LESSON 4

Power of the Holy Spirit

Yahweh's Holy Power

   The religion of the Bible differs from most worldly religions in a notable way, and that is in its concept of nature. The neighbors of ancient Israel, including the Egyptians, Babylonians and Mesopotamians, looked to each major power of nature as a distinct deity. For instance, the storm was the storm-god; the sun the sun-god; the rain the rain-god; fire was the fire-god. Each force of nature was perceived as a deity exercising his power. As a result, Israel soon took up the same heathen worship.

   The Bible declares that Yahweh uses the forces of nature to reveal His power and dominion. He is not in the storm, neither is He in the sun, the rain or fire. But He transcends and controls these forces of nature. Psalm 19 reveals, "The heavens declare the glory of Yahweh; and the firmament shows His handiwork."

True Worship and Heathenism Contrasted

   The heavens are a witness to the greatness of Yahweh.  To the Mesopotamians they were the very majesty of the supreme ruler Anu. Their deities were in nature. The Egyptians saw in the sun all that man may know of the Creator; the Mesopotamians viewed the sun as the deity Shamah, the guarantor of justice. To the Psalmist the sun was Yahweh's devoted servant who is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and "rejoices as a strong man to run a race."

   But Yahweh the Mighty One of the Bible is not in nature; He transcends nature and controls His creation. The deities of the nations surrounding Israel were mere humans who had become deified and were then thought to be in the heavenlies. Beginning with Nimrod, man set up his own mortal mighty ones who later were "immortalized" in their perceptions. And while heathens celebrated many festivals among themselves, Yahweh set apart distinct convocations for fellowship and exclusive worship of Him. While the gods of the nations of Mesopotamia were going their aloof ways, Yahweh was calling Abraham out of pagan worship, delivering His people from Egyptian bondage--and in Ezekiel, seeking His exiles in Babylon.

Phenomenal Power of the Holy Spirit

   Yahweh does not need to come down to earth to accomplish His will. Through His  mighty Spirit power He causes events to occur He does this simply by desiring it to happen. Genesis 1:2 explains that Yahweh's Spirit moved over the waters at creation. Psalm 33:6 says, "By the word of Yahweh were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth."

   Most Christian churches teach that the Holy Spirit is a personality and the third person of a triune deity. They also teach that the Spirit's personality is not only important to understanding the Holy Spirit's work, but is also important to a belief in the Spirit's existence. Belief in the Holy Spirit as a personality is vital to belief in the doctrine of the Trinity. If the Holy Spirit is not a separate being then the doctrine of the Trinity is meaningless.

   Therefore, orthodox Christians consider denial of the Holy Spirit's personality as denial of the Trinity and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This thought is enough to prevent most people from looking into or beyond church teachings on the subject. Those who have investigated have discovered that in every century since that first New Testament Pentecost there have been groups that have rejected the Trinity doctrine. Many of these groups were or are patently off-base religious cults. But many were or are groups of scripturally sound, sincere people who acknowledge the inspiration of the Bible and who seriously live or strive to live by every word of the Heavenly Father.

	Pagan Trinity The ancient trinity of Isis, Horus, and Seb (IHS) are the basis for the Christian "triune godhead." At left is an Egyptian depiction of Isis and son Horus. Above, the three together; below; a Christian Trinity symbol.

   Why have so many sincere people rejected the doctrine of the Trinity even when it meant ostracism, persecution and sometime even martyrdom? Simply because Old Testament writers never once even hinted that the Heavenly Hosts are a triune group, and New Testament writers never wrote anything that contradicted Old Testament Scriptures.  However, in their writings of the New Testament some expositors have forced an interpretation that the Spirit is a person and a part of a "Trinity." It is known by many--and sometimes even admitted by some--advocates of the Trinity that the doctrine is inferred from assumptions of New Testament meanings. New Testament writers never consciously wrote anything that contradicted the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4.

   This concept of a three-in-one being is expressed in the saying: "God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each very God, each without beginning or end, each omnipotent and separate from the other, yet all one and only one God."

   The Trinitarian Bible Society states: "The members of this Society shall consist of Protestants, who acknowledge their belief in the Godhead of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, three co-equal and co-eternal Persons in One Living and True God." Other Trinitarians express almost the same concept of three equal persons in one person.

Three in One Assyrian and pagan Surbian representations of the Trinity and its worship. The three-headed trinity, top, is portrayed by the bird or dove, above, where an elderly figure is inside a circle ("seed") speaking to the two other deities.

The Trinity Borrowed from the Ancients

   From where did this doctrine come? Does the Bible teach anywhere that the Holy Spirit is a person? Are the Father, Son and Holy Spirit equal, as some contend?

   The student of ancient religion knows that a triad of deities is common to most pagan religions. Whether it is the religion of Assyria, Babylon, Egypt or India, the worship of more than one mighty one was common. The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop points out the many triads of deities worshipped in various mystery religions, and even has entitled a chapter section, "Trinity in Unity." Page 17 graphically illustrates the Trinity concept from pagan sources. The worship of the Babylonians was decidedly a Trinitarian concept, p. 16.

   Says another prestigious source under "Babel, Babylon," "Though in late times the temples were more or less dilapidated, the services to all appearance continued to be performed, and may even have gone on until well into the Christian era, Babylonian religion and philosophy being still held in honor as late as the 4th century," International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Volume 1, p. 355b.

   From Budge's Amulets and Superstitions (p. 429) is this comment on the number three: "As symbolic of the Trinity it was most sacred. In Babylonia and Egypt we have triads of gods, e.g. Anu, Ea and Bel; Khepera, Shu and Tafnt; Amen, Mut and Chonsu, etc."

   These deep-rooted heathen beliefs influenced later Christian thought about the Heavenly Hosts. The Roman Emperor Constantine called a religious council in 325 C.E. to quell the controversies over the relationship among Yahweh, Yahshua and the Holy Spirit. After two months of wrangling, primarily between Alexandrian theologians Arius and Athanasius, the Pontifex Maximus Constantine (though he was unconverted) decided in favor of the Trinitarian teaching of Athanasius. Thus, the Trinity doctrine has come down to us from the Council of Nicea of 325 C.E. through a legacy known as "The Nicene Creed." The Nicean Council was conducted not in Latin, but in Greek, and the resulting creed was also composed in Greek. It was rather strange for the Roman Church to use Greek when its language and writings were always in Latin. Until recently, the liturgical services of the Roman Church throughout the world were held in Latin irrespective of the local language.

Ruach Is an Invisible Force

   We understand what is meant when someone says, "Sorry, I cannot attend the meeting, but I will be there in spirit." We also understand what is meant by the phrase, "The spirit of liberty has influenced Americans since colonial times." The same with, "He has an indomitable spirit and will to live." Is it possible then, that a Holy Spirit-inspired writer such as Moses didn't understand what he was saying when he wrote, "The Spirit of Elohim was moving upon the face of the waters"? Genesis 1:2. The Trinitarian belief might lead us to that conclusion.

   The Hebrew word "ruach" occurs 389 times in the Old Testament. Ruach is translated "spirit" 237 times. In the remaining 152 places it is translated in 22 different ways. The Companion Bible appendix states that the root meaning is invisible force. This force may be exerted in different ways and manifest in various forms. Although ruach is invisible, its manifestation and accomplishments may at times be made visible in the physical realm.

   English translators of the bible used the word "ghost" to represent the Hebrew "ruach." It conjures up the idea of an apparition or disembodied spirit of a dead person, a faint, shadowy semblance or specter. However, the meaning of the Hebrew "ruach" and Greek "pneuma" ("spirit" in the New Testament) has the sense of complete invisibility and unseen force like the wind. Most translations bow reject the "ghost" of the King James Version and use the more correct "spirit."

   Because a number of times the Spirit is referred to as "He" in the King James, some think the Spirit is a person. However, ascribing gender to something does not necessarily make it a male or female being. Notice that Psalm 34:2 refers to the soul as she. Revelation 1:16 says "the sun shineth in his strength." Mark 13:24 and Matthew 24:29 refer to the "moon giving her light." Yahshua said in Revelation 2:5 that He would "remove the lampstand out of his place." He also told Peter to "put up your sword into his place," Matthew 26:52.

   From these verses are we to assume that the soul is a woman, the sun is a man, the moon is a woman, the lampstand is a man, and the sword is also male? It is simply a characteristic of the ancient languages to personify objects.

   Undoubtedly, the hymnbook with the popular "God in three persons, blessed Trinity" refrain has a great deal to do with popularizing the error of a triune deity of three persons in one being.

   "Ruach" occurs for the first time in Genesis 1:2, "And the Spirit of Elohim moved upon the face of the waters." Yahweh's Spirit moved (or brooded like a mother hen) upon the waters and re-created the earth to its present condition. Psalm 104:30 reads, "you send forth Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth."

   Yahweh's creative power is in the force or Spirit that emanates from Him, John 15:26. It is not necessary that He physically do the creating as we humans might assume. Psalm 148:5 tells us, "For He commanded and they were created." It is possible with the tremendous power available to Yahweh that He simply desires or wishes something to be accomplished and it is done. His Spirit going out from Him accomplishes the tasks that He wills. From Psalm 139:7-8, we learn that His Spirit is always present throughout the universe.

   A prime example is when Israel crossed the Red Sea; Exodus 14:21 relates it was by a "strong east wind." But in the Song of Moses in Exodus 15:8, poetic language indicates that it was "the blast of Yahweh's nostrils" that kept the waters walled up. Obviously, through the power Yahweh exercised, the waters were kept back to allow Israel to walk over on dry ground. The Spirit is compared to wind in John 3:8.

   His Spirit permeates the universe and keeps it in order. Scientists admit that a definite force keeps the moons and planets in orbit. Even the electrons around the core of an atom are kept in track by a special force. His Spirit power has been likened to gravitational force, magnetism and upper spectrum light waves. All of these are invisible to the unaided eye, but can be noted by their physical effects.

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