What does Wind symbolize in the Bible (Biblical Symbolism and Significance)?

In our last Bible Study, we studied about the four winds in the Bible. I had the pleasure of being the teacher in that joint Bible study, and I felt compelled to go deeper into the meaning of Wind.

I guess it is because the Wind is so significant because it is compared to the Holy Spirit. As a Christian, you should understand the meaning of Wind because God can communicate through Wind, and most importantly, you can tell the Holy Spirit’s presence through the Wind.

So, what does wind symbolize in the bible?

So, join me as I write about the symbolism and significance of Wind in the Bible. I will also talk about the spiritual meaning of Wind and explain why the Wind is compared to the Holy Spirit.

Lastly, I will delve into the meaning of Wind in different cultures. Read on to find out more.

What does the Bible say about Wind?

The Bible says that Wind is like the Holy Spirit, invisible and only noticed through its effect. John 3:8 talks about the nature of the Wind that prevents us from detecting the direction from which it comes. The bible says, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

It chooses where to blow, and we can only hear the sound but can never tell its origin. In essence, the Wind is invisible, and the scripture compares the Wind to the Spirit; you cannot see the Spirit.

You will only notice the Spirit is near through the effect that you feel or the effects on the things and people around you. The Wind happens to have the same nature; you can notice it through sound and the effect it has on objects like leaves and how it can blow hair, among others.

Therefore both the Wind and Spirit are only noticed through the fruits—the results of their effects.

Bible verses about Wind

Acts 2:2, “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.”

The verse implies that the Holy Spirit was released from Heaven down into believers through a mighty wind. It is believed that it was a rushing wind with a lot of power but no definite shape and still invisible.

This verse supports the first verse, where the Wind is used to explain how the Holy Spirit works and moves.

1^st King 19:11, “And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.”

The verse talks about God’s presence through a mighty wind. Note that the Wind was not God, but the power of God was in the Wind. That is how it is often interpreted to mean that his presence was symbolized by the mighty Wind.

Ezekiel 13:11, “Say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out.”

The verse talks about the destruction of false prophets which is compared to how a mighty wind would smite them.

Matthew 8:26-27, “And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?””

The bible talks about the miracle that Jesus did; calming down the winds in the sea. This verse implies that Jesus Christ had power over nature, like the Wind.

Even though we experience storms in our lives and winds sweep us, throwing us back and forth, this verse could be a reminder that God can calm the winds in our lives.

What are the four winds in the Bible?

The four winds are suggested to be representing the four corners of Earth and Heaven; North, South, West, and East.

• The Northern Wind is often said to be the powerful Wind that always comes with lighting. This Wind is often thought to be useful for growth and expansion.
• The southern Wind is thought to be bringing peace, comfort, and healing.
• The Eastern Wind is suggested to be causing devastation, separation, and scorching.
• The Western Wind is often said to be responsible for chasing away the devourer.

Also, the book of Jeremiah 49:36 implies that the four winds represent the four quarters of Heaven. “Against Elam I will bring the four winds From the four quarters of heaven, And scatter them toward all those winds; There shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go.”

Some also suggest that the four winds could mean the four spirits of Heaven. It is often explained with the idea that Wind in Hebrew means Spirit.

Therefore, some Bible translations could refer to the Wind as Spirit. It is also often connected to the idea that the rushing Wind during the day of Pentecost could have been the four winds from Heaven.

It is believed that the four winds were carrying the tongues of fire that represented the Holy Spirit. Prophet Elisee Yao suggests that the four winds could have carried the Holy Spirit on their shoulders right from Heaven into the Earth.

Therefore it could mean that these four winds are spirits too.

Also, the prophet suggests that the four winds in Ezekiel 37:9 are spiritual forces that God fought through when He told Ezekiel to order the bones to breathe from the four winds.

The bones are said to have come to life according to the scripture. As Christians, we notice that when we call upon the four winds during warfare, we can conquer so many obstacles as it is implied that God works through the four winds—spirits.

Although most times when the four winds are mentioned in the Bible, they seem to be related to devastating events, the particular mention in the book of Revelation 7:1 is that of hope for the servants of God: “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree.”

The scripture talks about the angels who would stand at the four corners of the Earth to prevent the movement of the four winds.

These four winds would be held until the servants of the Lord are marked so that they do not face destruction from the winds.

3 symbolic meanings of Wind in the Bible

Wind could symbolize realignment

It is believed that the Wind could symbolize the realignment of us Christians to our purposes. In the book of Ezekiel 37:9, the four winds served a purpose in realigning the bones to their purpose; the bones came back to life.

In this similar manner, as Christians, we could pray to God to send us His anointing through the four winds during our spiritual warfare so that we can get realigned.

It is believed that the key purpose of the four winds is to rearrange and move things in Spirit.

It could symbolize God’s breath

Wind can symbolize the breath of God, which is the most powerful breath which could bring the dead back to life. Back to the bones that were brought back to life when Ezekiel had to call upon the four winds from Heaven—it is believed to have been God’s breath.

It could symbolize the presence of the Holy Spirit

The Wind could symbolize the presence of the Holy Spirit because of its similar attributes to the Holy Spirit. First, it is taught in Acts 2:2 that the Wind is invisible, just like the Spirit is invisible. “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and hit filled the entire house where they were sitting.”

In addition, during the day of Pentecost, it is believed that the Wind carried the Holy Spirit, who was in the form of tongues of fire. Therefore, Wind could let you know that the Holy Spirit is around.

Spiritual Meaning of Wind

Wind could mean change

The Wind is often associated with change that you could experience both physically and spiritually. It is connected to change because of the effect that Wind causes on the weather; it could cause rain or even scatter clouds.

Most important is how the wind changes from calm and enjoyable to strong and so mighty that it gets a little scary. In the same manner, your spirituality could be like the Wind that is currently calm, and you could grow stronger.

Wind could also mean there is the cleansing of inequities

In spirituality, when the Wind is blowing, it is often taken to mean that there is cleansing and forgiveness of sins happening. The way the Wind blows objects off its way could be compared to how your sins get blown out of the way of your spiritual growth.

Wind could also mean that there is an angel present

The Wind is often said to signal the presence of an angel, especially if it is a cool breeze. Spiritually, this could occur when you have been praying, and angels are sent to you.

Most spiritual people who meditate believe that their thoughts can attract the presence of angels, and they often notice that the angels are present through cool Wind.

It could mean that you are spiritually unpredictable

Wind could mean that as a spiritual person, you are barely predictable—your spiritual enemies cannot predict you.

Just like we cannot predict the direction of the Wind nor can we tell where it comes from exactly, so could be your spirituality. Here, the idea is that you be like the Wind, which is a defense mechanism.

It could mean that you have the freedom

Wind could mean that spiritually, you have been granted freedom to make decisions that fit you without fear. The Wind is believed to be choosing the direction that it blows, and it blows freely without hesitation.

It blows anytime and anywhere. This could be a reminder that you need to make decisions that help you without fear of intimidation.

It is suggested that when you experience freedom, you become less fearful, and you can explore your spirituality more and grow.

It could mean that you need to be patient

The Wind could have a spiritual meaning of patience that relies on the idea that everything will fall in place; in the same way, the Wind sometimes signals rain.

We are always patient as human beings; we let the wind blow, and then finally, the rain rains. In the same manner, spiritually, you need to be patient for you to experience the best things that should locate you.

Wind can also mean that there is a need for positivity

The Wind is often associated with a message from the spiritual world that tells you to start being positive. It is suggested that when hot Wind blows in your face, it could mean that you are filled with a lot of negativity.

The negative thoughts might have started getting into your spiritual space, and they could weaken you spiritually. Therefore when it blows, it reminds you that you need to start being positive so that you do not backslide spiritually.

It could mean that life is very important

Wind could mean that our souls need to be alive, and they only can be alive if we connect rightly with the spiritual realm. Without Wind, we can barely survive on this planet. It could represent the essence of life.

Why Is the Holy Spirit Compared to the Wind?

Jesus Himself compared the Holy Spirit to the Wind

Jesus compared the Holy Spirit to the Wind in the book of John 3:8. The scripture implies that the Spirit and the Wind can only be noticed through their effects.

Greek and Hebrew Translation

Also, the Greek name for Wind could mean Spirit or Breath. Also, in Hebrew, Wind could also mean Spirit.

Both are invisible

We cannot see the Holy Spirit, but we can feel his effect. This attribute is the same for the Wind, you cannot see the Wind, but you will see branches of the trees moving.

What is evil Wind in the Bible?

The evil Wind is believed to be the Wind that brings negativity, destruction, and hardship in life. Such kinds of winds are often said to be a result of sinning.

The book of Exodus 10:13-14 records an example of evil Wind according to some believers. There was an east wind that was brought to the land of Egypt.

The east wind brought locusts that caused destruction in Egypt. It is then suggested that we Christians should obey God’s commands so that we do not get a visit from the East Wind like Pharaoh.

What does strong Wind represent in dreams?

It could mean that you are about to experience a tough time in your life

When you dream of strong winds, it could mean that the next phase of your life could be negative and devastating.

It is often compared to how strong Wind would naturally cause destruction. However, the prophetic dream is not meant to scare you; it suggests that the strong Wind in the dream could still be telling you the importance of endurance.

It could be telling you that you should prepare to endure all the challenges because most challenges are always necessary for our growth as Christians.

Also, another interpretation could be the direction

When you dream about strong winds, it could be the spirit world trying to give you direction. For example, in real life, when you see the Wind blowing could either signal rain or the end of a rainy season.

In this sense, I have judged that there will be rain or no rain simply because I have seen strong Wind. With this judgement, I could decide what to do, either grow crops or harvest, among others.

Similarly, when you see strong Wind in dreams, the spirit world could be giving you directions on what to do. It is suggested that you pay keen attention to the direction of the Wind and other aspects of the dream to understand the message of direction.

What does it mean when you keep dreaming about Wind?

When you keep dreaming about Wind, it could be the Spirit world trying to put emphasis on the message in the dream. If the message is about change, then the Spirit world could be trying to keep you aware and woke so that you prepare.

It could be that you are ignoring the message that is about enduring the upcoming challenges in your life. All in all, it is always an emphasis on the message.

What does Wind represent in other cultures and literature?

Egyptian Culture

Wind in ancient Egyptian Culture meant so much because each direction of the Wind was believed to represent a god. Amun was considered the god all Wind.

Therefore to many Egyptians, Wind was used for spiritual communications with their gods.

Greek culture

In Greek culture, the Wind is used to represent twelve gods. The head god of the Wind was Aeolus. There were both gods and goddesses.

Japanese culture

In Japanese culture, Wind also represented a god, not gods. The god of Wind was Fujin.