Question:
People are teaching that the angel Gabriel is the Holy Ghost. Is that true? Would you please tell me what the Holy Ghost is?
Answer:
There is a word of inspired counsel that we would like to share before we answer your question:
“It is not essential for us to be able to define just what the Holy Spirit is. Christ tells us that the Spirit is the Comforter, “the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father.” It is plainly declared regarding the Holy Spirit that, in His work of guiding men into all truth, “He shall not speak of Himself.” John 15:26; 16:13.
“The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them. Men having fanciful views may bring together passages of Scripture and put a human construction on them, but the acceptance of these views will not strengthen the church. Regarding such mysteries, which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden.”
The Acts of the Apostles, pgs. 51-52
That said, all the way through the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit is represented as being the operating power of God. The Father stands for the great ruling power in the universe, the King upon the throne; the Son of God, Jesus, as the great sacrifice, the representation of the Father, one who emptied Himself that He might fill man and save him; and the Spirit, as the effectual working of God. So in the very beginning, we read, “The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2). God brought cosmos out of chaos through His Spirit. Job tells us that “by his spirit he hath garnished the heavens.” (Job 26:13). The Psalmist, in speaking of the death of living creatures, and their restoration by His Spirit, declares “they are created” (see Pslams 104:30); by His Spirit Christ was begotten, and by that same Spirit He “went about doing good” (see Act 10:38); and by the gift of that Spirit men are born again, regenerated; and by the gifts of that Spirit are they fitted for service.
The Spirit, therefore, preceded all created beings and, consequently, the angel Gabriel. That mighty messenger of God comes filled and clothed with the Spirit of God. So among men, God clothes and fills them with His Spirit. It is the Spirit that gives the message; Gabriel is the messenger that bears the message. As to the children of men, God baptizes men and fills them with His Spirit to deliver His Spirit-sent messages; but the messenger is not the Spirit, even though he bears the message of the Spirit. The Spirit, therefore, is the one in the Godhead who carries the presence and power of God to all parts of His universe, and especially to those who have faith in God. The Holy Spirit is the life of God—the power of God. Let us not try to define God, or the Godhead, too closely. Let us be content to know that the great Jehovah is our Father; that Christ Jesus, His only-begotten Son, is our Saviour and elder Brother; and that the Holy Spirit is our regenerator and the constant companion of every soul who believes in Christ Jesus. We are told to pray to the Father and pray to the Son, but we have nothing in Scripture regarding prayers to the Spirit, but we can pray to the Father or the Son, and He will send the Spirit and is more willing to give it than earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children. (See Luke 11:13).
