Jehoshua is on the throne of David in New Jerusalem and He is the King of a New Israel
Having already done a study on the Holy Spirit in somewhat if an extensive manner connecting it with the angel of Jehovah I thought I would put together a small addendum. Let's go to Psalm 34:
7The angel of Jehovah encampeth round about them that fear him, And delivereth them. We see that the function of the angel of Jehovah throughout the old testament was to guide, fight for, the authority to not forgive transgressions, and to surround (encamp) the saints during their pilgrimage through life. Why would this be any different for the new testament saints? In fact, the angel of Jehovah is given the same job responsibilities in the old testament as the Holy Spirit has in the new testament. This is likely why at least some of the early Christians believed that the Holy Spirit was an angel. Justin Martyr appeared to possibly have a view that the holy Spirit was an angelic being and the ascension of Isaiah written in the second century referred to the Holy Spirit as "the Angel of the Holy Spirit" throughout the book and seems to link the angel Gabriel with the Holy Spirit. Some Christians today believe that the angel Gabriel is the holy Spirit as well as many Muslims. For myself, I try to stay away from such assertions unless there is a "Thus saith Jehovah". There is however ample evidence that the Holy Spirit is the angel of Jehovah as I have proven from my previous study. Let's look at the book of Revelation: Revelation 1:1 "The Revelation of Jehoshua Messiah, which God gave him to show unto his servants, [even] the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John" Jehoshua sent the revelation given to Him by God via His angel to John the apostle. Could this angel, which is noted as Jehoshua's, be the Holy Spirit? Let's continue in the book of Revelation: Revelation 1:4 "John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from him who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits that are before his throne" Many Christians teach that these seven spirits are representative of the fullness of the holy Spirit. Of course, they believe that the holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity. Again, without a "thus saith Jehovah" we cannot make that assertion. These seven Spirits are likely seven Angel's which are possibly mentioned in the book of Revelation as having the seven last plagues. Remember, Angels are Spirits. The angel mentioned in verse 1 of Revelation is not the seven spirits mentioned above in verse 4. Revelation 2:11 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." Remember, it was the angel that was commissioned by Jehoshua to give John the message of the Revelation. It is noteworthy that the letters to the seven churches are being addressed to the angels of the seven churches which shows that the seven stars (seven angels) that Jehoshua has in His right hand are not the seven Spirits (angels) before God's throne. Why would Jehoshua send an angel to deliver a message to John just to have the message be delivered to angels again? This shows that these angels must not be spirit beings but actually human angels i.e. messengers as they are next to last on the information chain to get the message of the Revelation. The last is the actual members of the churches. The early church believed these angels of the churches were Bishops. Who is the one delivering the message to John and instructing him to write these things to the angels (Bishops) of the seven churches? We know it is Jehoshua's angel. When the above passage says "hear what the Spirit saith" then we see that very likely this Spirit is referring to the angel who is giving the Revelation to John. Some believe this Spirit to be referring to Jehoshua Himself however we know from scripture that the Son of God is not the Holy Spirit. Remember what Jehoshua said about the Holy Spirit and His job duty during the new covenant church age? John 14:26 "But the Comforter, [even] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you" That's exactly what the angel is doing with John, he is teaching him the things that will take place during the last days (new covenant age). He is also giving John the instructions that Jehoshua has for the churches. The angel is doing the precise thing that Jesus said the holy Spirit would do. Revelation 2:7 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." This is to the church at Ephesus and the Spirit is giving the believers the hope of the Paradise of God and to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of it. Revelation 2:17 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." This is to the church at Pergamos and the Spirit promises overcoming believers to eat of the hidden manna and to get a white stone with a new name. Four more times we hear the same declaration: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 2:29; 3:6; 3:13; 3:22). Hebrews 1:7 "And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire." Angels are spirits. Jehoshua sent His angel to give John a message about the last days to deliver to seven churches and after each particular church is addressed we read the above declaration "hear what the Spirit says". The Son of God who commissioned the angel is exhorting the churches to hear what the Spirit (angel) is saying to them. The angel is audibly giving the message to John. The angel was commissioned by Jehoshua to deliver the message as He (Jehoshua) received it from God. The angel is coming to John in the name (authority) of Jehoshua which is precisely what Jehoshua said the holy Spirit would do (John 14:26). The seven Spirits before Jehovah's throne are seven angels but not thee angel that is giving the message to John. The seven angels of Revelation 7 and Revelation 15 are not thee angel that is giving the Revelation to John. The three angels of Revelation 14:6-12 are also not the angel. Nor the two angels mentioned in Revelation 14:17-18. However we do see the angel mentioned as the Spirit again in Revelation 14:13 "And I heard the voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them" Here we see the wording of "saith the Spirit" just like we did in the letters to the seven churches. Again, this is the angel who is relaying the words of Jehoshua to John. The four angels of Revelation 7 are also not the angel who is giving the message to John. The mighty angel of Revelation 10 could be the angel of the Holy Spirit but we have no direct connection. The angel that talks with John in Revelation 17:1 is one of the seven angels of the last seven plagues. Revelation 18:1 "After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory." This could be the Holy Spirit Angel as He has great authority which indeed was said by Jehoshua to be given to the Holy Spirit: John 16:13-15 13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.14He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you.15All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you. The authority that the Holy Spirit speaks with is not his own but rather The Father and Son thereby as Revelation 18:1 says about the angel he has great authority. What makes me open to the possibility that this angel in Revelation 18 is the holy Spirit? Acts 2:1-4 1 And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place.2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. The Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost and appeared like cloven tongues of fire and was the sound of a mighty rushing wind. This event inaugurated the Kingdom of Jehoshua on earth (spiritual Kingdom). How fitting would it be if the Holy Spirit fell on the earth right before the Kingdom of Jehoshua was to be consummated on the earth? Very fitting however we don't have a direct connection between this angel and the Spirit so can not make a presumption. We do see in Revelation 19:9-10 that the angel that is giving the message to John tells him (John) not to worship him: 9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are true words of God.10And I fell down before his feet to worship him. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren that hold the testimony of Jesus: worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The angel instructs John to write down the above regarding the marriage supper of the Lamb. This is the same angel who was commissioned by Jehoshua to give John the message of the apocalypse. John then bows down to the angel in worship but then is quickly admonished not to as we are only to worship Jehovah God. The identity of this angel with being the holy Spirit shouldn't be a problem because nowhere in scripture is the Holy Spirit worshipped. In fact, nowhere in scripture is the holy Spirit prayed to or directly called God. Certainly there were times when the Angel of Jehovah appeared to man and those that he appeared to said they had seen Jehovah but this is because that particular angel brings Jehovah's presence with him. Revelation 22 "And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done." This is one of the seven angels that had one of the seven last plagues who is speaking to John. The Lord God is Jehovah, the Father of our Lord Jehoshua Messiah. The angel that is mentioned as being sent by the Lord God is not the angel that is speaking but rather the angel that Jehoshua sent to signify the Revelation to John and the churches. Revelation 22:8-9 8And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.9Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. Is this the angel that showed John the new Jerusalem or the angel that showed John the entirety of the Revelation? It's not clear but it likely could be the angel that has showed John the entirety of the book of Revelation. Either way we see the angel correcting John and telling him to worship Jehovah God. Revelation 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." The bride is the church and the Spirit is the same Spirit which dictated to John the letters to the seven churches. Who was commissioned by Jehoshua to give John the apocalypse? We know from Revelation chapter 1 that it was Jehoshua's angel. The Spirit and the angel are one and the same. This is the holy Spirit who is the angel of Jehovah. Acts 5 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land. This is one of the texts that trinitarians use to prove the personhood of the holy Spirit and they are right however they are wrong in designating the Holy Spirit as the third person of the trinity. As my previous study showed the holy Spirit is identified as the angel of Jehovah God. To both prove the personhood of the holy Spirit and that it is the angel of Jehovah we can go to the book of Exodus to see a warning that Jehovah God gave Moses and the Israelites that brings to mind the above situation with Ananias and Sapphira. Exodus 23:20-22 20 Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee by the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.21 Take ye heed before him, and hearken unto his voice; provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgression: for my name is in him.22 But if thou shalt indeed hearken unto his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. Jehovah God warns Israel not to provoke His angel for the angel will not pardon their transgression. This is exactly what Ananias and Sapphira did to the holy Spirit as they lied to him thereby provoking him and the result was the couple being struck down. This outcome is what Jehovah warned Moses about in Exodus about provoking His angel as the opposite is true that if Israel hearkened to the angel Jehovah would be with them. Let's continue In Acts chapter 5 to see even more of a connection with the holy Spirit and the angel of Jehovah God. Acts 5:4 "While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou has not lied unto men, but unto God." Trinitarians weakly use this passage to teach the holy Spirit must be God because Peter tells Ananias that he has lied to God. However, we know throughout scripture that angels and men are given authority to speak as Jehovah's representative so to lie to the messenger of Jehovah is the same as lying to Jehovah Himself. Acts 5:8-9 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.9 But Peter [said] unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of Jehovah? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out. Now Peter addresses Ananias wife Sapphira and tells her that she has agreed with her husband to tempt the Spirit of Jehovah. This is obviously the holy Spirit that was mentioned in verse 3. Biblical Unitarians will say that this Spirit is simply Jehovah's power yet how could you simply lie to and tempt a power? Some biblical Unitarians will ascribe personality to the holy Spirit and will say that it is God's and Jehoshua's mind and presence. While that view is much closer to the truth it still falls short when we look at John 14 and 16 which clearly shows that the holy Spirit has to be a separate person from the Father and Son. The same principles mentioned above re Exodus 23:20-23 apply here as Sapphira and Ananias provoked the Spirit of Jehovah which Israel was warned not to do with the angel of Jehovah God. Let's now go to Acts 5:19-20 19 But an angel of Jehovah by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said,20 Go ye, and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life. This incident takes place shortly after the Ananias and Sapphira situation but it is still in close proximity and shows that there is a connection between the holy Spirit and angel of Jehovah. Here the angel of Jehovah does Holy Spirit functions and is with the church by delivering them from prison and then telling the apostles to go and preach the gospel at the temple. Here in Acts 5 we have the names "holy Spirit", "Spirit of Jehovah" and "angel of Jehovah" in one chapter of scripture closely intertwined. This mirrors exactly Isaiah 63:9-14 where we see the phrases "angel of His presence", "holy Spirit" and "Spirit of Jehovah" in one chapter in close proximity. If trinitarians can boldly claim, without one scriptural connection, that Jehoshua is the angel of Jehovah why can't we non trinitarians have that same boldness in proclaiming that the holy Spirit is the angel of Jehovah when we have numerous direct and indirect connections? ReplyForward
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