John 3:8 ESV The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
When I was a young man, I had the privilege of being a part of a church body along with a very gifted song writer. She had written a song titled “I know the wind blows.” She had written it as a beautiful expression of the work of the precious Holy Spirit moving in our midst. “Sometimes like a mighty wind, sometimes a gentle breeze blows in, but I know the wind blows” goes the sweet melody. It’s hard to explain the experiences of God’s divine breath moving among His children. His small still voice that speaks to the soul as it melts under His breath. THE WIND, surely blows. The wind is a powerful and mysterious force, and serves as a rich symbol of the Holy Spirit’s movement and presence throughout Scripture and history of Jesus’s church. From Genesis to Revelation, the wind is employed as a metaphor and agent, for God’s power, judgment, guidance, and life-giving Spirit. I want to explore numerous instances of the wind in Scripture and profound implications for understanding the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
God’s Breath of Life in Creation: Genesis 2:7
In Genesis 2:7, we witness the intimate act of creation as the Lord God forms humanity from the dust of the ground and breathes into their nostrils the breath of life. Here, the wind represents the life-giving presence of God’s Spirit, animating and bringing life to humanity. One day, when I was 10 years old, He breathed into me new life and I was born again. The passage from which we pulled the text verse today is the passage where Jesus tells Nicodemus that “He must be born again” “born of the Spirit.” All life physical and spiritual, begins with the breath of the Holy Spirit, the wind.
The Wind of Divine Judgment: Exodus 14:21
During the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14:21, the Lord drives back the waters by a strong east wind, making way for the Israelites to escape from Pharaoh’s army. This east wind serves as an instrument of God’s judgment, demonstrating His power and authority over creation.
Exodus 10:13 (ESV): “So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts.”
Job 15:2 (ESV): “Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?”
Psalm 48:7 (ESV): “By the east wind you shattered the ships of Tarshish.”
Ezekiel 19:12 (ESV): “But she was plucked up in fury; she was cast down to the ground; the east wind dried up her fruit; her strong stem was broken off and withered; the fire consumed it.”
These verses illustrate the east wind as a symbol of God’s judgment and destructive power. Nothing in nature is more powerful. Wind moves our planet. Storms are most ominous when powered by wind.
The Gentle Whisper of God’s Voice: 1 Kings 19:11-12
In 1 Kings 19:11-12, the prophet Elijah encounters the Lord on Mount Horeb. While he expects to hear God in the wind, earthquake, and fire, it is in the gentle whisper that Elijah recognizes the presence of God. This gentle wind signifies the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to the hearts of believers.
The Mighty Wind of Pentecost: Acts 2:2-4
On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:2-4, the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples with a sound like a mighty rushing wind, filling the entire house where they were gathered. This powerful wind represents the coming of the Holy Spirit, empowering believers and enabling them to speak in other tongues as a sign of God’s presence and power.
The Wind as Guide in the New Testament: John 3:8
In John 3:8, Jesus tells Nicodemus, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Here, the wind serves as a metaphor for the mysterious and sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, guiding and directing believers in their spiritual journey.
The Wind of Change and Renewal: Ezekiel 37:9-10
In Ezekiel 37:9-10, the prophet Ezekiel prophesies over the dry bones, commanding the breath to enter them and bring them back to life. As the wind enters the bones, they come to life and stand on their feet, a symbol of God’s power to bring renewal and restoration to His people.
The Wind in Revelation
In Revelation, the wind is depicted as an agent of God’s judgment and purification. Revelation 7:1 describes four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree until the servants of God are sealed. Here, the winds symbolize impending judgment and the need for God’s protection over His people.
The Wind in Guidance and Provision: Psalm 104:4
In Psalm 104:4, the psalmist declares, “He makes the winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.” Here, the wind is portrayed as God’s messenger, carrying out His will and purpose in the world. Just as the wind is under God’s control, so too is the Holy Spirit, guiding and providing for His people.
The Wind as a Symbol of Change: Jeremiah 4:11-12
In Jeremiah 4:11-12, the prophet describes the wind as a harbinger of change and destruction: “At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, ‘A scorching wind from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse.'” The wind here represents God’s judgment and the consequences of disobedience.
God’s Breath of Life in Creation: Genesis 2:7
In Genesis 2:7, we witness the intimate act of creation as the Lord God forms humanity from the dust of the ground and breathes into their nostrils the breath of life. Here, the wind represents the life-giving presence of God’s Spirit, animating and bringing life to humanity.
The Wind of Divine Judgment: Exodus 14:21
During the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14:21, the Lord drives back the waters by a strong east wind, making way for the Israelites to escape from Pharaoh’s army. This east wind serves as an instrument of God’s judgment, demonstrating His power and authority over creation.
The Gentle Whisper of God’s Voice: 1 Kings 19:11-12
In 1 Kings 19:11-12, the prophet Elijah encounters the Lord on Mount Horeb. While he expects to hear God in the wind, earthquake, and fire, it is in the gentle whisper that Elijah recognizes the presence of God. This gentle wind signifies the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to the hearts of believers.
The Mighty Wind of Pentecost: Acts 2:2-4
On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:2-4, the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples with a sound like a mighty rushing wind, filling the entire house where they were gathered. This powerful wind represents the coming of the Holy Spirit, empowering believers and enabling them to speak in other tongues as a sign of God’s presence and power.
The Wind as Guide in the New Testament: John 3:8
In John 3:8, Jesus tells Nicodemus, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Here, the wind serves as a metaphor for the mysterious and sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, guiding and directing believers in their spiritual journey.
The Wind of Change and Renewal: Ezekiel 37:9-10
In Ezekiel 37:9-10, the prophet Ezekiel prophesies over the dry bones, commanding the breath to enter them and bring them back to life. As the wind enters the bones, they come to life and stand on their feet, a symbol of God’s power to bring renewal and restoration to His people.
The Wind in Revelation
In Revelation, the wind is depicted as an agent of God’s judgment and purification. Revelation 7:1 describes four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree until the servants of God are sealed. Here, the winds symbolize impending judgment and the need for God’s protection over His people.
The Wind in Guidance and Provision: Psalm 104:4
In Psalm 104:4, the psalmist declares, “He makes the winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.” Here, the wind is portrayed as God’s messenger, carrying out His will and purpose in the world. Just as the wind is under God’s control, so too is the Holy Spirit, guiding and providing for His people.
The Wind as a Symbol of Change: Jeremiah 4:11-12
In Jeremiah 4:11-12, the prophet describes the wind as a harbinger of change and destruction: “At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, ‘A scorching wind from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse.'” The wind here represents God’s judgment and the consequences of disobedience.
The wind, throughout Scripture, serves as a vivid symbol of the Holy Spirit’s movement and power in the world. From the breath of life in creation to moments of divine judgment, guidance, and renewal, the wind reminds us of God’s ever-present Spirit at work, bringing life, judgment, direction, and renewal to all who call upon His name. As we reflect on the wind’s role in Scripture, may we be reminded of the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in our lives today, guiding us, empowering us, and renewing us for His glory. I can’t tell you much more about the wind, except “I know the wind blows. B