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Cover of Seven Lamps Before the Throne: a veiled woman in golden light, a dove in flight toward a distant throne, and a seven-branched menorah with lit flames. Authors Jason Turner and Michael Ogden.

A Yona Tree publication

Seven Lamps Before the Throne

Honoring the Feminine Nature of the Holy Spirit

by Jason Turner & Michael Ogden

Begotten of the Father, born of the Spirit, betrothed to the Son.

Read the Book Watch the Audiobook Series

Synopsis

Who is the Holy Spirit?

For centuries the Holy Spirit has been the least understood Person of the Trinity, often left ambiguous or improperly defined in Christian teaching. Seven Lamps Before the Throne sets out to answer one simple question — who is the Holy Spirit? — by examining how Scripture describes the Spirit’s work in birth and rebirth, the symbols through which the Spirit is revealed, and the witness of early Christian writers.

The book explores biblical symbolism surrounding the Holy Spirit, Lady Wisdom, the sevenfold Spirit of God, the Tree of Life, the Bride of Christ, New Jerusalem, the Sword of the Spirit and the mystery of the Holy Trinity. It describes a Family of God that begins with the Trinity and extends to everyone begotten of the Heavenly Father, born of the Spirit, and betrothed to the Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Its central conclusion — that the Holy Spirit is revealed in Scripture with a feminine, motherly nature within the Family of God — is presented as Yona Tree’s theological position. It is not shared by every Christian tradition, and the authors invite readers to examine the cited Scriptures and historical sources for themselves.

Read the Book. Watch the Series. Explore the Studies.

  1. Read the Book

    Seven chapters on the Holy Spirit in Scripture, symbolism and history — in ebook and audiobook.

    Explore the Book

  2. Watch the Series

    Sixteen audiobook video episodes of about ten minutes each, free on YouTube.

    Watch the Series

  3. Explore the Studies

    Study hubs on the Trinity, Lady Wisdom, the Tree of Life, New Jerusalem and more.

    Read the Studies

Contents

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction

    One God, three Persons. The ontological and economic study of the Trinity, and where Yona Tree agrees — and respectfully differs — with the Nicene Creed.

    Watch: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

  2. Chapter 1: Who Is the Holy Spirit?

    The book begins by examining the roles of the three Persons of the Trinity and asks a simple but profound question. Through a series of scriptural observations, the chapter explores the Spirit's role in spiritual birth and concludes that the Spirit functions as the nurturing and life-giving parent within the divine family.

    Watch: Part 4, Part 5

  3. Chapter 2: The Image of God

    What it means for humanity to be created in the image of God. By examining the first human family in Genesis — father, mother and child — the book suggests that the structure of human relationships reflects the relational nature of the Trinity itself.

    Watch: Part 6

  4. Chapter 3: The Pronoun Problem

    Why does the Bible sometimes use masculine language for the Holy Spirit? How differences between Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic influence translation, and why grammar does not necessarily determine the nature or identity of the Spirit.

    Watch: Part 7, Part 8

  5. Chapter 4: The Holy Spirit in Biblical Symbolism

    The Spirit of God is often revealed through symbols such as the dove, the hen gathering her young, the eagle and the wind. These images portray the Spirit as a nurturing presence that comforts, protects and guides God's people.

    Watch: Part 8, Part 9, Part 10

  6. Chapter 5: Lady Wisdom

    The book of Proverbs describes Wisdom as a woman who existed with God before creation. This chapter compares Lady Wisdom with the attributes of the Holy Spirit and explores the possibility that these passages reveal another symbolic portrait of the Spirit.

    Watch: Part 10, Part 11

  7. Chapter 6: Like Mother, Like Daughter

    The relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Church. Just as believers are born again through the Spirit, the Church becomes the Bride of Christ, reflecting the character and nature of the Spirit who dwells within it.

    Watch: Part 12, Part 13

  8. Chapter 7: The Way to Eternal Life

    The final chapter ties the book's themes together through the Tree of Life, the Word of God and spiritual rebirth — how the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit work together in salvation — and invites readers to receive the new life offered through Christ.

    Watch: Part 14, Part 15, Part 16

  9. Conclusion

    A summary of the names, offices and defining characteristics of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

    Watch: Part 16

Sample chapter

From Chapter 1: Who Is the Holy Spirit?

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove…

— Matthew 3:16

Have you ever wondered why the most well-known symbol for the Holy Spirit is a dove? What a thought-provoking portrayal the dove is of this mysterious and rarely understood member of the Holy Trinity. The gender of the word “dove” is female in both the Greek and Hebrew languages of the Bible, which may be why a dove is used in the following passage to refer to a woman.

My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her.

— Song of Solomon 6:9

Why would God have chosen this elegant and seemingly feminine form as a visual manifestation of the Holy Spirit while descending upon Christ at His baptism? Let’s explore that thought beginning with a simple eleven-point questionnaire meant to lead you to both a biblical and rational conclusion concerning the identity of this divine Personage. We ask that you do your best to have an open mind and a prayerful heart as together we embark on this journey to answer one simple question — who is the Holy Spirit?

Continue reading The eleven questions

Audiobook video series

Listen and watch, free

All 16 episodes

The whole book is read aloud and illustrated in sixteen episodes on YouTube.

Readers

Reader reflections

  • “This book was very fascinating to me, gave me a deeper understanding of creation and our Creator with insight into the mystery of the Holy Spirit. Easily understood by the average reader.”

    Brenda O. · Grandmother

  • “As someone who has a history and manuscript background, I have found a refreshing outlook on the Trinity, with each biblical detail explained and walked through to understand who is the Holy Spirit.”

    Todd

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About the book

Authors
Jason Turner & Michael Ogden
Publisher
Yona Tree, Pensacola, Florida
Copyright
© 2026 Jason Turner & Michael Ogden
Scripture
King James Version unless otherwise noted

DedicationIn loving memory of Juanita Yvonne Steele Ogden — a truly virtuous woman, cherished wife, and mother of three, who went to find rest in the everlasting arms of God on January 24th, 2006.

From the book

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Book Two

Coming Soon

Seven Lamps Before the Throne may have reached its conclusion, but the exploration has only begun. A second book is being written. Be the first to hear when it is ready.