He’s creating life where there once was death. And we see this happening when he heals people or forgives their sins. Tim: This story’s saying that God’s Spirit is empowering Jesus to begin the new creation. The sky opens up and God’s Spirit comes and rests on him like a bird. And at the beginning of his mission, there’s this beautiful scene where Jesus is being baptized in the waters of the Jordan River. Tim: Well, centuries pass and we are introduced to Jesus. Jon: How will this new act of God’s Spirit happen? 5 Empowering Jesus to Begin New Creation And the prophets said the Spirit would come, just like in Genesis 1, but now to transform the human heart, to empower people to truly love God and others. They’ve unleashed chaos into it through their injustice. While God’s ruakh had created a really good world, humans have given into evil. Tim: And here’s the problem as the prophets saw it. ![]() Jon: They’re able to see what’s happening in history from God’s point of view. Tim: And we also see God’s ruakh empower a group of people called the prophets. He’s given creative genius to make the beautiful things in the tabernacle. Jon: God’s Spirit empowers him with wisdom and skills. Tim: And then it happens to this guy named Bezalel, and he’s an artist. Jon: God’s Spirit enables him to understand and interpret dreams. The first person in the Bible this happens to is Joseph. Tim: Now, as we continue on in the story of the Bible, we see God’s ruakh giving special empowerment to people for specific tasks. And just as breath keeps us alive, so God’s Spirit sustains all of life. Wind is powerful, and so God’s Spirit is powerful. Just like wind and breath are invisible, God’s Spirit is invisible. The vitality in your body that you get from breathing deeply, that too is ruakh.Īnd this is the same word used in the Bible to describe God’s personal presence. Tim: So there’s an invisible energy that makes the clouds move or the tree branches sway. Tim Well, ruakh can refer to a number of different things, but what they all have in common is energy. ![]() You’ve got to clear your throat at the end. Tim Yeah, so the Spirit is the way the biblical authors talk about God’s personal presence. But then above the chaos, God’s Spirit is there hovering, ready to bring about life and order and beauty. ![]() Tim: Well, you have to start on page one of the Bible where the uncreated world is depicted as this dark, chaotic place. Jon: If you’ve ever heard the phrase “the Holy Spirit” and you want to know what it means, where do you start?
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