97. A further reason why life is described as breathing and breath is that members of the Most Ancient Church perceived states of love and faith by means of states of breathing, which states changed step by step in their descendants. To say anything as yet about that type of breathing is not possible since it is completely hidden from men at the present day. The most ancient people were well acquainted with it, and so are people in the next life; but nobody on earth up to now has been acquainted with it. This is why people used to liken the spirit or life to the wind, including the Lord when talking about man's regeneration, in John,

The spirit (or wind) blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone who has been begotten of the spirit. John 3:8.

Similarly in David,

By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all their host by the spirit (or wind) of His mouth. Psalms 33:6.

And in the same author,

You gatherest up their spirit, they breathe their last and return to their dust. You send forth Your spirit, they are created, and You renewest the face ¹ of the ground. Psalms 104:29-30.

That 'breath' stands for the life inherent in faith and love is clear in Job,

It is the spirit in a man, and the breath of Shaddai ² makes them understand. Job 32:8.

Also in the same book,

The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of Shaddai ² has given me life. Job 33:4.

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