THE LIVING SPIRIT OF THE LORD: The 3rd Identity of GOD in THE ELOHIM

Not by might,

nor by power,

but by MY SPIRIT*, 
 [ *The RUACH ha KADOSH ]

saith the LORD of Hosts.

Zechariah 4:6

PICTURE Courtesy of Ted Lawson, copyright 2007

In at least 18 Books of the Old Covenant, we find EXPLICIT references to the Workings of the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD. 

The HOLY SPIRIT is variously identified as The SPIRIT of YHWH or The SPIRIT of ELOHIM  but often simply as “MY SPIRIT.”

And the LORD YHWH said,

MY SPIRIT shall not always strive with man,

for that he also is flesh:

yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

Genesis 6:3

This identification of The HOLY SPIRIT as part of The ELOHIM is found in: 

·        Genesis , as the Creator – Gen. 1:2

·        Exodus, as Wisdom – Ex. 28:3/ 31:3

·        Numbers, as the SPIRIT of Prophesy – Num. 11:25

·        Deuteronomy, as Wisdom again – Dt. 34:9

·        Judges, as Empower-er – Judg. 3:10, among others

·        1 Samuel, as Anointer – 1 Sam. 16:13

·        2 Samuel, as The WORD of The LORD – 2 Sa. 23:2

·        2 Chronicles, as Defender --  2 Chron. 20:14-15

·        Nehemiah, as Guide -- Neh. 9:20

·        Job, as Life-Giver -- Job 33:4

·        Psalms, as Omnipresent -- Ps. 139:7

·        Proverbs , as Wisdom and Word -- Pro. 1:23

·        Isaiah, as Counsel and Might (among others) -- Is.11:2

·      Ezekiel, as a “LIKENESS” like FIRE, with loins and an extended hand which LIFTED Ezekiel -- Ezk. 8:2-3

·        Joel, as Inundator of Holiness -- Joel 2:28

·        Micah, as Power and Judgment -- Mic. 3:8

·        Haggai, as Comforter -- Hag. 2:5

·        Zechariah, as Grace and Supplications – Zech. 12:10

In addition to the wording in the Hebrew Masoretic text, 

we can IDENTIFY the HOLY SPIRIT as part of THE ELOHIM by the WORK and ACTIVITY the SPIRIT was sent to do among the sons of men, which was in accordance with THE ELOHIM.

That “work” was Varied, Mighty, and SUPERNATURAL as The SPIRIT intervened in the affairs of men.

Let us look at the workings of the HOLY SPIRIT among men as recorded in the Old Covenant Books.

In Genesis, The SPIRIT of ELOHIM is found involved in The Creation in 1:2 –

And the earth was without form, and void;

and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

And the SPIRIT OF ELOHIM

moved upon the face of the waters.

IN EXODUS. . .  

we find the HOLY SPIRIT being sent forth by YHWH to endow Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, and skill to make the furnishings of the Tabernacle in accordance to the DIVINE PATTERN. 

That DIVINE PATTERN  had to be exact;  the workers were NOT allowed to veer from it BECAUSE  that DIVINE PATTERN  pointed to . . .

Y’SHU+ the M’SHIKHA,

Y’SHUA+ ha MASHIACH,

The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

And I [ YHWH ]  have filled him 

 [ Bezaleel – grandson of Hur, of the Tribe of Judah ] 

with the SPIRIT OF GOD [ ELOHIM ], 

 in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge,

and in all manner of workmanship,

Exodus 31:3

IN NUMBERS . . . 

we find the exciting demonstration of the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT intervening to help Moses govern the people:

And I [ YHWH ] will come down and talk with thee there: and I WILL TAKE OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS UPON THEE, AND WILL PUT IT UPON THEM; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the SPIRIT that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the SPIRIT RESTED UPON THEM, they PROPHESIED, and did NOT CEASE.

But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the SPIRIT  RESTED UPON THEM; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they PROPHESIED IN THE CAMP !

And Moses said unto him [ Joshua ] ,

 Enviest thou for my sake?

Would GOD that all the LORD'S people were prophets,

and that the LORD would put HIS SPIRIT UPON THEM !

[ Numbers 11: 17, 25, 26, and 29 ]

IN EZEKIEL . . .

Here is the ASTOUNDING ACCOUNT of The HOLY SPIRIT moving the Prophet Ezekiel by the lock of his hair , in chapter 8 of that Book.

And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the Hand of the LORD GOD FELL THERE UPON ME.  

Then I beheld, and lo, A LIKENESS AS THE APPEARANCE OF FIRE: FROM THE APPEARANCE OF HIS LOINS even downward, fire; and FROM HIS LOINS EVEN UPWARD, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.

And HE  PUT FORTH THE FORM OF AN HAND, and took me by A LOCK OF MINE HEAD; and THE SPIRIT LIFTED ME UP between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of GOD to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north;

WHERE WAS THE SEAT OF THE IMAGE OF JEALOUSY, WHICH PROVOKETH TO JEALOUSY.

Ezekiel 8: 1-3

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All of the workings of THE HOLY SPIRIT could ONLY be the workings of The ELOHIM as   . . .

The Creator, the Wisdom, the WORD, the Power, the Prophesier, the Anointer, the Deliverer, the Corrector, the Comforter, Counselor, and Mighty ONE . . .  AND AS . . .

THE  LIFE-GIVER.

Indeed, the COLLECTIVE, UNIFIED, Agreed-Upon Actions and SHARED ATTRIBUTES of The ELOHIM often make it difficult to ascertain exactly how to distinguish one IDENTITY of GOD from the Other !

Yet . . .

 throughout the Old and New Covenants, each IDENTITY of GOD can be seen distinctively in ACTIONS towards the human race.

Yes, and then there are the DISTINCTIVE PLURALS that accompany references

 to The ELOHIM.

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We praise THEE, O LORD GOD,

YHWH ELOHIM, YHWH ADONAI,

KING of the Universe, 

For bringing forth FROM YOUR BOSOM

 

The BREAD+ of LIFE, YOUR ETERNAL WORD+ 

WHO+ became Flesh 

to Redeem the human race.

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