Connect Acts 2:2 with Old Testament instances of God's presence through wind. The Wind at Pentecost (Acts 2:2) “Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.” • The first tangible sign of the Holy Spirit’s arrival is wind—audible, irresistible, heaven-sent. • Luke’s wording echoes Old Testament scenes where wind marks God’s nearness and power. Re-visiting those moments deepens our grasp of what happened in that upper room. Ruach at Creation (Genesis 1:2) • “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” • Hebrew ruach means spirit, breath, or wind; from the opening lines of Scripture, divine wind signals God’s creative presence. • Pentecost mirrors creation: a fresh divine breath inaugurates the new creation in Christ. Deliverance at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21) • “All that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land.” • Wind becomes God’s tool of salvation, making a path where none existed. • At Pentecost, wind again announces deliverance—this time from sin and death through the gospel. Whirlwind on the Mountain (1 Kings 19:11-12) • “A great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD.” • Though God was “not in” that particular wind, Elijah learned that overwhelming power and gentle voice both accompany His presence. • Pentecost combines the two: a violent sound demands attention; the Spirit’s indwelling voice guides quietly within. Breath for Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37:9-14) • “Prophesy to the breath… ‘Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, so that they may live!’… ‘I will put My Spirit in you and you will live.’” • Wind/breath brings resurrection and covenant hope to lifeless Israel. • Acts 2 fulfills this promise—God’s people receive the very breath that raises the dead. The LORD Speaks from the Whirlwind (Job 38:1) • “Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind.” • Wind serves as God’s pulpit, commanding reverent attention. • Likewise, Pentecost wind introduces divine speech that follows—Spirit-inspired proclamation in every language. Psalms’ Sky-Riding God (Psalm 18:10; 104:3-4) • “He soared on the wings of the wind.” • “He makes the winds His messengers.” • The psalmists celebrate wind as God’s royal conveyance; at Pentecost He rides in again, this time to dwell permanently with His redeemed. Drawing the Lines Together • Creation: Wind births the universe (Genesis 1:2). • Exodus: Wind secures redemption (Exodus 14:21). • Prophets & Wisdom: Wind conveys voice, judgment, comfort (1 Kings 19; Job 38). • Restoration: Wind breathes new life (Ezekiel 37). • Worship: Wind heralds divine majesty (Psalm 18; 104). • Pentecost gathers every thread—creative, saving, life-giving, kingly—into the climactic arrival of the Holy Spirit. Life-Giving Wind Then and Now • The same Spirit who hovered at creation, parted seas, revived bones, and filled the disciples now indwells every believer (Romans 8:11). • His presence is as real and mighty as that first rushing wind—empowering witness, shaping holiness, and assuring us that God still moves with sovereign breath. |