Breathe

The “Breath of God” in the OT

As much as people think that the Holy Spirit is a topic the mostly only concerns Jesus and His followers in the New Testament, in reality they only continued the teaching as they understood it from the Old Testament, or Hebrew Scriptures.

The Spirit is necessary for life and conciousness of which we recieve as gifts.

It’s no surprise that we find the Spirit on page 1 of the Scriptures!

Genesis 1:1–3 NIV

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 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. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

The Hebrew word is “Ruakh”. Say it

What is “the Spirit of God”?

Breath

The first and basic meaning in the Hebrew Bible of ruakh is “breath”.

The invisible life-energy that you breathe in and out is actually God’s gift to humanity!

Genesis 2:7 NIV

7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Job 27:3 NIV

3 as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils,

Wind

Wind is an invisible power that animates humans (breath” and all creation. God’s presence appearing is often connected to wind.

Genesis 3:8 NIV

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Exodus 14:21 NIV

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided,

Ruakh is an invisible energy that animates things and makes them move.

God’s Ruakh is animating everything.

Spirit

Spirit is the invisible, life-animating energy of God that is present in His creation, sustaining all life.

Psalm 104:29–30 NIV

29 When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. 30 When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.

Mind

This usage concerns a frame of mind, or concious purpose.

Psalm 32:2 NIV

2 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Psalm 51:10 NIV

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Other versions:

Psalm 51:10 ISV

10 God, create a pure heart in me, and renew a right attitude within me.

Psalm 51:10 CEV

10 Create pure thoughts in me and make me faithful again.

The Anointed One

Humans Filled with “God’s Breath”