Many people wonder what God looks like. All Christians know about the Holy Trinity, in other words about God the father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ.
We believe that God the father has no appearance, we also know the description of Christ. But what does the Holy Spirit look like? In this article, we will find out the answer to this question.
What is The Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is an essential component of Christianity, it’s the third person of the Holy Trinity alongside God the Father and Jesus Christ.
However, unlike God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is often depicted as a mysterious entity. Not every Christian will be able to understand that he sees an image of the Holy Spirit looking at the icon.
The Holy Spirit is the power of God at work in the world and the Church. We also believe that the Holy Spirit, together with the Father and the Son, is the Creator of the invisible and visible worlds.
«The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.» (Job 33:4)
We believe that the Holy Spirit has descended on individuals throughout history to give them supernatural abilities, for example on prophets, priests, apostles, Christian martyrs, and all saints.
The Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father, as the single beginning in the Most Holy Trinity.
The Exodus of The Holy Spirit
The exodus of the Holy Spirit has neither beginning nor end, it’s beyond time because God Himself exists outside of time.
It differs from the Father in that It eternally proceeds from Him (whereas the Father Himself is without beginning, doesn’t originate from Anyone and is not born), and from the Son in that It has Its being not through birth (from the Father), but through the procession of the Holy Spirit.
It is the presence of God in the lives of believers, guiding them in their faith and empowering them to do good works.
The Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Bible many times. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is often referred to as the Spirit of God. For example, in Genesis 1:2, the Spirit of God is hovering over the waters during the creation of the world.
In Isaiah 61:1, the prophet speaks of the Spirit of the Lord being upon him to bring good news to the oppressed people. «The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.»
In John 14:26, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as the Comforter who will be sent by the Father to teach and remind the disciples of everything that Jesus had said to them. « But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.»
In John 15:26, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Advocate, who will testify about Him to the world. «“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.»
What Does The Holy Spirit Look Like?
According to Christian tradition, the Holy Spirit is not a physical being, but a spiritual force that exists in the hearts and minds of believers.
1. White Dove
In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is often represented as a dove, a symbol of peace and purity. Also on icons in most cases, the Holy Spirit is depicted in the form of a beautiful white dove.
This imagery is based on the Gospel of Matthew, in which the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus during his baptism in the form of a dove.
«As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.» (Matthew 3:16)
The image of the dove is also used in the Old Testament, where it’s associated with the story of Noah’s Ark. After the flood, Noah sent out a dove to find dry land, and when it returned with an olive branch, it signaled the end of the flood and the beginning of a new era.
This story is often interpreted as a foreshadowing of the coming of Christ, who brings salvation and a new era of peace to the world.
2. Fire
Another image associated with the Holy Spirit is fire. This image is based on the book of Acts, where the Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles in the form of tongues of fire.
The fire represents the power of the Holy Spirit to purify and transform the hearts of believers, just as fire purifies and transforms metal. Icons may depict this moment from the Bible, where a bright stream of fire burns over the apostles.
3. A Radiant Light
Apart from these symbolic images, the Holy Spirit is often depicted in Christian art as a radiant light usually coming from a white dove. This imagery emphasizes the Holy Spirit’s purity and holiness, as well as its role in guiding believers toward the light of God’s truth.
Jesus said in the Gospel of John, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). Sometimes in art, and especially in cinema, the Holy Spirit is depicted as gusts of air that fill the entire space.
However, we must remember that all these manifestations of the Holy Spirit were given to man to realize what he sees in front of him.
These images are symbolic representations rather than literal descriptions. The Holy Spirit is not a physical being that can be seen or touched, but a spiritual force. So, the Holy Spirit itself has no body or concrete material form.
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Final Thoughts
It can be concluded that the Holy Spirit doesn’t have a material form, since it is a spiritual force coming from God the Father.
However, the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a white dove and tongues of fire in the Bible, so it’s customary in iconography to depict It like this, often with a bright light.
Charalampos
Charalampos is an Orthodox Christian who wants to help others learn about Christianity. His main goal is to help people understand the Bible and how to apply its teachings in their everyday lives. He also enjoys spending time with his family, playing sports, and hiking.
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