.
● Ecc 12:7 . . .The dust returns to the earth just as it happened to be, and
the spirit itself returns to the true God who gave it.
Solomon's comment strongly suggests that human existence isn't entirely
organic. In point of fact, information comes out very early in the Bible that
there's a non-organic element to human existence called the breath of life.
● Gen 2:7 . . Jehovah God formed a man's body from the dust of the
ground, and breathed into it the breath of life; and the man came to be a
living soul.
The word for "breathed" is from naphach (naw-fakh') and means; among
other things: to kindle; which Webster's defines as (1) to start (a fire)
burning: light, (2) to stir up: arouse, (3) to bring into being: start, and (4)
to animate.
Naphach is sort of like what Indy Car drivers do when they're given the
order to start their engines-- they light 'em up, so to speak: for example:
"What has come into existence by means of him was life, and the life was
the light of men." (John 1:3-4) viz: the Word's life kindled all other forms of
life, including human life.
The word for "breath" is neshamah (nesh-aw-maw') which means: a puff.
Neshamah is a bit ambiguous and has been variously translated air, soul,
spirit, blast, and inspiration.
What we're looking at here is a kind of artificial respiration, but not the
regular kind because it doesn't do a bit of good pumping air into the lungs of
a corpse. They won't come alive like that; it's been tried.
However, there's evidence in the Bible, starting in Genesis, indicating that
it's possible to pump life into a corpse: in point of fact into anything, even
stones (Matt 3:9, Luke 19:40).
Creatures within whom is the breath of life are perishable (e.g. Gen 7:21
22) but I have yet to encounter a passage in the Bible clearly stating that
the breath of life itself is perishable. In point of fact, I think it is very easy to
prove that the human creature's breath of life is not only a permanent
feature of their existence; but also prevents them from going out of
existence.
For example: when Abraham, Lazarus, and the rich man of Luke 16:19-31
passed away, they all left the organic portion of their existence behind-- viz:
their bodies: their limbs, their innards, their eyes and ears, and their brains
--yet on the other side they are perceptive; fully conscious, and fully
sentient.
I don't know for sure in what form they exist on the other side, but one
thing I do know is that they have not ceased to exist as individuals, nor have
they lost their identities-- Abraham is still Abraham, Lazarus is still Lazarus,
and the rich man is still the rich man; and that has to be because they
retained their breath of life when they crossed over to the other side.
For example; in Watchtower theology, Michael the arch angel had to die in
order to become a human being. Now, the amazing part of the story is that
Michael didn't go completely out of existence when he died; his life force
carried on.
"He had to become a perfect man and yet not lose his continuity of life. His
life-force was not to be extinguished but would be transferred to the ovum
of the virgin girl, Mary." (Watchtower magazine, 2/15/1982, page 7)
So, if it's possible for God to transfer the life force of a deceased spirit being
into a human body in order to preserve the spirit being's continuity of life,
then I see no reason to question whether God can do the very same thing in
reverse; viz: transfer the life force of a deceased human being into a spirit
body; thus preserving the human being's continuity of life.
● Heb 12:22-23 . . But you have approached a Mount Zion and a city of the
living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, in general assembly,
and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the
heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones
who have been made perfect,
"spiritual lives" isn't a translation, rather, it's an interpretation of the Greek
word pneúmasi which actually means spirits; and is so translated in
something like thirty-two verses in regular Bibles.
NOTE: The Watchtower Society isn't consistent with its interpretation of
pneúmasi. For example at Rev 16:13-14 they say it means inspired
expressions instead of spiritual lives, and at 1Pet 3:19 they say it means
spirits; i.e. sentient non-organic beings.
_
● Ecc 12:7 . . .The dust returns to the earth just as it happened to be, and
the spirit itself returns to the true God who gave it.
Solomon's comment strongly suggests that human existence isn't entirely
organic. In point of fact, information comes out very early in the Bible that
there's a non-organic element to human existence called the breath of life.
● Gen 2:7 . . Jehovah God formed a man's body from the dust of the
ground, and breathed into it the breath of life; and the man came to be a
living soul.
The word for "breathed" is from naphach (naw-fakh') and means; among
other things: to kindle; which Webster's defines as (1) to start (a fire)
burning: light, (2) to stir up: arouse, (3) to bring into being: start, and (4)
to animate.
Naphach is sort of like what Indy Car drivers do when they're given the
order to start their engines-- they light 'em up, so to speak: for example:
"What has come into existence by means of him was life, and the life was
the light of men." (John 1:3-4) viz: the Word's life kindled all other forms of
life, including human life.
The word for "breath" is neshamah (nesh-aw-maw') which means: a puff.
Neshamah is a bit ambiguous and has been variously translated air, soul,
spirit, blast, and inspiration.
What we're looking at here is a kind of artificial respiration, but not the
regular kind because it doesn't do a bit of good pumping air into the lungs of
a corpse. They won't come alive like that; it's been tried.
However, there's evidence in the Bible, starting in Genesis, indicating that
it's possible to pump life into a corpse: in point of fact into anything, even
stones (Matt 3:9, Luke 19:40).
Creatures within whom is the breath of life are perishable (e.g. Gen 7:21
22) but I have yet to encounter a passage in the Bible clearly stating that
the breath of life itself is perishable. In point of fact, I think it is very easy to
prove that the human creature's breath of life is not only a permanent
feature of their existence; but also prevents them from going out of
existence.
For example: when Abraham, Lazarus, and the rich man of Luke 16:19-31
passed away, they all left the organic portion of their existence behind-- viz:
their bodies: their limbs, their innards, their eyes and ears, and their brains
--yet on the other side they are perceptive; fully conscious, and fully
sentient.
I don't know for sure in what form they exist on the other side, but one
thing I do know is that they have not ceased to exist as individuals, nor have
they lost their identities-- Abraham is still Abraham, Lazarus is still Lazarus,
and the rich man is still the rich man; and that has to be because they
retained their breath of life when they crossed over to the other side.
For example; in Watchtower theology, Michael the arch angel had to die in
order to become a human being. Now, the amazing part of the story is that
Michael didn't go completely out of existence when he died; his life force
carried on.
"He had to become a perfect man and yet not lose his continuity of life. His
life-force was not to be extinguished but would be transferred to the ovum
of the virgin girl, Mary." (Watchtower magazine, 2/15/1982, page 7)
So, if it's possible for God to transfer the life force of a deceased spirit being
into a human body in order to preserve the spirit being's continuity of life,
then I see no reason to question whether God can do the very same thing in
reverse; viz: transfer the life force of a deceased human being into a spirit
body; thus preserving the human being's continuity of life.
● Heb 12:22-23 . . But you have approached a Mount Zion and a city of the
living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, in general assembly,
and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the
heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones
who have been made perfect,
"spiritual lives" isn't a translation, rather, it's an interpretation of the Greek
word pneúmasi which actually means spirits; and is so translated in
something like thirty-two verses in regular Bibles.
NOTE: The Watchtower Society isn't consistent with its interpretation of
pneúmasi. For example at Rev 16:13-14 they say it means inspired
expressions instead of spiritual lives, and at 1Pet 3:19 they say it means
spirits; i.e. sentient non-organic beings.
_