LIFE-GIVING PRESENCE

The source of life for all of creation (GENESIS 1-11)

OVERVIEW

CREATION

And the Spirit (rûaḥ) of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)
And God said… (10 x Words of Creation from 1:2-31)
Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person. (2:7)
When the cool evening breezes [wind] (rûaḥ) were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the [presence of the] LORD God among the trees.

FALL

Then the LORD God said, “Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!” 23 So the LORD God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. 24 After sending them out, the LORD God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. (3:23-24)

CAIN & ABEL

Cain replied to the LORD, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! 14 You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer (4:13-14)
Then the LORD put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. 16 So Cain left the LORD’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. (4:16)

NOAH

Enoch lived 365 years, 24 walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.
Then the Lord said, “My Spirit (rûaḥ) shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” (6:3)
For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath (rûaḥ) of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. (6:17)
They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath (rûaḥ) of life. (7:15)
Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath (rûaḥ) of life died. (7:22)
And God made a wind (rûaḥ) blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. (8:1b)

BABEL

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face (presence) of the whole earth.” (11:4)
"Come, let us go down and they're confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” (11:7)

PSALMS

When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath (rûaḥ), they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Spirit (rûaḥ), they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. (Ps 104:29-30, ESV)
The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. (Ps 33:6)

JOB

as long as my breath (rûaḥ) is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils, my lips will not speak falsehood... (Job 27:3-4a)

EZEKIEL

As I looked, behold, a stormy wind (rûaḥ) came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. (Ez 1:4)
Ezekiel 37 is the most dense mention of the rûaḥ as spirit, wind and breath in the Old Testament.

MICAH

But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit (rûaḥ) of the LORD (Mic 3:8)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5, ESV)
The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last. (Luke 23:45-46)
At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:51-53)
Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. (Ephesians 5:2)
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21, ESV)

As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:20-22)
All Scripture is God-breathed…. (2 Timothy 3:16a, NIV)

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. (2 Thess 2:8, ESV)