and care, He has been thwarted, rejected. Sin has entered and death has reigned (Romans 5:12,14). What exactly is meant by the phrase about man’s days being 120 years is debatable, but what is clear is that there is a dramatic difference between the time before the flood and after the flood. Man’s lifespan had been almost a thousand years! How was this possible?
We come up with theories regarding pre-flood conditions, including the fact that the corruption of sin hadn’t had the time to accumulate and progress, but we forget that the Spirit of God was present! Hovering, brooding, caring, “quickening” (to use the old English word). The lives of men and women were preserved by the attentive care of the Great Brooder. Whether the 120 years is the new limit to the life of man or the amount of time until universal judgment, there is a clear change in world conditions with the removal of the Spirit’s general activity in this epoch.
Between Genesis 6 and 41, the biblical lens telescopes. God’s focus has narrowed from nations to persons. From thousands of years squeezed into one chapter to whole chapters describing one day. Clearly, there is a different program in play. Things seemed pretty bleak for mankind with the pronouncement that the Spirit of God’s activity would be removed, but here (in chapter 41) we are reintroduced to Him happily residing in a Hebrew slave, in an Egyptian prison!
What has happened? Here is an ungodly man, the pharaoh of Egypt, recognising that within the unlikely fellow before him, God is present by His Spirit. It turns out that the removal of the Spirit due to human intransigence and sin was not total. The means of activity had merely changed. From universal to personal. The Spirit is still active in men’s hearts, changing, guiding, providing and quickening. Joseph had been preserved and led to this place where he could be the agent through which the Spirit’s activity would literally save the world from famine. The Spirit’s care for the nations would be through Joseph. Further, the Spirit’s witness through Joseph likely led to the spiritual regeneration of many others in Egypt, including the pharaoh on the throne.
The Spirit is active in a similar way in our day. If interested, previously published articles may be accessed describing His New Testament witness on this website. That being said, God has promised, that in a coming day, mankind will again enjoy the universal blessing of the Spirit of God’s presence among them as before. New Testament believers enjoy a first instalment of this as Peter explains in Acts 2:17-21 as he quotes from the prophet Joel concerning the features that will mark the New Covenant’s earthly inauguration (see Joel 2:28-32).
We are often reminded and encouraged about the coming kingdom of Christ, when He will rule in justice and equity. A lesser considered aspect of that coming day of glory is the uninhibited universal activity of the Spirit of God as He broods over a world for its good as in antediluvian conditions (cp. Isaiah 32:15).
But a lingering question remains, where is the Spirit in the time gap between His general removal in Genesis 6 and His personal reappearance in the life of Joseph in Genesis 41? As is often the case, His explicit absence should not be construed to mean a lack of His presence, for His characteristic activity is seen in biblical pictures, to which we will turn in future posts
