In the Old Testament
The triunity of God is not nearly as clear in the Old Testament as it is in the New.
Nevertheless, in the Old Testament we surely have indications, hints, and
declarations of the three Persons of the Godhead.
The Holy Spirit is mentioned just under 80 times in the Old Testament, most
often by the names "the Spirit of the LORD," "the Spirit of God," or "the Holy
Spirit."
The first mention of the Holy Spirit by name comes in Genesis 1:2: "The earth
was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the
Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Already by the second
verse in the Bible we are introduced to the Holy Spirit.
But there may be a hint of the Spirit's existence even in the very first verse of
the Bible. Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God." The Hebrew word translated
"God" is Elohim, a plural form (the singular is EI). It is interesting that the first
mention of God in the Bible uses a plural rather than a singular form.
Some have sought to explain this plural Elohim by calling it a "plural of majesty"
or the "plural of emphasis." But that explanation appears to have no basis in
either grammar or usage. Just a few verses later, the Scripture tells us, "Then
God [Elohim] said, 'Let Us [plural pronoun] make man in Our image, according
to Our likeness"' (1:26).
Just who was God talking to?
God said let "Us," after
"Our" image and "Our" likeness. The plural pronouns used here concerning God
should effectively wipe out any need for a concept such as "plural of majesty"
Other equally intriguing hints about the Trinity may be found in the Old
Testament.
I believe the rallying cry of ancient Israel points to the Trinity.
Deuteronomy 6:4 - "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!" - is
called the Shema by the Jews (shema is the Hebrew word for "hear"). It was
chanted over and over during worship at the temple, especially during feast
days. Worshipers would cry out repeatedly, "Shema Ysrael Yahweh Elohim achad
Yahweh." Over and over they affirmed that "the LORD our God is one Lord." The
oneness of God was the foundation of the whole Hebrew religion.
Yet the very wording of the Shema is telling. Yahweh is the covenant name of
God used by the Jews, while Elohim is the plural form of El, which means "God."
Now, the word achad indicates a compound unity, not a singular unity. For
example, when God created Eve out of Adam, He said, "And they shall become
one [achad] flesh" (Genesis 2:24), a compound unity.
A different Hebrew word - yachad - is required when a singular unity is meant.
Had this term been used in the Shema instead of achad, we would have no basis
from the Old Testament to accept the idea of a Trinity. But the fact that the
plural Elohim is paired with the achad - even within the monotheistic chant of the
Hebrews - suggests the triunity of God.
Later, when Moses instructed Aaron on how to place the blessings of God upon
the people, he was instructed to say, "Yahweh bless you and keep you; Yahweh
make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; Yahweh lift up His
countenance upon you, and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24).
Notice the threefold declaration of Yahweh. One Yahweh - but why should the name be
repeated three times? The Lord had said, "You will put my name on the children
of Israel and I will bless them." This is the trinity of blessing in unity.
Centuries later when Isaiah saw his vision of the Lord, high and lifted up and
sitting on the throne, he heard the seraphim say, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD
of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" (Isaiah 6:3). Why repeat the "holy"
three times? Once more it is a threefold witness, this time to God's holiness.
In the prophecy of Isaiah 48:16, the Messiah says, "Come near to Me, hear this:
I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was
there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit have sent Me." The Revised
Standard version reads, "The Lord God has sent me and his Spirit," which more
literally reflects the original Hebrew.
Notice that the Messiah, Jesus, is saying that the Lord God and His Spirit have sent Him. This is a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, and later the coming of the age of the Holy Spirit.
No comments:
Post a Comment