God’s ruach, therefore, expresses the irresistible force, the all-powerful energy of God in the created order. He cannot be ‘tamed’ by men. Instead, through his ruach he is able to ‘tame’ or subdue all things to fulfil his own purpose. This almost violent dimension of the Spirit is vividly portrayed by Isaiah: ‘He will come like a pent-up flood that the breath [ruach] of the LORD drives along’ (Is. 59:19); ‘The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath [ruach] of the LORD blows on them’ (Is.
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