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Tag: spirit

Life in the Spirit
What is life?

The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
John 6:63b CSB the words of Christ Jesus

Look intently into the eyes of anyone. Who do you see?

What makes this mortal son or daughter of man so different?

King or commoner, young or old, rich or poor — how does this life impact you personally? What is it about this person that makes their life matter?

A young shepherd of little note speaks to a king. “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?”

An aging king notes, “Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life.”

And another rich man who has lost everything laments, “For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God requires his life?”

What is life and what does spirit have to do with it?

Spirit Living in Flesh

“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:24 NASB

πνεῦμα ὁ θεός theos pneuma – The spirit of the Living God must be approached only in spirit and not in our flesh.

Is man anything at all before the God of creation? How does the Lord breathe spirit from the holiness of His life-giving Spirit?

One place the Bible reveals this nature of the One God is in the books of Moses.

רוּחַ

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. – Genesis 1:2 WEB

Do you realize Moses’ description of the Lord in Eden after original sin describe God as Spirit?

וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ אֶת־קֹ֨ול יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּגָּ֖ן לְר֣וּחַ הַיֹּ֑ום וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם וְאִשְׁתֹּ֗ו מִפְּנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּתֹ֖וךְ עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃
Genesis 3:8 WLC – NASB translation: They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

A translation of cool here comes from the word ‘spirit.’

Therefore the man and his wife ‘heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the Spirit’ in this day following their sin. He created man in His spiritual image, filled our flesh made not for decay with the spirit of His own essence of goodness.

Generations after man’s expulsion from a paradise on earth spoiled by the evil: “Then the LORD said,

“My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh…”

So there it is: The LORD speaks to Moses this one mysterious truth of His immortality contending with our mortality.

πνεῦμα

The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature is of no help! The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
John 6:63 NET – the words of Jesus

The concept confuses mankind who cannot see the breath of life in our own flesh, that of others, in living creatures, unseen demons or the revealed eternal Spirit of the Living God.

Our brief look at the Hebrew root [Strong’s H7307 – ruwach – רוּחַ ] primarily suggests: wind, breath and mind, in addition to the Spirit of the LORD God.

Jesus’ words in common first century Greek also differentiate life in man and things from that of the Holy Spirit.

πνεῦμα – Pneuma, also signifies: ‘the vital principal by which the body is animated; the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides; the soul, a simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting; the wind itself, a breath of nostrils or mouth.

It also includes beings (good or evil) higher than man, but lower than God; that is: angels, seraphim, cherubim, demons and the like. And of course, Satan is one of these created ones with beginning and end, but a powerful spirit of evil lower than the Lord God Almighty.

From its root word John describes Jesus walking on the Sea after feeding 5000, a sign mentioned in my previous post.

The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.
John 6:18 NASB

Jesus describes more differences in unseen life, which we will explore more in my next post.

“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 3:8 NASB
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To be continued...
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January 13, 2020
Supernatural Before Adam – Because the days are evil – 2
Demons, evils spirits and of course Satan are all part of the unseen supernatural. They oppose the Lord and deceive many, but Jesus knew them all and exercised power over their evil.

We introduced this series, Because the Days are Evil, with a quote from a letter written to the first century church at Ephesus. Now we’ll take a brief look at the relationship between Jesus and the spirit world and the seen and unseen we question in this day.

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Luke 10:17-18 ESV

Before Adam

Genesis answers some of our questions about the supernatural and creation of the physical universe, yet seems to lack an explanation of the origin of spirits, angels, Satan and the supernatural.

Consider an explanation of creation from Genesis 1 and Adam, Eve, original sin and the serpent all come to mind. But follow this timeline from Genesis and you may wonder about the creation of the serpent in the garden.

Moses relates God’s covenant with the forefathers of the Hebrews and includes some explanation of the beginnings of things. We clearly see supernatural occurrences orchestrated by the Lord.

In the garden, a perfect setting God created for man, we observe supernatural events and a supernatural explanation of the influence of evil by Satan, a talking serpent, a snake with poisonous words against God tempting man (adam) to death.

Jesus claims the supernatural more than once, offering insight into the eternal not understood in the chronology of mankind. He says, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”

Have you ever wondered where that fit into the timeline of creation?

Natural vs Supernatural time

How do the created measure time of the Creator?

The supernatural is sometimes observable, but not naturally measurable.

Science provides reliable natural explanations of the observable, but fails in unproven theories of the supernatural. We just don’t get it – we want to understand everything as if we are above a creation not of our making.

We want to be gods of the unseen and the immeasurable. Yet we cannot be and should not try to be God!

Therefore a human measure of the infinite with billions and billions of stars and trillions and trillions of atoms in this visible place is just as unfathomable as time and its supernatural beginning.

A world introduced to the risen Christ Jesus once measured time in terms of the Son of Man, King above all kings who proved, “I and the Father are One.”

This year is A.D. 2019, that is, anno Domini (from the Julian calendar) or ‘in the year of our Lord‘ twenty-nineteen.

Theories of time immemorial and explanations of the unobservable supernatural have come and gone. Even faithful men of God and followers of Christ have come up short in our proofs of the unprovable.

Yet by faith all men must start with faith that One exists in the unseen realm of the supernatural who was and is and will always be – One who reigns over a vast and glorious creation.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky displays what his hands have made.

One day tells a story to the next.
One night shares knowledge with the next
without talking,
without words,
without their voices being heard.
Yet, their sound has gone out into the entire world,
their message to the ends of the earth.
Psalm 19: 1-4 GW

Christ, Lord over the supernatural

Luke 10: excerpt

After this, the Lord appointed 70 other disciples to go ahead of him to every city and place that he intended to go. They were to travel in pairs.

He told them, “The harvest is large, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord who gives this harvest to send workers to harvest his crops. Go! I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves…

Jesus, Son of Man, sends followers to proclaim the Gospel to an unbelieving world.

“But whenever you go into a city and people don’t welcome you, leave… If the miracles worked in your cities had been worked in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed the way they thought and acted… Judgment day will be better for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to heaven? No, you will go to hell!

So Jesus warns of hell and speaks of judgment day. Many refuse to believe it because they can’t quantify it.

Woe to those deceived by the great deceiver Satan, the serpent of sin who enters the natural creation with slithering supernatural power over those who turn against God!

Do you believe only your eyes?

Jesus continues instruction to faithful followers:

16 “The person who hears you hears me, and the person who rejects you rejects me. The person who rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

He had commissioned the eleven Disciples again after after He rose from the grave:

“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
Mark 16L15b

Some men and women will not believe you, He previously had told seventy-two disciples. Yet, ‘Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves, Jesus had commissioned them. [Luke 10:3]

17 The 70 disciples came back very happy. They said, “Lord, even demons obey us when we use the power and authority of your name!”

Jesus has power over demons you also do not believe exist — if you are deceived.

18 Jesus said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning.

Jesus told an unbelieving religious establishment, “Before Abraham was, I am!” Here the Lord witnesses to disciples, “I watched Satan fall from heaven…” Yet unless some see Satan or demons or unseen supernatural powers they will dismiss all as myth.

Seventy men came back to Jesus, the Gospel records, and witnessed:

“Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.” [KJV]

Yet many do not believe because they cannot see these supernatural beings of spirit.

a Supernatural Serpent

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, —
Genesis 3:1a KJV

STOP! Two things here in Moses’ narrative of creation.
1. A serpent (who we later learn is Satan) is talking. Not only is that crafty, but seems to an unbelieving world an impossibility.
2. The supernatural serpent asks an evil question of the woman, “Did God actually say … (you know the questions object about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil). Satan is asking Eve to question the word of God!
Then the serpent tells the woman a lie.

3:4 וַיֹּאמֶר הַנָּחָשׁ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁה לֹֽא־מֹות תְּמֻתֽוּן׃
The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!
Genesis 3:4 Hebrew & NASB

Go ask her then, “Eve, do you believe the evil one who told you, ‘You will not die?”

Of course not even followers of Moses could do that, because Moses also records that both Adam and Eve died. After their original sin of disobeying the Lord God, their flesh and bones returned to the dust.

Therefore, consider the supernatural influence of spirits, demons, fallen angels, men possessed by evil and especially Satan could have on your life and death, your merciless judgment or eternal life by grace.

Jesus IS the Lord, One with God the Father of all creation and the Holy Spirit. God loves you and asks for your eternal love of good.

Yet Satan would sway the uncertain toward the gravity of Hell and battle of evil against good.

Choose this day who you will follow. Christ Jesus our loving Savior? Or Satan the angel of darkness asking you to prove, “Did God really say…?”
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To be continued...
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October 5, 2019
Hebrews – 1
1:1 πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐντοῖς προφήταις

It’s Greek to me…

multifariam et multis modis olim Deus loquens patribus in prophetis

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hebrews 1:1 KJV
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In our עִבְרִי Hebrews Intro I suggested that we will explore some translation back to the Greek and Hebrew. Follow links to secure sources.
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Translations of Hebrews 1 above, from the original Greek, to the Latin Vulgate, to Hebrew do not seem to exist. Greek was the common language of Jews and Romans of the first century empire. Even early English translations include unfamiliar words and terms, like “sundry times.” indicating a portion of time.

So what is the connection of the book of Hebrews to Hebrew descendants, Jews who became the Messianic followers of The Way?

The opening of the book makes the connection. Its purpose is to explain the connection of the Messiah Iēsous to GOD, θεός theos in the Greek,in Hebrew, אֱלֹהִים ‘elohiym.

Hebrews 1:

The Nature of the Son

Jesus often referred to himself as the Son of Man, a specific messianic reference to the Messiah, only Son of God, born as a man.

Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son.
Hebrews 1:1-2a CSB

An immediate mention of God speaking through recognized prophets of the Jews. These include Abraham, Israel, Moses, David, Isaiah and many others. The voice of ‘his Son’ speaks with a first-person authority of the LORD speaking directly.

God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.

The Son of Man, Jesus, is heir of all creation, much as a human son receives the inheritance of his father’s work. Yet the author of Hebrews points out even more of the Image of the Son to the Father.

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word.
Hebrews 1:3 CSB

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Jesus is of the same glory and exactly like God the Father and assumed the Throne of Majesty after making the Perfect Sacrifice for our sins on the Cross. The action of God Himself on the Cross purged our sins!

So he [Jesus] became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Angels and messengers of God

The writer of Hebrews states that the man Jesus is much more than a prophet, then proceeds by comparing Jesus to the glory of God the Father. After briefly considering the Son of Man, now the writer of Hebrews proceeds to compare Jesus to unseen messengers .

Angels are spirit messengers of God. Jesus emphasized the importance of the unseen spirit of man – soul, if you will – in its role of communication with God.

Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:5-6 CSB

The water of baptism or purification is not enough. Repentance is not enough. Good works of the flesh are not enough. No one is justified by God without receiving the Spirit of God, messenger to your soul. The writer of Hebrews quotes scripture about angels, holding up Jesus as the Highest Messenger.

The Son [Jesus] Superior to Angels

5 For to which of the angels did he ever say,
- Psalm 2:7 אֲסַפְּרָה אֶֽל חֹק יְֽהוָה אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה אֲנִי הַיֹּום יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃
- or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son?”
- Hebrews 1:6 Again, when he brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
- Deuteronomy 32:43 LXX (Septuagint) εὐφράνθητε, οὐρανοί, ἅμα αὐτῷ, καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ· εὐφράνθητε, ἔθνη μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐνισχυσάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες υἱοὶ Θεοῦ· ὅτι τὸ αἷμα τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ ἐκδικᾶται, καὶ ἐκδικήσει καὶ ἀνταποδώσει δίκην τοῖς ἐχθροῖς καὶ τοῖς μισοῦσιν ἀνταποδώσει, καὶ ἐκκαθαριεῖ Κύριος τὴν γῆν τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ.
- Psalm 97:7 LXX (Septuagint) σαλευθήτω ἡ θάλασσα καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς, ἡ οἰκουμένη καὶ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ.
- All the gods must worship him. [97:7 LXX, Syr read All his angels]
- Hebrews 1:7 7 And about the angels he says:
- Psalm 104:4 עֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחֹות מְשָׁרְתָיו אֵשׁ לֹהֵֽט׃
- NKJV Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.
“Rejoice with him, you heavens,
and let all of God’s angels worship him.
Deu.32:43a NLT As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text lacks the first two lines.

The writer of Hebrews makes clear that Jesus is superior to the angels, using scripture from the Old Testament to do so.

but about the Son

Hebrews 1:8-12 is glorification of the Son of God. Like his opening, the author quotes scriptures known to the Jews.

Quotes from Psalms often glorify God and glorify the king. The inference here is that Jesus, the Messiah, is a King forever.

Psalm 45

יָפְיָפִיתָ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם הוּצַק חֵן בְּשְׂפְתֹותֶיךָ עַל־כֵּן בֵּֽרַכְךָ אֱלֹהִים לְעֹולָֽם׃
Psalm 45:2
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2 You are fairer than the sons of men;
 Grace is poured upon Your lips;
 Therefore God has blessed You forever.
 3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One,
 With Your glory and Your majesty.
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The king holds up the royal scepter of righteousness, the symbol of justice in the right hand.

6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

This reference by the writer of Hebrews to the Son being higher than the angels comes directly from this song of love in Psalm 45. The Messiah is an answer to prayer – centuries of prayers by faithful Jews. Hebrews continues by quoting another Psalm.

Psalm 102 – The Lord’s Eternal Love

Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And let my cry come to You.

12 But You, O Lord, shall endure forever,
And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.

18 This will be written for the generation to come,
That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.

25 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
26 They will perish, but You will endure;
Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;
Like a cloak You will change them,
And they will be changed.
27 But You are the same,
And Your years will have no end.

You are the same

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
The revelation of Jesus Christ to John 22:13

Hebrews 1 closes reaffirming that the Son IS the creative Word of the Lord.

13 Now to which of the angels has he ever said:

Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool?

Once again, quoting a Psalm announcement of the Messiah’s reign.

14 [NIV} Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Yes. Angels are ministering spirits of the LORD.

Yet the Son of Man, God Incarnate: was, and IS, and will be higher than the angels; the righteous King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
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To be continued...
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January 8, 2019