“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.” – Acts 2:1-3 (NIV)

The symbols of the Holy Spirit tell us more about His nature and mission.  Symbols are used by all cultures as visible signs or representations of ideas or the quality of certain people or objects.  Thus, in the Akan culture the Okyeame (linguist) in the chief’s palace is identified by the symbol on his staff. Also, the various clans of the Akan are represented by certain symbols, usually animals that are supposed to tell us more of the character or nature of that particular clan.  In schools and colleges, various houses may be identified by certain symbols or colours or some element in nature and in the arena of games – football, basketball, hockey, we find teams identified by certain symbols.  In scripture, symbols are used to teach us deeper spiritual truths and enable us have a clearer understanding about what is being taught.  For example, the symbol of a Lamb is used to depict Jesus Christ and the sacrifice of His life on Calvary’s cross for our sins.  The Holy Spirit is depicted by certain symbols such as Dove, Water, Oil, A Seal, Wind and Deposit.

Let us take these symbols one by one.

1.   DOVE:  A dove is used to symbolises purity, peace, meekness, gentleness and modesty.  In John 1:32 we read: “Then John gave this testimony: ”I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him” (NIV)  We all know that Jesus Christ lived a sinless, gentle and meek life.  He was not haughty but rather modest in all He did.  He was the very epitome of peace – the kind of peace that is of God.  This is because the Holy Spirit was with Him all the time and imparted God’s very nature and character into the man Jesus.  We too have the Holy Spirit indwelling us and must therefore allow Him to manifest His qualities of purity, peace, modesty, humility and gentleness in us.

2.   WATER:  water symbolises life and one of its many other uses is for cleansing.  The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Life in Rom. 8:2 and little wonder that water should be used as His emblem.  He is the Spirit of Holiness and Spirit of Promise by whom through Christ we are cleansed from our sins and made righteous in God.  “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” – Isaiah 44:3 “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”  By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.  Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” – John 7:37-39 (NIV)

3. OIL:  Oil indicates light because at that time oil was put into lamps to provide light.   Now, kerosene or paraffin is used in lamps. Oil indicates healing.  The base of most healing balms such as Mentholatum, Robb, Deep Heat and Vegebum is oil.  Oil symbolises also anointing for service.  Right back in the Old Testament, we find that priests, starting from Aaron were anointed with oil as, indeed, were kings such as David.  Jesus, therefore, announced His public ministry by reading from Isaiah 61:1-2 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent Me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the  prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn.” Hebrews 1:9 also says “You loved righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore, God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”  In 1 John 2:20, the apostle John also says of faithful Christian “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.”  The Holy Spirit is available to us today to endue us with power for service with Himself as the anointing oil and it is my prayer that we will all yield to   Him as He does this so that we, too, can do what Jesus did as it is written in Acts 10:38 “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.”

4.   A SEAL:  A seal is a device bearing a design, a name or some other words which is able to impart some impression of itself on a substance.  This was used in the past as marks of authenticity and authority to letters and royal commands as well as a mark of the formal ratification of a transaction or covenant.  In fact even now we occasionally see letters sealed with some reddish seemingly soft substance as a way of ensuring that no one tampers with the letter.  Certificates are usually authenticated with an embossed stamp with the name of the school or university.  The Holy Spirit of God is also a seal from God indicating God’s ownership of us indicating a finished transaction between God and us.  We are thus, identified by this seal as genuine, authentic and bonafide children of God – people of great value to God and, therefore, secure in Him because He has stamped us with His own authority. Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30 say “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.”  “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” 

Knowing this should make us live as those who belong to a God who is loving, merciful, excellent in all His ways, faithful and compassionate.  We should feel secure in His love and in His promise and live each day to His glory by giving of our best in whatever endeavour we find ourselves. We should not succumb to the terrors and fears of the devil nor should we slip back into our old sinful ways as if the One to Whom we belong cannot take care of us.  Please read Daniel 6:16-17; Esther 3:8-12 and Matthew 26:66 for more explanations on what a seal is used for.

5.   WIND:  Wind indicates an unseen power.  Just think of the power of winds.  Wherever the weather man tells us that there are going to be storms we get jittery because we know that the power in the wind is strong.  The Holy Spirit is very powerful but like the wind we do not see Him.  Jesus used this symbol of the wind to tell Nicodemus about being born again by the unseen power of the Holy Spirit – John 3:8 and in Acts 2:1-2, the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost as a mighty windstorm or a rushing mighty wind.  We do not see the Holy Spirit but He is very real and with us just in the same way we do not see the wind but know it is there and feel its power.

6.   FIRE:  Fire indicates the presence, approval, protection, purifying gift and judgement   

      of God:

–     Exodus 3:2 talks about the presence of God in the burning bush;

–    Lev. 9:24 tells us about fire consuming the sacrifice on the altar as a sign of God’s approval of the offering;

–   Exodus 13:21 talks about the pillar of fire that gave light to the children of Israel in the wilderness to guide and protect them;

–   In Isaiah 6:1-8 we read of Isaiah who saw God in a vision and was purified from his sin with coals of fire from the throne room of God;

–   In Acts 2:3 we find tongues of fire settling on the disciples as God’s gift of special

    utterance.

–    In Heb. 12:29 we are told that our God is a consuming fire of judgement who deserves to be worshipped with reverence and awe.

7.   Last but not least, the Holy Spirit is symbolised as a DEPOSIT indicating down payment, pledge, guaranteeing or an assurance of the eventual complete payment.  Indeed, God has bought us at a great price and sealed the transaction with His Holy Spirit who acts as the down payment or deposit of God while we are still here on earth.  This is our assurance that the eternal life that God has promised us – our being with Him in eternity will, indeed, be completed – “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.  He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” – 2 Cor. 1:22 “Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” – 2 Cor.5:5.  We should feel secure in God because He has given us His Holy Spirit as the assurance that we are His and He is ours because of what Jesus Christ has done.

Stay blessed!

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By Dr Joyce Aryee, the author