Renewing Your Mind: "The Face of God" (September 9, 2025)

Podcast: Renewing Your Mind
Host: Nathan W. Bingham (Ligonier Ministries)
Featured Speaker: Dr. Sinclair Ferguson
Series: Who is the Holy Spirit?

Episode Overview

This episode, titled "The Face of God," delves into the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament (the Old Covenant), revealing that the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is consistent across both the Old and New Testaments. Dr. Sinclair Ferguson explores how the Holy Spirit unveils the face and character of God, works intimately as the companion of the Father, brings the presence of God, and prepares God’s people for the coming of Christ. The episode addresses the misconception that God’s nature differs between the Old and New Testaments and demonstrates the continuity and unity of God’s purpose throughout Scripture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Holy Spirit: The Intimate Companion Who Reveals God’s Face

• Introduction to the Spirit's Ministry in the Old Testament

  • The Holy Spirit is described as the "intimate companion of the Heavenly Father who has the privilege of unveiling the Father's face so that we can see what the Father and the Spirit want to do for the children of God." (Sinclair Ferguson, 00:00)
  • Both Father and Spirit share the same purpose, dispelling notions of God being different in the Old versus the New Testament. (Nathan W. Bingham, 00:24)

• The Spirit's Presence Throughout Scripture

  • The Spirit brings order and fullness into creation and into individuals’ lives, analogous to how God brings order in creation (Genesis 1).
  • The Spirit is the one who makes God’s presence felt:

    "Where shall I go from your Spirit, or where shall I flee from your presence?" – Reflecting on Psalm 139. (Sinclair Ferguson, 03:19)

2. The Face of God: Biblical Imagery and Spiritual Reality

• Parallelism of Hidden and Unveiled Face

  • When God hides His face, there is "dismay and death," but when He sends His Spirit, "there is life and renewal and joy." (Sinclair Ferguson, 05:22)
  • This parallel is rooted in Psalm 104 and echoed throughout Genesis and Ezekiel 39:29.

• Peeking Behind the Veil: The Spirit’s Intimacy

  • Analogy of "peek a boo" demonstrates the child's delight at seeing a loving parent’s face—mirroring our spiritual joy when God reveals Himself to us. (Sinclair Ferguson, 09:48)
  • The Spirit’s ministry personalizes God’s attributes, turning the abstract (holiness, power) into a personal experience.

3. The Holy Spirit’s Work in the Old Covenant

• Wisdom and Guidance

  • Spirit’s gift of wisdom is exemplified in Joseph (Genesis 41:38) and Daniel, recognized even by unbelievers as possessing God-given insight. (Sinclair Ferguson, 14:32)

• Revelation Through the Word

  • The Spirit speaks through prophets and leaders (2 Samuel 23:2):

    “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me, his word is on my tongue.” (Sinclair Ferguson, 16:10)

  • This is reiterated in Peter’s epistles (1 Peter 1, 2 Peter 1:21), establishing the Spirit’s role in inspiring Scripture.

• Divine Gifts and Worship

  • The Spirit empowers craftsmen (Exodus 31, 35) to build a place where God meets His people.

• The Exodus as Spirit’s Work

  • Isaiah 63 interprets the Exodus as being led by God’s "Holy Spirit," and grieving the Spirit parallels New Testament warnings (Ephesians 4:30).

    "You grieve a person. Paul didn't pluck that idea out of thin air. He got that language from Isaiah, chapter 63." (Sinclair Ferguson, 19:36)

4. Intimacy, Progress, and Fulfillment in the Spirit’s Work

• Not All Experienced Equal Access Under the Old Covenant

  • Moses wished, "that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them" (Numbers 11:25), signifying the longing for a universal outpouring of the Spirit. (Sinclair Ferguson, 21:52)
  • Prophets had unique direct access; the masses received the Spirit’s revelation more second-hand.

• Purpose of the Spirit: To Bring Rest

  • The Spirit’s ultimate goal is to bring God’s people into "rest"—a theme rooted in the story of Noah and culminating in Jesus’ invitation:

    "We only find rest...when we see the face of God in our Savior, Jesus Christ." (Sinclair Ferguson, 22:09)

  • The Old Testament’s story continually points forward to the fulfillment and fullness found in Christ.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Spirit’s Unveiling of God:

  "The Spirit of God is not only the expression of the presence of God, and therefore brings to us all of God's glorious character, but the Spirit of God is the one who unveils the face of God for us."
  — Sinclair Ferguson, 07:12

• Peek a Boo Analogy:

  "It's because the face of someone who loves them, who wants to be with them, has been revealed to them."
  — Sinclair Ferguson, 11:02

• On the Spirit’s Personal Work:

  "You grieve a person. You don't grieve an it or a thing."
  — Sinclair Ferguson, 19:38

• Moses’ Wish for God’s People:

  "I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit [on them]." — Sinclair Ferguson, referencing Moses, 21:54

• Ultimate Goal of the Holy Spirit:

  "The Holy Spirit’s ultimate purpose is to bring us rest. And that ultimate rest will only be found when we see the face of God in our Savior, Jesus Christ."
  — Sinclair Ferguson, 22:55

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–00:24 – Introduction to the Spirit’s role as companion and revealer of God's face
• 01:05–05:22 – Spirit’s work in creation and the Old Testament—unveiling the face of God
• 05:23–11:02 – Hidden/unveiled face motif, personal analogy of peek a boo
• 14:32–16:10 – Wisdom through the Spirit: Joseph & Daniel; Spirit’s inspiration of Scripture
• 19:36–21:52 – The Spirit in the Exodus: Personhood and grieving the Spirit
• 21:52–22:55 – Moses’ desire for all to experience the Spirit; prophecy and rest
• 22:55–23:44 – The Spirit’s goal: rest in Christ—culmination of Old Testament longing

Conclusion

Dr. Sinclair Ferguson powerfully reiterates that the Holy Spirit is the personal presence of God throughout all of Scripture, intimately unveiling the Father’s face to His people. The Spirit’s ministry is consistent, leading, teaching, gifting, and ultimately bringing God’s people to rest in Christ. Through stories and clear biblical references, listeners are reminded of God’s unchanging love and purpose, bridging the Old and New Testaments seamlessly as one story of redemption.