#RUACH OF GOD MY LIFE

      In the Tanakh, the word ruach generally means wind, breath, mind, spirit. Job in the Holy Bible spoke of ruach saying; “The ruach of God (from God) is in my nostrils (Job 27:3)”. In mankind, ruach further denotes the principle of life that possesses reason, will and conscience. Also Job 33:4 says; “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life”.

 Jesus of Nazareth says in John 3:8 that; “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (“Upepo huvuma kuelekea upendako; waisikia sauti yake, lakini hujui unakotoka wala unakokwenda. Ndivyo ilivyo kwa mtu aliyezaliwa kwa Roho”. – Yohana 3:8). The book of Ezekiel 37:9-10 also speaks of ruach by saying; "Then He said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again. So I spoke the message as He commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet--a great army.'"

Hebrews 1:7 says; And of the angels He says, "WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS (RUACH), AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE." (Na kwa habari za malaika asema; "Afanyaye malaika zake kuwa pepo, Na watumishi wake kuwa miali ya moto"). Also in the Holy Bible - Acts 8:39-40 explains some of advantages of being born of Spirit of God, it becomes the Spirit <ruach> that lives and not just a man, i.e. when the Spirit of God lives in you everything in you is supernatural, extraordinary. The traditions, principles and laws of this world are inapplicable to you; read the whole Acts 8:26-40 for your spiritual unction; the story of Philip and Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”), coz today it might be your day.

To sum up, All in all desire to be born of Spirit<ruach> (born again) through Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Son of God; simply because the Spirit life is everlasting but a normal man his/her days are countable and not much.

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Additional notes on Ruach meaning:

The word ruach occurs 389 times in the Hebrew Old Testament

In the A.V. it is rendered spirit in 237 passages (and no other word is rendered spirit except neshamah, "breath", in Job 26:4 and Prov. 20:27. ).  In the remaining 152 places it is translated in 22 different ways, which are to be carefully distinguished.

[In the R.V. ruach is rendered spirit 224 times, and in the remaining 165 passages is rendered in many different ways.]

The meaning of the word is to be deduced only from its usage.  The one root idea running through all the passages is invisible force.  As this force may be exerted in varying forms, and may be manifested in divers ways, so various renderings are necessitated, corresponding thereto.

Ruach, in whatever sense it is used, always represents that which is invisible except by its manifestations.  These are seen both externally to man, as well as internally within man.

As coming from God, it is the invisible origin of life.  All apart from this is death.  It comes from God, and returns to God (Ecc. 3:19, 20).  Hence, ruach is used of :

    I.--God, as being invisible.  "The Spirit of Jehovah" is Jehovah Himself, in His manifestation of invisible power.
        2Sam. 23:2.  Ps. 139:7 ( = Thee).  Is. 40:13.

    II.--The Holy Spirit:
        2Sam. 23:2.  1Kings 18:12; 22:24.  2Kings 2:16.  2Chron. 18:23.  Neh. 9:20, 30.  Job 26:13; 33:4.  Isa. 40:13; 48:16; 59:19, 21; 61:1; 63:10, 1-4.  Ezek. 3:12, 14 (1st); 8:3; 11:1, 24; 37:1; 43:5.  Mic. 2:7; 3:8.  Zech. 4:6; 6:8; 7:12.  Mal. 2:15.

    III.--Invisible Divine Power Manifesting Itself
        In creation.  Gen. 1:2.
        In giving life.  Ezek. 37:14.
        In executing judgment--
            "blast."  Ex. 15:8.  Isa. 37:7.
            "breath."  2Sam. 22:16.  2Kings 19:7.  Job 4:9; 15:30.  Ps. 18:15; 33:6.  Isa. 11:4; 30:28.
            "spirit."  Isa. 4:4; 28:6; 34:16; 40:7.

    IV.--Invisible "Power from on High," Manifesting itself as Divine Power in giving spiritual gifts .  Spoken of as coming upon, clothing, falling on, and being poured out.  Rendered "Spirit", but should be "spirit".
        Gen. 41:38.  Ex. 28:3; 31:3; 35:31.  Num. 11:17, 25, 26, 29; 24:2; 27:8.  Deut. 34:9.  Judg. 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14.  1Sam. 10:6, 10; 11:6; 16:13, 14; 19:20, 23.  2Kings 2:9, 15.  1Chron. 12:18; 28:12.  2Chron. 15:1; 20:14; 24:20.  Ps. 51:11, 12; 143:10.  Prov. 1:23.  Isa. 11:2.; 30:1; 32:15; 42:1, 5; 44:3; 59:21; 61:1; 63:11.  Ezek. 2:2; 3:24; 11:5, 19; 36:27; 39:29.  Dan. 4:8, 9 18; 5:11, 12, 14.  Joel 2:28, 29.  Hag. 2:5.  Zech. 12:10.

    V.  The Invisible part of Man (Psychological).  Given by God at man's formation at birth, and returning to God at his death.
        "Breath."  Gen. 6:17; 7:15, 22.  Job 9:18; 12:10; 17:1.  Ps. 104:29; 135:17; 146:4.  Ecc. 3:19.  Jer. 10:14; 51:17.  Lam. 4:20.  Ezek. 37:5, 6, 8, 9, 10.  Hab. 2:19.  Zech. 12:1.
        "spirit."  Gen. 6:3.  Num. 16:22; 27:16.  Job 27:3; 34:14.  Ps. 31:5; 104:30.  Ecc. 3:21; 8:8; 11:5; 12:7.  Isa. 42:5.
        "Wind."  Ezek. 37:9.

    VI.--The Invisible Characteristics of Man; manifesting themselves in states of mind and feeling (by the Fig. Metonymy. )
        "Mind."  Gen. 26:35.  Prov. 29:11.  Ezek. 11:5; 20:32.  Dan. 5:20. Hab. 1:11.
        "Breath."  Job 19:17 ( = manner).
        "Courage."  Josh. 2:11.
        "Anger."  Judg. 8:3.
        "Blast."  Isa. 25:4.
        "Spirit."  Gen. 41:8; 45:27.  Ex. 6:9; 35:21.  Num. 5:14, 30; 14:24.  Josh. 5:1.  Judg. 15:19.  1Sam. 1:15; 30:12.  1Kings 10:5; 21:5.  1Chron. 5:26.  2Chron. 9:4; 21:16; 36:22.  Ezra 1:1, 5.  Job 6:4; 7:11; 10:12; 15:13; 20:3; 21:4; 32:8, 18.  Ps. 32:2; 34:18; 51:10, 11, 12, 17; 76:12; 78:8; 142:3; 143:4, 7.  Prov. 11:13; 14:29; 15:4, 13; 16:2, 18, 19, 32; 17:22, 27; 18:14; 25:28; 29:23.  Ecc. 1:14, 17; 2:11, 17, 26; 4:4, 6, 16; 6:9; 7:8, 9; 10:4.  Isa. 19:3, 14; 26:9; 29:10, 24; 33:11; 38:16; 54:6; 57:15, 16; 61:3; 65:14; 66:2.  Jer. 51:11.  Ezek. 13:3.  Dan. 7:15.  Hos. 4:12; 5:4.  Mic. 2:11 (by Hendiadys, for a false of lying spirit).

    VII.--Invisible Spirit-Beings.
        "Angels."  Ps. 104:4.
        "Cherubim."  Ezek 1:12, 20, 21; 10:17.
        Neutral spirit-beings.  Job 4:15.  Isa. 31:3.
        Evil angels.  Judg. 9:23.  1Sam. 16:14, 15, 16, 23; 18:10; 19:9.  1Kings 22:21, 22, 23.  2Chron. 18:20, 21, 22.  Zech. 13:2.

    IX.--The Invisible Manifestations of the Atmosphere.
        Temperature.  Gen. 3:8 ("cool").
        Air.
            "Wind" or "winds" in every place where the words "wind" or "winds" occur.
            "Whirlwind."  Ezek. 1:4.
            "Windy."  Ps. 55:8.
            "Spirits."  Zech. 6:5.
            "Air."  Job 41:16.
            "Tempest."  Ps. 11:6.
            "Blast."  Ex. 15:8.  2Kings 19:7.  Isa. 25:4; 37:7.
            "Quarters" (of the four winds).  1Chron. 9:24.
            "Side" or "sides" (of the four winds).  Jer. 52:23.  Ezek. 42:16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

Reference: Appendix 9 to The Companion Bible

 

Tanakh is the canon of the Hebrew Bible.

Ruach: breath, wind, spirit

Original Word: ר֫וּחַ
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: ruach
Phonetic Spelling: (roo'-akh)
Short Definition: spirit