Either we're entering a phase where war, famine, disease,
and animal/Zombie attacks will kill 25% of the world’s population, or I am
wrong with my eschatological theories. There is no need to cite that the DOW isn’t
worth 8,000, let alone 18,000. Why should I remind you that the USA and Saudi
Arabia are pushing Putin the Bear toward war? You can read about Ebola and all
the other diseases, and you know about increasing food prices, and Zombie attacks,
so why should I scream like Chicken Little to you? Instead, if something needs
to be stated, I’ll know, and I’ll tell you…from a Hebraic point of view.
Like a cold shower, I can tell when a headline grabs
my attention. Over the years, I’ve discovered and catalogued all the prophetic signs that
offer you enough reasons to believe that God created us, He loves us, and that
Jesus is returning soon. Nothing else needs to be stated by me, and very little
has grabbed my attention lately. Until we see WWIII, famine, disease, and
Zombies, I will only blog when something needs to be stated.
In honor of Blog #300, I would like to present an
alternative view of what “Life” is.
In the beginning was the Word [Torah], and the Word
was with God. and the Word [Torah] was God. He was with God in the beginning. All
things came to be through him, and without him nothing made had being. In him
was life [what is life?], and the life was the light of mankind [what is life
and light?]. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not
suppressed it. There was a man sent from God whose name was Yochanan. He came to be a testimony, to bear witness
concerning the light; so that through him, everyone might put his trust in God
and be faithful to him. He himself was not that light; no, he came to bear
witness concerning the light. This was the true light, which gives light to
everyone entering the world. He was in the world — the world came to be through
him — yet the world did not know him.
He came to his own homeland, yet his own people did
not receive him. But to as many as did receive him, to those who put their
trust in his person and power, he gave the right to become children of God, not
because of bloodline, physical impulse or human intention, but because of God. The
Word [Torah] became a human being and lived with us, and we saw his Sh’khinah, the
Sh’khinah of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-14 (CJB)
So what kind of life and light was (is) in Jesus?
Spirit and Soul: by D. Thomas Lancaster
Then the LORD God formed man from the dust from the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a
living being. (Genesis 2:7)
God made Adam as a hybrid of spirit and flesh. Man
possesses two souls—a “divine” soul and an animal soul. 30 The divine soul is
that pre-existent aspect of the soul, the “breath” of God which He breathes
into human beings. It is a portion of His own essence, and it survives after
death.
The animal soul is the human life-force which animates
the flesh. The animal soul provides our mortal vitality, our sense of self and
sentience. The common word for soul is nephesh,
but nephesh is seldom used to refer
to the immortal, spiritual element of the divine soul. Instead, nephesh refers to a person’s psyche, the
“self” and the “personality.” The mystics describe the nephesh as a man’s thought, speech, and action. Even animals have a
nephesh. It’s inclination and appetites
are carnal, material, and selfish, its influence over man leads us to
selfishness, lust, greed, and sin. Despite this, the animal soul is not evil,
for it comes from God. The animal soul can be harnessed and brought under the
influence of the divine soul and into the service of God.
The Hebrew word for “breath” in Genesis 2:7 is neshamah. The same word is commonly used
in Judaism to refer to the divine soul. The neshamah
entered Adam as the “breath of life” God breathed into him.31 The divine soul
is the source of our innate thirst for God. The apostles refer to it as the “spirit”
(not to be confused with the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit). According to
apostolic theology, this spirit within man is dead until it is quickened by
salvation and brought to life and communion with the Holy Spirit.
To enter a human being, the neshamah must leave its abode in the heavens and inhabit an earthly
body. Then the nephesh (personality) and neshamah
(divine soul) bind together, but remain distinct. At death, perishes within the
body, but the neshamah returns to its
source: “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will
return to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
Both the nephesh and the neshamah are mentioned in Genesis 2:7:
Then the LORD God formed man from the dust from the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath [neshamah] of life; and man became a living being [nephesh]. (Genesis 2:7) See more at - “Torah Club Volume
5” p.15-16
It is my contention that God scoops up dust (adamah),
breathes neshamah into it to give us life (chi-ee) to become a living being
(nephesh); and then at some point in time we die, where the various jello-like components
separate until the resurrection. Humans seem to have a ruach (spirit), as opposed to God's Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh-both words are feminine), which is like a mantle that is offered, and may be taken back for certain reasons or seasons.
The word nephesh occurs 754 times in the Hebrew Bible. The first four times nephesh is used in the Bible, it is used exclusively to describe animals: Gen 1:20 (sea life), Gen 1:21 (great sea life), Gen 1:24 (land creatures), Gen 1:30 (birds and land creatures). At Gen 2:7 nephesh is used as description of man.
Job 12:7-10 offers a distinct similarity between רוח (ruah) and נפׁש (nephesh): “In His hand is the life (nephesh) of every living thing and the spirit (ruah) of every human being.” (Wikipedia)
Let's test my theory against the scriptures.
Life: Who can live and not see death? Who can save himself
[his nephesh] from the power of the grave? Psalm 89:48 (OJB)The word nephesh occurs 754 times in the Hebrew Bible. The first four times nephesh is used in the Bible, it is used exclusively to describe animals: Gen 1:20 (sea life), Gen 1:21 (great sea life), Gen 1:24 (land creatures), Gen 1:30 (birds and land creatures). At Gen 2:7 nephesh is used as description of man.
Job 12:7-10 offers a distinct similarity between רוח (ruah) and נפׁש (nephesh): “In His hand is the life (nephesh) of every living thing and the spirit (ruah) of every human being.” (Wikipedia)
Let's test my theory against the scriptures.
[Judah speaking:] Now therefore when I come to thy eved Avi, and the na’ar [Benjamin] be not with us; seeing that his nefesh [Judah’s soul] is bound up in the nefesh of the na’ar [Benjamin’s soul]; Genesis 44:30 (OJB) [Our souls may become intertwined with kids, spouses and pets; but our neshamah remains separate and intact.]
I said in mine lev [heart], As for bnei haAdam [sons
of Adam], HaElohim tests them, that they might see that they themselves are
like beheimah [animals]. For bnei haAdam and beheimah share one and same mikreh
(fortune); as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath
[ruach echad]; so that the adam hath no advantage above the beheimah; for all
is hevel [meaningless]. All go unto mekom echad; all are of the afahr (dust),
and all return to the afahr again. Who hath da’as of the ruach bnei haAdam that
goeth upward, and the ruach habeheimah that goeth downward to ha’aretz [see
12:7]? Ecclesiastes 3:18-21 (OJB)
My son, obey your father’s command [Torah], and don’t abandon
your mother’s teaching [Torah]. For the mitzvah [loving/living the Torah, which
is Jesus] is a lamp, Torah is light, and reproofs that discipline are the way
to life. Proverbs 6:20, 23 (CJB)
The neshamah of adam is the ner (light) of Hashem,
searching all the innermost beten [your second brain near your internal organs].
Proverbs 20:27 (OJB)
Death: The nephesh that sinneth, it shall die Ezekiel 18:20 (OJB) Or ever the silver cord be loosed [our DNA seems to be like a silver cord. Does it loosen when we die?], or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the bor (cistern). Then shall the aphar [dust] return to ha’aretz [earth] as it was; and the ruach shall return unto HaElohim who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 (OJB)
So Moses, servant of HASHEM, died there, in the land
of Moab, by the mouth of God [God kissed Moses to death by taking away his neshamah].
Deuteronomy 34:5 (Chumash: The Stone Edition)Death: The nephesh that sinneth, it shall die Ezekiel 18:20 (OJB) Or ever the silver cord be loosed [our DNA seems to be like a silver cord. Does it loosen when we die?], or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the bor (cistern). Then shall the aphar [dust] return to ha’aretz [earth] as it was; and the ruach shall return unto HaElohim who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 (OJB)
My final opinions: Life is the Revelation of God to the world, whereby some of the primordial light is [veiled] under the throne of glory for a time and a season until it is time to completely shine forth. Jesus is the Torah, which is a light veiled from Christianity. Likewise, the Torah is Jesus, which is a light veiled from Judaism. He was fully God and fully man. Humans and animals are not God. All we know about life is what has been described in the Bible. Life for humans is Jesus! And, as for animals…
As my wonderful dog Jack (he was the best ever!) died
just prior to dawn on Av 9, 2014, I prayed and God allowed me to watch light sparkles/particles
go up from him, and not down. Although the Bible isn’t definitive on where
deceased animals abide, I believe that I’ll see some form of Jack again someday.
Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard
everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvoth [commandments]; this is what being
human is all about. For God will bring to judgment everything we do, including
every secret, whether good or bad.
[Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard
everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all
about.] Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (CJB)
Shalom!
Excellent,Joel. Really loved this one and had,just relatively recent,came to identical conclusions regarding Yashua and Torah.Be blessed,many thanks.Shalom.
ReplyDeleteThe meaning of life, the universe, everything: forty-two!
ReplyDeleteAre you John Blackfords son? I graduated with Becky. Your dad was our pastor for twenty five yrs. Are you leading a Messianic congregation? If so where? I attended Seed of Abraham for 14 yrs, it is now Tree of Life in SLP, led by Rabbi Ed Rothman.
ReplyDeleteAre you John Blackfords son? I graduated with Becky. Your dad was our pastor for twenty five yrs. Are you leading a Messianic congregation? If so where? I attended Seed of Abraham for 14 yrs, it is now Tree of Life in SLP, led by Rabbi Ed Rothman.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am Rev. John Blackford's son. Yes, I'm a local St. Paul Messianic Pastor. My fellowship is Beth Chesed Sabbath Fellowship in St. Paul. Ask Simon DeLaPena about me.
ReplyDelete