Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity and HER name is Jerusalem
Richard Ruhling posted an article, The 7th Seal—“Mother of us all” (4th post down) that on the surface goes against the traditional interpretation of the Holy Spirit and could even be seen to some to be a heretical doctrine. As in any article, no matter the author or topic, we must always, prayerfully, take it back to scripture ourselves, When I first read Richard’s study, with the aid of the Strong’s concordance, I quickly looked up every verse on Jerusalem and saw many verses that could be Biblically viewed in this new inspired light. The second phase in examining a new Biblical understanding, especially one that goes against common views, is to do an in-depth study, viewing each verse in context with the surrounding scriptures, both with the old and new understanding. The following article is my research on the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity and HER name is Jerusalem. Please do not dismiss this concept at first glance without first doing your own personal study.
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But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. (Galatians 4:26 ESV)
The question arises here, how can the heavenly city of Jerusalem above be our mother, why is it called she?
The perception of the God Head or Trinity being totally masculine is derived from the names, God the Father and God the Son. Seeing that the names father and son are distinctly male terms, we have automatically assumed that the Holy Spirit too must be male in nature and attributes. However, when we take a closer look at scripture we find that there is an out of our ordinary understanding that the Spirit of God has a distinctive feminine side as well.
As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 66:13 ESV)
For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant. (Isaiah 42:14 ESV)
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. (Isaiah 49:15 ESV)
Could you honestly imagine these words coming out of any male, divine or human? By these verses, should we then be looking at the Trinity in both the masculine and feminine terms? Let’s see what the rest of the scriptures have to say in this matter.
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The Hebrew phrase Ruach Ha-Kodesh, "holy spirit" (also transliterated Ruah Ha-Qodesh) is a term used in the Hebrew Bible and other Jewish writings that refer to the Spirit of YHVH, God. It also refers to God’s divine force, quality, and influence.
Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit (Ruach haKadosh) from me. (Psalm 51:11 ESV)
But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit (Ruach haKadosh); therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them. Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people. Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit (Ruach haKadosh), (Isaiah 63:10-11 ESV)
The third person of the triune God Head is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is coequal and coeternal with the Father and the Son and is never referred to in scripture as a depersonalized force. The Holy Spirit is always portrayed as distinct from the Father and the Son and referred to as the divine aspect of prophecy and is often named for Her Wisdom and presented in feminine tense, with female characteristics.
Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? (Proverbs 8:1 ESV)
For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. (Proverbs 8:11 ESV)
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. (Proverbs 31:26 ESV)
Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.” (Luke 7:35 ESV)
In the original Greek writing of the New Testament, the word most often used for the Holy Spirit is pneuma, Strong’s number 4151 and is used for the Holy Spirit (111X) and Holy Ghost (89X), Spirit of God (13X), Spirit of the Lord (5X), my spirit (3X), Spirit of Truth (3X). It is rarely translated as wind but when it is, it represents strength, vigor and force. Pneuma is a grammatically neuter word and should not be translated in the male form as most Bible translations today have it.
The original translators of the King James Bible where influenced by the Catholics interpretation of an all male Trinity. There was a great outcry after the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D issued the creed of the Trinity Doctrine. All Christians who did not accept this new doctrine fell under the threat of persecution, punishment, hate crimes and even death. The question is, what changes did they make? Did thousands of people lose their life for defending the Holy Spirit who was believed not to be male, but a female? History has different versions of what exactly happened, but this is one Historic version.
Today’s modern translations have followed suit with KJV in referring to the Holy Spirit as he or him. Seeing that the third part of the Trinity is a person, translators felt that using the term IT was wrong so they used masculine terms without ever considering feminine terms such as SHE.
Just as God the Father and Jesus the Son are spoken as separate individuals throughout scripture, so is the Holy Spirit. As just an example, notice how easily we can in the following verse interpret that the Heavenly Jerusalem is the Holy Spirit who’s name is Jerusalem, instead of the city named after her. The original language of the Bible did not have all the filler words such as “the” that we have in English to bring a smooth flow to sentences.
Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:21-24 ESV)
The four Gospels all agree with three distinct persons for when Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove came and rested upon him while the Father voice was heard from heaven. The phraseology shows that this description is not meant symbolically but as Father, Son and Holy Spirit being separate in body while being one in purpose.
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17 ESV)
We read in the very first verse of the Bible that the Spirit was part of the creation process.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2 ESV)
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed. The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; (Proverbs 3:13-19 ESV)
We see here that SHE, the Lord of wisdom founded the earth, while He, the Father established the heavens. When we tie in John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, we see all three with their individual roles within creation.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27 ESV)
Moses wrote in Genesis that we were made in the image and likeness of God. Seeing we were created as male and female, should not the Trinity also be both male and female for us to be in their likeness and image?
All the Prophets and Apostles spoke of the Holy Spirit as being distinct from the Father and the Son while also being God. We have undeniable evidence of the Trinity so how can we have One God only. I present that the combined unified spirit of the three working as one is our one true God Almighty.
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”(John 4:24 ESV)
The principle is the same as when we get married for the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. (Mark 10:8 ESV)
God the Father established the heavens while the Holy Spirit founded the earth and through accepting the perfect sacrifice of the son we can again come unto the tree of life.
And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:27 ESV)
Therefore, through the Son we are saved by Grace, but through the Holy Spirit we are vindicated
Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.” (Luke 7:35 ESV)
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We know that the Fathers name is YAHVEH or abbreviated YHVH and the sons name is YAHU'SHUAH or abbreviated: Y'SHUAH but what is the Holy Spirits name?
Yet to his son I will give one tribe, that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name. (1 Kings 11:36 ESV)
The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. (Revelation 3:12 ESV)
The name Jerusalem literally means Possession of Peace, or Foundation of Peace. We see the Holy Spirit portrayed as a Dove which also represents Peace in the Bible. Therefore I hold that when “Jerusalem is the city where I chose to put my name”, it is the Holy Spirit who put her name upon the city of God, both the one here and the one above in heaven.
“A new response to the "image" of the Holy Spirit is taking shape quietly in scholarly circles throughout the world, as the result of new findings in the Dead Sea Scriptures, the Coptic Nag Hammadi and intertestamental texts of Jewish mystics found side-by-side in the writings of the early Christian church. Scholars are recognizing the Holy Spirit as the "female vehicle" for the outpouring of higher teaching and spiritual rebirth. The Holy Spirit plays varied roles in Judeo-Christian traditions: acting in Creation, imparting wisdom, and inspiring Old Testament prophets. In the New Testament She is the presence of God in the world and a power in the birth and life of Jesus.” http://holyspirit-shekinah.org/_/holy_spirit_the_feminine_aspect_of_the_godhead.htm
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Now do not let this study throw you for a loop and thus reject the power of the Holy Spirit living within you, empowering you to mature in the ways of our Lord. Whether you believe the Holy Spirit to be Male, Female or neutral, the Bible clearly sets forth that the Holy Spirit has been with us since the first moments of creation and is the third part of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit is present here and now and wants to help you with her wisdom, especially in these final days.
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13 ESV)
And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. (Mark 13:11 ESV)
As Christians we are to live as Christ lived.
In that same hour he (Jesus) rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. (Luke 10:21 ESV)
May we also rejoice as Christ did in the Holy Spirit for new things revealed unto us!
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV)
Brother Chris