The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead and he is the one who convicts a person to call upon Jesus, convicts a Christian when they sin, and is the Comforter for Christians. He will teach a person the meaning of scripture. Just like there are types of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ found in scripture then there are of the Holy Ghost as well. This should not be a surprise as he is an equal member of the Godhead. (I John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.) The Holy Ghost works behind the scenes and does not bring attention to himself, but rather to Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost gave the holy men the words to write down in scripture and all of scripture is meant to point people to Jesus after they realize they are a sinner in need of a Saviour.
The first type of the Holy Ghost we will look at is oil. Oil was used for many things in scripture. The most frequent oil used in scripture was olive oil and this was used for many purposes such as for sacrifices, oil in lamps for lighting, for cooking, and for anointing. Joel uses the reference that a lack of olive oil in the land was really a lack of the Holy Ghost in the Israelites lives as they had rejected God for false gods. (Joel 1:10 The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.) Oil was used to anoint people and objects. The anointing by oil represented that God was behind the appointment of a person as king or priest or was in full support of the use of an object such as the tabernacle and the objects inside it. These items were all to be anointed prior to being used. Once the anointing was done then God gave the approval as now the Holy Ghost had made these things holy and separated for God. (Exodus 30:23-29 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,
24 And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin:
25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,
27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense,
28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.
29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.) We see in these verses how these objects are now holy and so is anything that touches them. Christians are holy since they are indwelt with the Holy Ghost and have been touched by him just as if they had had the oil poured upon them. The oil itself does not make something holy, but rather the fact that it represents the Holy Ghost. This anointing of oil has been used to cast out devils from a house, but this must be done with much prayer and fasting.
Oil was also used to anoint the priests, especially the high priest and was also used to anoint kings showing they were given their authority by God the Holy Ghost. God placed both righteous and unholy kings into power and both were anointed which shows how it is God who gives people their power or takes it away. God will even use a wicked king to serve his purpose and do his will. Saul was anointed as the first king as he was the one chosen by God to be king. God did not let the people choose. The anointing was done by pouring the oil over the head. (Exodus 30:30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.) (I Samuel 15:1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.) God later had David anointed to replace Saul as king due to Saul’s sins. (I Samuel 16:12-13 12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.) We see in verse 13 how after David was anointed then the Spirit of the LORD came upon David. This clearly shows how God had chosen David for king and the Holy Ghost was now with David to guide him as king. Jesus had his feet anointed by a woman of great sin whom he had forgiven. By anointing Jesus’ feet she was recognizing Jesus as God and Lord. By anointing his feet rather than his head she was recognizing that she was not worthy to even be in the presence of God. (Luke 7:37-38 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.) Jesus was anointed just before his death by Mary the sister of Lazarus as she was anointing his body preparing it for death. (Mark 14:3 ¶ And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.) (Mark 14:8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.) [John 11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)]
Oil was used for offerings for God. The oil was mixed with unleavened bread or wafers. Leaven represents sin so the bread had to have no leaven or sin and the oil represented the Holy Ghost mixing with Jesus in a believer’s life as only Jesus can remove the sin in a person by washing them in his blood and the person is only drawn to Jesus to be washed of their sins by the oil of the Holy Ghost. (Leviticus 2:4 ¶ And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.)
Oil was used for healing people as it represents being healed by God. A person is only healed from sin when they become indwelled with Jesus and the Holy Ghost. This happens when they are saved by calling on Jesus to save them. Jesus sent out the apostles to heal people. (Mark 6:13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.) James said that the elders were to anoint the sick with oil in order to heal them after praying over them and asking in the name of the Lord. (James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:) It is the power of the Holy Ghost represented in the oil that brings people to the healing power of Jesus.
Oil was used in lamps to give light. These lamps represent Jesus as the light of the world and the oil the Holy Ghost who brought that light into the world as a man when he came upon Mary who was a virgin. (Matthew 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.) It is the oil of the Holy Ghost that draws us to the light of Jesus and without that oil you will never be convicted of your sins and drawn to Jesus. God commanded lamps of pure olive oil to be used in the lamps in the tabernacle which were to burn continuously. The lamps had to stay burning as they represented Jesus and without the light of Jesus we are in darkness of sin. These lamps were a reminder to the Israelites that they needed Jesus. The oil in the lamps represented the Holy Ghost pointing them to Jesus and how he as God had anointed Jesus and given his approval of his work as the Son of God. (Exodus 27:20 ¶ And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.) Jesus told the parable in Matthew 25 of the ten virgins with five being wise and five being unwise. The five wise virgins had oil in their lamps as they were saved and were ready and looking for Jesus whereas the five unwise virgins did not have oil in their lamps as they were not heeding the call of the Holy Ghost as they had rejected him and therefore without the Holy Ghost convicting them then they could not be ready for Jesus when he came. This is why they had no oil in their lamps as they were not prepared. Many people today are the same as they put off being saved thinking they do not need Jesus and they can be saved another day. We are not guaranteed to have another day. Without the oil of the Holy Ghost you will never have the light of Jesus and this is what Jesus was saying in this parable. Wise people get saved. (Matthew 25:3-4 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.) These wise virgins were looking for the return of Jesus with gladness.
Being anointed by the oil of the Holy Ghost brings gladness as only the Holy Ghost can bring us close to Jesus and God the Father. The closer we walk with Jesus then the more gladness we will have in our lives. (Psalm 45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.) One of the fruits of the Spirit or Holy Ghost is joy as he is the one who brings us to Jesus who is the joy in a Christian’s life. (Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,) David was glad to have been anointed with oil by God as he knew this meant the Holy Ghost was in his life and this would bring goodness and mercy all of his life and he would get to live with God forever. (Psalm 23:5-6 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.) A saved person should rejoice that they are saved just like David. The oil of the Holy Ghost will make a person’s face shine as they shine forth Jesus. David understood this. (Psalm 104:15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.)
Water is another type of the Holy Ghost. Jesus described the Holy Ghost as living water that he would give people after his resurrection. Just as water is essential for survival, so is the Holy Ghost for without him we cannot have the living water of Jesus and we would remain lost and on a path to hell. [John 7:38-39 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)] Water is used for cleansing and this is seen in how the Holy Ghost is the one who applies the blood of Jesus to our souls. It is this blood of Jesus that actually washes us away just as water washes away dirt on our physical bodies. The priests were required to wash before they performed their duties in the tabernacle and temple. (Exodus 30:18-21 18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:
21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.) This was symbolic of being washed in the blood of Jesus. As I previously stated the Holy Ghost convicts a true born again believer when they sin so that they will confess their sin and become clean once again. (I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.) Naaman the leper was told by Elisha to wash in the Jordan river to be cleansed. This river represented the Holy Ghost washing Naaman with the blood of Jesus. Following his washing in the river he turned to the true God and away from his idols. A person can only do that by being convicted by the Holy Ghost and then have the Holy Ghost wash a person’s sins away with the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Water baptism represents a person dying in their sins, being buried, and rising again with a new life. The water represents the Holy Ghost who cleanses our hearts just as water cleanses our physical bodies. Baptism represents our obedience to Jesus and it is the water or the Holy Ghost that brings us to Jesus and convicts us to obey and serve Jesus.
Just as water has other meanings other than the Holy Ghost such as destruction as seen in the Genesis flood so does fire. Fire at times is a type of the Holy Ghost. Fire can be seen as the Lord’s approval of a sacrifice that he burns up such as when God consumed the sacrifice by Elijah when he had the contest with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. (I Kings 18:37-38 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.) God also consumed by fire the sacrifice of Manoah the dad of Samson. (Judges 13:19-20 19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.) Scripture which is God’s word specifically from the Holy Ghost is purified seven times by fire. (Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.) Silver is purified in a fiery furnace just like the words of God that today are found in English in the King James Bible. The Holy Ghost gave Jeremiah the words to speak and he made them a fire in his mouth. (Jeremiah 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.) The Holy Ghost baptizes people with fire as seen at the first Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus. (Acts 2:3-4 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.) John the Baptist spoke of this baptism by fire by the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:) This fire of the Holy Ghost is what convicts a believer to confess their sins and for an unsaved person to call upon Jesus to save them. A person can ignore this conviction. We are warned not to quench the Holy Ghost as this will keep him from doing his job of convicting a person. An unsaved person can ignore the call by the Holy Ghost to get saved one too many times and then it will be too late. (I Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.) You do not want to extinguish the fire of the Holy Ghost in your life.
Wind and the breath of God are types of the Holy Ghost. God breathed into man after he had created Adam. Man cannot come to life until he has the breath of the Holy Ghost in him. (Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.) Jesus breathed on the apostles after his resurrection and gave them the Holy Ghost. (John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:) Jesus compared the Holy Ghost to the wind in the fact that he goes where he wants to just as the wind does and just as the wind cannot be seen neither can the Holy Ghost. We can only see the effects of the wind and hear the wind, but not see it and the Holy Ghost is the same way. If we let him we will feel the tug of the Holy Ghost in our lives. (John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.) The Holy Ghost came as a mighty wind on that first Pentecost when he baptized by fire. (Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.) Just as the wind blows about a ship, the holy men who wrote scripture were moved by the Holy Ghost. (II Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.)
Another type of the Holy Ghost found in scripture is the dove. The dove is a very peaceful bird that stays out of fights. The dove has long been used as a symbol of peace by governments and peace groups. Just like the dove, the Holy Ghost brings peace into our lives if we listen to him and obey him in our lives. The Holy Ghost brings peace whereas Satan brings war and distress. The Holy Ghost appeared as a dove at the baptism of Jesus. (Luke 3:21-22 21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.) The dove was the bird sent out by Noah after the flood to see if the ground was dried up. The dove brought back an olive leaf. The olive branch has also long been a sign of peace and God was showing he approved of Noah and his family and was at peace with them by bringing them the olive leaf. We already saw how olive oil also represents the Holy Ghost. (Genesis 8:11 And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.) The dove was a clean bird that was used for sin and burnt offerings as the Holy Ghost brings us cleanness by washing us in Jesus’ blood. (Leviticus 5:7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.) Noah had also sent out the raven, but as an unclean bird it never returned.
The Holy Ghost represents the gifts that we will receive in heaven. As a child of God we have access to all of Jesus’ treasures as joint heirs with Jesus. (Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.) Rebekah was given an earring and bracelets by Abraham’s servant as a token of the wealth she would get if she married Isaac. (Genesis 24:47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.)
One last type of the Holy Ghost that we will look at is Abraham’s servant as seen in Genesis 24. This is the servant that was sent by Abraham to find a bride for his son Isaac. This is when he finds Rebekah and gives her the jewelry and brings her back to Isaac to be his wife. The servant gives her much jewelry to show her that nothing is too much for the bride of Jesus and that all that belongs to the Son Jesus also belongs to the bride the church. (Galatians 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.) Genesis 23 saw the death of Sarah, but chapter 24 brings life in Jesus which Rebekah readily accepts by going to Isaac who was a type of Jesus. She left immediately and did not stick around with her family as they wanted her to do. The servant said she needed to go to Isaac right away just as we must not wait to go to Jesus, but go when we are convicted by the Holy Ghost. Verse 28 of the chapter shows Rebekah ran to tell others about the servant. This shows she was excited to tell others about Jesus. In verse 65 Rebekah covers her face with a veil when she sees Isaac. This represents how we as the bride cannot look at Jesus in his full glory without our face covered in a veil and how we do not deserve to be called the bride of Jesus. The servant was Abraham’s eldest servant and was most likely Eleazar, but God never gives the servant a name in this chapter. I believe this was done intentionally by God to match the type of the Holy Ghost. Abraham was a type of God the Father [See my sermon Abraham the obedient father and type of God the Father.] and Isaac was a type of his Son Jesus Christ and as I said Abraham’s servant in this chapter was a type of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the one who brings people to Jesus and for those who become saved since Pentecost then they now become a part of the true church whether they actually attend a physical church or not and regardless of denomination or non-denomination. The true church is the bride of Jesus and Rebekah became the bride of Isaac and represents the church. Just as the Holy Ghost brings the bride (the church) to Jesus, Abraham’s servant as a type of the Holy Ghost brought the bride of Rebekah (the church) to Isaac who represents Jesus. The servant was not given a name in chapter 24 as the focus was on Rebekah as the bride going to meet her bridegroom Isaac. The Holy Ghost is the same way by staying in the background and always placing the focusing on Jesus the bridegroom rather than on himself. The Holy Ghost always points people to Jesus rather than himself. Genesis 24 is 67 verses long showing how much God places on the importance of his bride the church. Just as the servant was sent far away from Abraham and his son Isaac in order to find a suitable bride, the Holy Ghost also goes throughout the world convicting anyone who will listen so that they too may become a part of the church and the bride of Jesus Christ. The servant proudly told Rebekah about Abraham and specifically Isaac. This is representative of telling people about Jesus of which we should all be doing. This is what the Holy Ghost does as he leads people to hear about Jesus if they are willing to listen.
We have seen various types of the Holy Ghost as found in scripture and just as the Holy Ghost calls everyone to be saved and become a part of the church and the bride of Jesus, I too plead with anyone who is listening that is not saved that they too may repent of their sins and call upon Jesus today to be their Saviour. Do not grieve the Holy Ghost by rejecting his offer to be a part of the bride of Christ. (Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.) This verse shows how if we get saved then we will be sealed forever as the bride of Jesus. Turn to Jesus today and be saved.
