Symbols
of the Holy Spirit
The Scripture use
several symbols to represent the offices,
functions, and ministrations of the Third
Person of the Godhead. These emblems,
figures, and representations help to portray
the magnitude of the Spirit’s power and
work.
Oil: The oil used in
connection with the ancient sanctuary
symbolized the Spirit’s presence. God
commanded that anointing oil be used at the
dedication of the Tabernacle to signify its
setting apart for holy purposes. In
Israel’s economy, prophets, priests, and
kings were anointed for holy office. God thus
indicated that the Holy Spirit would guide
these men in discharging their duties.
For example, God
instructed Elijah to anoint his successor,
Elisha. (1 Kings 19:16.) Samuel anointed
David in the midst of his brethren, and
‘the Spirit of the Lord came upon David
from that day forward.” (1 Samuel
16:13.) At Aaron’s dedication to the
priesthood joy prevailed. David commented,
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
for brethren to dwell together in unity! It
is like the precious ointment upon the head,
… even Aaron’s.” psalm
133:1,2.
Similarity, the
gospel provides an unction or an anointing of
the Spirit for every believer. The Spirit
sets apart every born-again soul to live a
dedicated life. (1 John 2:20,27.)
Water: People living
in the Near East call water the gift of God.
As there can be no life without water, so
there can be no spiritual life without the
Holy Spirit. Paul not only associated the
Spirit of life (Romans 8:20, but he even
declared, “The Spirit is life”
(Romans 8:10). Isaiah equated water with the
Spirit; “I will pour water upon him that
is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I
will pour out my spirit upon thy see.”
Isaiah 44:3. Of Jesus’ statement about
“rivers of living water” that were
to flow from each believer, John commented,
“But this spake he of the Spirit, which
they that believe on him should
receive.” (John 7:38,39.) In vision,
John saw “a pure river of water of
life… proceeding out of the throne of
God.” (Revelation 22:1.) Over a
millennium, earlier Ezekiel had seen in
vision waters issuing out of the restored
sanctuary. (Ezekiel 47:1-7.) Both prophets
picture the blessing as coming from the
throne of God.
When Israel asked for
water, God told Moses to strike a rock. When
he did so, water flowed freely from the rock.
(Exodus 17:1-7.) Paul later explained,
“they drank of that spiritual Rock that
followed them: and that Rock was
Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:4. Christ
sustained and led Israel. At the cross, He
bore the stroke that He might provide the
sustaining Spirit for all who thirst.
Bible writers
associated water with regeneration (Titus
3:5) and the new birth (John 3:5). Thus in a
special sense, baptism, immersion in water,
symbolizes spiritual cleansing. (Acts 22:16.)
Allusions in the
Bible to springs, fountains, wells, rivers,
dew, showers, and rain in many cases refer to
the ministry of the Spirit. Not only are the
faithful to drink out of the wells of
salvation (Isaiah 12:3), but also they are to
dispense living waters to others; that is,
they are to let the Spirit in them flow out
as rivers of blessings for other (John 4:14;
7:38).
Wind: The rushing
wind at Pentecost announced the presence of
the Third Person of the Godhead. (Acts
2:1-4.) The wind also portrays the new birth.
“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and
thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not
tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth:
so is every one that is born of the
Spirit.” John 3:8. The Spirit, like the
wind, works invisibly only its effects are
seen.
Fire: Fire consumes
the dross and refines the gold. When the
angel touched Isaiah’s lips with a
“live coal… from the altar,”
the Lord said unto him. “thine iniquity
is taken away.” (Isaiah 6:6,7.)
Fire denotes
spiritual energy, divine fervor, penetrating
enthusiasm, and holy inspiration. The passive
soul touched by the fire of the Spirit
becomes possessed with a burning passion to
save souls. Neither education, training, nor
environment brings about this change. The
Holy Spirit creates it.
John the Baptist,
whom Jesus described as a burning and shining
light (John 5:35), prophesied of the Messiah,
“He shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost and with fire.” Luke 3:16. After
Christ’s return to heaven, He did
baptize His followers with the Holy
Spirit. On the day of Pentecost cloven
tongues of fire sat upon 120 disciples of
Christ, and they went forth as blazing
torches and set ablaze 3,000 other converts
that very day. (Acts 2:1-4, 41.)
When persecution
later broke out in Jerusalem, the disciples
“went every where preaching the
word.” (Acts 8:4.) Thus, fires were
lighted here and there and continued to
spread until within thirty years
salvation’s thrilling story had
encompassed the Roman world. (Romans 1:8.)
Bible prophecy depicts in time’s last
hour yet another gospel conflagration when
the message of Christ’s return will be
heralded with power “to every nation,
and kindred, and tongue, and people.”
(Revelation 14:6.)
God needs more such
flames of fire today. How can one become a
firebrand for Christ? By fully accepting
Christ and His Spirit, as did the totally
committed Paul, who said, “I am made all
things to all men, that I might by all means
save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:22.
Total commitment led
Martin Luther to testify before the Diet of
Worms, “Unless therefore I am convinced
by the testimony of Scripture, … I
cannot and I will not retract … Here I
stand, I can do no other; may God help me.
Amen.”
Total commitment led
John Knox to pray, “Give me Scotland or
I die.”
Total commitment led
John Wesley to exclaim, “I look upon the
world as my parish.”
Total commitment led
William Carey to reply, “Serving Christ
is my business, and I cobble shoes for a
living.”
Total commitment led
David Livingston to insist, “I will
place no value on anything I have or may
possess except in relation to the Kingdom of
Christ.”
Ministers ablaze for
Christ and “fervent in spirit” will
cross the hottest deserts scale the steepest
mountains, defy the densest jungles, pierce
iron and bamboo curtains, penetrate Muslim
and Hindu strongholds, invade the most
forbidding cities, to conquer the
unconquerable. They will scorn the unheroic,
the mediocre, and unchallenging, to spend and
be spent, do and dare, give and go, in utter
abandon following the Spirit’s direction
for the salvation of souls and the glory of
God.
Memory Verse:
Romans 8:10.
“And if Christ be in you, the body is
dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life
because of righteousness.
