Participants: Pr. Stephen Bohr
Series Code: SOD
Program Code: SOD000007
|
00:01 If a man dies, shall he live again?
00:07 What does it mean to be absent from the body 00:10 and present with the Lord? 00:13 Did Jesus go with a thief to paradise on Good Friday? 00:19 Did the souls of dead people 00:21 really cry out from below the altar? 00:25 Pastor Bohr answers these questions 00:27 and more in the amazing series. 00:35 Shall we bow our heads for prayer? 00:38 Father in Heaven, 00:40 we come before You today with a humble heart 00:46 knowing that in our own wisdom 00:49 we can never understand Your word 00:52 and therefore we ask that 00:54 through the presence of Your Holy Spirit, 00:56 You will give us divine wisdom. 00:59 Help us Father to understand what we are studying today. 01:03 And especially I ask that you will remove 01:06 any preconceived ideas that we might have. 01:10 So that we might hear the voice of Your Holy Spirit 01:14 unimpeded by human wisdom. 01:17 We thank You Father for hearing and answering our prayer, 01:20 for we ask it in the precious name of Jesus. 01:24 Amen. 01:27 The title of our study for today is Rachel's Departing Soul. 01:33 And basically what we are going to do 01:35 is study the biblical concept of the State of the Dead. 01:41 I like to begin by reading a verse 01:43 that we find in Genesis 35:18, 01:49 Genesis 35: 18, it's talking about Rachel. 01:54 She was about to bring into the world her second son, 01:58 his name would be Benjamin 02:00 and as she was going through child birth 02:03 the Bible tells us that she died. 02:06 I want you to notice how this is picked up in Genesis 35:18. 02:12 "And so it was, as her soul was departing 02:19 and (for she died), 02:23 that she called his name Ben-oni, 02:26 but his father called him Benjamin." 02:31 This verse has been used to try 02:33 and prove that the soul survives in a conscious way after death. 02:38 After all doesn't it say that as her soul was departing, 02:42 many Christians assume that 02:44 this means that her immortal conscious soul 02:47 left the body and went to heaven at the moment of death? 02:52 But that's not what the text says. 02:55 What does the Bible have to say about the State of the Dead? 03:01 Well, in order to understand this topic, 03:03 we need to go back to the place 03:06 where the creation of man is described. 03:09 So go with me to Genesis 2:7, Genesis 2:7. 03:15 Here God is describing through His writer Moses 03:21 the creation of Adam at the very beginning. 03:25 It says here "And the Lord God 03:28 formed man of the dust of the ground." 03:32 So man's physical nature is composed of what? 03:36 Dust and then it says, 03:39 "And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." 03:45 Two elements, body of clay or of dust, 03:52 breathe of life is equal to what, 03:56 notice the last part of the verse. 03:58 It says "And man became a living being." 04:04 Or as the King James says, "Man became a living Soul." 04:10 Now I want you to notice here 04:12 that we are not told that man was given a soul 04:18 nor are we told that man has a soul. 04:23 This text very clearly says that man is a soul, 04:29 man became a living being or a living soul, 04:34 a Nephesh if you please in Hebrew. 04:38 So you will notice that a soul is composed of two things, 04:43 the body of dust 04:45 and the breath of life that God gave that body. 04:52 In other words man is composed of two elements. 04:56 Now let's talk very briefly 04:58 about the physical nature of man. 05:01 Go with me to Isaiah 64:8, Isaiah 64:8. 05:07 Here the physical nature of man is described that is his body. 05:13 There is not much debate in the Christian world 05:15 about the body of man. 05:17 Everyone knows that the body is composed 05:19 of clay or composed of dust. 05:22 Isaiah 64:8 reads like this 05:27 "But now, O Lord, you are our Father, 05:32 We are the clay, and You our potter, 05:38 And all we are the work of Your hand." 05:42 So notice we are the clay and God formed us out of clay, 05:46 He formed us out of dust 05:50 and as a result we have our physical nature today. 05:55 God work like a potter 05:58 like I was mentioning there is no debate in the Christian world 06:00 about the physical nature of man. 06:02 All are agreed that man has a body 06:05 and it's composed of material substance. 06:10 Where the problem comes in 06:13 is when we talk about the spirit 06:15 and we talk about the soul. 06:17 So let's take a look 06:18 at what the Bible has to say about the spirit. 06:21 What is the spirit? 06:25 Before we read several verses that describe the spirit, 06:29 it's necessary for me to mention 06:32 that the word spirit in the Old Testament 06:35 actually has two separate Hebrew words. 06:41 One is the Hebrew word Ruach 06:45 that word is generally translated spirit. 06:49 There is another Hebrew word 06:51 which is very close to be in synonymous 06:53 and that word is Neshamah, 06:58 so we have two Hebrew words 07:01 that express the life principle that the body has. 07:05 You have the word Ruach and you have the word Neshamah. 07:10 Now Neshamah is usually translated breath 07:13 and like I mentioned the word Ruach 07:17 is usually translated spirit. 07:20 Another thing that I need to underline 07:22 before we read any verses from the Old Testament 07:25 about what the spirit is-- 07:27 is the fact that Hebrew poetry 07:30 is based on the principle of parallelism. 07:34 In Hebrew poetry you have 07:35 what is called synonymous parallelism. 07:38 That's where the first line is repeated in a second line 07:43 the same thought, but in different words. 07:46 And this is the main principle of parallelism 07:50 that we need to keep in mind as we study the State of the Dead, 07:53 particularly in the Old Testament. 07:55 Now there are two other types of parallelism 07:57 that I am not going to get into. 07:59 One of them is antithetic parallelism 08:02 where what is said in the first line, 08:04 the opposite is said in the second line. 08:06 And then you have synthetic parallelism 08:08 which is where the thought is completed in the second line 08:12 of what was said in the first line, 08:14 but what concerns us here is not primarily 08:17 antithetical and synthetic parallelism 08:20 it is synonymous parallelism. 08:22 Remember, the first line is repeated in the second line, 08:25 the same thought but in different words. 08:28 Now what is according to the Bible the spirit? 08:34 Basically we are going to find in our study 08:37 that the word spirit as it's used 08:39 in the Old Testament and the New 08:41 refers to the vital force that allows the body to function. 08:47 Basically it means the energizing force 08:50 or the electrical current that gives the body 08:54 the necessary vitality so that it can function. 08:59 In other words, it's the electricity 09:02 that helps your heart to pump, your lungs to breathe, 09:06 your nervous system to function etcetera. 09:11 Now let's notice several verses from the Old Testament 09:14 that used the words Ruach which is translated spirit 09:20 and Neshamah which is translated usually breath. 09:24 Go with me to Job 33:4, Job 33:4 09:31 it says here and notice the synonymous parallelism, 09:35 the spirit that is the Ruach. 09:37 "The Spirit of God has made me." 09:42 And now notice how the second line 09:43 repeats the same thought but in different words. 09:46 "And the breath of the Almighty gives me life." 09:50 Do you see the synonymous parallelism? 09:53 In other words, it's the same thing 09:54 to say the Spirit of God has made me 09:57 as to say the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 10:01 Made me and give me life are parallel 10:05 and spirit and breath are parallel. 10:08 By the way the word breath here is the Hebrew word Neshamah. 10:12 This shows that Ruach and Neshamah are parallel terms, 10:18 because they are placed in synonymous parallelism. 10:21 Go with me to Job 27:3, Job 27:3. 10:27 Once again the synonymous parallelism 10:30 becomes very obvious. 10:32 It says, "As long as my breath is in me," 10:37 that's the word Neshamah. 10:39 "As long as my breath is in me, And the breath--" 10:43 that's Ruach by the way, 10:45 "And the breath of God is in my nostrils." 10:48 So it's the same thing to say breath is in me 10:51 as to say the breath of God is my nostrils. 10:54 Now you will notice here that the Ruach is found where? 10:59 In the nostrils. 11:01 By the way also there are 11:02 several text in the Old Testament 11:04 that say that the Neshamah is in the nostrils. 11:07 That shows that these words are interchangeable. 11:10 Now what do you use your nostrils for? 11:14 Hopefully not to bud into everybody else's business. 11:17 We use our nostrils to what? 11:20 To breathe. 11:21 In other words Ruach and Neshamah 11:24 refer to the energizing principle of a body. 11:28 Now notice Isaiah 42:5, Isaiah42:5. 11:35 Once again you will see the synonymous parallelism. 11:39 "Thus says God the Lord, 11:42 Who created the heavens and stretched them out, 11:45 Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it." 11:49 Now notice the parallel. 11:51 "Who gives breath that's Neshamah, 11:53 Who gives breath to the people on it, 11:56 And spirit Ruach to those who walk on it". 12:00 Do you see the parallel there? 12:02 It's the same to say gives breath to the people on it 12:05 as it is to say gives spirit to those who walk on it. 12:10 Once again Ruach and Neshamah are used interchangeably. 12:15 Incidentally did you know that animals and humans 12:21 both have Ruach and Neshamah. 12:25 In other words the energizing force 12:27 is the same energizing force 12:30 with animals as it is with human beings? 12:33 Let's read a passage about that 12:34 and then I will explain what I mean, 12:37 Ecclesiastes 3:19-21, 12:41 Ecclesiastes 3:19-21. 12:46 Here the wise man Solomon is saying, 12:50 "For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals, 12:54 one thing befalls them, as one dies, so dies the other. 13:01 Surely, they all have one breath, 13:05 that's the word Neshamah, they all have one breath, 13:09 man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. 13:15 All go to one place, all are from the dust, 13:19 and all return to dust." 13:23 And then he asks this rhetorical question. 13:25 Who knows the spirit, that's the word Ruach, 13:30 "Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, 13:33 which goes upward, and the spirit, 13:36 that is Ruach of the animal, which goes down to the earth? 13:40 In other words he says how do you know 13:43 that the spirit of man goes up when he dies 13:45 and the spirit of the animal goes down. 13:47 He says the spirit of both goes to the same place. 13:52 Now somebody might say, Pastor Bohr, 13:53 are you saying that animals and human beings are the same thing? 13:58 Allow me to explain. 14:00 They are the same in the sense of the energizing force 14:04 that gives their body the capacity to function. 14:09 Let's use this illustration. 14:12 A fridge, a refrigerator, 14:15 in order for a refrigerator to function 14:17 you must plug it in, right? 14:20 Let's think also about a computer. 14:21 In order for a computer to function 14:24 you must plug the computer in. 14:26 Question, are the computer and the refrigerator 14:31 plug into the same energy force? 14:34 They are both plugged into the wall, the same energy force. 14:38 But let me ask you this? 14:39 Is the computer a much more 14:41 sophisticated piece of equipment than a refrigerator? 14:45 Of course. 14:46 The energy from the wall 14:49 simply gives the refrigerator the energizing force 14:54 to fulfill the function for which it was created. 14:58 In the same way the same energy force 15:01 gives the computer the capacity to function 15:04 according to the function for which it was created. 15:09 Are you understanding me? 15:10 In terms of the energizing force there is no difference, 15:14 but in terms of the function 15:16 for which it was created it's different. 15:18 Obviously human beings are far superior to animals, 15:23 but the energizing force for both is the same, 15:28 it's the breath of life, it's the spirit of life 15:30 that God imparts to them. 15:33 Are you following what I am saying? 15:35 Now, let's examine a few verses from the New Testament 15:39 that speak about the spirit. 15:41 We've noticed several from the Old Testament. 15:43 Now let's go to the New Testament. 15:45 By the way the New Testament has only one word, 15:47 it's the word Pneuma. 15:51 Let's go to James 2:26, James 2:26. 15:58 We got to notice that Pneuma 16:00 is equivalent basically to Neshamah and to Ruach. 16:06 It says in James 2:26, 16:09 "For as the body without the spirit is what, 16:14 is dead, so faith without works is dead also." 16:20 So in what condition is the body without the spirit? 16:23 The body without the spirit is what? 16:25 Dead. 16:26 What is the spirit there? 16:28 It is the energizing force that allows the body to function 16:33 that gives the vital force so that the body can function. 16:36 And if you don't have the spirit in your body, 16:40 you don't breathe and as a result you are what? 16:44 You are dead. 16:46 Now go with me to Revelation 11 16:48 and we will read verses 7 and also 11 16:51 Revelation 11:7 and 11. 16:54 It's speaking here about the two witnesses. 16:57 We won't go into the meaning of the two witnesses, 16:59 I'll just say that they represent 17:01 the Old and New Testament, 17:02 this is symbolic language, 17:03 it's the principle here that I want us to notice 17:06 about the meaning of the spirit. 17:08 It says there in verse 7, 17:11 "Now when they finish their testimony." 17:13 That is when the two witnesses finish their testimony, 17:16 "The beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit 17:18 will make war against them 17:20 and overcome them, and what, kill them." 17:25 So where the two witnesses are going to be killed, 17:27 were they going to die? 17:28 Absolutely yes. 17:29 But now notice verse 11. 17:32 I actually wanted to read the whole passage 17:33 but we don't have time to read all the way 17:36 from verse 7 to verse 11, so we'll jump to verse 11. 17:38 It says, "Now after the three-and-a-half days 17:42 the breath, that is the Pneuma, the breath of life from God, 17:48 what, entered them, and what did they do as a result, 17:52 of the spirit or the breathe entering them 17:55 it says and they stood on their feet, 17:57 and great fear fell on those who saw them." 18:01 So when they died what happened? 18:02 The spirit of life left. 18:05 When they resurrect according to scripture, 18:08 the spirit of life comes into them and what do they do? 18:11 They stand up and they live. 18:14 So once again the spirit is the energizing force 18:18 that gives the body the power to function. 18:21 By the way there is an interesting passage 18:23 in the Old Testament in Ezekiel 37 18:27 where you have this valley that's strewn with dead bones 18:31 and the command of God is given for all of the bones 18:34 and the body parts to come together. 18:36 They all come together and they form bodies 18:38 and then the spirit is called from the four winds 18:41 to come and enter those bodies 18:43 and the Bible says that those bodies stood up a mighty army. 18:47 Once again the spirit is sent 18:49 and as a result the body is energized 18:53 and the body can function. 18:55 Now let's notice one more text in the New Testament 18:58 that uses the word spirit Pneuma, 19:01 John 19:30, John 19:30. 19:06 It's speaking here about the death of Jesus Christ, 19:09 and it says here, 19:12 "So when Jesus had received the sour wine, 19:16 He said, 'It is finished!' 19:21 And bowing His head, He gave up his what, 19:25 He gave up His spirit." 19:28 The King James says He gave up the ghost. 19:31 Now that sounds kind of kind of strange 19:34 but the word ghost in Old King James English 19:38 simply means what we call the spirit today. 19:41 What does that mean that Jesus gave up His spirit? 19:43 It simply means that He stopped what? 19:47 He stopped breathing, 19:49 therefore His arms didn't move, His brain didn't think, 19:54 His heart didn't beat, His lungs didn't breath, 19:57 His nervous system did not have any electrical power. 20:01 It would be like having an appliance 20:03 with no energy source. 20:05 In other words we are not the think 20:07 that some intangible immortal spirit 20:11 that's conscious left the body of Jesus. 20:14 That is not said in the text, 20:15 that's injected by people who believed that. 20:18 In other words their preconceived notions 20:20 they are putting into scripture. 20:22 Now, we have studied what the spirit is, 20:24 it's the energizing force 20:26 that gives the body the power to function. 20:29 But what is the soul somebody might say? 20:32 Well, let's go to Genesis 2:7 once again, 20:34 Genesis 2:7. 20:39 It says, "And the Lord God 20:40 formed man of the dust of the ground, 20:43 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, 20:47 and man became a living soul." 20:51 If I ask you does man have a soul what would you say? 20:55 No, man doesn't have a soul, man became a soul. 21:00 Did God give man a soul? 21:02 No, God created a soul. 21:06 The soul is composed of the body and the spirit or breath. 21:11 The combination of the two make up the soul, 21:14 so if you separate the two, you no longer have what? 21:18 You no longer have a soul. 21:21 By the way do you know that in the Old Testament 21:24 repeatedly the word soul is translated person? 21:31 Let's notice a few examples, Genesis 14:21, 21:35 Genesis 14:21. 21:38 It's talking here about when Abraham went 21:40 and he overcame the enemies of the king of Sodom. 21:43 And the King of Sodom when Abraham comes back 21:46 with those who have been taken captive 21:48 and with all of the booty that he had brought back. 21:51 The king of Sodom says to Abraham, 21:53 listen, you keep all of the booty 21:56 and just give me the souls. 21:58 Actually it's translated persons. 22:00 Notice Genesis 14:21 22:03 "Now the king of Sodom said to Abram," 22:06 give me the what, the persons, 22:09 that's the word Nephesh that's the same identical word 22:12 where it says man became a living soul. 22:15 In other words he says, 22:16 "Give me the persons or the souls 22:19 and take the goods for yourself." 22:21 Is he saying give me these intangible invisible entities 22:25 that left the body when people died? 22:27 No, of course not, the word souls there mean what? 22:31 It means persons. 22:33 Notice Genesis 12:5, 22:36 Genesis 12:5 22:38 this is talking about when Abraham left Haran 22:41 for the land of Canaan. 22:44 It says here, "Then Abram took Sarai his wife 22:48 and Lot his brother's son, 22:50 and all their possessions that they had gathered, 22:53 and the what the people." 22:58 By the way the King James translates all the souls. 23:02 It would have been very difficult to round up 23:04 all of those invisible intangible conscious souls. 23:09 It's not talking about souls, 23:11 if the translation is people, 23:14 that's a correct translation 23:16 and then it says, 23:17 "Whom they had acquired in Haran, 23:19 and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. 23:22 So they came to the land of Canaan." 23:25 So many times in the Old Testament 23:28 the word soul is translated persons 23:30 because the soul is the person. 23:31 It's the individual 23:33 but the word soul Nephesh is also translated life. 23:38 Because the soul we are going to find is found in the blood, 23:42 the life is found in the blood. 23:45 Let me explain that. 23:46 When you breathe, when your heart beats 23:50 and when your lungs breathe 23:52 as a result your blood circulates 23:54 throughout all of your system, right? 23:56 And as long as the blood circulates you are what? 24:00 You are alive. 24:01 What happens when your lungs stop breathing 24:04 and your heart stops beating, 24:05 your blood which carries the oxygen doesn't flow any more 24:10 and as a result the life principle is no longer there. 24:14 You are dead. 24:15 In other words the breath energizes the organs, 24:19 so that they can make the body 24:22 pump the blood where the life is found. 24:25 Now let's notice Leviticus 17:11, 24:29 Leviticus 17:11, 24:32 speaking about the blood being the life. 24:37 It says there, "For the life of the flesh is in where, 24:43 the blood, that's the word Nephesh, 24:44 it could be translated the soul of the flesh is in the blood, 24:47 doesn't make sense to translate the soul, 24:50 because it means life. 24:51 "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, 24:54 and I have given it to you upon the altar 24:58 to make atonement for your souls." 25:01 Better translation would be for you, 25:03 the personal pronoun you, 25:05 I have given it for not your souls but for you, 25:08 "For it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul." 25:12 In other words it is the blood 25:13 that makes atonement for the person or for you. 25:17 Are you understanding what I am saying? 25:19 In other words the word soul is a mistranslation, 25:22 it really means that the soul is the life 25:28 and the life is found in the blood. 25:32 Notice several other instances in the Old Testament 25:34 where the word soul is used. 25:36 Go with me to Psalm 22:20, 25:39 Psalm 22:20. 25:41 Interestingly enough in this verse, 25:46 the King James Version translates my soul, 25:50 but the New King James Version 25:52 uses the personal pronoun, notice. 25:55 "Deliver Me from the sword." 25:58 The King James Version says 26:00 "Deliver my soul from the sword." 26:02 Now if the soul is some intangible invisible entity, 26:05 how could you deliver it from the sword, 26:08 the sword could never see it. 26:10 So what is the proper translation? 26:12 It's deliver me or deliver my life from the sword, 26:17 and it explains it in the second half of the verse, 26:19 it says "My precious what, life from the power of the dog." 26:25 Notice also Ezekiel 18:4, 26:28 Ezekiel 18:4, 26:32 this is a very well known verse 26:34 for those who have studied the State of the Dead. 26:36 It says, "Behold, all souls are Mine." 26:40 Basically that could be translated all what, 26:43 all persons, all individuals are mine. 26:47 "The soul of the father," 26:49 that is the person of the father as well as the soul of the son. 26:53 In other words that means 26:54 "The son in his entirety is Mine, 26:59 The soul who sins shall die." 27:03 That should be translated, the person who sins shall die. 27:08 By the way let me ask you can the soul die? 27:12 Why would it say the soul that sins 27:14 shall die if the soul can't die. 27:17 Very clearly that text indicates that the soul can what? 27:22 Die. 27:23 Notice Psalm 30:3. 27:25 We are still dealing with Old Testament concept of a soul. 27:28 Psalm 30:3. 27:31 Here the Psalmist says this, 27:33 "O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave." 27:41 What does that mean you brought my soul up from the grave? 27:44 It could be translated, You brought me up from the grave 27:48 or you brought up my life from the grave. 27:52 By the way where is the soul in this verse? 27:55 The soul is in the grave, 27:57 I thought the soul goes to heaven. 27:59 Obviously the soul goes where, to the grave, 28:02 because the soul is the person, it's the individual. 28:05 And where does an individual go when they die? 28:08 When he dies, he goes to the grave. 28:12 And so the second half of the verse says, 28:14 "You have kept me alive, 28:16 that I should not go down to the pit." 28:18 So if you weren't alive where would you go, to heaven? 28:21 No, you go down to where? 28:23 You would go down to the pit 28:24 which is synonymous with the grave. 28:28 Notice Psalm 49:15 one more verse in the Old Testament 28:32 that uses the word soul, Psalm 49:15, 28:37 "But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave." 28:43 Where does the soul go according to that verse? 28:46 It goes to the grave, it doesn't go to heaven, 28:49 doesn't go to hell it goes to the grave. 28:51 And the Psalmist is saying, 28:52 Lord redeem my soul from the grave, 28:54 he is saying redeem my what? 28:56 Redeem my life from the grave. 28:59 Don't let me go to the grave he is saying 29:01 and then it says, "For He shall receive me." 29:05 Now let's go to several New Testament verses 29:08 that refer to the word soul. 29:10 The New Testament word for soul 29:13 is not Nephesh of course that's Hebrew, 29:15 it's the word Psuche, some people call it Saiki. 29:19 So I'd refer to it as Saiki 29:20 because that s the way that's it's normally referred to. 29:24 1 Corinthians 15:45 29:26 I want to show you that the word Nephesh 29:28 is exactly equivalent in Hebrew to the Greek word Saiki. 29:34 Notice 1Corinthians 15:45, its quoting Genesis 2:7. 29:38 It says here, "And so it is written, 29:42 'The first Adam became a what, a living being.' 29:48 In the Old Testament that is the word Nephesh in Hebrew, 29:52 but this is in a New Testament, 29:53 it's quoting the Hebrew into Greek 29:56 and you will notice that the word here where it says, 29:59 "The first Adam became a living being." 30:01 The word is Psuche or Saiki. 30:07 Now let's notice that word Saiki in the New Testament, 30:10 that word soul. 30:11 What is the soul in the New Testament? 30:14 Is it the same thing as in the Old Testament, 30:16 is it the person? 30:17 Is it the life? 30:18 Absolutely. 30:19 Notice Acts 2:41, 30:22 Acts 2:41, 30:25 speaking about the preaching of the Apostle Peter 30:28 on the day of Pentecost, 30:29 it says, "Then those who gladly received his word were baptized, 30:33 and that day about three thousand what, 30:37 souls were added to them." 30:40 Is that talking about some invisible ghosts 30:42 that were added to the church that day? 30:44 Of course not. 30:45 It means 3000 what, persons. 30:49 Now notice Acts 27:37. 30:53 It's interesting that even in The King James Version 30:56 which generally translates souls, 30:58 in the King James it translates persons in this verse. 31:02 Notice Acts 27:37. 31:05 It says speaking about people, 31:08 the number of people that survived the shipwreck 31:10 "And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six what, 31:16 persons on the ship." 31:18 That is the word Saiki. 31:20 You could say that there were 276 souls on the ship. 31:26 It simply means what? 31:28 It means persons. 31:30 Notice Romans 13:1, 31:33 Romans 13:1, 31:37 speaking about the need to be subject 31:39 to the governing authorities, it says there, 31:42 "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. 31:48 By the way the New King James translates, 31:50 "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities," 31:55 for there is no authority except from God, 31:57 and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." 32:00 Romans 13:1 should be translated let every what? 32:05 Every person, not every soul. 32:09 Notice Acts 27:22. 32:12 This is speaking about a shipwreck 32:13 that took place near Cauda an area in Asia Minor 32:19 and the Apostle Paul is telling the people, 32:21 don't worry because there is not gonna be any loss of any life, 32:25 it says there, "And now I urge you to take heart, 32:28 for there will be no loss of Saiki among you, 32:33 but only of the ship." 32:34 In other words the ship is going to be lost, 32:36 but there will be no loss of Saiki, 32:38 you know is it correct to say 32:40 there will be no loss of souls of course not. 32:43 It means there will be no loss of what, 32:45 no loss of life. 32:48 When Jesus went down to Egypt, 32:51 we're told that Herod and all those 32:53 who wanted to kill Jesus died 32:55 and so Joseph was told that he could return. 32:57 Now let's read about that in Matthew 2:19, 20. 33:01 Matthew 2:19, 20. 33:05 It says there, "But when Herod was dead, 33:07 behold, an angel of the Lord 33:09 appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 33:12 saying, 'Arise, take the young Child and His mother, 33:17 and go to the land of Israel, 33:19 for those who sought the young Child's Saiki are dead." 33:25 Would it be proper to say 33:27 those who were seeking the young child soul are dead? 33:30 How could they find the invisible soul of Jesus? 33:34 It's not talking about his soul, 33:36 it's talking about what? 33:37 Those who were seeking his what? 33:39 His life have died. 33:42 Notice Mathew 20:28, 33:44 I will give you several more examples, 33:46 because this is an important word 33:48 that has been greatly misunderstood, 33:50 Mathew 20:28 very well know words. 33:54 Jesus is speaking about the mission 33:57 that He is going to accomplish on the earth, it says there, 34:00 "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, 34:04 but to serve, and to give His Saiki a ransom for many." 34:08 To give His life a ransom for many. 34:11 That's the way that it's translated. 34:14 He didn't come to give his soul, 34:15 he came to give His life, 34:17 but the word Saiki here is translated what? 34:20 Properly life. 34:23 Notice John 10:11, 34:25 time and again in the New Testament, 34:27 the word soul 34:28 is actually translated properly with the word life. 34:32 John 10:11. 34:35 Here Jesus says I am the good shepherd. 34:38 The good shepherd gives his what? 34:41 Gives his life, his Saiki for His sheep. 34:47 By the way in Acts 13 actually 15:26, 34:51 we find Paul and Barnabas 34:54 that they risk their lives for the cause of Jesus. 34:57 Acts 15:26 35:00 and actually we'll read out 35:01 the last little portion of verse 25 for the context. 35:04 It says, "Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their what? 35:12 Saiki, yes, who have risked their lives 35:15 for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 35:18 It's the very word that is translated soul. 35:20 It means what, the life. 35:23 Now I want to show you by comparing two verses 35:26 that the soul is really the individual or the person. 35:32 Let's go 35:36 and then, hold your finger there 35:38 and go also to Luke 9:25. 35:41 Matthew 16:26 and Luke 9:25. 35:46 We are going to compare these two verses. 35:47 It's a same teaching of Jesus, 35:49 but in two different Gospels. 35:51 It says there in Matthew 16:26, 35:54 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, 35:58 and loses his own what? His own soul. 36:01 That's the word Saiki 36:02 or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" 36:08 Now what does that mean? 36:10 Well, notice Luke 9:25, 36:13 what does it mean that 36:15 what will a man give in exchange for his soul. 36:19 Well, notice Luke 9:25, 36:21 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, 36:25 and is what himself destroyed or lost?" 36:31 So what is the soul? 36:32 It is himself. 36:35 What does it profit a man if he loses his soul? 36:37 Luke says what dose it profit a man if he loses himself. 36:41 So what is the soul? 36:42 The soul is the person himself. 36:45 Are you catching the point? 36:47 Now let's notice Acts 12:23. 36:50 It's speaking here about the death of King Herod. 36:53 By the way King Herod the Bible says 36:55 was eaten by worms and then he gave up his--his Saiki. 37:01 Notice Acts 12:23, it says, 37:06 "Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, 37:10 because he did not give glory to God. 37:12 And he was eaten by worms 37:15 and the New King James says and died." 37:19 By the way the Greek word there is a compound word 37:24 that has a prepositional prefix 37:27 and literally in Greek it means he gave up his life, 37:34 but it's translated he what? 37:37 He died. 37:38 So what does it mean to give up your life? 37:40 It means that you what, that you die. 37:42 It could be translated that he gave up his soul, 37:46 but the proper translation is that he died 37:49 because he gave up his what? 37:51 Not his soul, but his life. 37:54 Notice another example that uses the same word, 37:56 Acts 5:10, it's speaking about the death of Sapphira. 38:01 You've heard the story of Ananias and Sapphira. 38:04 Let's read only about Sapphira, Acts 5:10. 38:09 It says here, "And immediately she fell at his feet, 38:13 that is at the feet of Peter and breathed her last." 38:16 That's the identical word that was just translated 38:19 he died, but here it's translated she what, 38:23 breathed her last. 38:25 The King James by the way says gave up the ghost. 38:29 "And the young men came in and found her what? 38:33 Dead. 38:34 So what happens when you give up your life 38:36 or when you give up the ghost or when you breathe your last, 38:39 you are what? 38:40 Dead. 38:41 And it says and they carried her 38:44 and buried her beside her husband. 38:47 Do you know that probably the best translation 38:50 when it comes to the State of the Dead 38:52 is the New International Version. 38:55 Now I am a fan of the King James Version, 38:57 I love the King James Version. 38:59 But the King James Version has a lot of problems 39:03 when it comes to the State of the Death. 39:05 Many times it translates the word Hades 39:08 and the word Sheol which we are going to study it 39:10 on next lecture with the word hell. 39:13 And many times it translates the word Nephesh 39:16 and the word Saiki with soul 39:19 when really it should be translated living person 39:22 or it should be translated life. 39:25 But the New International Version 39:27 is the best version hands down 39:29 when it deals with the State of the Dead. 39:31 By the way the NIV 39:32 is the most used version of the Bible in the church today. 39:36 It has its problems. 39:38 There are certain passages of scripture that are taken out 39:42 which I don't agree with 39:43 but when it comes to the State of the Dead, 39:46 it is the best version. 39:48 Many times when the word soul is found in the New Testament, 39:53 the NIV simply translates with the personal pronoun. 39:57 Let me give you several examples. 39:58 Examples we are not going to read them, 40:00 because we don't have the time, 40:02 but for example Acts 2:27 where it says, 40:05 "You will not leave my soul in hell in the King James. 40:09 The NIV says, "You will not leave me in the grave." 40:14 So the soul is me in that text. 40:16 Act 2:43 in the King James it says, 40:19 "Fear came upon every soul." 40:22 The NIV says, "Fear came upon everyone." 40:26 Romans 2:9 says, 40:29 "That tribulation and anguish will come upon every soul." 40:33 The NIV says. 40:34 "That it will come upon every human being." 40:38 In Romans 13:1 it says, 40:41 "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers 40:44 in the King James. 40:46 In the NIV it says, 40:47 "Let everyone be subject to the higher power, 40:50 so every soul is everyone." 40:54 In Hebrew's 10:38, it says, 40:56 "If one draw back, my soul has no pleasure in him." 41:00 God is speaking, He says if one draws back, 41:02 my soul has no pleasure in him. 41:04 The NIV says, "If one draws back, 41:06 I have no pleasure in him." 41:09 Hebrew 10:39 speaks about saving of the soul. 41:14 The NIV says "Those who are saved." 41:18 James 5:20 in the King James it says, 41:21 "He who converts a sinner saves a soul from death." 41:25 In the NIV it says, 41:26 "He who converts a sinner saves him from death. 41:30 So the soul is him." 41:32 Luke 21:19 says, 41:34 "In your patience possess ye your souls." 41:38 In the NIV it says, 41:39 "In your patience possess ye yourselves." 41:43 In Acts 2:41 the NIV doesn't even translate the word souls. 41:50 In the King James it says 2000 souls were added. 41:53 The NIV simply says 2000 were added. 41:57 Hebrew 13:7 says, "Submit to those who rule, 42:02 because they watch out for your souls." 42:04 The NIV says, "They watch out for you." 42:07 Finally Matthew 12:18 says. 42:10 "Behold my servant with whom my soul is well pleased." 42:14 In the NIV it's translated, 42:16 "Behold my servant with whom I am well pleased." 42:21 So what is the soul? 42:23 The soul is the individual person 42:25 that's why the personal pronoun is used." 42:28 Are you understanding what I am saying? 42:30 Now, let's go to Luke 12:19, 20. 42:34 Luke 12:19, 20. 42:38 This is the parable of the rich fool, 42:41 I am going to read up first of all in the King James, 42:43 and then I am going to read it in the New International Version 42:46 says there, "And I will say to my soul, 42:52 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years, 42:56 take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.' 43:01 But God said to him, 'Fool! 43:03 This night your soul will be required of you. 43:10 Notice the number of times that the word soul is used here. 43:15 That's Luke 12:19, 20 and I will say to my soul, 43:20 soul you have many goods. 43:23 And then at the end of the verse it says, 43:25 "Fool this night your soul will be required of you." 43:28 Notice how the NIV has it. 43:31 And I will say to myself 43:34 not to my soul but to myself. 43:39 He doesn't say soul, 43:41 but he says you have plenty of good things 43:45 laid up for many years 43:46 Take life easy, eat, drink and be merry. 43:49 But God said to him, 'You fool! 43:51 This very night your life will be demanded from you. 43:56 Not your soul but your what? 43:58 But your life. 43:59 Is this a correct translation? 44:01 By the way this is not 44:02 a Seventh-day Adventist translation. 44:05 This is a translation that is used 44:07 by churches from every denomination 44:10 that you can imagine, the New International Version. 44:12 And they translate many of these verses correctly 44:16 with a personal pronoun 44:17 and they translate the word soul with the word life. 44:20 By the way we still use 44:23 figurative language in a similar way today. 44:26 For example if no one had shown up tonight for this meeting, 44:29 I would have said not a soul showed up. 44:34 Does that mean that not one ghost came tonight? 44:37 Of course not. 44:38 It means not one person came. 44:41 You know we speak about 44:42 one hundred souls being baptized. 44:45 how could they be baptized if you can't see them. 44:47 The fact is we are saying that 100 persons were baptized 44:52 and if we see someone, you know, who was in dire straits, 44:56 we say, oh, that poor soul. 44:58 What does that mean? 45:00 It means that poor what? 45:01 That poor person or individual. 45:05 Notice James 5:20, 45:07 James 5:20, 45:11 "Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, 45:17 and someone turns him back, 45:19 Let him know that he who turns a sinner 45:22 from the error of his way will save a soul from what? 45:28 Now wait a minute, I thought the soul couldn't die. 45:31 We will save a what? 45:32 A soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. 45:38 What would be a better translation of that verse? 45:40 We will save a what? 45:42 A person from death, 45:45 because if you translates soul 45:47 and you believe that the soul is immortal, 45:48 how is it that--that it says that the soul can die. 45:51 Are you following me or not? 45:53 Now let's analyze a few problem text 45:56 before we draw this to a close. 45:58 Go with me to Acts 20:10. 46:01 This is the story of when this young man called Eutychus 46:05 was sitting in a window 46:06 and the Apostle Paul became very long winded in his preaching 46:10 and Eutychus went to sleep and he fell out of the window, 46:13 evidently on the second storey 46:15 and he died when he fell to the ground. 46:19 It says there in Acts 20:10, 46:23 "But Paul went down, 46:25 fell on him, and embracing him said, 46:29 'Do not trouble yourselves, 46:31 for his what, his life is in him.' 46:37 By the way even the King James translates his life is in him. 46:41 That's the proper translation, 46:43 it's the word Saiki, 46:46 it's not his soul that is in him, it is his life. 46:50 In other words he is breathing. 46:53 There is not a single verse in the Old or the New Testament 46:56 that says that the soul is intangible, 47:01 immortal or conscious after death. 47:05 In hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times 47:09 that the words Nephesh and Saiki are used 47:12 in Old and New Testament, 47:13 not once, do you have the reference to an immortal soul 47:17 or a conscious soul 47:19 or a soul that goes to heaven at the moment of death. 47:23 Now let's notice another interesting passage 47:26 1 King 17 and we will actually read verse 17, 47:31 and then we will also read verses 21 and 22. 47:35 1 King 17, "Now it happened after these things, 47:41 that the son of the woman, 47:43 this is the widow of Zarephath, the son of the woman, 47:46 who own the house became sick, 47:49 and his sickness was so serious, 47:52 that there was no Neshamah left in him. 47:55 In other words there was no breath left in him. 47:58 And he stretched himself out, this is verse 21, 48:01 and he stretched himself out on the child three times, 48:04 and cried out to the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, 48:08 I pray, let this child's soul come back to him. 48:13 Of course some Christians say, 48:15 see he wanted his immortal soul 48:17 to come back from heaven into his body. 48:19 Is that what the text is saying, 48:21 further it couldn't be further from the truth. 48:25 He is simply saying, O Lord my God, I pray, 48:29 let this child's life come back to him. 48:33 The word Nephesh here means life, 48:35 then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah 48:38 and the soul of the child, 48:40 that is the life of the child came back to him 48:43 and what happens when the life comes back, 48:45 it says he what? 48:46 He revived. 48:51 Is the Bible clear on this or not? 48:52 It's very, very clear. 48:54 Only when you read, your preconceived ideas 48:57 into scripture do you have troubles? 49:00 Of course some people say what about that text that says, 49:03 don't fear those, who can kill the body 49:05 but can't kill the soul. 49:07 Well, let's read read that verse, Matthew 10:28, 49:12 Matthew 10:28, 49:15 here Jesus says, "And do not fear those who kill the body, 49:20 but cannot kill the soul, that the word Saiki, 49:23 but rather fear him who is able to destroy 49:26 both soul and body in hell." 49:31 What does that mean don't fear who is able to kill the body, 49:34 but is not able to kill the soul. 49:36 I am going to show you now biblically that when it say, 49:39 don't fear those who can kill the body, 49:41 it's talking about us 49:43 living in our present existence in our tent. 49:46 In other words "Don't fear 49:48 those who are able to destroy your tent, 49:52 but rather fear him who is able to destroy your tent 49:55 and take away also your future life or your eternal life." 50:00 Notice the key is in verse39 in the same context. 50:04 Verse 39, Matthew 10: 39, 50:09 Jesus says, "He who finds his life will lose it." 50:16 In other words who try to save his life now, 50:19 later on he will what? 50:21 He'll lose everlasting life. 50:24 And he who loses his life, 50:26 that's his present life in his tent, 50:29 for my sake will what, will find it. 50:34 Because eventually he will what? 50:36 He will resurrect you. 50:38 So the contrast when he speaks about, 50:40 don't fear him who can kill the body, 50:42 but can't kill the soul. 50:44 The word body refers to our present existence 50:47 and the word soul is referring to our eternal life existence. 50:52 Don't fear he who is able to take away your present life, 50:55 fear him who is able to take away 50:58 your present life as well as your what? 51:00 As your everlasting life. 51:02 There is one verse that puts the icing on the cake 51:06 in understanding this particular verse in Matthew 10:28. 51:09 Notice Luke 12:4, 5, 51:12 Luke 12:4, 5, here Jesus says, 51:18 "And I say to you my friends, 51:20 do not be afraid of those who kill the body, 51:23 and after that have no more that they can do." 51:29 Are you understanding that? 51:30 Don't fear those who could take away 51:31 your physical existence now, 51:33 that doesn't mean anything. 51:34 The martyrs lost their lives. 51:37 Did they die in hope? 51:39 Did they die knowing that there was something better later on? 51:41 A greater life, of course they did. 51:44 So Jesus says, my friends do not be afraid of those 51:48 who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. 51:52 But I will show you whom you should fear, 51:54 Fear him who after he has killed, 51:57 after he has killed what? 51:58 The body. 52:00 Has power to cast into what? 52:03 Into hell. 52:04 Yes, I say to you, fear him." 52:06 In other words fear him who is able, 52:07 not only to destroy you in your present existence, 52:10 but who is able to what? 52:12 To eventually destroy you in hell. 52:15 Now you say what about that word hell? 52:17 Well, you gonna have to hang on to that one, 52:19 we have a whole lecture on Hades 52:21 and on Sheol later on in this series. 52:24 Now let's go back to our original verse 52:26 that we started our study with today. 52:29 Genesis 35:18 and you'd be honest with me, 52:34 you tell me if this is talking about an immortal soul, 52:37 leaving the body and going to heaven at the moment of death. 52:39 Is there anything like this in this text? 52:43 It says speaking about Rachel. 52:47 And so it was, as her soul was departing, 52:51 you know the way Christians read it is 52:53 and so it was as her immortal soul was departing to heaven, 52:58 it's not what it says, it's very simple, 53:01 when it says, as her soul was departing, 53:05 it means as her life was going out of her what? 53:08 Out of her body and then it explains 53:10 that in case you don't understand what that means, 53:12 (for she died). 53:18 What happens when the-- 53:20 the Nephesh leaves the body, you what? 53:23 You die. 53:24 That she called his name Ben-oni, 53:26 but his father called him Benjamin. 53:28 Now let's read several verses in closing 53:31 about what happens when a person dies, 53:33 Psalm 146:4, 53:35 we'll go through these quickly. 53:37 It says here his spirits departs 53:39 that is his breath leaves the body 53:42 and what happens as a result, 53:44 he returns to his what, 53:47 earth, 53:49 in other words he return to the dust. 53:51 In that very day the King James says his thoughts perish. 53:59 Of course the New King James says he is plans perish. 54:04 Notice Psalm 104:29, 30, 54:08 Psalm 104:29, 30, 54:11 it's speaking about the contrast between death and creation, 54:14 it says speaking about God 54:16 "You hide your face, they are troubled, 54:20 you take away their breath, their Neshamah 54:23 and what happens they die and return to their dust." 54:30 So what happens when the breath is taken away from the body, 54:35 it says they die and return to the dust? 54:38 What happens when God creates us? 54:39 Notice verse 30. 54:40 "You send forth Your Spirit, your Ruach they are what, 54:45 they are created and You renew the face of the earth." 54:49 Notice Genesis 3:19 54:51 the Bible explicit on what happens when a person dies. 54:54 Genesis 3:19 54:56 this is the sentence that God pronounced upon Adam originally 55:02 and all of his descendants also, 55:04 it says, "In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, 55:08 till you return to the ground." 55:13 So what happens when you die? 55:15 You return to the same condition 55:17 that Adam was in before he was what, 55:19 before he was created. 55:22 It says "For out of it you were taken, 55:24 for dust you are, and to dust you shall return." 55:31 In other words death is the opposite of what? 55:35 Of life. Is that simple. 55:37 There is nothing intangible or immortal 55:40 that leaves the body at the moment of death. 55:43 Now lets go to one further verse 55:45 and then I will make reference to another verse before we close 55:48 Ecclesiastes 12:7, 55:50 this is a famous verse for those who study the State of the Dead, 55:55 Ecclesiastes 2:7, 55:59 It's speaking about what happens to the body 56:01 and the breath when a person dies, 56:02 it says, "Then the dust will return to the earth 56:06 as it was and the spirit. 56:11 What is the spirit? 56:12 The Ruach. 56:13 What is that according to what we've studied? 56:14 It's the life principle, the energizing force, 56:18 the vital force will return to God who gave it. 56:21 In other words God is not sending it any more. 56:24 And as a result what happens, a person dies. 56:30 The glorious news is that there is hope for those 56:33 who die in Jesus Christ. 56:35 The Bible tells us that those who die in Jesus Christ 56:38 will be resurrected by his voice 56:40 when he comes on the clouds of heaven. 56:43 You know folks the Bible speaks only of two destines. 56:47 In Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death." 56:53 It doesn't say the wages of sin is everlasting life in misery 56:58 like many Christians believe it, 56:59 death really isn't death, it's actually everlasting misery, no. 57:03 The Bible says that the wages of sin is death absence of life, 57:07 but the free gift of God is eternal life 57:12 through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 57:15 Have you received Jesus Christ as your savior, 57:18 if you have you have no reason to fear death. 57:22 You can go to bed and be joyful and happy 57:25 knowing that Jesus will resurrect you if you should die. |
Revised 2014-12-17