God's Ruach and Pneuma

Over the course of the last several weeks, I've been experiencing some breathing problems (test results point to the development of some kind of asthma). My difficulties have underscored for me once again the critical role that respiration plays in the maintenance of this physical life that we currently enjoy. It has caused me to remember how my grandfather struggled to get his breath (COPD) the last few years of his life, and it has increased my empathy for my father's battle with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. In short, the feeling that you cannot breathe makes one acutely aware of his/her own mortality.

From the perspective of biological science, it is interesting to note that respiration is one of the seven characteristics that is common to all living things. For most of us (healthy humans), we are barely even conscious of the fact that we are breathing. Sure, we hold our breath when we are swimming - we try to avoid breathing in smoke or caustic chemicals. But most of the time, we don't even think about the fact that we are doing it. And most of us are even less aware of the fact that ALL of the other living things on this planet are doing the same thing (yes - bacteria, plants and fungi also engage in some kind of respiration)!

Hence, we shouldn't be surprised that Scripture equates breath with life. In the Old Testament of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures, it is interesting to note how frequently this topic is mentioned, and the depth of meaning that is attached to the phenomenon. For instance, the Hebrew word "ruach" is translated into English as spirit, wind and breath - as the invisible agent of life (see Blue Letter Bible or Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible). In fact, in the second verse of the book of Genesis, we read that "the RUACH of God moved upon the face of the waters." In the 33rd Psalm, we read: "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the RUACH of his mouth." And, in the 104th Psalm we read: "Thou sendest forth thy RUACH, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth."

In this connection it also interesting to note the language which is employed in the second chapter of Genesis regarding the creation of humankind. We read there: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

There is also a very interesting prophecy found in the 37th chapter of the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel wrote that the RUACH of the Lord set him down in the midst of a valley of dry bones. He continued: "Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause RUACH to enter into you, and ye shall live." Ezekiel then proceeded to recount the fact that God had caused "the sinews and the flesh <to come> up upon them <the bones>, and the skin covered them above: but there was no RUACH in them." He continued: "Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind <RUACH>, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind <RUACH>, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds <RUACH>, O breath <RUACH>, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath <RUACH> came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army." The entire prophecy is a metaphor for hope - the hope of life.

Likewise, in the New Testament, the Greek word "pneuma" literally refers to "a current of air, breath or a breeze" (see Blue Letter Bible or Strong's Exhaustive Concordance). Interestingly, of the 385 times that the word appears in the NT, over 200 times it is translated into English as referring to God's Holy Spirit! For instance, in the first chapter of the gospel of Matthew, we read that Mary "was found with child of the Holy PNEUMA." John the Baptist said that Jesus Christ would baptize with the Holy PNEUMA, and that "he saw the PNEUMA of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him." (see Matthew 3:11 and 16)

Then, in speaking with Nicodemus about what it means to be born again, the gospel according to John informs us that Jesus Christ told him: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the PNEUMA, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the PNEUMA is PNEUMA. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind <PNEUMA> bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the PNEUMA." (John 3:5-8)

Moreover, notice this language at the founding of the Church after Christ's ascension to heaven: "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy PNEUMA, and began to speak with other tongues, as the PNEUMA gave them utterance." (see Acts 2:1-4) Then, at the conclusion of the service, Peter stood up and said: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy PNEUMA." (Acts 2:38)

Later, Paul wrote to the saints at Corinth: "For by one PNEUMA are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one PNEUMA." (I Corinthians 12:13) Later still, in that same letter, he went on to say: "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening PNEUMA." (I Corinthians 15:45) Likewise, he wrote this to the saints at Galatia: "But the fruit of the PNEUMA is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

As a student of the Bible, and especially at this point in my life, it is very meaningful to me that the Judeo-Christian Bible uses the Hebrew and Greek words for breath. wind or breeze in this way. Indeed, there is a deliberate effort throughout Scripture to equate life (both physical and eternal) and Spirit/spirit with these words. And, now, every time the wind blows (and occasionally when I take a breath), I think about God.