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The Spark of Life ( נְשָׁמָה- Neshamah)

When God created Adam, after forming him from the dust of the ground, He breathed the breath of lives into his nostrils and Adam became a living soul1. Neshamah is used twenty-five times in Scripture to describe the breath of those who are living; however, it is only used twice with lives. God breathed the breath of life into Adam and during the description of the devastation of the flood upon the earth, all flesh that was upon the dry land died; all that had the breath of the spirit of lives within it, Genesis 7:22. This includes humans, birds, cattle, and beasts along with the Nephilim, who would also have possessed the breath of lives because they are a perversion of spirit and human beings that have a physical body. Animals are included because they have a fleshly based body and therefore must breathe just as the human body requires breath to live.

Breath by itself is primarily used concerning the breath in humans. In Joshua 11:11-14 all those who had breath were destroyed, but the animals were not. When God brought Israel into the land, the wicked inhabitants of the land was destroyed. As Joshua led them into the land, they fought against the kings and left none with breath alive2. Sometimes they wiped out the animals along with the humans, and other times they were permitted to take possession of the animals.

Ruach (רוּחַ) describes the spirit of a human, Job 32:8, Nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ) describes the soul, and Neshamah (נְשָׁמָה) relates to the life within the physical body. When God breathed the breath of lives into Adam, he became a living soul; therefore, the breath of life is not the […]

The Spark of Life ( נְשָׁמָה- Neshamah)2023-11-23T18:04:53-08:00

Washing (λουτρόν)

Water is related to the refreshing and sustaining of life. In most conditions a person will only survive a few days without water. This same concept is used concerning our spiritual life having its source and refreshment from the Holy Spirit. This does not associate water baptism with salvation or the Holy Spirit, for water immersion is not for the removal of the filth of the flesh, but for a good conscience towards God, 1 Peter 3:21. Even Paul stated he did not come to baptize with water, but to proclaim with authority the gospel of Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:17.

Jesus spoke of living water that will flow from within the heart of a person. Anyone thirsting that comes to Him in belief will have rivers of living water flowing out from his heart, John 7:36-38. Although the Holy Spirit had not yet been given when He stated this, the revitalizing and sustaining of spiritual life by the Spirit is what Jesus was talking about, John 7:39. Just prior to His death and resurrection, Christ reveals to the disciples that a change is coming in the relationship with them and the Holy Spirit. The Spirit was with them, and will soon be in them, for He will indwell the saints of the coming Church, John 14:17. It is through this revelation that we understand the relationship with the concept of rivers of living water and the Holy Spirit concerning spiritual life.

Jesus spoke of this renewing related to the Holy Spirit with Nicodemus. He explained that a person must be born of water even Spirit to enter the kingdom of the God.

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, except someone is born out from water even […]

Washing (λουτρόν)2023-11-25T07:45:14-08:00

The Temple

In the New Testament there are two primary words used for Temple. Hieron (ἱερόν), which describes the temple as a whole and Naos (ναός), the Holy of Holies. This is the inner chamber where God dwells as described in the building of the Temple in Exodus 26:33 as holy of the holies (קֹ֥דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים), where the ark of the covenant resided and only the High Priest was permitted to enter in once a year to make a sacrifice for the whole nation (Hebrews 9:7).

In Matthew, Jesus calls out the foolishness of the religious leaders who had no issue with someone swearing by the Holy of Holies and breaking their promise, but if they swore by the gold of the Holy of Holies then they were obligated to keep their word (Matthew 23:16). They had the same twisted allegiance to the sacrifice rather than the altar. Yet, the one swearing by the altar also swears by all that is on it, and the one swearing by the Holy of Holies also swears by the One who dwells in it (Matthew 23:20).

In one of Satan’s attempts to lure Jesus into acting independently from God the Father, he takes Him up to the pinnacle of the Temple, Matthew 4:5. His intent was to get Jesus to tempt God by casting Himself off the Temple, for Scripture states that His angels will protect Him. The tempting of God is not appropriate, for God cannot be tempted and tempts no one (James 1:13); therefore, Jesus rebukes Satan for even suggesting it (Matthew 4:7). In seeking to accuse Jesus, the Pharisees seeing His disciples picking grain and eating it as they pass through a grainfield on the Sabbath, tried to call […]

The Temple2023-11-25T07:51:21-08:00

2 Corinthians Appearing Before the Reward Seat of Christ

Our Fondness of Honor, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10

Our Ambition, 2 Corinthians 5:9

“Ambition” Comes from a Word that Means, “To be Fond of Honor”

Paul Concerning Preaching the Gospel Where Christ Had Not Been Named, Romans 15:20

For Us, to Make it Our Ambition to Lead a Quite Life, Attending Our Own Business, Working with Our Own Hands, 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

Whether At Home or Away from Home, to Be Pleasing to God

Presenting Our Bodies as a Living Sacrifice, Romans 12:1

Using Our Renewed Mind to Prove (test for approval) the Will of God, Romans 12:2

Giving to Support the Ministry, Philippians 4:18

Children Obeying Parents, Colossians 3:20

Servants Being Submissive to Their Masters, Titus 2:9

It is God Who Equips Us, Hebrews 13:20-21

We Will All Appear Before the Reward Seat of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:10

This is a Place Where Reward is Distributed, Not Judgment

We are Rewarded for Our Labors in The Lord, 1 Corinthians 3:8

How We Build Upon the Foundation Laid, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11

What we Build – Gold, Silver, Hay, Straw, Will Be Evident in the Day, 1 Corinthians 3:12-13

Our Works Will be Tested for What is Good, 1 Corinthians 3:14

We Are Not Judged, Our Works are Examined, 1 Corinthians 3:15

This Should Put Fear in Us, Not Afraid of Being Judged, but a Fear to be Careful How We Build

As We Grow in the Lord, Sometimes We are Allowed to Tear Down the Things Built of Straw and […]

2 Corinthians Appearing Before the Reward Seat of Christ2023-12-14T08:16:10-08:00
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