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3.0  The Spirit of God

Earlier in this bible study, Jesus Christ described God as he actually is, saying,

JOHN 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The Spirit of God has dwelled in men on many occasions before the time of Christ.  Thus, the Spirit of God (also called the Spirit of the LORD) is yet another manifestation of God here upon the earth.  Given the fact that God is holy, and given the fact that God is a spirit, then the "Spirit of God" could correctly be called "the Holy Spirit" (or, "the Holy Ghost," were one to use the vernacular of the King James Bible).  Here are some examples of this form of manifestation:

3.1 The Spirit of God was upon Bezaleel, who constructed the Tabernacle in the days of Moses

EXODUS 31:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
EXODUS 31:2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
EXODUS 31:3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

Since it was Bezaleel, who made all of the things of the Tabernacle, and since Bezaleel was filled with "the spirit of God" (verse 3 above), we can be sure that all of the things of the Tabernacle were made correctly, according to God's specifications (cf. Exodus 25:40).  After all, God—who is a spirit (John 4:24)—was there, dwelling in the man Bezaleel.  Were we to use New Testament phraseology, then the statement could correctly be made that Bezaleel was "filled with the Holy Spirit" (or, "filled with the Holy Ghost") when he made the Tabernacle.  This scripture in no way suggests that God and His Spirit are two different "persons."

3.2 The Spirit of God can dwell within many people simultaneously

Here is an example to this effect from the Law.

NUMBERS 11:16 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
NUMBERS 11:17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

NUMBERS 11:24 ¶ And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
NUMBERS 11:25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
NUMBERS 11:26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
NUMBERS 11:27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
NUMBERS 11:28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
NUMBERS 11:29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!

Note:  This bears a striking resemblance to what happened on the Day of Pentecost, as Acts 2:1-12.

The fact that the LORD placed His Spirit upon the seventy in no way suggests that God and His Spirit are two different "persons."  Likewise, the fact that the Spirit of God dwelled upon 70 men at the same time in no way suggests that there are 70 Gods, or that the Spirit of God is 70 different things..."

Both Deuteronomy 6:4 and Mark 12:29-30 state plainly, blatantly, that "The LORD our God is one LORD."  Nevertheless, God, who is a Spirit (John 4:24), can cause His Spirit to dwell upon as many people as He wishes, at the same time.

3.3 Here's one final example of this

1 SAMUEL 19:1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

1 SAMUEL 19:20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
1 SAMUEL 19:21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.
1 SAMUEL 19:22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.
1 SAMUEL 19:23 And he (i.e., King Saul) went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
1 SAMUEL 19:24 And he stript off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?


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