Podcast: Download (39.6MB)
The Ruah [rwh] of God in Ezekiel
Introduction: There may be more confusion about the Holy Spirit than most other subjects of in scripture. We have all experienced that confusion, but though that confusion is frustrating, please consider three points by way of introduction:
- Biblical audiences in both Old and New Testaments were not confused when an inspired writer made reference to the Holy Spirit. We literally never see anyone respond to a prophet or apostle’s mention of the Holy Spirit with, “Huh? What are you talking about?” That should tell us that our approach to the study of the Spirit has been misdirected.
- Most confusion about the Spirit is a result of neglecting a careful study of his role in the Old Testament. We must do more than just check an OT cross reference. The Hebrew term for “spirit” [ruah] is used 389 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, and the context of these references are critical to our understanding.
- The study of the Holy Spirit has often been motivated by defeating perceived false teaching about the Spirit. When studying any biblical subject, there is an inherent danger when the approach is to prove someone else wrong. This leads to a closed mind, the tendency toward prejudicial conclusions, and manipulation of the text.
Therefore, our approach will be to carefully examine the OT texts so we can hopefully come to the same understanding of the Spirit as God’s people did in both Old and New Testaments.
In this lesson we will concentrate our study primarily in Ezekiel since Ezekiel mentions the Spirit more than any OT writer (52x) with Isaiah close behind (51x). In contrast, Jeremiah (18x) and the Spirit is never mentioned in Leviticus.
- Overview of “Spirit” (rwh) in Ezekiel
- There are three main sections of Ezekiel: 1-24 (messages of judgment on the nation); 25-32 (judgments on the nations); 33-48 (hope and comfort to Israel). References to the work of the Spirit are seen in both the first and third sections but not in the second section, possibly because the nations would not have related/understood the Spirit in Israel’s context. Thus, the Spirit is a part of both the condemnation section and the hope section.
- Ruah is translated by three primary words: wind, breath, and spirit. Context determines the translation, but Ezekiel will at times use both in the same context. In other words, we will see that the terms are interrelated.
- Uses of Ruah/Spirit in Ezekiel
- Ruah as wind is use more than 100 times in the OT.
- 1:4 The opening scene of the glory of the Lord comes out of a stormy north wind, out of which the glory of the Lord is revealed.
- Since wind is typically destructive, we see ruah often referring to a judgment from God (17:10).
- Ruah as direction. Still connected to the wind, but in this case being scattered in every direction (5:2; 17:21). Jer. 49:36, “I shall bring upon Elam the four winds, from the four ends of the heavens, And I shall scatter them in all these directions.”
- Ruah as a means of transport. In this case, ruah is used as God’s supernatural means of energizing and moving a person from one place to another. Elijah (1 Kgs. 18:46).
- 3:12, 14 God moving Ezekiel to the exiles at Tel-abib.
- 8:1, 3 Note that the “hand of the Lord” is strongly connected to the Spirit’s control as Ezekiel is lifted up between earth and heaven and brought to Jerusalem.
- 37:1 “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones.”
- Ruah as a means of animation. When ruah is a means of transport, he operates on his prophet from the outside. But in animation, ruah operates internally like breath.
- Genesis 2:7, “The Lord God formed man out of the dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” When a man dies, what is observable is the loss of breath. James uses the Greek word pneuma, parallel to ruah, when he says, “The body without the pneuma is dead” (James 2:26).
- Isaiah 42:5 “Thus says the Lord, who…gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walked in it.”
- Psalm 104:29-30 “When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.”
- Ruah in Ezekiel as a means of animation.
- 1:19-21 “And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures [or “spirit of life”] was in the wheels. When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.”
- 1:28–2:2 Ezekiel fell on his face when he saw the glory of the Lord because of his unworthiness of standing in God’s presence. However, the Spirit entered him and set him on his feet, giving him both the authority and the energy to stand before God at God’s will.
- Ruah as wind is use more than 100 times in the OT.
- The Animation of Ruah in Ezekiel 37:1-14
- Ruah is used 10 times in this section, but it is not uniform in its usage. In other words, ruah is used in varying senses beginning with the Ruah of the Lord coming upon Ezekiel and setting him down in a valley with dry bones.
- The primary question of the text is in verse 3: “Son of man, can these bones live?” And then the Lord’s answer (5-6) “I will cause ruah [breath] to enter you, and you shall live…” The prophet obeys by prophesying over the bones, but though sinews and flesh come upon the bones, “there was no ruah in them” (8).
- This sets up 8b–10a a cluster of six occasions of ruah. Since ruah is absent in the bones, the prophet is to solve this problem by “prophesying to the breath (ruah).” Note in the Hebrew various forms of ruah [rwh]:
“Prophesy to the hrwh; prophesy, son of man, and say to the hrwh, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four rwhwt, come O rwh! Breathe into these slain that they may live.” - You can see in the above the Lord using a play on words with the “winds” and the “breath.” But then the explanation comes in verses 11-14 and we realize the reason for the delay of breath coming into the bones. The Lord is emphasizing that the nation will not truly live until “I will put my Spirit [ruah] within you.” It may be that the analogy is that the nation can seem to exist by all outward appearances (as the physical nation did until Christ), but does not truly come to life until the Lord pours out his Spirit – or puts his Spirit within them. Therefore, this is not the common, ordinary “life-breath” common to all living things, but is the animation of the Lord’s Spirit who brings true life in all its fullness (Jn. 10:10).
- This should remind us of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus and his comparison with being born of the Spirit and the “wind analogy” (John 3:1-10).
- It is also important to note the even greater purpose of this animation in verse 14: “I will place you in your own land.” Then you shall know that I am the Lord.” The emphasis is on renewing his covenantal relationship and ownership of his people. Bringing them back to their own land in which they are completely protected from their enemies and will never be taken away again signifies a complete spiritual restoration of the people.
- This restoration is indicated in the opening of Mark’s gospel: “the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord…’” And then the announcement of one coming who will “immerse in the Holy Spirit!”
- Our final comparison is to look at 36:26-28, of which we will talk in more detail later. God gives his people a new mind and a new spirit and a new heart by putting his Spirit within them, causing a radical change in their life in serving the Lord. And again, in verse 28, “you shall be my people and I will be your God.”
Conclusion: No doubt that from this study we are able to quickly think of New Testament connections which cause us to excitedly anticipate a deeper study of the NT usage of the Spirit.
[There two other primary ways ruah is used in scripture: as an agency of prophetic inspiration and as a sign of divine ownership. We will look at these more later.]
Berry Kercheville