| FLOYD HAYES |
| RELIGION |
| WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE? What is the relationship between the body, soul and spirit? What happens to the body, soul and spirit after death? Do they all die, does one continue living, or do two continue living? Where does each go after death? Can we communicate with the dead? Can the dead return to haunt us? What does the Bible teach? Jesus warned us that before He returns, there would arise many false prophets who would show great signs and wonders, and that many would be deceived (Matthew 24:24, Revelation 13:13, 14). A clear understanding of what the Bible teaches may help us avoid being deceived. Biblical Definitions The Hebrew word nephesh, used 755 times in the Old Testament, is usually translated as "soul," but often denotes individuality or personality. In many cases it is translated as "person" (e.g., Genesis 14:21; Numbers 5:6; Deuteronomy 10:22; Psalms 3:2), "self" (e.g., Leviticus 11:43; 1 Kings 19:4; Isaiah 46:2), "life" (e.g., Genesis 9:4, 5; 1 Samuel 19:5; Job 2:4, 6; Psalms 31:13; etc.), "appetite" (Proverbs 23:2; Ecclesiastes 6:7), "pleasure" (Deuteronomy 23:24; Psalms 105:22; Jeremiah 34:16), or "creature" (Genesis 1:20, 21, 30, 2:19). Expressions such as "my soul," "your soul," "his soul," etc., are generally substitutes for the personal pronouns "I," "me," "you," "he," etc. (e.g., Genesis 12:13; Leviticus 11:43, 44, 19:8; Joshua 23:11; Psalms 3:2; Jeremiah 37:9; etc.). In Numbers 31:19 the nephesh (translated "person") is "killed," and in Judges 16:30 (translated "me") it dies. In Numbers 5:2 ("the dead"), 6:6 ("dead body") and 9:6 ("dead body"), nephesh refers to a corpse. The Greek word psuche in the New Testament is similar to that of nephesh in the Old Testament. It is often translated as "life" or "lives" (e.g., Matthew 2:20, 6:25, 16:25; etc.), or "people" (e.g., Acts 7:14, 27:37; Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 3:20; etc.). It is often used as equivalent to the personal pronoun (e.g., Matthew 12:18; 2 Corinthians 12:15; etc.). Sometimes it refers to the emotions (Mark 14:34; Luke 2:35), to the mind (Acts 14:2; Philemon 1:27), or to the heart (Ephesians 6:6). The Hebrew word ruach, used 377 times in the Old Testament, is usually translated as "spirit," "wind" or "breath." It refers to the energizing spark of life essential to individual existence, representing the divine energy, or life principle, that animates human beings. It has also been used to denote vitality ("revived" in Judges 15:19), "courage" (Joshua 2:11), "anger" (Judges 8:3), disposition ("forsaken and grieved in spirit" in Isaiah 54:6), moral character ("a new spirit within you" in Ezekiel 11:19), and the seat of the emotions ("a sorrowful spirit" in 1 Samuel 1:15). The ruach occurs in both men and beasts ("have all one breath" in Ecclesiastes 3:19), leaves the body at death (Psalm 146:4) and returns to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7). It is often used as the Spirit of God ("holy Spirit" in Isaiah 63:10). The Greek word "pneuma" is usually translated as "spirit." It can denote mood, attitude or state of feeling (Romans 8:15; 1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:6) or be used for various aspects of personality (Galatians 6:1; Romans 12:11). It returns to God at death (Luke 23:46, Acts 7:59) and is often used as the Spirit of God (e.g., 1 Corinthians 2:11, 14; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 2:4; 1 Peter 1:12; 2 Peter 1:21). Biblical Texts The texts below, taken directly from the King James Version, are sequentially arranged to provide insight into the state of the dead. Within many texts, emphases and miscellaneous comments are supplied. Additional comments and questions are supplied for most texts, with the intention of providing a balanced, objective compilation of texts and comments. Genesis 2:7 -- "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Could a living soul be defined here as the "dust of the ground" plus "the breath of life"? Does the text state that man "became" a living soul or "received" a preexisting living soul? See James 2:26 for a biblical definition of death.) Genesis 2:17 -- "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Words of God spoken to Adam.) Genesis 3:4,5 -- "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." (Words of serpent spoken to Eve. God said that man "shalt surely die"; the serpent said that man "shall not surely die." Who do we believe, God or the serpent? And who is the serpent? Revelation 20:2 states: "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years." Furthermore, in John 8:44 Jesus referred to the "devil" as "a murderer from the beginning" and "a liar, and the father of it.") Genesis 3:19 -- "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Genesis 35:18 -- "And it came to pass [as Rachel was having a son], as her soul was in departing, (for she dies) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin." (Can the soul live apart from the body after death?) Leviticus 19:31 -- "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God." (Does God permit us to communicate with the dead?) Leviticus 20:27 -- "A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them." (Does God permit us to communicate with the dead?) Deuteronomy 18:10-12 -- "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee." (Does God permit us to communicate with the dead?) |
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