The Holy Spirit and Scripture’s Human Authors

2024-07-27

“Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus” (Acts 1:16). Here we see the Holy Spirit speaking through David. “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9). “Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents” (Psalm 69:25). “Let his days be few; and let another take his office” (Psalm 109:8). These were not merely Ahithophel and other enemies of David; the Spirit was speaking of an enemy of the Lord in the future.

The human authors of Scripture who were moved by the Holy Spirit often knew they were writing of future events. “Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption” (Acts 2:30-31). David knew he was not merely speaking of himself here when he wrote Psalm 16:8-11, as the apostle says here.

“For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly” (Mark 12:36-37). Here, it says that David said the words, but he did so by the Holy Spirit. David was an instrument of the Spirit. “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2).

“As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began” (Luke 1:70). The prophets were only human instruments who spoke the words of God.

This is a part of a series summarizing thoughts while reading Samuel Ridout’s The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit: Seven Lectures. Return to the summary home page here.