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Do you think this points to the body having a spirit that goes beyond death?

Clear

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Irrelevant. I was writing about Torah.

Torah, as in "only the first 5 books of Moses"? Got it. Thank you for the clarification. I admit that I was looking at Jewish haggadic literature and Christian literature (which are outside the first 5 books of the bible.)

I hope your spiritual journey is good and you insights interesting @PearlSeeker

Clear
 
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moorea944

Well-Known Member
Let's start with Abraham. Can you show me the resurrection in the promise to him?



Ok, I"m getting a sense of that you dont even believe in resurrection. So i'll take it like that. So instead of explaining this in one or two sentenances, i'll try to explain it any other way to make you see what i'm talking about.

First of all, the resurrection is not just a NT thing. It's part of God's plan and purpose right from that start. The bible doesnt "have to" list all of the names or people who will be raised.

So... what are the promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and what does that have to do with resurrection and us... Here we go... Please bear with me too.....

-- The importance of the Covenant made with Abraham
1. It's promises amount to the Gospel (Gal 3v8)
2. It was Israel's hope and Paul's, without it there is "no hope" (Acts 26v6-8. Eph 2v12)
3. Jesus Christ's mission confirmed it (Luke 1v54-55, 72-73. Matt 1v1, Romans 15v8)

-- The promises were....
1. Abraham to become a great nation and a great name.
2. God to bless them that bless him and curse them that curse him.
3. In Abraham all nations would be blessed.
4. Abraham to have children who would inherit the land of Canaan - "Unto thy seed will I give this land".
5. Abraham and his seed (Christ) to inherit Canaan for ever.
6. His seed (children and the faithfull) to be mulitudinous
7. God makes a covenant by sacrifice.
8. The boundaries of the land defined. (Gen 15v18-21)
9. In his seed all nations to be blessed.

-- EXPLANATION OF THE PROMISE
1. The True Seed of Abraham

Jesus Christ is the one through whom the blessing comes (Matt 1v1, Gal 3v16). The land was promised to two people. Christ and Abraham as an everlasting possession. God gave them that land forever.

So the question arises.... how can others share in the promises? By baptism "into" Christ they join the "body of Christ" and become "Abraham's seed", and consequently, "heirs according to the promises". (Gal 3v26-29) By belief and baptism one is constituted "in Christ", this is , "in Abraham's seed", and the terms of the promise are..... "in they seed shall all nations be blessed". Christ, and also a multitudinous aspect, his ecclesia or people, who are as the sand and stars for multitude.

2. The Natural Seed of Abraham
Fleshly descent from Abraham does not confer a title to the land. Faith adn obedience are the only family characteristics which link Abraham with is true children. (Gal 3v7-8, John 8v33-40, Matt 3v9, Romans 9v6-13, 3v27-29.)

3. Basic Doctrine of the Covenant - Resurrection
This is taught indirectly as the promise necessitates it. Abraham and his seed will posses the land forever once they are raised from the grave and given eternal life.

4. The Spirit of the Promises
The covenant God made with Abraham was a gift. God said, "I will give....". Abraham did not "earn" the promise but his "faith" was rewarded by God. It was not obtanined by works of the law, but by grace that no flesh might have reason to glory.

5. The Promises Not Yet Fulfilled
1. The terms were never fulfilled (Heb 11v13, Acts 7v5)
2. The prophets declare that fulfillment will be at Christ's return.

So, in order for Abraham to have this promised land forever, he has to be raised. We are also told that in the future at Christ's return and at judgement, people will see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob there. (Luke 13v28)

Sorry for this being very long, but it's hard to explain to someone that really doesnt believe in resurrection.
 

PearlSeeker

Well-Known Member
Ok, I"m getting a sense of that you dont even believe in resurrection. So i'll take it like that. So instead of explaining this in one or two sentenances, i'll try to explain it any other way to make you see what i'm talking about.

First of all, the resurrection is not just a NT thing. It's part of God's plan and purpose right from that start. The bible doesnt "have to" list all of the names or people who will be raised.

So... what are the promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and what does that have to do with resurrection and us... Here we go... Please bear with me too.....

-- The importance of the Covenant made with Abraham
1. It's promises amount to the Gospel (Gal 3v8)
2. It was Israel's hope and Paul's, without it there is "no hope" (Acts 26v6-8. Eph 2v12)
3. Jesus Christ's mission confirmed it (Luke 1v54-55, 72-73. Matt 1v1, Romans 15v8)

-- The promises were....
1. Abraham to become a great nation and a great name.
2. God to bless them that bless him and curse them that curse him.
3. In Abraham all nations would be blessed.
4. Abraham to have children who would inherit the land of Canaan - "Unto thy seed will I give this land".
5. Abraham and his seed (Christ) to inherit Canaan for ever.
6. His seed (children and the faithfull) to be mulitudinous
7. God makes a covenant by sacrifice.
8. The boundaries of the land defined. (Gen 15v18-21)
9. In his seed all nations to be blessed.

-- EXPLANATION OF THE PROMISE
1. The True Seed of Abraham

Jesus Christ is the one through whom the blessing comes (Matt 1v1, Gal 3v16). The land was promised to two people. Christ and Abraham as an everlasting possession. God gave them that land forever.

So the question arises.... how can others share in the promises? By baptism "into" Christ they join the "body of Christ" and become "Abraham's seed", and consequently, "heirs according to the promises". (Gal 3v26-29) By belief and baptism one is constituted "in Christ", this is , "in Abraham's seed", and the terms of the promise are..... "in they seed shall all nations be blessed". Christ, and also a multitudinous aspect, his ecclesia or people, who are as the sand and stars for multitude.

2. The Natural Seed of Abraham
Fleshly descent from Abraham does not confer a title to the land. Faith adn obedience are the only family characteristics which link Abraham with is true children. (Gal 3v7-8, John 8v33-40, Matt 3v9, Romans 9v6-13, 3v27-29.)

3. Basic Doctrine of the Covenant - Resurrection
This is taught indirectly as the promise necessitates it. Abraham and his seed will posses the land forever once they are raised from the grave and given eternal life.

4. The Spirit of the Promises
The covenant God made with Abraham was a gift. God said, "I will give....". Abraham did not "earn" the promise but his "faith" was rewarded by God. It was not obtanined by works of the law, but by grace that no flesh might have reason to glory.

5. The Promises Not Yet Fulfilled
1. The terms were never fulfilled (Heb 11v13, Acts 7v5)
2. The prophets declare that fulfillment will be at Christ's return.

So, in order for Abraham to have this promised land forever, he has to be raised. We are also told that in the future at Christ's return and at judgement, people will see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob there. (Luke 13v28)

Sorry for this being very long, but it's hard to explain to someone that really doesnt believe in resurrection.
I believe in resurrection but I'm not talking about my Christian belief here. All I'm saying is that this belief is absent in the whole Torah and Ecclesiastes (and among people of Israel of that time). They only believed in Sheol as the final place of the dead. Beliefs about death changed in Jewish history in a progressive manner...

You are just showing me later Christian reinterpretations and commentary on Torah, Abraham, covenant... I'm familiar with all this. All you got about resurrection in Abraham's promise in Torah itself is:

3. Basic Doctrine of the Covenant - Resurrection
This is taught indirectly as the promise necessitates it. Abraham and his seed will posses the land forever once they are raised from the grave and given eternal life.


No. The promise doesn't necessiate this.
 

moorea944

Well-Known Member
I believe in resurrection but I'm not talking about my Christian belief here. All I'm saying is that this belief is absent in the whole Torah and Ecclesiastes (and among people of Israel of that time). They only believed in Sheol as the final place of the dead. Beliefs about death changed in Jewish history in a progressive manner...

You are just showing me later Christian reinterpretations and commentary on Torah, Abraham, covenant... I'm familiar with all this. All you got about resurrection in Abraham's promise in Torah itself is:

3. Basic Doctrine of the Covenant - Resurrection
This is taught indirectly as the promise necessitates it. Abraham and his seed will posses the land forever once they are raised from the grave and given eternal life.


No. The promise doesn't necessiate this.


[They only believed in Sheol as the final place of the dead.]
I totally disagree!! Again, just because the word "resurrection" isnt in there, doesnt mean they didnt believe in it. They would have had to believe in it.

[No. The promise doesn't necessiate this.]
Actually, they do. Like I said before, the word "resurrection" does not have to be in a story about people in order for them to believe it. Resurrection is part of the Gospel. Dont you believe that? But doesnt scripture tell us that the Gospel was taught to Abraham? (Gal 3)

Look at Heb 11 about resurrection. "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure."

Abraham knew God could raise his son if he had sacrificed him. Scripture tells us that. Are you still saying Abraham didnt believe in the resurrection? Why?

What's stopping you from believing that people in the Torah didnt believe in resurrection? I'm really not understanding this......
 

PearlSeeker

Well-Known Member
[They only believed in Sheol as the final place of the dead.]
I totally disagree!! Again, just because the word "resurrection" isnt in there, doesnt mean they didnt believe in it. They would have had to believe in it.
Agree but there is also nothing synonymous to hope of resurrection. Human didn't understand everything at once. We have to realize things step by step.

Resurrection is part of the Gospel. Dont you believe that? But doesnt scripture tell us that the Gospel was taught to Abraham?
Yes, it was. But not the whole gospel with every detail.

Abraham knew God could raise his son if he had sacrificed him. Scripture tells us that. Are you still saying Abraham didnt believe in the resurrection? Why?
He believed if he sacrifies Isaac God will still somehow take care of fulfilling His promise of blessing (offspring). But Abraham didn't know how will this happen.
 

Clear

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Hi @moorea944

My wife has consigned me to hard labor in the Garden this morning so I wanted to make a quick note to you before I serve my time.


While I understand @Pearlseekers point that IF we limit the data only to the relatively modern first five books of the Bible (“Torah”), then of the promise of resurrection is difficult to clearly find in the "modern" versions of Torah that we have. However, limiting streams of historical data is not really how historical study happens. To find out HOW early Judeo-Christians believed and interpreted the Torah, then one must broaden the data streams as much as possible as opposed to limiting the data. Your claim that the early Patriarch were given knowledge of resurrection was taught in early Judeo-Christian literature, it's just more difficult to ferret out if one limits the data.

Non historians often have a difficulty wading into the Old Judeo-Christian texts (sometimes because the symbology and language seem disorienting and strange initially) however, early Jewish and Christian texts tell us much regarding how they interpreted the Torah in it’s various versions.

1) THE PROMISE OF RESURRECTION GIVEN TO ADAM
The early Judeo-Christians taught that even Adam was taught regarding his death, a mediator who would bring to pass an atonement and who would, ultimately bring to pass Adams own bodily resurrection.

“…Behold, thou shalt die from this day onwards, because thou art earth, and thou shalt return again to the earth. Thou shalt live in the world a life of nine hundred and thirty years, and when death cometh upon thee thou shalt turn to the earth again. Thy soul shall abide in Amente, (Hades, or the spirit world) and thou shalt sit in black darkness for four and a half thousand of years . . . (Discourse on Abbaton)

In such early descriptions, Lucifer is cursed, the earth is “cursed”, and God describes the vicissitudes and difficulties Adam and Eve will undergo as they gain wisdom after eating of the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. God continues to support them, to teach them, and, he promises them redemption, if they will repent and learn to live by the very moral laws they are now in the process of learning. It is not a curse per-se, but rather a description of conditions they will experience as they enter the process of acquiring knowledge of Good and Evil.

Thus, Jewish Haggadah explains As it was, when God dismissed them from Paradise, He did not allow the divine quality of justice to prevail entirely. He associated mercy with it." In another example, Jewish Haggadah relates : “Adam’s prayer, to be given of the fruit of the Tree of Life, was turned aside, with the promise, however, that if he would lead a pious life, he would be given of the fruit on the day of resurrection, and he would then live forever.

Upon realizing that he will die, multiple early texts relate Adams prayer to God to "give him from the Fruit of the tree of Life" so as to avoid death and to regain his immortal state. 1 “And the Lord turned and said to Adam, ‘From now on I will not allow you to be in Paradise.2 And Adam answered and said, ‘Lord, give me from the tree of life that I might eat before I am cast out.’ 3 Then the Lord spoke to Adam, ‘You shall not now take from it;...that you might not taste of it and be immortal forever, but that you might have the strife which the enemy has placed in you. But when you come out of Paradise, if you guard yourself from all evil, preferring death to it, at the time of the resurrection I will raise you again and then there shall be given to you from the tree of life, and you shall be immortal forever.’ (Life of Adam and Eve (apocalypse) 28:1-4) Several ancient texts confirm this promise.


2) ADAM WAS TAUGHT CONCERNING A REDEEMER
The earliest Christians taught that the core principles of Christianity existed in the very beginning. For example, that Adam, after his fall was taught of the redeemer of the World.

For example, IN 2nd Enoch, the text relates God explaining to Enoch what he said to Adam : And I said [to him], ‘You are earth, and into the earth once again you will go, out of which I took you. And I will not destroy you, but I will send you away to what I took you from. Then I can take you once again at my second coming. And I blessed all my creatures….”2nd Enoch 31:2-8, 32:1

In the same way, Adam dispersed this knowledge to his children (and they to their children). For example, adam, tells the story of his fall and the promise of resurrection to his Son Seth as follows : Adam said to Seth, his son, “You have heard my son, that God is going to come into the world after a long time, (he will be) conceived of a virgin and put on a body, be born like a human being, and grow up as a child. He will perform signs and wonders on the earth, will walk on the waves of the sea. ...2 He spoke to me about this in Paradise after I picked some of the fruit in which death was hiding: ‘Adam, Adam do not fear. …. I am consigning you to death, and the maggot and the worm will eat your body.’3...But after a short time there will be mercy on you because you were created in my image, and I will not leave you to waste away in Sheol. For your sake I will be born of the Virgin Mary. For your sake I will taste death and enter the house of the dead....4'And after three days, while I am in the tomb, I will raise up the body I received from you.” Testament of Adam 3:1-4

Regarding this promise to adam, the Christian decensus literature also contains versions of the fulfillment of this promise to adam. Seth, the son of Adam is telling the story to others while in the spirit world, awaiting resurrection :

...Seth said: “Prophets and patriarchs, listen. My father Adam, the first-created , when he fell into mortal sickness, sent me to the very gate of Paradise to pray to God that he might lead me by an angel to the tree of mercy, that I might take oil and anoint my father, and he arise from his sickness. This also I did. And after my prayer an angel of the Lord came and asked me: ‘What do you desire, Seth? Do you desire, because of the sickness of your father, the oil that raises up the sick, or the tree from which flows such oil? This cannot be found now. Therefore go and tell your father than after the completion of fifty-five hundred years from the creation of the world, the only-begotten son of God shall become man and shall descend below the earth. And he shall anoint him with that oil. (The Gospel of Nicodemus- Christ’s descent into hell)

The claim that Adam is taught regarding his redeemer is another example where early Christian saw this doctrine as part of Torah tradition and it WAS clearly taught and believed by ancient Christians.

For example, in the First book of Adam and eve, after Adam realizes his fall from a prior state : God said to Adam, "I have ordained on this earth days and years, and you and your descendants shall live and walk in them, until the days and years are fulfilled; when I shall send the Word that created you, and against which you have transgressed, the Word that made you come out of the garden, and that raised you when you were fallen. Yes, the Word that will again save you when the five and a half days are fulfilled." (First Bk Adam & Eve ch 3 :1-2)

When Adam does not understand, God explains : "But when Adam heard these words from God, and of the great five and a half days, he did not understand the meaning of them. For Adam was thinking there would be only five and a half days for him until the end of the world. And Adam cried, and prayed to God to explain it to him. Then God in his mercy for Adam who was made after His own image and likeness, explained to him, that these were 5,000 and 500 years; and how One would then come and save him and his descendants. (First Bk Adam & Eve ch 3 :3-6

God makes at least three other references to the redemption in this book alone and this doctrine is reaffirmed many times in the Adamic literature.

For example, in the Testament of Adam, God reassures Adam specifically concerning this promise : “God called Adam and said, “Adam, Adam.” And the body answered from the ground and said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “I told you that you are dust and to dust you shall return. Now I promise to you the resurrection; I shall raise you on the last day in the resurrection with every man of your seed.” (LIFE OF ADAM AND EVE (apocalypse) 41:1-3)

3) PROTO-CHRISTIANITY WAS THE ANCIENT JEWISH RELIGION IN THESE TEXTS
The christian claim was that the ancient Jewish prophets knew and taught all of these doctrines and the future redeemer/messiah would be the son of the LORD GOD, who himself possessed divine attributes sufficient to qualify to refer to him as a god or god-like (like god) . Thus, at the time of the appearing of Jesus incarnated, the Jews who believed in him felt they were accepting the truth the prophets had all taught in prior ages. They were not adopting a “new” religion, but recognizing a fulfillment of the old.

Thus the apostolic Father Ignatius taught “It is utterly absurd to profess Jesus Christ and to practice Judaism. For Christianity did not believe in Judaism, but Judaism in Christianity,...” (Ignatius to the Magnesians 10:3) Just as Adam was taught in the future Messiah and resurrection, they taught that the earliest “Jews” were taught to believe in the future Christ. In this way proto-christianity was the first religion in this model.

However, the Christians believed that, Over time, the Jewish religion had corrupted many of the early doctrines and interpretations. Jesus did not, in the main, disagree with certain specific Mosaic laws. For example, Jesus' arguments with the Jews over the sabbath did NOT mean he did not agree with the law itself, but rather he disagreed with the jewish interpretation of and application of the law that had come to characterize his day. He was, I believe, trying to restore the true meaning and true application to the ancient law. In this same model, messianic Jews who have embraced Christianity may feel that they are simply returning to the older Jewish religion rather than adopting any “new” religion.


4) DECENSUS TEXTS RELATE HOW GOD MAKES GOOD ON HIS PROMISE TO ADAM
If you want, I can give you examples of how the mediator (Jesus) made good on his promise to adam in the early Judeo-Christian literature. Or you can look up ancient Decensus literature and read the early Christian traditions yourself.

At any rate, you are correct that, in historical ancient Judeo-Christian religion, Torah included the promise to patriarchs regarding the resurrection. Good journey Moorea944

Whoah!, I hear the guard coming, I have to go out to the garden and do hard labor now. see you...

Clear
ειδρνεσιω
 
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Brian2

Veteran Member
Ecclesiastes 12:7.Ecclesiastes 12:14. Hebrews 9:27. I have the thinking of a jw witness so I say the answer is no.What do you think?

Maybe not the scriptures you gave but the one below certainly points to a spiritual part of us which survives death of the body.

Matt 10:27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.…
 

Brian2

Veteran Member
There is no spirit that goes beyond death Frank.....our spirit is our breath....nothing more in this context....why do you keep asking the same questions? :(

If we do not have a spirit part of us which survives the death of the body then we cannot be resurrected.
 

Brian2

Veteran Member
I like looking up verses that are not jw like about death and the afterlife.To see how I can explain my views better about death from a jw perspective.And sharing the things that stump me.

That's a good way to learn to explain away the scriptures that contradict the JW religion,,,,,,,,,,and I'm sure the JWs have answers for most scriptures that are a problem for them. Answers that satisfy those who believe the JW doctrine makers and are willing to close their eyes to many things.
 

Brian2

Veteran Member
Frank...I have already given you many detailed explanations of these very verses. You can look them up.

The spirit that leaves the body is not conscious and therefore requires no invented place to “wait” for the resurrection. Souls “sleep” in an unconscious state and when Jesus awakens them, they will have no awareness of the passing of time. This is what the Bible teaches. Jesus calls the dead from their graves....he does not call them from the spirit realm because they are not there.

Samuel when called back from his rest in the place of the dead was conscious. (1Sam 28)
 

Brian2

Veteran Member
According to what is known, all consciousness is inextricably tied to the brain....something so complex that medical science is still learning about its capacities and capabilities.

According to what we know in science, life evolved from matter and so consciousness is a product of dead matter. No need for a God.
But so what.
Adam was not conscious when formed until God gave him life. This life that God gave is what gives us consciousness. The brain by itself is dead matter.
 

Brian2

Veteran Member
Frank...I have already given you many detailed explanations of these very verses. You can look them up.

The spirit that leaves the body is not conscious and therefore requires no invented place to “wait” for the resurrection. Souls “sleep” in an unconscious state and when Jesus awakens them, they will have no awareness of the passing of time. This is what the Bible teaches. Jesus calls the dead from their graves....he does not call them from the spirit realm because they are not there.

In the passage below it appears that Jesus brings with Him those who are asleep in Him and then raises them from the dead. Their spiritual souls are brought by Jesus and they are again joined to their body, which is transformed and glorified.

1Thess 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
 

1213

Well-Known Member
Ecclesiastes 12:7.Ecclesiastes 12:14. Hebrews 9:27. I have the thinking of a jw witness so I say the answer is no.What do you think?

Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,
Hebrews 9:27

For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
Ecclesiastes 12:14

And the dust returns to the earth as it was, And the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:7

I think those mean what they say. And by those, the death of a body is not the end.
 

Hockeycowboy

Witness for Jehovah
Premium Member
That's a good way to learn to explain away the scriptures that contradict the JW religion,,,,,,,,,,and I'm sure the JWs have answers for most scriptures that are a problem for them. Answers that satisfy those who believe the JW doctrine makers and are willing to close their eyes to many things.

What "many things" do you mean?
 

Hockeycowboy

Witness for Jehovah
Premium Member
I like looking up verses that are not jw like about death and the afterlife.To see how I can explain my views better about death from a jw perspective.And sharing the things that stump me.
When understood correctly, there's never any contradiction!
And, it makes sense.
(Occam's Razor).
 

The Anointed

Well-Known Member
There is no spirit that goes beyond death Frank.....our spirit is our breath....nothing more in this context....why do you keep asking the same questions? :(

You are body, soul, and spirit. Jesus said that you must love God with all your body, with all your soul and with all your spirit, whereas in another place he says, you must love God with all your heart=body, with all your soul=breath, and with all your mind=spirit.

All have sinned and all must die once then go off into judgement. After the first death which is that of the body in which the mind has developed, what part of you goes off into judgement? are the minds=spirits of the unrepentant wicked gathered to Christ?

Isaiah 57: 1-2; God people die and no one understands or even cares, but when they (GOOD PEOPLE) die, no calamity hurts them. Those who lead good lives find peace and rest in death. The JW will tell you that those who live wicked lives find peace and rest in death.

The Holy Scriptures reveal that it was the spirit of Samuel that was disturbed , and who, Moreover after he (Samuel) died, was inquired of, and declared unto the King his way. The prophet Sirach 46: 20.

1 Samuel 28; 15-19; Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me? Why did you make me come back?”
Saul answered, “I am in great trouble! The Philistines are at war with me, and God has abandoned me. He doesn't answer me any more, either by prophets or by dreams. And so I have called you, for you to tell me what I must do.”

Samuel said, “Why do you call me when the LORD has abandoned you and become your enemy? The LORD has done to you what he told you through me: he has taken the kingdom away from you and given it to David instead. You disobeyed the LORD's command and did not completely destroy the Amalekites and all they had. That is why the LORD is doing this to you now. He will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will join me, and the LORD will also hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines.”

The JW, who refuses to accept the truths as revealed in the scriptures, accuse the spirit that prophesied to Saul as being demonic..

They make this error, because they also refuse to accept that Ecclesiastes is the Satirical work of Solomon, aimed at those who refused to believe in life after death or even the resurrection of the dead.
 
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Deeje

Avid Bible Student
Premium Member
Matt 10:27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.…

What is “hell” in this passage? It is “Gehenna” erroneously translated “hell” in many Bibles. “Gehenna” is not “hades” (also translated “hell”) which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew, “Sheol”.....so what do you think Jesus was actually saying in this verse? What does it mean that God can “destroyboth body and soul in “Gehenna”? What does “destroy” mean?
Hades is said to be emptied, and judgment of its inhabitants is said to take place after that, so in your understanding, what does that mean? (Revelation 20:13)

If we do not have a spirit part of us which survives the death of the body then we cannot be resurrected.

“What” do you think is resurrected? When Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead, where did Jesus say Lazarus was? (John 11:11-14) When Jesus resurrects the dead, like he did Lazarus, where does he call them from? The same place. (John 5:28-29) Jesus can't call the dead from their graves unless they are still there.
 

Deeje

Avid Bible Student
Premium Member
Samuel when called back from his rest in the place of the dead was conscious. (1Sam 28)

Do you know the background information concerning what Saul did in trying to contact the dead prophet, Samuel? If you did, then you would know that God had outlawed necromancy. (Deuteronomy 18:9-12)
Saul himself had been used to rid the land of all forms of spiritism at God’s command. But because of his disobedience, Saul had been abandoned by God, and the living prophets would not even speak to him. He was going mad because God had withdrawn his spirit from him.
In desperation he tried to find a spirit medium who could bring up the spirit of the now dead prophet Samuel from whom Saul had received his guidance and direction in the past. Now ask yourself.....would God answer the request of a disobedient king whom he had abandoned and who used a spirit medium, breaking God’s law, to give him guidance......and if the living prophets had refused to speak with Saul, why would a dead prophet do so?

The 'witch of Endor' brought up a spirit who claimed to be Samuel, but no one could see or hear him except the woman. Why did God forbid necromancy to his people? Because wicked spirits used it impersonate the dead and to deceive people into believing that spirits of the dead live on....somewhere. This was the first lie told in Eden to fool the woman.....the devil told her “you surely will not die”.....so when they did, the only way to perpetuate that lie was to deceive people into believing that they had a conscious spirit that left the body to exist in an invisible realm....the details of which are filled in by vivid imaginations....not scripture.

The Bible says that all thought processes cease at death; that once the “spirit” (breath) is extinguished, life ceases. (Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10; Psalm 146:4) Resurrection is a restoration of life....God gives back the spirit (breath) that he gave mankind in the first place.
 

Deeje

Avid Bible Student
Premium Member
According to what we know in science, life evolved from matter and so consciousness is a product of dead matter. No need for a God.
But so what.
Adam was not conscious when formed until God gave him life. This life that God gave is what gives us consciousness. The brain by itself is dead matter.

Do you believe that “life evolved from matter? That is, I believe, an empty and baseless statement from those who deny creation. Life did not evolve from anything. Life was created by a powerful entity that science has no means to identify or to test...and never will. I am sure that the Creator laughs at their pomposity...

What animated Adam’s body was “the breath (spirit) of life”. All souls “breathe”. Animals are also called “souls”. All souls die. (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20; Ezekiel 18:4)
Adam only “became” a soul when God started him breathing. When Adam died, God told him that he would "return to the dust" of the earth from which God created him.....no heaven or hell was ever mentioned. Death was simply the opposite of life. Before our conception, we simply did not exist. Where in the Bible does it say otherwise?
 
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