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| Q14: Are Ellen White writings inspired with the Hebrew word "ruwach"?
(25) : "Ruwach" :"Holy Spirit". Hypothesis: Does Ellen White understand "Ruwach" according to Ancient Hebrew ?
Introduction: What does the Holy Spirit reveal through the messages of Ellen White, assuming her work is inspired? Is the Holy Spirit an independent Being of personality, a third co-eternal Member of GOD? There are many questions about the "ruwach" which most scholars translate as "wind" in the context, rather than "Holy Spirit wind", so do Ellen White messages also do this ? If her messages did do this, this website study would conclude her writings are not inspired. What about acknowledging the Hebrew word "ruwach" is "feminine case" ? What does the Ellen White messages say about this ?
There is a Bible text that says the form or substance of the Father is the same as the Holy Spirit.
Joh 5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
Lu 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape.
like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
Thus the Father and the Holy Spirit have a form like light, solid and manifested. Jesus in heaven takes on divinty encapsulated with humanity, and thus a different external shape to His heavenly parents. Mankind was made just under the Elohim, but above the angels. This makes those who come to Jesus, a Father in the sense He is the head of the human family who choose to be saved, and become children of the Most High, the heavenly Father.
Ps 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the "Elohim", and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Ps 82:6 � I have said, Ye are "Elohim"; and all of you are children of the most High (Father).
Now let's look how Jeff Benner sees "Ruwach"
The Ancient Hebrew reads "Head secure outside"
Notice the similar picture of the Father "tsuwr" Rock "The travelling secure head" to the work of the Holy Spirit as the "Head secure outside", also travels as a wind but on paths or patterns over the earth "The Strong Head travels" which is also a simile for the Father, since it is comprised mostly of flint bedrock.
While Jeff Benner and other scholars might see "ruwach" as "ordinary wind" and "holy wind" depending upon its context, what is clear from the "ruwach" study is the "wind" is never "ordinary wind" this "wind" is "created" and "administrated by the Holy Spirit" in every context the term is found. See the detailed study of
Ruwach , showing every context in the OT and NT.
Let's now test the messages of Ellen White regarding the "Ruwach" and if her messages show Ancient Hebrew thought.
{1BC 1081.7} The Lord created man out of the dust of the earth. He made Adam a partaker of His life, His nature. There was breathed into him the breath of the Almighty, and he became a living soul. Adam was perfect in form--strong, comely, pure, bearing the image of his Maker (MS 102, 1903).
We have seen already, the breath of life is administrated by the Holy Spirit which is a power from GOD. We have seen references that the Almighty is also the Holy Spirit. Can these two words be reconciled ?
Job 33:4 The Spirit (ruwach)of God (al) hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty (shadday) hath given me life.
This verse equates both functions coming from the same co-eternal Being.
The wondrous works of God ( Elohim reference) are a mystery to man. The spirit, the character of man, is returned to God ( Elohim reference), there to be preserved. In the resurrection every man will have his own character. God in His own time will call forth the dead, giving again the breath of life, and bidding the dry bones live. {Hvn 40.1}
The breath of life must vivify the bodies, that they may stand upright, and spring into activity. These bones represent the house of Israel, the church of God, and the hope of the church is the vivifying influence of the Holy Spirit. The Lord must breathe upon the dry bones, that they may live. {4BC 1165.6}
These examples show the Holy Spirit is the adminsitrator of the breath of life , the MEIDUM through which the power of the Father flows.
Let's now test the messages of Ellen White regarding the "Ruwach" as the MEDIUM through which ongoing life flows, the breath of salvation.
Note the context of the verses:-
Joh 5:20 For the Father loveth "femaleness-love" the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
While the Father and the Son quicken those with the ongoing breath of salvation, notice who the administrator of the breath of salvation is:-
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me (ongoing)life.
Notice the Holy Spirit as a medium or administrator of the power of salvation is not mentioend in the presence of the Father or Son, and that is how Hebrew works when a Family is written. In the presence of maleness-love and femaleness-love, only the maleness-love is written, but this DOES NOT assume the femaleness-love is NOT present.
Consider the word "eloah" is a masculine noun singular in Hebrew. When written as "elohim" the word is now a masculine noun plural, in the Hebrew feminine case.
Thus when the term "Elohim" is written the term refers to masculine noun singular AND feminine noun singular, but this is never recorded, it is assumed, because that is how FAMILY is in Hebrew, the TWO become ONE.
Now let's see how the messages of Ellen White are recorded by the Holy Spirit, showing that her messages are inspired:-
It is the truth as it is in Jesus that quickens the conscience and transforms the mind; for it is accompanied to the heart by the holy Spirit. There are many, who, lacking spiritual discernment, take the bare letter of the word, and find that unaccompanied by the Spirit of God, it quickens not the soul, it sanctifies not the heart. One may be able to quote from the Old and the New Testament, may be familiar with the commands and promises of the word of God; but unless the holy Spirit sends the truth home to the heart, enlightening the mind with divine light, no soul falls upon the Rock and is broken; for it is the divine agency that connects the soul with God. {1888 1075.1}
DA.805.002 "And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." The Holy Spirit was not yet fully manifested; for Christ had not yet been glorified. The more abundant impartation of the Spirit did not take place till after Christ's ascension. Not until this was received could the disciples fulfill the commission to preach the gospel to the world. But the Spirit was now given for a special purpose. Before the disciples could fulfill their official duties in connection with the church, Christ breathed His Spirit upon them. He was committing to them a most sacred trust, and He desired to impress them with the fact that without the Holy Spirit this work could not be accomplished.
RH.1899-06-13.006 The Holy Spirit is the breath of life in the soul. The breathing of Christ upon his disciples was the breath of true spiritual life.
There is perfect agreement the Holy Spirit is the medium and adminsitrator for the breath of salvation from the Father and the Son unto mankind, from the messages of Ellen White, proving her messages are inspired and followed Ancient Hebrew exactly.
Not let's test if the Hebrew word "ruwach" or it's Greek equivalent "pneuma", means "Holy Spirit" in every context.
The Holy Spirit witnessed with your spirit. The power of God in answer to prayer came upon you; but Satan came with temptations, and you did not close the door upon him.{4T 83.3}
Notice the ways the "your spirit" is explained. The Holy Spirit administrates "your spirit" or "your character" or "your wind" carefully controlling which powers flow into your soul, GOD or Satan.
4T.585.003 The Son of God (Elohim reference) compared the operations of the Holy Spirit to the wind, which "bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth."
The Holy Spirit is a simile of wind.
5T.243.002 ..to "walk in the Spirit." They must by constant prayer seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which would lead them to love and unity.
Ga 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
The word "ruwach" refers to "Holy Ruwach".
He did not refer merely to miracle working, but to all that would take place under the agency of the Holy Spirit. "When the Comforter is come," He said, "whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning." John 15:26, 27. {AA 22.1}
Joh 15:26 � But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
The word "ruwach" refers to "Holy Ruwach".
The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Thus the Spirit is represented in the prophecy of Zechariah. "The angel that talked with me came again," he says, "and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, and said unto me, What seest thou? Zechariah 4:1-14. {COL 406.3}
Zec 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
The word "ruwach" refers to "Holy Ruwach".
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation," the apostle Paul writes, "through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth," 2 Thessalonians 2:13. In this text the two agencies in the work of salvation are revealed--the divine influence, and the strong, living faith of those who follow Christ. It is through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth that we become laborers together with God. Christ waits for the co-operation of His church. He does not design to add a new element of efficiency to His word; He has done His great work in giving His inspiration to the word. The blood of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the divine word, are ours.
2Th 2:13 � But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
The word "ruwach" refers to "Holy Ruwach".
At the baptism the Holy Spirit had descended on Christ, and God's voice had said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." But the Pharisees heard not the voice; they saw not the Spirit of God as a dove hovering over the Saviour. "Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape," Christ declared. {RH, March 26, 1901 par. 6}
Joh 1:32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
The word "ruwach" refers to "Holy Ruwach".
"When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth." John 16:13. Only by the aid of that Spirit who in the beginning "was brooding upon the face of the waters;" of that Word by whom "all things were made;" of that "true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world," can the testimony of science be rightly interpreted. Only by their guidance can its deepest truths be discerned. {Ed 134.4}
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
These examples show that the Hebrew word "ruwach" refers to "Holy Ruwach", in every context.
There are many references to an "evil spirit". What does this mean?
{AA 212.3} For some time the apostles endured this opposition; then under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost Paul commanded the evil spirit to leave the woman. Her immediate silence testified that the apostles were the servants of God and that the demon had acknowledged them to be such and had obeyed their command. {AA 212.4}
{DA 428.3} Again the Prince of life and the prince of the powers of darkness had met on the field of battle,--Christ in fulfillment of His mission to "preach deliverance to the captives, . . . to set at liberty them that are bruised" (Luke 4:18), Satan seeking to hold his victim under his control. Angels of light and the hosts of evil angels, unseen, were pressing near to behold the conflict. For a moment, Jesus permitted the evil spirit to display his power, that the beholders might comprehend the deliverance about to be wrought. {DA 428.4}
These examples show that the "evil spirits" are Satan's angels or Satan himself who empowers a "wind of dysfunction".
How does Ellen White describe the Holy Spirit as a personal Being?
The eternal Godhead--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost --is involved in the action required to make assurance to the human agent, . . . confederating the heavenly powers with the human that man may become, through heavenly efficiency, partakers of the divine nature and workers together with Christ. {UL 148.4}
On that occasion we pledged ourselves, in the presence of the three great heavenly Powers, to come out from the world and be separate. {18MR 104.1}
When we have accepted Christ, and in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit have pledged ourselves to serve God, the Father, Christ, and the Holy Spirit --the three dignitaries and powers of heaven --pledge themselves that every facility shall be given to us if we carry out our baptismal vows to "come out from among them, and be . . . separate, . . . and touch not the unclean thing." When we are true to our vows, He says, "I will receive you" (MS 85, 1901). {6BC 1075.8}
the Holy Spirit. This Gift could not be excelled. . . . {CTr 301.4}
We need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds.--Manuscript 66, 1899. (From a talk to the students at the Avondale School.) {Ev 616.5}
{Ev 616.6}
The Holy Spirit has a personality , else He could not bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of God. He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God. "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. "--Manuscript 20, 1906. {Ev 617.1}
The prince of the power of evil can only be held in check by the power of God in the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit. --Special Testimonies, Series A, No. 10, p. 37. (1897) {Ev 617.2}
We are to co-operate with the three highest powers in heaven,--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, --and these powers will work through us, making us workers together with God.--Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, p. 51. (1905) {Ev 617.3}
These examples show the Holy Spirit is a personal Being, the third co-eternal Member of the FAMILY of GOD.
How does Ellen White describe the Holy Spirit as an expression of love?
We know the word "Ruwach" is feminine in grammatical case, but this does not reference sexual gender. There are no Bible references to the gender of the Father, the Son or the Holy Spirit. This study will not prove this. Since Jesus says there is no giving in marriage in heaven, thus no means of pro-creating, the concept of sexual functions, thus cease to exist.
However the use of the pronoun "his" or "her" helps to relate the concept of "femaleness-love" which is a personality quality, that is retained in heaven, so one can look and feel like a gender female without actually being one biologically. After all, we see things darkly, and earthly pictures are similes of the heavenly pictures.
The problem for the New Testament translated into Greek, is the Greek word "pneuma" is "masculine" and thus it can be translated with the pronoun "he" rather than for the Hebrew word "ruwach" as "she".
Does the Holy Spirit convey these messages in her writings?
AA.051.003 It is not essential for us to be able to define just what the Holy Spirit is.
AA.052.001 The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them. Men having fanciful views may bring together passages of Scripture and put a human construction on them, but the acceptance of these views will not strengthen the church. Regarding such mysteries, which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden.
When this message was written, the Science of mediums, DNA and Ancient Hebrew was unknown. Knowledge has increased since, and only now can we begin to unravel some more light revealed to us in the end of time.
Here is an actual sample of Ellen White's handwriting of a passage that reads "The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of God." Manuscript 20, 1906. {Ev 617.1}
What we do with the pronoun "he"? One could say Ellen White was not shown all the truth on the subject, or the Author's theory of faith is wrong, or
some other conclusion requires a different direction?
Joe 2:28 � And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
So knowlege shall increase, but for now let's see what was revealed in Ellen White's day.
8T.172.001 The Lord has placed you in the position that you occupy, not because you are infallible but because He desires to guide your mind by His Holy Spirit. He desires you to impart to those with whom you come in contact a knowledge of present truth.
How can Jesus have "His Holy Spirit", what does this mean?
HL.305.002 1228. God (Elohim reference) desires that we shall have a care, a regard, and an appreciation for our bodies,--the temple of the Holy Spirit. He desires that the body shall be kept in the most healthy condition possible, and under the most spiritual influence, that the talents he has given us may be used to render perfect service to him.-- U. T., Sept. 27, 1896
How can Elohiym have "His Holy Spirit", what does this mean? This is especially true when Elohim is plural and singular, and written as "He" rather than "they"?
RH.1893-04-25.003 Concerning the advent of the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." Now read carefully, that you may discern what is the work of the Holy Spirit. "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believed not on me. "
How can Jesus send the promised Comforter and "He", will help sinners, what does this mean?
Now one could say Ellen White made a mistake quoting the mistakes of King James translation, but is there other secret messages hidden in Scripture and her messages, we have not noticed before ?
Isa 63:8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he (Son-Yahweh) was their Saviour.
This verse makes a profound clue to how the Holy Spirit operates as a MEDIUM through which Son-Yahweh flows, even suggesting the Holy Spirit has the personality character of femaleness-love. Yet in the Medium context this love is written as "His love" for "His people" but clearly it is a communication channel of FAMILY effort from GOD. Notice the Holy Spirit is written as an "Angel of His Presence" or an "Angel of His Mercy".
Notice these messages in Ellen White:-
A terrible contest is before us. We are nearing the battle of the great day of God Almighty "Shadday" . That which has been held in control is to be let loose. The angel of mercy is folding its wings, preparing to step down from the golden throne and leave the world to the control of Satan, the king they have chosen, a murderer and a destroyer from the beginning. {CTr 369.3}
The Father and the Shadday seen here as a heavenly parents, finally reach the end of their tether, and allow Satan full sway over His kingdom, and the "angel of mercy" is a simile of the Shadday(Holy Spirit) to withdraw the administration of function and dysfunction.
The angel of mercy was then folding her wings to step down from the golden throne to give place to justice and swift-coming judgment. But Christ's great heart of love still pleaded for Jerusalem, that had scorned His mercies, despised His warnings, and was about to imbrue her hands in His blood. {DA 577.3}
Yet again the Spirit of God speaks to Jerusalem. Before the day is done, another testimony is borne to Christ.
Here the Ellen White messages parallel the "angel of mercy" with the "Holy Spirit". Notice the "angel of mercy" is referenced with "her" wings, showing "femaleness-love personality".
The world is soon to be left by the angel of mercy and the seven last plagues are to be poured out. . . . The bolts of God's wrath are soon to fall, and when He shall begin to punish the transgressors there will be no period of respite until the end.--TM 182 (1894). {LDE 238.2}
If the Holy Spirit adminsitrates the function and dusfunction of the world, than it is appropriate the "angel of mercy" is the 'final symbolic picture of the work of the Holy Spirit doing God's strange act'.
When the angel of mercy folds her wings and departs Satan will do the evil deeds he has long wished to do. Storm and tempest, war and bloodshed--in these things he delights, and thus he gathers in his harvest. And so completely will men be deceived by him that they will declare that these calamities are the result of the desecration of the first day of the week. From the pulpits of the popular churches will be heard the statement that the world is being punished because Sunday is not honored as it should be.--RH Sept. 17, 1901. {LDE 256.3}
Sunday Sabbath is a system of worshipping and earthly father-god, rather than the heavenly Father and His day of worship. Notice this text predicting the rise of a false father god on earth in the last days...
Hab 1:5 � Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days (the end of time), which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
Thus in the end of time there will be two father-gods, one on the earth claiming Sunday Sabbath as a mark of His Strong Authority; and one Father in heaven claiming the Saturday Sabbath as a mark of His Strong Authority.
As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. Luke 17:26. I was shown that a terrible condition of things exists in our world. The angel of mercy is folding her wings, ready to depart. . . . The law of God is made void. We see and hear of confusion and perplexity, want and famine, earthquakes and floods; terrible outrages will be committed by men; passion, not reason, bears sway. {Mar 137.1}
Terrible times are coming !
As the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that the limit of God's forbearance is reached, that the measure of our nation's iniquity is full, and that the angel of mercy is about to take her flight, never to return. The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress which prophets have described as the time of Jacob's trouble.
{ML 334.4} When before kings and dignitaries of the earth, who held his life in their hands, he quailed not; for he had given his life to God . . . . Grace, like an angel of mercy, makes his voice heard sweet and clear, repeating the story of the cross, the matchless love of Jesus.
The work of the Holy Spirit is a medium, representing and empowering the FAMILY POWERS of GOD, and thus is an agency of the heavenly powers. As shown in Isa 63:8, in the presence of Hebrew families of maleness-love and femaleness-love, the maleness-love is written and recorded, but this does not assume only maleness-love took part in services. For example "eloah" is a Hebrew word meaning the heaven Father in spiritual contexts, and is in grammar a masculine singular noun. The Hebrew word "Elohim" is a plural concept, but written always as a singular noun, even though the grammar of the word is feminine.
As a final balance to this study, here is a passage written by Jeff A Benner in Sep 2004, who has a theory of faith very different to my own:-
Q: How did the Hebrews view God's Gender and why?
A: In English we use masculine (he), feminine (she) and neuter (it). But, in Hebrew all things are either masculine or feminine, there is no neuter. So, we may say "it is a tree" in Hebrew it would be "hu ets" (he is a tree). All things in Hebrew are either masculine or feminine. God is neither male nor female but he is both. This may sound contradictory but the Hebrew mind often seems contradictory from our perspective of western thought.
In Genesis it states that God created both male and female in his image, I do not believe this is speaking in physical terms but in character. The male received half of God's character while the female received the other half, hence marriage is the bringing of the two together to make a whole. Since God has the character or quality of both male and female it is grammatically mandated that it be identified in the masculine form for the following reason.
The Hebrew word for boy is yeled, the Hebrew word for boys is yelediym. The Hebrew word for girl is yal'dah and the Hebrew word for girls is yeledot. But if the group of children is boys and girls you always use the masculine form yelediym. The masculine form always takes over if the group is of both masculine and feminine. Source Link
Conclusion: It would be a sad world indeed if people were not allowed to have differences in their theories of faith, and as long as you showed some evidence for them, we all press together and love the Lord Jesus, despite our differences. Your welcome my friend, to your theory of faith, as long as it makes sense to you.
The Author concludes with his own theory of faith: the Holy Spirit is a third Strong Authority of heaven, along with the Father and the Son, they are a single Family of Strong powers. The Holy Spirit expresses femaleness-love mostly while the Father expresses maleness-love mostly, these qualities are distinct personalities of love. The Bible pictures heavenly and spiritual things are similes of the earthly, and how exact these representations are of heavenly matters, is not known by humans on earth, nor are exact revelations useful for our humility or meekness before GOD, for we must remain lowly servants of His love and not rise in self exaltation.
LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Shalom
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Strong's 7307 "ruwach"
Tsuwr
Ruwach
