WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT

CHRISTIANITY

 The reality of the Holy Spirit or Spirit of God, has been an everyday reality from the beginning of humanity until now. Always present and accepted by all as divine, but also confused with the Person of GOD or a divine energy.

 OLD TESTAMENT

In ancient times, among the Hebrews, the only ones who referred to this power as ‘Holy Spirit’ or ר֣וּחַ קָדְשֹׁ֑ו (RUACH HA-KODESH), are found only in two sections: Isaiah 63:10-11 and Psalm 2:11. The term Kadosh or ‘Holy’, served only as an adjective, not a name. There was no doubt that this HOLY SPIRIT, was the same as THE SPIRIT OF GOD or SPIRIT OF YHWH, or ורוח אלהים (RUACH ELOHIM), meaning, the moving force of GOD, or GOD HIMSELF.

But apart from this, the term ‘SPIRIT OF GOD’ is also portraited as a force from divine origin, like in Genesis 2:7, when YHWH blew ‘spirit’ into Adam to make him alive. Or in the exclamation of Job, claiming that the Spirit of YHWH gave him ‘life’ (Job 27:3, 33:4) and made him from nothing.

 In the old Scriptures, the holy SPIRIT, is definitely the SPIRIT OF YHWH, either referring to HIM personally, or to his personal power into anything that GOD does,

 THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT AN ANGEL, NEITHER AN INANIMATE ‘FORCE’.

THE HOLY SPIRIT is YHWH HIMSELF.

 HE can create – Job 33:4

 HE gives life to everything – Isaiah 42:5

 HE gives life to the cosmos, including animals of all kinds – Job 12:10; Ecclesiastes 3:18; Job 26:13.

HE prophesies and gives knowledge –

Genesis 41:38; Exodus 31:3; 2Samuel 23:2

 NEW TESTAMENT

This manifestation of GOD as SPIRIT and his distant power also called ‘Holy Spirit’ indistinguishably, it is also continued in the times of Lord JESUS.

 The SPIRIT, impregnated MARY –

Luke 1:35

 JESUS was son of the SPIRIT – GOD –

Luke 1:32.

 JESUS received anointing through the SPIRIT OF GOD – Matthew 3:16

 JESUS was given the power to confer the SPIRIT from GOD – Matthew 3:11

 The SPIRIT is promised to stay on Earth, assisting the believers after JESUS goes to Heaven – John 14:16-18.

 This SPIRIT descends into more than 100 people at Pentecost – Acts 2:1-4.

 JESUS says that it is worse to blaspheme the SPIRIT OF GOD, than speaking bad of Him, acknowledging his divinity –

Matthew 12:32.

 The SPIRIT is acknowledged as GOD –

Acts 5:3-4.

The SPIRIT itself does not appear as an independent being, but as divine attribute from GOD YHWH – Revelation 1:4-5.

 CONCLUSION

Contrary to what many believe, the HOLY SPIRIT or RUACH HAKODESH, or SPIRIT OF GOD, it is neither an unconscious ‘energy’, nor a different person from GOD YHWH.

 The term must be identified according to the context.

 In most cases, it refers to GOD YHWH HIMSELF, in action. In other parts, it refers to his divine power working at his command, in one or in many forms and individuals.

 BUT it is not an independent person to be worship parallel to the GOD, as neither is JESUS, his Son.

 In relation to GOD YHWH, the SPIRIT is only an attribute, the same way as JESUS is only the image of YHWH, but none of them is YHWH GOD.

 The worship must ALWAYS, be oriented to the only divinity and source that gives origin to them both, YAHWEH GOD.

To worship the Holy Spirit, or to worship Jesus, instead of YHWH or together with YHWH, is IDOLATRY.

OFR.