Finally, in verses 45-50, Stephen reviews hundreds of years of history, from Joshua to David and Solomon. He finishes with a quote from Isaiah.
“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David” (2 Timothy 2:8a).
Mark 12:36 explains that David spoke ”by the Holy Spirit” when writing Psalm 110.
What is the difference between ordinary speech and speaking by the Holy Spirit?
Psalm 110 is an example of predictive prophecy, but David spoke other words of prescriptive prophecy as well. Maybe speaking “by the Holy Spirit” is another way to say speaking prophetically.
The first reference to the Holy Spirit is found in Psalm 51.
The psalm’s heading reads, “For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.” This account is recorded in 2 Samuel 11-12.
It is fascinating that the Bible’s first mention of the Holy Spirit (in isolation from God the Father and Son) is found in a song and prayer of repentance after David’s most grievous sin.
The only other mention of the Holy Spirit by name in the Old Testament is found in Isaiah 63.
In verses 7-14, Isaiah reviews one of Israel’s many rebellions. It is in this context, anguish in sin, that we read about the Holy Spirit.
I am surprised by this pattern.
David asks his enemy’s prayers to “condemn him.”
This is a surprising spiritual request.
David says that it sometimes requires courage to pray to the Lord.
