Breath of the Spirit

According to Isaiah 57:13, Judah’s kibbutz of idols will be driven away. They are no more than breath/vanities ( hebel ; Deuteronomy 32:21) and they will be disbursed with a breath. The wind ( ruach ) of Yahweh will carry them all away.

Sweeping away idols is one of the regular jobs of the Spirit-wind of God. When humans turned to violence in the days of Noah, the Spirit strove with them. The Spirit possessed Joseph to surpass the wisdom of Egypt’s sages, the Spirit filled Joshua so that he purged the land of shrines and altars, and the Spirit regularly clothed judges for battle not only against human enemies but against the gods that Israel worshiped (cf. Jerub-baal in Judges 7).

That’s the Spirit of Pentecost, who comes down from heaven to give us resurrection life, to pour the love of God into our hearts, to equip us to edify the people of God. And the storm-Spirit who blows and blows until the idols blow away.

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