Not Symbolic
Here’s another action of the Holy Spirit, an action which proves that he has a body: He takes up a banner for God. The Holy Spirit is a Herald who marches ahead of God's armies to defeat God’s enemies.
When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19b; NKJV).
For the Spirit to take up a flag, he needs to have a physical body. For him to lead armies, he needs to be just as physical as the warriors he marches in front of. Or is this passage, as some might say, “only symbolic”?
If anyone calls the passage merely “symbolic” then they are arguing that the Spirit does not really have a body. What drives Bible teachers to make such an argument? Why are they so keen on proving that the Spirit has no body?
Why is it so offensive to them that the Holy Spirit would use his hands, march on his feet, and take up a banner to lead in battle? They have no problem imagining angels in such a role.
Spirits with Bodies
There is no evidence that a spirit cannot have a body. Such evidence is nonexistent. On the contrary, the Scriptures say that they do. Angels, for example, are ministering spirits (Hebrews 1:14) and they perform many tasks in their bodies.
They can close the mouths of lions.
My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me... (Daniel 6:22)
2. Angels catch people with their hands, preventing us from stumbling.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone (Psalm 91:11–12).
3. Angels open doors.
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 'Go and stand in the Temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life' (Acts 5:19–20).
What Is Their Goal?
A more revealing question is: What is the goal of those who deny that the Holy Spirit can literally hold a banner? We propose that they are trying to make the Spirit a mystery. A Holy Spirit who is a bodiless mystery can easily be plugged into their theory that the One God is a Being of Three. To accomplish that goal, they depict the Holy Spirit as bodiless.
They are trying to push human theology on us to obscure the truth of his Word. They are attempting to weaken our knowledge of God--a knowledge we can reclaim by studying the Bible and taking it at face value. They don't want people to know the One God and Father, the One Lord Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, but we must know them. We must know them so well that we can articulate who they are.
Reveal Not Conceal
The problem with teachers who will not recognize the physical capabilities of the Holy Spirit is that their theological tendencies nullify the plain truth of Scriptures.
They should repent. They lack integrity. Sincere teachers of God’s Word reveal the Spirit, they do not conceal him.
The aim of a true teacher of the Bible is to make the Truth known. Is not the reality of One Spirit, the Holy Spirit, a truth worth teaching? Shouldn't people know about the Holy Spirit's power? Shouldn't they at least know that he can snatch up a banner?
Yes, we should. That was the verse we started with:
When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19b; NKJV).
If you can't believe that the Spirit can do this, then how will you believe that he snatches people up? He does that too! We've already proven it in One Spirit post number 3. As a refresher, here are some verses we presented in that lesson:
The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of Yahweh and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones (Ezekiel 37:1).
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him (Acts 8:39; NASB).
… it will happen that I will go from you and the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you up to where I do not know… (1 Kings 18:12; LEB)
Perhaps the Spirit of Yahweh has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley (2 Kings 2:16).
Then the Spirit lifted me up and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound as the glory of the LORD rose from the place where it was standing (Ezekiel 3:12).
The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away… I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River… (Ezekiel 3:14-15)
Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the House of the LORD… (Ezekiel 11:1)
The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia in the vision given by the Spirit of God (Ezekiel 11:24).
Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the Inner Court, and the Glory of Yahweh filled the Temple (Ezekiel 43:4).
Now do you understand the Holy Spirit better? If you do, then congratulations. You've not wasted your time.
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