One of the lifelong questions we have is what happens to us when we die. There are many unusual non-biblical ideas that float around the world, such as being reincarnated until we learn certain lessons. Some say that when we die we all immediately go to heaven. Every funeral assumes that the deceased is in heaven, regardless of their relationship with the one who holds the keys to death and hades. Some believe that people are sleeping until they are resurrected to either life or death. This has problems too as they call it “soul sleep”, which is not in the Bible. The Bible does not say that our souls go to sleep. Certainly our body looks like it sleeps when we are dead, but soul sleep is a misnomer. Why? Because we are not our body, we are spirit, soul, and body. While the body decays and goes back to dust, where does our spirit go? Where does our soul go? Are our spirit and soul separated from one another? The answer is no. What determines where our spirit and soul go is whether our spirit is sealed by the Holy Spirit and our soul is born again. Let’s explore.
The Elohim made humans a three part being called manfaced. Anthropos or manfaced, differentiates us from the other sons of God, such as angels, cherubim, seraphim, ophanim. We have the face of a man. We are made spirit beings in the image and likeness of the Elohim. All humans have a spirit which is the “spirit of man”, a soul, or breath, and a physical body. This is the order of our make up, spirit, soul, and body. We are not our body, and we are not our soul, we are our spirit. We are spiritual first, made in the spiritual image and likeness of the Elohim. We have a soul which makes up the thoughts of our brain, the thoughts and intents of our heart, and our emotions in our kidneys. Spirit is not distinctive to man as beasts have spirit as well. Manfaced can have an anointed spirit when the soul confesses Jesus as Lord and believes he rose up on the third day. If one’s spirit is sealed by the Holy Spirit they will have a different destiny after their body dies than if they did not have an anointed spirit due to the soul’s confession.
2 Corinthians 1:21 G3588 And the one G1161 G950 firming G1473 us G4862 with G1473 you G1519 unto G5547 Christ, G2532 and G5548 having anointed G1473 us, G2316 is God;
22 G3588 even the one G2532 G4972 setting a seal upon G1473 us, G2532 and G1325 having given G3588 the G728 deposit G3588 of the G4151 spirit G1722 in G3588 G2588 our hearts. G1473
4972 LSJ Gloss:σφραγίζω to seal
Dodson:σφραγίζωI set a seal upon I seal, set a seal upon.
TBESG:σφραγίζω to seal
G:V
σφραγίζω
[in LXX chiefly for חָתַם (Deu.32:34, al.), also for סָתַם (Da TH Dan.8:26) ;]
to seal,
__(a) for security:
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to set a seal upon, mark with a seal, to seal
1a) for security: from Satan
1b) since things sealed up are concealed (as the contents of a letter), to hide, keep in silence, keep secret
1c) in order to mark a person or a thing
1c1) to set a mark upon by the impress of a seal or a stamp
1c2) angels are said to be sealed by God
1d) in order to prove, confirm, or attest a thing
1d1) to confirm authenticate, place beyond doubt
1d1a) of a written document
1d1b) to prove one's testimony to a person that he is what he professes to be
σφραγίζω
sphragizō sfrag-id'-zo From G4973; to stamp (with a signet or private mark) for security or preservation (literally or figuratively); by implication to keep secret, to attest KJV Usage: (set a, set to) seal up, stop.
We are anointed. We become sealed with our confession. We are put on deposit. The word for deposit is a “downpayment”. Where does our confession take place? Within our soul which is made up by our brain, heart, and kidneys. We align all three. Our soul and spirit change with our confession. We are anointed, consecrated to Jesus Messiah, and endued with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1:13 G1722 In G3739 whom G2532 also G1473 you, G191 having heard G3588 the G3056 word G3588 of the G225 truth G3588 the G2098 good news G3588 G4991 of your deliverance -- G1473 G1722 in G3739 whom G2532 also G4100 having trusted, G4972 you were sealed G3588 by the G4151 spirit G3588 of the G1860 promise G3588 in the G39 holy;
14 G3739 who G1510.2.3 is G728 the deposit G3588 G2817 of our inheritance, G1473 G1519 in G629 a release by ransom G3588 of the G4047 procurement G1519 in G1868 high praise G3588 G1391 of his glory. G1473
Paul says that we heard the word of truth, the gospel. We trusted. This is a coordinated effort between our brain, our heart, and our kidneys. It is a seal of our inheritance. We were sealed. Then a deposit was put down on us. We will be released by ransom, or by Jesus paying our ransom. We are sealed until the day of redemption. When is the day of redemption? The day of the harpazo.
We are not the only ones sealed. Later, during the tribulation, 144,000 virgin males will be sealed,12,000 from every tribe. They will be harpazo’d after Jesus is coronated.
Ephesians 4:30 G2532 And G3361 do not G3076 fret G3588 the G4151 [2spirit G3588 G39 1holy] G3588 G2316 of God, G1722 in G3739 which G4972 you were sealed G1519 for G2250 the day G629 of release by ransom!
Paul then tells us not to grieve, distress, make sorrowful, or annoy, the Holy Sprit who we are sealed with for the day of release by ransom. If Paul tells us not to annoy the Holy Spirit, we probably should pay attention. We are sealed until the day of redemption. The day Jesus calls from the clouds. The day he shows proof of the deposit put down on us by his blood.
The sealed manfaced has a destiny, the unsealed manfaced has a different destiny. We can choose either one. Where does a sealed spirit and soul go upon death or harpazo?
Yahweh Elohim created the adam a spirit, with a body to house the soul.
If one could trace their family tree that one would stop at Noah briefly, and then continue backwards to Adam. At that point we recognize that Adam was made in three parts over a period of time as spirit first, then body and soul. This is the story of man, made in the image of Theos/Elohim, or Gods, from the very dirt Theos/Elohim already created. Remember the part the Holy Spirit played in creation as per Solomon in Proverbs 8. Creation was a group effort.
Gen 1:26G2532And G2036God said, G3588 G2316 G4160Let us make G444man G2596according to G1504[2image G22511our], G2532and G2596according to G3669likeness! G2532And G756let them control G3588the G2486fishes G3588of the G2281sea, G2532and G3588the G4071winged creatures G3588of the G3772heaven, G2532and G3588the G2934cattle, G2532and G3956all G3588the G1093earth, G2532and G3956all G3588the G2062reptiles G3588of the ones G2062.1crawling G1909upon G3588the G1093earth!
G2596 κατά kata kat-ah' A primary particle; (preposition) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case [genitive, dative or accusative] with which it is joined)
G1504 εἰκών eikōn i-kone' From G1503; a likeness, that is, (literally)statue, profile, or (figuratively) representation,resemblance
G3669 ὁμοίωσις homoiōsis hom-oy'-o-sis From G3666; assimilation, that is, resemblance
Somewhat literally this first statement reads: And said Theos manufacture manfaced (Anthropos) down our image and down our profile. It seems like the inference is bringing down an image manufactured and that image is spiritual. As the Bible tells us there is both a spirit of man and a spirit of beast. According to verse 27 Anthropos was both male and female. The manufactured image was androgynous. What then is the spiritual image of Theos/Elohim? Male and female. This creation of man is on the sixth day. The story of Anthropos, man, continues after a period of time. We don’t know how long it took for the continuation of man’s creation, but sometime after the seventh day Anthropos is added to.
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2016/01/dimensions-eternity-image-of-man.html
The adam was made a spiritual image. Then the body was created from the dirt. Yahweh Elohim breathed into the adam the breath of life. The body houses the soul.
We understand that the word Elohim is a plural word in the Hebrew. The reason I use it rather than Theos which is the Greek word is that in Hebrew there is a singular, a dual, and a plural. The “im” denotes plural, meaning three or more. The Greek and English simply have a singular and a plural. The understanding of Elohim as more than one, does not mean that people are polytheists. It is the Hebrew word, so we could say the Jews are polytheists even though this is what they accuse Christians of.
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2014/10/superstitions-godhead-are-christians.html
All humans have a spirit. All beasts have a spirit. The spirit of man is not unique to humans only as all the other sons of God are spirit as well. What is unique is the ability to be sealed and anointed by the Holy Spirit. Paul calls the un-anointed manfaced a natural man.
1 Corinthians 2:11 G5100 For who G1063 G1492 [2knows G444 1of men] G3588 the things G3588 G444 of man, G1508 except G3588 the G4151 spirit G3588 of the G444 man, G3588 the one G1722 in G1473 him? G3779 So G2532 also G3588 the things G3588 G2316 of God G3762 no one G1492 knows, G1508 except G3588 the G4151 spirit G3588 G2316 of God.
12 G1473 But we G1161 G3756 [2not G3588 3the G4151 4spirit G3588 5of the G2889 6world G2983 1received], G235 but G3588 the G4151 spirit, G3588 the one G1537 from G3588 G2316 God, G2443 that G1492 we should know G3588 the things G5259 [3by G3588 G2316 4God G5483 1being granted G1473 2to us].
“For who knows manfaced the the manfaced whether not the spirit the manfaced the in him if not and the the Elohim and not one come to know whether not the Spirit the Elohim but we not the Spirit the cosmos lay hold of rather the Spirit the from out of the Elohim so that know the under the Elohim show favor to us.”
The translation here is not particularly great. Let’s break this up into several sentences.
Who knows manfaced whether it’s the spirit of manfaced or the Spirit of the Elohim is in manfaced. We do not know whether or not people are of the Spirit of the Elohim. We don’t lay hold of the spirit of the cosmos rather the Spirit from out of the Elohim. We know that under the Elohim we are shown favor, which we speak as instructed by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:13 G3739 Which G2532 also G2980 we speak G3756 not G1722 in G1318 [2instructed G442 3by human G4678 4wisdom G3056 1words], G235 but G1722 by G1318 words instructed G4151 [2spirit G39 1of holy]; G4152 [3in spiritual ways G4152 1spiritual things G4793 2being interpreted].
We speak, instructed by the Holy Spirit, ethereal, comparing ethereal or non-carnal combining non-carnal. We are comparing, combining, judging, or explaining two things, spiritual and spiritual. The idea is that we are instructed by the Holy Spirit to compare, combine, and interpret, spiritual matters. We are not instructed in human words of wisdom, instead spiritual comparing spiritual.
Humans have a lot of their own wisdom, especially if they have lived long enough. Sometimes human wisdom is helpful. But human wisdom falls short because the Holy Spirit instructs us in spiritually comparative matters. These are things above human knowledge, known by the Holy Spirit, hidden from the ages, so that Satanas and his evil rulers would not know the immense treasure we have in our little clay bodies.
1 Corinthians 2:14 G5591 But the physical G1161 G444 man G3756 does not G1209 receive G3588 the things G3588 of the G4151 spirit G3588 G2316 of God; G3472 [3moronishness G1063 1for G1473 4to him G1510.2.3 2 they are], G2532 and G3756 he is not G1410 able G1097 to know them, G3754 for G4153 [2spiritually G350 1 they are examined].
Paul calls a person without the Holy Spirit inside, a “natural man” or a “physical man”. Paul is answering his own question of 'who knows manfaced, if it’s the spirit of manfaced or the Spirit of the Elohim in him.’ This is how we know. The spiritual things are moronish to a man with only the spirit of man, who does not have the Spirit of the Elohim. So now if we are comparing spiritual with spiritual, the natural physical man will not be able to know them, they are spiritually investigated.
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2024/05/natural-man-mans-moronish-wisdom-holy.html
The very definition of death is a separation of the body from the soul. This tells us that before the days the Holy Spirit sealed believers in Christ, the soul was subject to a different standard. Leviticus tells us that every sin listed in Leviticus is a sin against the soul. People are referred to as souls. A soul is the breath life of manfaced. Souls are many manfaced with breath life. Whoever does this list of abominations in the book of Leviticus will destroy their own soul. It may be many souls, or one soul, who destroy their own life. The word is the same regardless of multiple people or one persons own soul, souls are destroyed. However David says that because he set Yahweh before him Yahweh will not leave his soul in hell.
Psa 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Psa 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Clearly there was a concern for the souls of manfaced, and those who stayed connected to Yahweh were sure that their souls would not stay in hell. If the body goes to the grave, and the soul goes to hell, where does the unsealed spirit of man go? It goes with the soul. There is no place in scripture that tells us the soul separates from the spirit. This is why Jesus witnessed to the imprisoned spirits, 1 Peter 3:19. He had to take captivity captive, Ephesians 4:8-10, so that David’s soul, as well as many others, would not be left in hell. Jesus spent three days and nights in the lower parts of the earth so that we would not have to.
Our soul is the determining factor for rewards in eternity.
1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
How much of a reward we end up with is determined by what we do now. We may be saved but end up with no reward or we may receive many rewards.
We are the temple of the Elohim, and the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Living Elohim dwells in us. Our tabernacle is a temporary place while we are on earth.
2 Corinthians 5:1 G1492 For we know G1063 G3754 that G1437 if G3588 G1919 our earthly G1473 G3614 house G3588 of the G4636 tent G2647 be rested up, G3619 [2a construction G1537 3from G2316 4God G2192 1we have], G3614 a house G886 not made by hands, G166 eternal G1722 in G3588 the G3772 heavens.
2647 LSJ Gloss:καταλύω to put down, destroy
Dodson:καταλύω I break up, overthrow, unharness, find a lodging
(lit: I loosen thoroughly), (a) trans: I break up, overthrow, destroy, both lit. and met., (b) I unyoke, unharness a carriage horse or pack animal; hence: I put up, lodge, find a lodging.
TBESG:
καταλύω to destroy/lodge
G:V
κατα-λύω
[in LXX for לוּן, שָׁבַת, etc. ;]
__1. to destroy, cast down:
__2. to unloose, unyoke (e.g. horses), hence intrans., of travellers (cf. κατάλυμα), to take up one's quarters, lodge (cl.,
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to dissolve, disunite
1a) (what has been joined together), to destroy, demolish
1b) metaph. to overthrow i.e. render vain, deprive of success, bring to naught
1b1) to subvert, overthrow
1b1a) of institutions, forms of government, laws, etc., to deprive of force, annul, abrogate, discard
1c) of travellers, to halt on a journey, to put up, lodge (the figurative expression originating in the circumstance that, to put up for the night, the straps and packs of the beasts of burden are unbound and taken off; or, more correctly from the fact that the traveller's garments, tied up when he is on the journey, are unloosed at it end)
καταλύω
kataluō kat-al-oo'-o From G2596 and G3089; to loosen down (disintegrate), that is, (by implication) to demolish (literally or figuratively); specifically (compare G2646) to halt for the night KJV Usage: destroy, dissolve, be guest, lodge, come to nought, overthrow, throw down.
3089
λύω
luō loo'-o A primary verb; to “loosen” (literally or figuratively) KJV Usage: break (up), destroy, dissolve, (un-) loose, melt, put off
The words “rested up” here should be translated destroyed “downward loosing, downward destroyed”. If our earthly body is destroyed we have an eternal building.
2 Corinthians 5:2 G2532 For also G1063 G1722 in G3778 this G4727 we moan, G3588 G3613 [3our dwelling-place -- G1473 G3588 4the one G1537 5of G3772 6heaven G1902 2to put on G1971 1longing];
3 G1489 if indeed G2532 also G1746 being clothed, G3756 [2not G1131 4naked G2147 1we shall 3be found].
We long for heaven. We know that there is a better future for us if we are not naked. What does Paul mean? We all wear clothes. We do wear clothes but do we have a seal, or an anointing?
2 Corinthians 5:4 G2532 For also G1063 G3588 [2the ones G1510.6 3being G1722 4in G3588 5the G4636 6tent G4727 1we] moan, G916 being weighed down; G1894 since G3756 we do not G2309 want G1562 to be stripped, G235 but G1902 to put on, G2443 that G2666 [3should be swallowed down G3588 1the G2349 2mortal] G5259 by G3588 the G2222 life.
“And for the being in the tent/body groan weighed down since not wish take off but clothed in order that devour the mortal from under the life.”
916 LSJ Gloss:βαρέω to weigh down, depress
Dodson:βαρέω I weight, load, burden I weight, load, burden, lit. and met.
TBESG:βαρέω to burden
G:V
βαρέω, -ῶ (later form of βαρύνω, which see),
[in LXX: Exo.7:14 (כָּבֵד), 2Ma.13:9 * ;]
to depress, weigh down. In NT, in pass. only:
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to burden, weigh down, depress
βαρέω
bareō bar-eh'-o From G926; to weigh down (figuratively) KJV Usage: burden, charge, heavy, press.
1562 LSJ Gloss:ἐκδύω to take off, strip off
Dodson:ἐκδύω I put off, take off, strip off I put off, take off, strip off, with acc. of person or garment or both.
TBESG:ἐκδύω to strip
G:V
ἐκ-δύω
[in LXX chiefly for פָּשַׁט ;]
to take of, strip of, strip: with accusative of person(s) (sc. clothing), Mat.27:28; with accusative of person(s) and of thing(s),
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to take off
1a) to strip one of his garments
2) to take off from one's self, to put off the one's raiments
3) fig., to put off the body, the clothing of the soul
ἐκδύω
ekduō ek-doo'-o From G1537 and the base of G1416; to cause to sink out of, that is, (specifically as of clothing) to divest KJV Usage: strip, take off from, unclothe.
2666 LSJ Gloss:καταπίνω to gulp
Dodson:καταπίνω I swallow, devour, destroy I drink down, swallow, devour, destroy, consume.
TBESG:καταπίνωto swallow
G:V
κατα-πίνω
[in LXX chiefly for בָּלַע ;]
__1. to drink down, swallow:
__2. to devour: 1Pe.5:8. Metaph., to swallow up, consume: pass., 1Co.15:54 (LXX),
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to drink down, swallow down
2) to devour
3) to swallow up, destroy
καταπίνω
katapinō kat-ap-ee'-no From G2596 and G4095; to drink down, that is, gulp entire (literally or figuratively) KJV Usage: devour, drown, swallow (up).
4095
πίνω, πίω, πόω
pinō piō poō pee'-no, pee'-o, po'-o The first is a prolonged form of the second, which (together with the third form) occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses; to imbibe (literally or figuratively) KJV Usage: drink.
Our tent is our body. It is not a permanent dwelling. We are weighted down or heavily pressed. We don’t want to be stripped, or have our clothes taken off, or our seal taken off, so that we are devoured like mortals (their bodies in the grave) under the living. In Paul’s last letter to the Corinthians he told us that mortals will put on immortality.
2 Corinthians 5:5 G3588 And the one G1161 G2716 manufacturing G1473 us G1519 for G1473 this same thing G3778 G2316 is God, G3588 the one G2532 also G1325 having given G1473 to us G3588 the G728 deposit G3588 of the G4151 spirit.
728 Dodson:ἀρραβών an earnest, earnest-moneyan earnest, earnest-money, a large part of the payment, given in advance as a security that the whole will be paid afterwards.
TBESG:ἀρραβών guarantee
G:N-M
ἀρραβών
(T, ἀραβ-: 2Co, ll. with), -ώνος, ὁ, [in LXX: Gen.38:17-20 (עֲרָבוֹן)* ;]
an earnest, part payment in advance for security, a first instalment:
(AS)
Thayer:
1) an earnest
1a) money which in purchases is given as a pledge or downpayment that the full amount will subsequently be paid
ἀῤῥαβών
arrhabōn ar-hrab-ohn' Of Hebrew origin [H6162]; a pledge, that is, part of the purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest KJV Usage: earnest.
The god of this world has the downpayment for us. Jesus’ blood was the guarantee of prepaying our salvation with the proof of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit in us proves we are not headed to destruction. Our body may go to the grave and it will not praise Yahweh in the grave because our soul and spirit will be somewhere else. The Holy Spirit is the proof, the seal, that tells all other spiritual beings we are ready for release by ransom.
2 Corinthians 5:6 G2292 Taking courage G3767 then G3842 at all times, G2532 and G1492 knowing G3754 that G1736 while dwelling at home G1722 in G3588 the G4983 body, G1553 we are abroad G575 from G3588 the G2962 Lord.
1553 LSJ Gloss:ἐκδημέω to be abroad, to be on one's travels
Dodson: ἐκδημέω I go abroad, am absent.
TBESG:ἐκδημέω be away
G:V
ἐκ-δημέω, -ῶ
(< ἔκδημος, from home; cf. -ία, 3Ma.4:11)*;
to be from home, absent: 2Co.5:6; before ἀπό, 2Co.5:8; before ἐκ, 2Co.5:9 (cf. ἀπο-, ἐνδημέω).†
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to go abroad
2) emigrate, depart
3) to be or live abroad
ἐκδημέω
ekdēmeō ek-day-meh'-o From a compound of G1537 and G1218; to emigrate, that is, (figuratively) vacate or quit KJV Usage: be absent.
Paul says that with these things in mind, the eternal dwelling, that we are not naked, that the Holy Spirit is our deposit, we are to be courageous because even though we are here on the earth we are living away from Yahweh.
2 Corinthians 5:7 G1223 [2by G4102 3belief G1063 1For] G4043 we walk, G3756 not G1223 by G1491 sight.
We walk by faith not by sight. Obviously how do we know what Paul is saying is correct? Well he did go to Paradise, the third heaven, when he was stoned and left for dead, and whether in the body or out of the body he didn’t know, but he heard things that he could not talk about. Who told us about the third heaven being paradise? Enoch. This is the information the first century church had. These are the things they knew when they wrote to us.
2 Corinthians 5:8 G2292 And we take courage, G1161 G2532 and G2106 we take pleasure G3123 rather G1553 to be abroad G1537 from G3588 the G4983 body, G2532 and G1736 to dwell at home G4314 with G3588 the G2962 Lord.
“But I am confident and well pleased rather absent from out of the flesh and home with the Yahweh”
1736 LSJ Gloss:ἐνδημέω to live in
Dodson:ἐνδημέω I am at home I am at home, live in a place.
TBESG:ἐνδημέω be home
G:V
ἐνδημέω, -ῶ
(< ἔνδημος, living in a place),
to live in a place, be at home: ἐν τ. σώματι,
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to be among one's own people, dwell in one's own country, stay at home
ἐνδημέω
endēmeō en-day-meh'-o From a compound of G1722 and G1218; to be in one’s own country, that is, home (figuratively) KJV Usage: be at home (present).
Paul just announced where we will be when we are out of the body. We will be with Yahweh. This was not the case before people could be clothed and sealed with the Holy Spirit. It is the case now. This is why Jesus in his seven letters to the seven churches, has messages for the overcomers, as John recorded. One of which is that he will give us to eat from the tree of life in Paradise.
We know that when we are away from our body we are at home with Yahweh. We also know this was a well understood subject in the first century. It hardly matters what letters and books some religious groups threw out, this is what they knew. We always want to get back to the closest understanding of the Bible and it’s writers who were moved by the Holy Spirit, so we have to know what it is they knew, they studied, and they understood.
The Essenes didn’t seem to take a position as to judge who was eligible for heaven or paradise or doomed for hell. The Pharisees give us the parameters of those who are “good” and those who are “evil”. That is a great manipulation tool for religious leaders. We see that tactic used even today. With the Essenes, Josephus says that the soul is immortal and that people should strive for rewards pertaining to righteousness. Jesus tells us to strive to enter the straight gate, Luke 13:24. Paul tells us to strive lawfully for masteries so that we will be crowned 2 Tim 2:5. The way the Essenes looked at things is more positive, just strive, and not speculating over good and evil. We don’t actually get to decide who goes to heaven or paradise or hell, so the Essenes simply ascribed those judgments to God and did their best in life.
Now from Josephus’ record of the Wars of the Jews, he gives us more details. Again regarding the Essenes:
Wars of the Jews Book 2:8:11. For their doctrine is this: That bodies are corruptible, and that the matter they are made of is not permanent; but that the souls are immortal, and continue forever; and that they come out of the most subtile air, and are united to their bodies as to prisons, into which they are drawn by a certain natural enticement; but that when they are set free from the bonds of the flesh, they then, as released from a long bondage, rejoice and mount upward.
Subtile is an old word, it is Middle English and the Old French version of subtle. Subtile meaning fine, delicate, rarified, or fluid. The soul is rarified, fluid, fine, or delicate, and the body corrupts and is not permanent. Souls are immortal but are imprisoned by the body. Souls mount upward when released from the body. The natural enticement are lusts and pleasures that the body experiences. Imagine what the Essenes believe, that once one is free from their body one rejoices. This is why death has no sting for the one who dies. Death only stings for those left alive. Think about John and Jesus. Jesus didn’t rescue John, he simply kept on doing miracles in the North. This is why Jesus didn’t call on the legions of angels to save him. Death has been promoted as an end, and as a bad thing, but in the Essene view death is freedom. The soul is fluid, or rarified, esoteric, not like the body which is solid and visible. The soul is healed by repentance. Jesus told us to lay down our lives and to take up our cross. Now we can see why. Jesus knew he was going to lose his life in Jerusalem and he wasn’t dissuaded by Peter, but corrected Peter harshly. By his death Jesus set free the redeemed dead and opened paradise. He did not love his life but saw his purpose for humanity.
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2016/02/philosophies-of-death-essenes-pharisees.html
Josephus lived during the time of the first century believers. All the written works they had were the foundations of their letters to us. This includes the book of Enoch, the Dead Sea Scrolls which were not hidden in clay jugs yet, Jasher, and many other works. What they knew is far more important than we realize.
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Isaiah connects his soul and spirit in the night as he prays that the world will learn righteousness.
The Prayer of Azariah also known as The Song of the Three Holy Children puts the spirit and soul of the righteous together.
Daniel (3:87) O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
When Hannah, Mishael and Azariah were thrown into Nebuchadnezzar’s burning fiery furnace they prayed and were delivered. An angel of Yahweh smote the flames in the middle of the burning fiery furnace and the three young men prayed and worshipped. The knowledge of men having spirits and souls was well known. Solomon also explained that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom, would not enter or dwell in a body subject to sin.
Wis 1:4 For into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter; nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin.
Wis 1:5 For the holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without understanding, and will not abide when unrighteousness cometh in.
Wis 1:6 For wisdom is a loving spirit; and will not acquit a blasphemer of his words: for God is witness of his reins, and a true beholder of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue.
Wis 1:7 For the Spirit of the Lord filleth the world: and that which containeth all things hath knowledge of the voice.
This is why we needed a Savior. Jesus, by his own blood, cleansed us from our sin so that the Holy Spirit could dwell in us. Now think this through. If the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and our spirit is made holy by way of the Holy Spirit, where is our spirit going to go when we die? Is it going in a box in the ground, decaying with our body in some inactive state? Our spirit made holy by The Holy Spirit, does not decay it lives eternally. It is not inactive, it is active and alive, and its place is determined by our soul, whether we confessed Jesus as Lord or not.
In the book of Jasher, Abraham destroys his fathers idols, then tells his father a tall tale about the idols fighting one another. Terah gets mad and asks Abraham this question:
Jasher 11:42 Is there spirit, soul, or power in these gods to do all you have told me? Are they not wood and stone, and have I not made them myself, and can you speak such lies, saying that the large god that was with them struck them? It is you that placed the hatchet in his hands, and then say he struck them all.”
Press, Covenant; Coalition, Covenant Christian. The Complete 54-Book Apocrypha: 2022 Edition With the Deuterocanon, 1-3 Enoch, Giants, Jasher, Jubilees, Pseudepigrapha, & the Apostolic Fathers (p. 1298). Covenant Press. Kindle Edition.
Terah made these wooden idols and he asks Abraham if they have spirit, soul, or power, in them. The question we would ask Terah then would be, why worship them? This is the question Abraham posed to his father, because his father was worshiping idols. Abraham proceeded to burn the idols to the ground.
James settles the whole matter. We should just get people saved.
Jas 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Jas 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Our soul will not end up in death or hades if we confess Jesus as Lord. Our spirit will be sealed and anointed if we confess Jesus as Lord. We have to explain the importance of salvation to others. Some people threw mud on the entire subject to keep others in submission, but we can hose off the mud and see what the Bible says. If we take the Essene approach as opposed to Pharisaical ideas, we will encourage everyone to do their best for Yahweh and not worry about pointing out whether we think they are good or bad, sinful or not.
Every funeral should be an evangelistic event, with altar calls and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Our physical body will go to the grave because our body is decaying, but our spirit can live eternally depending our soul. Do we want to go to death or hades? Do we want to go to Paradise? Jesus has the keys. Our soul does not separate from our spirit, and when our soul is born again our spirit becomes sealed for the day of redemption. It is not possible for the Holy Spirit who dwells in us and has sealed us to end up in a box underground. The people who believe this to be true have a misconception on the Holy Spirit and what it means to be sealed and anointed. The subject is simple. Our body decays in the ground but our spirit and soul lives on. We get to choose where.
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2022/02/cleaning-soul-different-genos-evil.html
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2014/11/jesus-face-god-of-living-resurrection.html
http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-mysteries-of-heaven-heavenly.html
http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/03/hades-gehenna-abyss-paradise.html
http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-mysteries-of-hell.html
http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/03/when-we-get-to-heaven-revelation-5_11.html
http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/09/eden-garden-of-god-jesus-plan-for-lower.html
http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2015/02/everlasting-punishment-vain-speech.html
http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-winepress-of-gods-wrath-beast-and.html
