THE ACTIONS OF GOD (God’s Breath)

TEXT: Genesis 2:7

INTRODUCTORY THOUGHT:

In the book of Genesis we are introduced to

Who God is (His Deity/ His sovereignty / Imminence

What He Says (His Creative word) Heb.11:3

What He Does (His active work)

INFORMATION

Current Affairs,

Historical

Facts or statistics

The text tells us about 3 distinct actions

God Formed

God Breath

Man Became

In Today’s presentation we will be focusing on another actions of God.

God Breath in His nostrils the breath of Life

Breath: נְשָׁמָה (neshâmâh), nesh-aw-maw´

wind, angry or vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect. inspiration, soul, spirit.

INSTRUCTION

The breath of life

Life imparted by God

Ge 2:7; Ac 17:25

See also Ge 1:30; Ge 6:17; Ge 7:15; Ge 7:22; Job 27:3; Job 33:4; Ps 104:30; Is 42:5; Is 57:16; Je 38:16; Re 11:11

Life recalled by his sovereign will

Ecclesiastes 12:7 LEB

And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it.

See also 1 Ki 17:17; Job 34:14–15; Ps 104:29; Is 40:7

The breath of God

An emblem of the Holy Spirit

John 20:21–22 LEB

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

A person who is spiritually dead cannot even make a decision of faith unless God first breathes into him the breath of spiritual life. Faith is simply breathing the breath that God’s grace supplies.

John F. MacArthur

See also Eze 37:5; Eze 37:14

INSPIRATION/ APPLICATION

God’s creative breath

Psalm 33:6 LEB

By the word of Yahweh the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

See also Ge 1:2; Job 26:13; Job 33:4

God’s enlightening breath

Job 32:8 LEB

“Truly, it is a spirit in a human being, and the breath of Shaddai teaches them.

See also Jn 14:26; Jn 16:13–15; 2 Ti 3:16–17; 2 Pe 1:20–21

God’s regenerating breath

Ezekiel 37:4–14 LEB

And he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and you must say to them, to the dry bones, ‘Hear the word of Yahweh! Thus says the Lord Yahweh to these bones: “Look! I am bringing into you breath, and you will live! And I will lay on you sinews, and I will let flesh come upon you, and I will cover you over with skin, and I will put breath into you, and you will live, and you will know that I am Yahweh.” ’ ” And I prophesied just as I had been commanded, and there was a sound at my prophesying, and look! A rattling, and they came together—the bones! Bone to its bone! And I looked, and indeed, sinews were on them, and flesh went up, and skin covered over them upward, but breath was not in them. And he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and you must say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh from the four winds, “Come, O spirit and breath, on these dead ones, so that they may live!” ’ ” And I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they became alive, and they stood on their feet, a very, very large group. And he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all of the house of Israel; look! they are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is destroyed; we are cut off as far as we are concerned.’ Therefore prophesy, and you must say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Look! I am opening your graves, and I will bring you up from your graves, my people, and I will bring you to the land of Israel! And you will know that I am Yahweh when I open your graves when I bring you up from your graves, my people! And I will put my breath into you so that you may live, and I will cause you to rest on your soil, and you will know that I, Yahweh, I have spoken, and I will act!” ’ declares Yahweh.”

See also Jn 3:5–8; 1 Th 1:4–5; Tt 3:5

God’s empowering breath

Acts 2:1–4 LEB

And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in the same place. And suddenly a sound like a violent rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. And divided tongues like fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability to speak out.

In Genesis 2:7 God breathed into human nostrils his own breath, the breath of life, and humankind became alive, alive with God’s life. Now, in the new creation, the restoring life of God is breathed out through Jesus, making new people of the disciples, and, through them, offering this new life to the world.

N. T. Wright

See also Is 11:2; Is 61:1; Joe 2:28–29; Jn 20:21–22; Ac 1:8

God’s destroying breath

2 Thessalonians 2:8 LEB

and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth, and wipe out by the appearance of his coming,

See also Ex 15:10; 2 Sa 22:16; Job 4:9; Job 15:30; Is 11:4; Is 30:28; Is 30:33; Is 40:24; Is 59:19; Eze 21:31

Ezekiel 21:31 LEB

And I will pour out my anger on you; I will blow on you with the fire of my wrath, and I will give you into the hand of brutal men, skilled craftsmen of destruction.

Breathe on me, Breath of God, Fill me with life anew, That I may love what Thou dost love, And do what Thou wouldst do. —Hatch