Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Eph 5:18, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is a waste of life, but be filled with the Spirit.”

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.— Amen.

The Book of Proverbs Chapter 3 Prov 3:19-20 Creation vs. Evolution, Part 10

V. The Doctrine of Creation, Chaos and Restoration.

The Breath of Life Gen 2:7

Job 33:4, “The Spirit (RUACH) of God has made me, and the breath (NESHAMAH) of the Almighty gives me life (CHAYAH).”

RUACH, “Spirit, breath, wind, or mind.” The basic idea is air in motion. It came to be used of enabling or empowering for action, i.e., the Holy Spirit.

Often it refers to the inner person of humans, reminding us that we are more than physical material and biology. We have a connection to the spiritual realm with a capacity and need to fellowship with God.

God wants to fill our lives and empower us to accomplish His will and purpose in this world through His gift of the presence of His Holy Spirit, given by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

NESHAMAH, “breath, blowing or spirit.” In Job 33:4 as also in Gen 2:7 it refers to the giving of life by the Holy Spirit to man.

It is also used in reference to both animal and human life, Gen 7:22.

Job 32:8, “But it is a spirit (RUACH) in man, and the breath (NESHAMAH) of the Almighty gives them understanding.”

In John 16:13-14, we see the work of the Holy Spirit designed to bring glory to the Father and the Son when He gives the believer understanding of God’s Word.

The spirit’s role is to take what is Christ’s, in this case “His Word”, and teach it to the positive believer. The Spirit’s ultimate goal in all His work is to “glorify” Jesus Christ.

By substituting “create” for “speak” it would read: “He will not create on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will create; and He will create for you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will create it for you.”

In Gen 2:7, the Holy Spirit is the “Giver of Life”, who shapes creation to achieve its significant purpose of bringing all glory to God.

The phrase “Breath of Life” is used four times in scripture, Gen 2:7; 6:17; 7:15; Rev 11:11.

1. Gen 2:7 where we have the creation of Adam and the woman first noted in Gen 1:26-27.

2. Gen 6:17, here “breath” is RUACH, speaking of both animal and human life. God used a different word when speaking of life including the animal kingdom.

3. Gen 7:15, RUACH once again because it is specifically referring to animals only, who do not have the unique life that man has.

In the LXX for Gen 6:17; 7:15 the Greek is PNEUMA, but in Gen 2:7 PNOE, “a blowing, wind, or breath.” Showing a differentiation between animal and human life.

4. Rev 11:11, PNEUMA ZOE. PNEUMA, “wind, spirit or breath,” typically used for the Holy Spirit. It indicates the giver of life which is the power of God the Holy Spirit.

All three Hebrew references for the word “life” are in the plural of CHAY, which is CHAYYIM, “lives, living, alive, or fresh.”

In Gen 2:7, “Breath of Lives”, indicating trichotomous life: physical, soul and spiritual life.

“Living being” CHAYAH NEPHESH NEPHESH, “soul, breath, or life.” The whole person. It is the soul that makes up the person not the body.

Principle: There is no soul separate from God’s breathing of life into physical flesh. This occurs each time a baby exits the womb and receives the breath of life from the Holy Spirit. Cf. Psa 104:30

Psa 104:30, “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the ground.”

Grace Fellowship Church Tuesday, December 18, 2012 Tape # Proverbs Chapter 3 Creation vs. Evolution, Part 10 Creation, Chaos and Restoration, Pt 6 Prov 3:19-20; Gen 2:7; 6:17; 7:15, 22 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2012