There are three ministries of the Holy Spirit in relationship to Scripture: revelation, inspiration, and illumination.
A. The Ministry of Revelation
Revelation means, “receiving and unveiling the truth.” Revelation is the unveiling of something that has not been revealed heretofore. The source of divine revelation that of unveiling unrevealed truth is the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, this is taught by II Samuel 23:2-3; Ezekiel 2:2; 8:3; 11:1, 24; and Micah 3:8. In the New Testament, this is taught by John 16:12-15; I Corinthians 2:9-10; and II Peter 1:21. Revelation concerns the receiving of truth from God.
B. The Ministry of Inspiration
The second ministry in relationship to Scripture is the work of inspiration. Inspiration concerns the recording of truth. When men recorded what was revealed to them, they were able to record it totally free of error by virtue of this ministry of the Holy Spirit. While revelation simply means that the truth has been revealed to a person directly from God, inspiration involves the actual recording of that truth which has been revealed.
Not everything that was revealed was necessarily recorded. For something which the seven thunders uttered. But when he tried to write it down, he was immediately told, “Do not write it.” That is an example of revelation, something was revealed to John without inspiration, and John was not allowed to record it. But that which was revealed by the Holy Spirit and then recorded was accomplished by virtue of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the source of inspiration. In the Old Testament, this is taught by Isaiah 59:21; in the New Testament, by Matthew 22:43-44; Mark 12:36-37; Acts 1:16; 4:25-26; 28:25-28; and II Timothy 3:16
C. The Ministry of Illumination
The third ministry of the Holy Spirit in relationship to Scripture is the work of illumination. Illumination means, “to understand the truth.” While the ministries of revelation and inspiration are works of the Holy Spirit, which are limited to the prophets only, the work of illumination is something He does with all believers. According to I John 2:20, all believers have an anointing from the Holy One at the time of their salvation, which makes the Holy Spirit’s work of illumination possible.
Illumination has to do with the understanding of the truth. When the Holy Spirit did the work of revelation, He revealed a truth to a prophet. When the Holy Spirit did the work of inspiration, He caused that prophet to write, free of error, that truth which was revealed. Then comes the work of illumination, by which the Holy Spirit helps believers to understand that which the prophets wrote.
The indwelling Holy Spirit gives believers the ability to understand the Scriptures in two ways: by illuminating the believer’s mind during personal Bible study, and by means of giving the gift of teaching to certain believers who, in turn, help other believers to understand the Word. When a believer understands spiritual truth, he understands it because of the Spirit’s ministry of illumination. In the Old Testament, this is taught by Nehemiah 9:20; in the New Testament, by I Corinthians 2:14-16; and Ephesians 1:15-18.
MBS066 The Ministries of the Holy Spirit: Pg 6-7
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