Symbols of the Third of the Trinity

The Third Person of the Triune God is the Holy Spirit.
Because the Holy Spirit (and God in general) is rather mysterious, the Bible uses symbols to depict this profound One.

We will see breath to show the Holy Spirit.
We will see a storm wind to show the Spirit.
We will see a cloud to express in symbolism the Holy Spirit.
We will see a hovering bird to depict God's Spirit.

The Bible wants man to know that the Spirit of God comes from God. The symbolism in Ezekiel of the Spirit coming from the throne of God is the storm coming from the "north" .

"And I looked, and there came a storm wind from the north, a great cloud and a fire flashing incessantly; and there was a brightness around it, and from the midst of it there was something like the light of electrum, from the midst of the fire." (Ezek. 1:4)

This is a symbol of eternal Spirit of the living God. I will only speak to the storm, the cloud, and the direction from where the storm cloud of fire comes.

It comes from north which signifies up, from heaven, and from the place of God and His throne.

Originally posted by sonship
The Third Person of the Triune God is the Holy Spirit.
Because the Holy Spirit (and God in general) is rather mysterious, the Bible uses symbols to depict this profound One.

We will see [b]breath to show the Holy Spirit.
We will see a storm wind to show the Spirit.
We will see a cloud to express in symbolism the Holy Spirit.
We will see a hovering bird to depict God's Spirit.[/b]

You are attempting to amalgamate all the possible meaning for the Hebrew and Greek term 'spirit' into the Holy spirit sonhsip. Its not possible because you have not considered the context. Its much better if you simply accept that spirit has a different meaning depending on its context rather than assuming that it is always a reference to the Holy Spirit.

A storm wind blowing from the north symbolizes the mighty Spirit of God comes from God.

North is the place of God as in "up" north.

" For neither from the east nor from the west And neither from the south, does exaltation come;

For God is the Judge: He puts this one down and exalts that one." (Psalm 75:6,7)

The three directions are mention - EAST, WEST, and SOUTH. The NORTH is not mentioned. But in place of NORTH it says "For God is the Judge". So we really have the four directions here as -

East, West, South, God.

Along with Psalm 75:6,7 we see the north is mentioned as the place of the city of God for the whole earth - Mt. Zion, on the sides of the north.

" Great is Jehovah, and much to be praised in the city of our God, In the mountain of His holiness.

Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion, the sides of the NORTH, The city of the great King." (Psalm 48:1,2)

Again, north symbolizes from God. And spiritually God is "up" and above. The city of God, the sides of the north symbolizes God is the source and origin of this capital. She will be "the joy of the whole earth" in the millennium and in eternity, though now Jerusalem and Mount Zion are troublesome to the nations.

The might fire storm coming from the north points to God coming as the Spirit from God's seat of government in the universe.

Notice also that the DayStar [Lucifer] wanted to usurp God's government which was in the "north". Satan sought to overthrow the highest government in the universe in the spiritual "north".

"But you [Daystar - Lucifer] said in your heart:

I will ascend to heaven;
Above the stars of God I will exalt my throne.
And I will sit upon the mount of assembly in the uttermost parts of the NORTH.

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High. " (Isaiah 14:13,14)

The Most High reigns from the mount of assembly in the NORTH.
The symbolism points to God most high, most above, the "highest" point in all existence.

In Ezekiel the firestorm of the mighty wind bringing the glory of God is coming from this highest place of God's government.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
You are attempting to amalgamate all the possible meaning for the Hebrew and Greek term 'spirit' into the Holy spirit sonhsip. Its not possible because you have not considered the context. Its much better if you simply accept that spirit has a different meaning depending on its context rather than assuming that it is always a reference to the Holy Spirit.

It should be clear that the Spirit is associated with the storm coming from the north in Ezekiel's vision.

It is not altogether different from the mighty rushing wind in the book of Acts which is explicitly associated with the Holy Spirit.

Originally posted by sonship
It should be clear that the [b]Spirit is associated with the storm coming from the north in Ezekiel's vision.

It is not altogether different from the mighty rushing wind in the book of Acts which is explicitly associated with the Holy Spirit.[/b]

dude its simply an appeal to your own authority, - its true because I say its true kind of thing. You cannot ignore the context, spirit has lots of meanings and they are not all the same.

In Ezekiel 1:4 we see the a sign of the blowing of the Spirit of God to come to take care of God's people.

The spiritual experience of the saved also begin with the Holy Spirit coming to them to blow upon them. The sense of not being satisfied and not being content with one's life condition is a sign of the Holy Spirit blowing as a storm upon you.

Though He is blowing upon you His blowing is to come to take CARE of you. He comes from the north. He comes from God as the source of all spiritual blessings.

He comes as a storm also to impart God's life into man's being. We see both the Holy Spirit seen as a mighty rushing wind (reminiscent of Ezekiel) and we also see the Holy Spirit coming as breath to impart God's life into the lovers of Jesus Christ.

"And when He had said this, He BREATHED into them and said to them,

Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:22)

The mighty Spirit is also the gentle Spirit to be received that God may live in man.
The breath from Christ is the Holy Spirit as the Third of the Trinity imparting divine life into the lovers of Christ.

He is the mighty fire storm. And He is also the gentle breath to impart Himself as divine life to the believers.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
dude its simply an appeal to your own authority, - its true because I say its true kind of thing. You cannot ignore the context, spirit has lots of meanings and they are not all the same.

The word "spirit" may have lots of meanings. I am talking about when the meaning signifies God Himself.

The wind in Acts was God Himself coming as the Holy Spirit.
The breath breathed into the disciples in John Jesus described as "the Holy Spirit" too.

There is no mistaking angels or spirits of any lesser sort. In Acts and in John both the wind and the breath are symbols of the Third of the Trinity.

Profound things of the new covenant are depicted in the Old Testament, Many Old Testament pictures are for examples for the believers to learn from in the further unveiling of God's will in the New Testament.

Originally posted by sonship
In [b]Ezekiel 1:4 we see the a sign of the blowing of the Spirit of God to come to take care of God's people.

The spiritual experience of the saved also begin with the Holy Spirit coming to them to blow upon them. The sense of not being satisfied and not being content with one's life condition is a sign of the Holy Spirit blowing as a storm upon you. ...[text shortened]... fire storm. And He is also the gentle breath to impart Himself as divine life to the believers.[/b]

No one is denying that Christians are recipients of Gods Holy spirit,

Jesus, in John 3 speaks of the Spirit who is like the wind blowing and the One also giving new birth. Here we see both aspects of the Holy Spirit. He is like the wind blowing where He wills upon the ones God wants, and the One causing them to be reborn from within.

" That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I said to you, You must be born anew.

The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it goes, so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:6-8)

God comes and visits men first by blowing on them. Then He comes into them to cause their human spirit to be BORN of the Divine Spirit, the Third of the Triune God.

His blowing upon our being is like the wind that we cannot tell from where it comes or to where it goes. His visitation as the blowing Spirit upon man is mysterious. Then He enters into our innermost being to cause us a rebirth. We can be born of the Spirit of God.

" ... and that which is born of the Spirit is [human] spirit."

When we feel God seems to be blowing upon us we should ask Him to come INTO us.
His blowing causes a feeling of dissatisfaction. You are not satisfied with your spiritual life. Perhaps you have no spiritual life at all.

God blows His Holy Spirit like the wind upon our beings. God seeks to breath into us then to impart the Holy Spirit into our human spirit that the human spirit may be born of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is received if we receive Christ. And then the human spirit is not only born of the Spirit. It is also "one spirit" with the Third Person of the Trinity.

"He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit." (1 Cor. 6:17)

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
No one is denying that Christians are recipients of Gods Holy spirit,

This Holy Spirit is the life of God. He is called "the Spirit of life".

" ... the law of the Spirit of life has freed me ...." (Rom. 8:2)

Jehovah's Witnesses may not like to capitalize spirit in their way of writing "Holy spirit". But it is proper to do so because this Spirit is the Lord Christ Jesus.

"And the LORD ... IS THE SPIRIT .."( 2 Cor. 3:17)

Who is the Lord there is verse 17? In the epistle we are told that the Lord is Christ Jesus.

"For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord..." (2 Cor. 4:5a)

Why should we not then capitalize Holy Spirit ? The Spirit is the Lord Jesus Christ.

A mere energy or a mere force man could never "grieve". for a force has no emotion. But the Christians are told not to "grieve" or make unhappy, the Holy Spirit.

" And do not GRIEVE the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption." (Eph. 4:30)

For lake of a better human language word, the Holy Spirit is a Person. Only a "Person" can be grieved. You cannot "grieve" electricity. Water may be powerful. But you do not "grieve" water. No lifeless form of energy suffers grieving at our actions.

The Holy Spirit as a the Third "Person" of the Trinity can be "grieved". And we should not grieve the Holy Spirit. We should open our whole being and receive the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit not only comes like a storm upon us blowing, but as a cloud overshadowing.

A cloud is used to symbolize the Spirit of God also in the OT.

The blowing wind in Ezekiel 1 brought the overshadowing cloud. This cloud should remind us of God's presence coming down lead the Israelites in Exodus.

" And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of CLOUD moved from before them and stood behind them.

And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. And th CLOUD was there with the darkness, yet it gave light by night to them. Thus one did not come near the other all night." (Exodus 14:19,20)

The Holy Spirit is the reality of the pillar of cloud leading and protecting the children of Israel as they go out of Egypt. It is a light to the people of God. It is a separation of the people of God and the worldly people, in principle, if we obey Him.

It is interesting that the worldly people see darkness. But to the people of God He is a guiding light.

We really have in this chapter of Exodus the Triune God. Jehovah, the Angel of Jehovah, and the pillar of cloud which was a guiding light. God looked down from within the pillar of cloud.

"And at the morning watch Jehovah looked down upon the camp of the Egyptians in the pillar of fire and of cloud and threw the camp of the Egyptians into confusion." (v.24)

The Angel of God (v.19) went before the Israelites. This is the SENT ONE and signifies Christ. The pillar of fire before them leading them as a shining cloud is the Holy Spirit. And God the Father as Jehovah looked down upon the Egyptians in the cloud.

These are symbols of the operation of the Triune God in His economy.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
You are attempting to amalgamate all the possible meaning for the Hebrew and Greek term 'spirit' into the Holy spirit sonhsip. Its not possible because you have not considered the context. Its much better if you simply accept that spirit has a different meaning depending on its context rather than assuming that it is always a reference to the Holy Spirit.

As usual, your exegesis is spectacularly trivial and banal. Or perhaps it would be, if you actually tried to explain or interpret scripture, instead of merely naysaying. Saying that he "hasn't considered the context" is laughable.

It might have value to somebody, somewhere, if only your own text inspired the evolution of your dogma, like most churches, except that it doesn't because your own text only exists to back up your already-made dogma. Maybe that is why your text is so bland and uninspiring.

You are far from a Hebrew or Greek expert, no matter how important it is to you to appear so.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
dude its simply an appeal to your own authority, - its true because I say its true kind of thing. You cannot ignore the context, spirit has lots of meanings and they are not all the same.

Now you're just sounding like FMF.

Yeah, like you're just making stuff up.