When all the aspects and elements of the Spirit are put together, we have a totality, an aggregate, known in the New Testament as the Spirit (Rom. 8:16, 23, 26, 27; Gal. 3:14; 5:16-18, 22, 25; 1 Pet. 1:2; Rev. 2:7; 14:13; 22:17). As the Bible is the book, so the Spirit of God today is the Spirit. The Spirit is the all-inclusive, processed, compound Spirit. This Spirit is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jehovah, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of reality, the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of life, the life-giving Spirit, the Lord Spirit, the Spirit of grace, and the seven Spirits.
We have seen that at the time of John 7:39, the Spirit was “not yet.” That was before the Lord Jesus was crucified and glorified in resurrection. But now we who believe in Christ may fulfill our destiny of enjoying the Spirit, and this Spirit will become rivers of living water flowing out of our innermost being. According to John 7:38 and 39, the Spirit, the all-inclusive Spirit, will become rivers of living water flowing out of us. This means that in our experience the one Spirit becomes many rivers of living water. This is the enjoyment of the Spirit.
In their writings John, Paul, and Peter all speak of the Spirit. Paul uses the term the Spirit more than any other title of the Spirit. In 1 Peter 1:2 Peter speaks not of the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, but of the sanctification of the Spirit. The reason is that the Holy Spirit is not as rich as the all-inclusive Spirit is. In the book of Revelation John does not use the titles the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the Holy Spirit. In Revelation only two titles of the Spirit are used: the seven Spirits and the Spirit. In 1:4; 4:5; and 5:6 we have the seven Spirits. In chapters two and three the title the Spirit is used again and again. It is also found in Revelation 14:13, and for the last time, in Revelation 22:17. Revelation 22:17 says, “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.” This reveals that the Spirit as the totality of the Triune God has become one with the church, who is now fully matured to be the bride. Hence, the Spirit and the bride are one and speak as one. How wonderful!
With regard to the preaching of the gospel beforehand to Abraham, Galatians 3:14 says, “In order that the blessing of Abraham might come to the nations in Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” God in preaching the gospel to Abraham promised him the Spirit. Once again, in Galatians 3:14 we do not have Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the Holy Spirit. In this verse we have the Spirit because the Spirit was the unique blessing of the New Testament economy promised by God to Abraham. This means that to Abraham God preached the gospel of the Spirit.
We have pointed out that in the Bible the Spirit is the consummation of the Triune God after the process of becoming the all-inclusive, compound, life-giving Spirit. Hence, the Spirit is nothing less than the Triune God Himself. However, this is not the Triune God apart from the process through which He has passed. The Spirit is the Triune God after He has passed through the process of incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Having passed through this process, the Triune God is now this consummate Spirit as the blessing of the New Testament. The Spirit is the blessing of God’s economy. First the gospel concerning this blessing was preached to our father Abraham. Now, as children of Abraham, we should follow his steps to enjoy the Spirit as the unique blessing of God’s New Testament economy.
Having seen the elements of the compound Spirit, we may now say a word regarding the function of this Spirit. The function of the compound Spirit is to anoint the dwelling place of God with its furniture and utensils (Exo. 30:26-29) and to anoint the priesthood of God (30:30). This indicates that the compound Spirit is for God’s building and for His priesthood. If we are not for God’s building and priesthood, we cannot have any share in the compound Spirit, although we may have some enjoyment of and participation in the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, and the Holy Spirit. Only those who are for the building of God and the priesthood of God can have the enjoyment of the compound, all-inclusive, processed Spirit. All the ingredients, all the rich elements, of the compound Spirit are for God’s house and God’s priesthood.