The Lord #51
51. 5. When “spirit” is used in speaking of the Lord, it means specifically the life his wisdom gives us, which is divine truth.
I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away. If I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go away, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
When he, the Spirit of Truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own authority, but will say whatever he has heard. (John 16:13)
He will glorify me, because he will take of what is mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are mine. That is why I said that he will take of what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:14-15)
I will ask the Father to give you another Comforter, the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot receive him, because it does not see him or know him; but you know him, because he dwells among you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I am coming to you. You will see me. (John 14:16-17, 19)
When the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, he will testify concerning me. (John 15:26)
Jesus cried out, saying, “If any are thirsty, they must come to me and drink. As the Scripture says, from the bellies of those who believe in me will flow rivers of living water.” He said this concerning the Spirit that those who believed in him would receive. There was not the Holy Spirit yet because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39)
Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22)
[2] We can see that the Lord meant himself by the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, and the Holy Spirit from these words of the Lord, that the world did not yet know him-that is, they did not yet know the Lord. Further, when he said that he would send him, he added,
I will not leave you orphans; I am coming to you, and you will see me. (John 14:16-19, 26, 28)
And in another passage,
Behold, I am with you all the days, even to the close of the age. (Matthew 28:20)
And when Thomas said, “We do not know where you are going, ” Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth” (John 14:5-6).
[3] Because the Spirit of Truth or the Holy Spirit is the same as the Lord, who is the truth itself, it also says “There was not the Holy Spirit yet because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:39). This is because after his glorification or full union with the Father, which was accomplished by his suffering on the cross, the Lord was then divine wisdom itself and divine truth-therefore the Holy Spirit.
The reason the Lord breathed on the disciples and said “Receive the Holy Spirit” was that all of heaven’s breathing originates with the Lord. Angels breathe just as we do, and their hearts beat. Their breathing depends on their acceptance of divine wisdom from the Lord and their heartbeat or pulse depends on their acceptance of divine love from the Lord. This will be explained in its proper place.
[4] From the following passages we can clearly see that the Holy Spirit is divine truth that comes from the Lord:
When they hand you over to the synagogues, do not worry about what you are going to say. The Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you should say. (Luke 12:11-12; 21:14; Mark 13:11)
Jehovah said, “My spirit, which is upon you, and my words, which I have placed in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth.” (Isaiah 59:21)
A shoot will go forth from the trunk of Jesse. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the spirit of his lips he will slay the ungodly. Truth will be a belt around his hips. (Isaiah 11:1, 4-5)
Now he has commanded with his mouth and his spirit has gathered them. (Isaiah 34:16)
Those who worship God must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)
It is the spirit that gives life-the flesh is of no benefit. The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life. (John 6:63)
John said, “I am baptizing you with water into repentance, but the one who is to come after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16)
To baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire is to regenerate by means of the divine truth that produces faith and the divine goodness that produces love [within us].
When Jesus was being baptized, the heavens were opened and he saw the Holy Spirit coming down like a dove. (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21; John 1:32-33)
A dove represents purification and regeneration by means of divine truth.
[5] When “the Holy Spirit” is used in speaking of the Lord it means his divine life and therefore himself, and specifically it means the life his wisdom gives us, which is called divine truth; therefore the spirit of the prophets, which is also called the Holy Spirit, means divine truth that comes from the Lord. This is the case in the following passages:
... what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 2:7, 11, 29; 3:1, 6, 13, 22)
The seven lamps of fire burning before the throne are the seven spirits of God. (Revelation 4:5)
In the midst of the elders stood a Lamb, having seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6)
The lamps of fire and the eyes of the Lord mean divine truths, and seven means what is holy.
... says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors.” (Revelation 14:13)
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” (Revelation 22:17)
They made their hearts diamond-hard so that they would not hear the law or the words that Jehovah sent by his spirit through the hand of the prophets. (Zechariah 7:12)
The spirit of Elijah came upon Elisha. (2 Kings 2:15)
John went before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah. (Luke 1:17)
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. (Luke 1:41)
Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. (Luke 1:67)
David said by the Holy Spirit, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand.’” (Mark 12:36)
The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)
Since, then, the Holy Spirit means specifically the Lord’s divine wisdom and therefore his divine truth, we can see why it is that people say of the Holy Spirit that it enlightens, teaches, and inspires.
Ezekiel 48
1
Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan.
2
And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Asher.
3
And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Naphtali.
4
And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Manasseh.
5
And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Ephraim.
6
And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Reuben.
7
And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Judah.
8
And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.
9
The oblation that ye shall offer unto the LORD shall be of five and twenty thousand in length, and of ten thousand in breadth.
10
And for them, even for the priests, shall be this holy oblation; toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in the midst thereof.
11
It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.
12
And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.
13
And over against the border of the priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.
14
And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the LORD.
15
And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof.
16
And these shall be the measures thereof; the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred.
17
And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty.
18
And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city.
19
And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel.
20
All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city.
21
And the residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof.
22
Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of that which is the prince's, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince.
23
As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin shall have a portion.
24
And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon shall have a portion.
25
And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a portion.
26
And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun a portion.
27
And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a portion.
28
And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh, and to the river toward the great sea.
29
This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord GOD.
30
And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures.
31
And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi.
32
And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan.
33
And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun.
34
At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali.
35
It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.
