👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽Who Is the #Holy #Spirit?
Part 1
The Divine Personhood of the Holy Spirit
Many have sought to understand the mystery of the Holy Spirit, yet misconceptions abound. Some, in their limited understanding, perceive the Holy Spirit as an abstract power, an impersonal force that moves without will or reason. Others, influenced by human wisdom rather than divine revelation, imagine Him as something Christ revealed but not as a distinct divine Person. However, the Holy Scriptures and the teachings of the holy fathers dispel such misunderstandings, affirming that the Holy Spirit is God—fully divine, possessing mind, will, and feeling, equal in essence and glory with the Father and the Son.
The Holy Spirit: One with the Father and the Son
The Holy Spirit is the very breath of God, proceeding from the Father and revealed through the Son. He is not lesser, nor is He separate from the divine nature. As St. Basil boldly proclaimed, “When I say God, I mean the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” affirming that the name "God" belongs to the Trinity as one undivided essence. This is the testimony handed down by the holy prophets, the apostles, and the blessed teachers of the Church, who, by divine inspiration, revealed the unity of the three persons in the Godhead.
The Vision of the Prophet Isaiah
The prophet Isaiah was granted a glimpse into the heavenly majesty of God. In the year of King Uzziah’s death, he beheld the Lord seated upon a high and exalted throne. Before Him stood the Seraphim, creatures of awe and mystery, covering their faces with their wings, overwhelmed by the divine splendor. With unceasing praise, they cried out:
"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, the whole earth is full of Your glory."
This threefold declaration of holiness is no mere repetition but a profound revelation of the triune nature of God. As the scholar Seraph explains, the threefold “Holy” is unchanging in:
1) Nature
2) Existence
3) Ower
4) Dominion
Each of these attributes is shared among the three persons of the Godhead, revealing the unity and inseparability of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Testimony of the Cherubim
The prophet Isaiah was not alone in witnessing the heavenly praise. In the New Testament, Saint John the Evangelist beheld a similar vision. In his revelation, he saw those who stood before the throne of God, worshiping without ceasing:
1) A Man
2) A Lion
3) A Cow
4) An Eagle
These are the Cherubim, who, like the Seraphim of Isaiah’s vision, declare with one voice:
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come” (Revelation 4:8).
This divine praise is unchanging, just as God Himself is unchanging. It is the eternal worship of the Most High, in whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
The Voice of the Lord: “Who Will Go for Us?”
Isaiah 6:9 records another remarkable revelation. The Lord speaks, saying:
“Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?”
This is no careless use of words, for God does not speak in confusion. The singular “I” followed by the plural “us” reveals the mystery of the Trinity. The unity of divine nature is declared in the “I,” while the distinction of persons is expressed in “us.” The Holy Spirit, as one with the Father and the Son, is included in this divine call.
When Isaiah, in holy zeal, answered, “Send me,” the Lord commanded him:
“Go and tell this people, ‘Hearing you will hear, but will not understand; seeing you will see, but will not perceive.’”
This same message, spoken by the Lord, was later quoted by both Saint John (John 12:39-41) and Saint Paul (Acts 28:25-27), showing that the words of the Holy Spirit in Isaiah’s vision are the words of God Himself.
The Holy Spirit in the Teachings of Saint Paul
Saint Paul, the chosen vessel of Christ, bore witness to the divinity of the Holy Spirit not only through his inspired writings but also through the authority of the Law, the Prophets, and the grace that governed the people of God.
Continues👇🏽