Why Does the Wind Blow? – Calvary Baptist Church of Willard

This week has been very windy. Some winds blew hard enough to knock over a semi tractor and trailer, to topple a tree nearby, and to cause the Highway Department to tell us to stay off the roads. How bad were the winds? Earlier this week, winds were clocked at 85 mph in northern Ohio.¹ And, today, a weather advisory warned about “dangerous gusts reaching up to 55 mph.”² This has been the talk of Willard this week. But it also reminds us of several times where winds were mentioned in the Bible. Can you think of one of those times?

Wind in the Bible

Wind in Historical Events

Genesis 8:1 – God used wind to dry up the earth.
Exodus 14:21 – God used a wind to divide the Red Sea.
Numbers 11:31 – God used wind to provide quail for Israel.
1 Kings 18:45 – God used wind to end a drought for Elijah.
Jonah 1:4; 4:8 – God used wind to get Jonah’s attention.
Matthew 8:26-27 – God used wind to prove Jesus’ divinity.
Acts 27:4 – God used wind to hinder Paul’s sailing voyage.

Wind in Bible Teaching

Isaiah 64:6 – Our iniquities take us away like the wind.
John 3:8 – Jesus likened being born of the Spirit to the invisible wind.
Ephesians 4:14 – Christians should not be carried by every wind of doctrine.
James 1:6 – Christians should not doubt like a wind tossed wave.
What does it teach us?

God created the wind (Amos 4:13).

The wind seems so powerful during a storm. We hide in our basements and wonder when the storm will be over. But the Bible reminds us that even the wind is created by God. The same God who created the mountains also created the wind we have been experiencing. That truth should help us to realize what the next point says.

God is in control (Psa. 148:7-8).

In this psalm, all of creation is called upon by God to praise the Lord. But notice what the psalmist says about fire, hail, clouds, and stormy winds. All of them fulfill His word, meaning that they are completely under His direct control. Nothing happens without God. He is in control and can use them to do whatever He desires. He can also calm them immediately.

God wants us to be unmoved (Isa. 64:6; Eph. 4:14).

Isaiah pointed out the sad reality that our sins had taken the people away from the Lord. Their sins had caused them to dry up and become worthless. Sin does that when it is allowed to run rampant in our lives. God doesn’t want that to happen. Instead, every Christian is called to stand firm against temptation and the false teaching that ungodly people try to convince us is true. Instead of being blown about easily by these things, God wants us to be unmoved and firmly attached to the truths He has given us in the Bible.
How does it apply?

Trust in the Lord during heavy winds.

When there are high winds, tornados, or hurricanes, our natural reaction is fear. That fear can be good when it keeps us from going out in bad weather and in a safe place. But our fear should not rise to the place where we lose all hope in God. When you are fearful about the weather, remember that it is subservient to God. Just as Jesus calmed the winds on the sea, so God can control them and keep you safe. Trust in Him.

Stand firm during the winds of false doctrine.

When it comes to teaching, it seems that the only good wind is the Spirit of God. He works in our hearts and causes us to be born again by God’s great power. But there are also bad winds such as sinful temptation, false doctrine, and doubt. When these winds blow against us, be sure to be firmly anchored to the truths of God in the Bible. Otherwise, you may be blown away from the Lord into things that are very bad.

Conclusion

As we have seen, the wind is often mentioned in the Bible. God has often used the wind to accomplish His purposes on the earth. He has used it normally and miraculously. God has also used the wind to warn us about sin, ungodliness, and doubt. As you go back out into the wind, remember what we have learned from the Bible. Be careful as you drive but also remember to trust the Lord and to be strong for Him.

Footnotes