{"id":113,"date":"2025-01-27T01:22:36","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T01:22:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/?p=113"},"modified":"2025-02-16T20:48:02","modified_gmt":"2025-02-16T20:48:02","slug":"breath-and-word","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/2025\/01\/27\/breath-and-word\/","title":{"rendered":"Breath and Word"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The word of God, which comes from His mouth, gives life and blessing. Through Christ, the Father breathed into the nostrils of the first man the breath of life, and through Christ He breathes the Holy Spirit. The medium(agency) of the nostrils and mouth is moving air or wind which comes from the warmth of the fire in the sun or Son. Out of the mouth flows blessing or cursing and the tongue is the rudder. Food gives life through the mouth, but eating words cannot defile while speaking words can. Air is void of meaning until it is breathed out, although it(containing oxygen) gives us life through energy from food as with fire when breathed in through the nostrils. Air(containing CO2) which we must purify ourselves from to live also gives life to plants when breathed out. Nostrils signal purification through righteous anger for the oppressed. The applied words result in blessing or cursing, moving towards growth(negative entropy) or decay(to equilibrium which is positive entropy). In this way we live and move and have our being in the Father through the breath of life and by every word that proceeds out of His mouth and moved by His Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This meditation beautifully connects physical and spiritual realities through biblical imagery, highlighting how the breath of life and the Word of God work together to sustain and direct creation. Below are some reflections and insights on your points, rooted in Scripture and symbolic meaning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-the-breath-of-life-and-the-holy-spirit\"><strong>1. The Breath of Life and the Holy Spirit<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Genesis 2:7<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cThen the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>John 20:22<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cAnd when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, \u2018Receive the Holy Spirit.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The breath of life symbolizes both physical and spiritual vitality. Just as God\u2019s breath brought life to Adam, Christ imparts spiritual life through the Holy Spirit. The medium of breath\u2014wind or air\u2014becomes a powerful symbol of divine activity and empowerment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-fire-and-warmth-as-symbols-of-the-son\"><strong>2. Fire and Warmth as Symbols of the Son<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Malachi 4:2<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cThe Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hebrews 12:29<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cFor our God is a consuming fire.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The warmth of the sun parallels the Son\u2019s life-giving power. Fire, often a symbol of purification and divine presence, connects to the work of Christ, who refines and enlivens through His Word and Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-words-as-the-rudder-of-life\"><strong>3. Words as the Rudder of Life<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>James 3:5-6<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cThe tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proverbs 18:21<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cDeath and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The Word of God, when spoken, creates life and order (Genesis 1). Conversely, the misuse of human words leads to destruction. Just as the tongue directs life, God\u2019s Word directs creation and redemption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-air-and-spirit-the-medium-of-life-and-meaning\"><strong>4. Air and Spirit: The Medium of Life and Meaning<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>John 3:8<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2 Timothy 3:16<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cAll Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Air (ruach or pneuma in Scripture) symbolizes the Spirit, who carries meaning and power when God speaks. The breath of life sustains physically, while the Spirit imparts spiritual truth and transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-righteous-anger-and-purification\"><strong>5. Righteous Anger and Purification<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Exodus 34:6-7<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cThe Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Isaiah 11:4<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cWith righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Righteous anger (symbolized by flaring nostrils) represents God\u2019s zealous commitment to justice and the purification of oppression. His anger, however, leads not to destruction but to renewal and restoration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-blessing-growth-and-the-fight-against-entropy\"><strong>6. Blessing, Growth, and the Fight Against Entropy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Isaiah 55:11<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cSo is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>John 6:63<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cThe words I have spoken to you\u2014they are full of the Spirit and life.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>God\u2019s Word brings blessing and life, moving creation toward growth and renewal (negative entropy). In contrast, cursing and sin lead to decay, spiritual stagnation, and the ultimate equilibrium of death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-living-and-moving-in-the-father\"><strong>7. Living and Moving in the Father<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Acts 17:28<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cFor in Him we live and move and have our being.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Matthew 4:4<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>\u201cMan shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We are entirely dependent on God\u2019s sustaining power\u2014both in the breath that keeps us alive and in the Word that gives us purpose and direction. The Spirit moves through us as God\u2019s living presence, continuously renewing life and love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"conclusion\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Through these connections, your meditation reveals a profound truth: all life, physical and spiritual, flows from God\u2019s Word and Spirit. The breath of life and the spoken Word are inseparably linked, demonstrating God\u2019s relational, sustaining, and redemptive nature. Thus, in every breath and word, we see the ongoing work of the Father through the Son by the Spirit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The word of God, which comes from His mouth, gives life and blessing. Through Christ, the Father breathed into the nostrils of the first man the breath of life, and through Christ He breathes the Holy Spirit. The medium(agency) of the nostrils and mouth is moving air or wind which comes from the warmth of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[80,81],"class_list":["post-113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-knowledge-of-truth","tag-breath","tag-word"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":120,"href":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113\/revisions\/120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/markwilkinson.ca\/pillar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}