Getting to Know the Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit and Creation

Introduction

To many Christians The Holy Spirit is still somewhat of a mystery, someone (not something) to be awed from a distance, not fully understood and therefore to be left alone.

How sad is this concept of the Trinitarian God, how undeserving of us, how wrong we are!

In this first article of my “mini-series” I will attempt to show how the love of God is manifest to, in and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

In Acts 1:8 Jesus says this, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus himself says we will receive power – this confirms that the Holy Spirit is the power of God.

We can now look at the ways in which the power of God, through The Holy Spirit, is evidenced in the Old Testament. 

Remember that everything the Holy Spirit does is to the glory of Jesus, and remember too  that God is the same yesterday, today and for always! Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

The Holy Spirit and 'In the beginning'
The Holy Spirit has always been around. He is part of the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In Genesis 2 the Hebrew word for Spirit is “ruach or ruwach” (pronounced roo-akh) and it speaks of wind or breath and even a violent exhalation or a blast, a picture of power and by resemblance spirit. (ref. Strong’s H7307).

Gen 1:1 and 2 (NIV)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

The Good News Bible puts like this:

“In the beginning when God created the universe, the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean that covered everything was engulfed in total darkness and the power of God was moving over the water.”

                                               

So here we see that the power of God, the Holy Spirit, was hovering (Hebrew “rachaph” – pronounced  raw-khaf  – Strong’s ref. H7363) over the water waiting for God’s command, “Let there be…….” to begin creating.

The Holy Spirit is the power of God to create – He has always been there and always will be! he creates things out of nothing at the Word of God! 

The Holy Spirit brings order from chaos.

When God speaks a command, the Holy Spirit brings it to be. "Let there be light", and there was light! "Let us create man in our image", and man was created! The Holy Spirit did God's bidding right at the beginning in creation!

More on the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament next week!

May the name of Jesus be lifted up and glorified!

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120