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Spirit 'of' God, or, God is spirit.

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GaryK:
Thinking about this last night and the verse stuck out:

Genesis 1:2

New International Version (NIV)

2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

“spirit of god”

If God IS spirit, then should it be phrased “and the spirit god was hovering”?  Doesn’t make a hill of beans difference to me just wondering based on how Ray wrote this below.   

If god is spirit, why would it be phrased 'spirit of god'.  Almost reads like two.


From Ray:

Who and What is GOD?

"There is ONE GOD, the FATHER, out of Whom ALL is..." (I Cor. 8:6).
"For there is ONE God" (I Tim. 2:5).
"You are my witnesses whether there is any god, any Power, any besides ME" (Isa. 44:8 Moffatt Translation).
"The ONE Who is operating ALL in accord with the counsel of HIS will..." (Eph. 1:11).
"Out of Him and through Him and for Him is ALL: to HIM be the glory for the eons! Amen!" (Rom. 11:36).
"...your heavenly Father IS PERFECT" (Mat. 5:48)
"God IS LOVE" I John 4:8
"God IS SPIRIT" (John 4:24).

http://bible-truths.com/trinity.html

"The Holy Spirit of God cannot also be that same God! ANYTHING that is either "from" or "of" something ELSE cannot also "BE" that something else no matter what or who it is! How many Gods are there? Answer: "ONE God."
Of Whom is this ONE God composed? Answer: "the FATHER." NOT, the Father, AND the Son, AND the holy ghost! Just, "the Father!" ONLY, "the Father!!" "ONE God, the FATHER!"

http://bible-truths.com/trinity.html

Dave in Tenn:
(ABP+)  But theG3588 G1161 earthG1093 wasG1510.7.3 unseenG517 andG2532 unready,G180.2 andG2532 darknessG4655 was uponG1883 theG3588 abyss,G12 andG2532 spiritG4151 of GodG2316 boreG2018 uponG1883 theG3588 water.G5204

The 'of' in italics is not in the Hebrew, but don't take the "Spirit of God" as a 'wrong' translation.  I'm not pretending to be a bible-scholar, just showing a direct Hebrew to English translation of the phrase.  I wouldn't call the others (Spirit of God) 'wrong' but understand them to mean "God's Spirit" rather than a seperate entity or being or substance or whatever.

GaryK:
Thanks Dave.    I knew it was big once I spotted those 27 or so “spirit of god” errors sprinkled around.    One can only imagine the tail-spin Revelation throws into the mix.  Well not really.   I wasn't moved off solid ground but this is what happens when a man has too much time on his hands sporadically and starts thinking.


Revelation 4:5

New International Version (NIV)

5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God.


Revelation 5:6

New International Version (NIV)

6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits[a] of God sent out into all the earth.


Decent (older) topic here on the spirit(s) of God. 

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php?topic=7305.20

Kat:

Hi gk,


--- Quote ---If God IS spirit, then should it be phrased “and the spirit god was hovering”?
--- End quote ---


Gen 1:1  In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth.
v. 2  And the earth was without form and empty. And darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God (Elohim) moved on the face of the waters.

Here God is Elohim, this is the plural form, so it includes all of the Deity, not just Jehovah/Christ. God has omnipresence, in every place at the same time. So it could not have been 'a' spirit floating over the surface of the earth looking about? God/Elohim/the Father is Spirit, not a being as such, but Spirit.

The word "moved," the CLV uses "vibrating," Rotherham uses "brooding" and Young's uses "fluttering." What I think this is showing is that God was there, in Spirit, very much aware of the condition of things, but not in a form as a being floating above the water.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

GaryK:
Hi Kat.  Makes perfect sense and doesn't combat anything Ray has tweaked on before.   I just remember reading Ray on the 'of' and 'from' thing and it got me to thinking on the matter.   I try not to do that too often cause you see what happens.

This whole thing started with me watching TV last night, "The Book of Eli" and it almost got me to thinking we just simply can't trust Hollywood to get anything right, can we?   ;D

Thanks Kat.   

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