The Bible says that when Jesus ascended back to heaven, the Holy Spirit came to earth to act as the comforter to God’s people. Also I understand that He restrains evil till He is removed at the rapture. Knowing this, are we to assume that the earth was only evil completely lacking in love and understanding before the Holy Spirit arrived on the scene?
The Holy Spirit has always been present in the world. As early as Genesis 1:2 we see evidence of this. But in the Old Testament, His ministry was not like it is with the church. Before the Church, the Holy Spirit was “with” certain people and would sometimes “come upon” them to perform miraculous works through them. In the Church, the Holy Spirit is always within us and acts as a deposit to guarantee our inheritance (2 Cor. 1:21-22). This special ministry of the Holy spirit will end with the rapture, and in the post-rapture period, He will revert to His Old Testament ministry.