Anticipation
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 NIV
The day of Christ Jesus – How long will it take for God to finish the exclamation of your life? Paul gives us the answer. “Until the day of Yeshua HaMashiach.” What is that day? It is the day of His return, the Second Coming, the arrival of Messiah ben David.
Do you realize what this implies? It implies that God isn’t finished with you when you die. That’s right, it’s not over when it’s over. It’s not over until it starts anew. If you thought that you were finished with the race when you were laid to rest six feet under, it’s time to think again. The good work that God began in you will not stop until the return of the Son. The end isn’t the grave. The end is the restoration of the Kingdom in all its awe and splendor. The end is the final rule of the King. Until then, you are being completed.
I’m not sure who convinced us that life is lived between birth and death. I’m not sure who taught us that we are done when we stop breathing here on earth, but I am pretty sure it wasn’t Paul. There is work to do, God’s work, work that He will do – and it won’t stop until that Day. You and I might get a respite while we are waiting in the ground, but that doesn’t mean God is finished with us. He will still be working the good work, working the work of awe and majesty, while we wait (if we wait?). The end doesn’t occur when we stop walking in the maze. The end occurs when God brings us out the other side.
There is joy in this continuing-after-death point-of-view. All that I want to accomplish for the King won’t get done in the years I have left. Even if I had the longevity of Methuselah, I wouldn’t have the time needed to learn Torah, to worship the Creator and to conform myself to the image of His Son. But that’s OK. God will take all the time needed to make me into His exclamation point, even if I stop walking on this earth before the Day of the Son’s return. Nothing will be left unfinished. We will all arrive at the end of the maze on the same Day.
The Tanakh sees Sheol as a waiting place. The writers of the Netzarim Ketuvim added quite a bit to our understanding of Sheol and Shamayim. But not enough to remove the mystery. For that we have to wait until the Day of His coming. With great anticipation! Do you imagine that there isn’t enough time left to see it all happen? Don’t despair. There is exactly enough time left, no matter how long it takes.
Topical Index: Day of Jesus Christ, death, time, completion, Philippians 1:6
but wait…- there’s more! (-always more!..)
the past (according to us)
the present (according to us)
the future (according to us)
but it is not about us- is it?- Friends, “this is the LORD’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes” to see His-story unfold. G-d’s purposes (His will) are coming into being. They are “materializing” before our very eyes. History (also) is “His story.” What is this world coming to? -It is coming to Christ.
We all (according to His book) will give account of himself (or herself) to G-d. It is written: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
Now I happen to like- even enjoy using the words “it is written.” -Why? -Shall we return to the temptation of Christ and remember (repetition does seem to work for us) Yeshua said these very words not once, not twice (the number of witness) but three times (get it? got it? good) to our Adversary/Accuser, “it is written.”
There is a “not only, but also” quality to the word(s) of G-d. Yeshua said unto the Pharisees (highly educated, erudite men of that day)- “you do err, not knowing the scriptures (yes, O.T. was the only “scripture” available to them!) nor the power of G-d (the power of His Word:He ‘creates’ by speaking!)-Mark 12.24.
Please…-someone ‘accuse’ me of being a “Bible-thumper!” lol! Oh yes..- Hallelujah!- I am. Very, very much so. When HaSatan posed the question to our great, great, (not so great) parents- “Hath G-d said?” (introducing doubt for the first time)- the answer (in hindsight- always 20/20) should have been (hey,-Adam was new at this- ok?) Yes, (amen!) G-d did say..
Of course, -Adam did not have the Book of Instruction that we now have in our hands- did he? Oh.. to whom much has been given- much shall be required, and dear ones- we have been given “much!” For we (according to “it is written”) now have the “mind of Christ.” Where is this “mind” to be found? lol! – Look in the Book: -“it’s in there!”
The will of G-d, the ways of G-d, the wisdom of G-d ‘all’ are found within the Lamb’s Book of Life- our Bible. G-d’s love letter to His children- His “self-revelation”- the words He has spoken, and He has said, (in His words)- “I will honor my word above my Name.”
If we know anything about this Name (yes- Hashem- that name) this is no small matter. This (again) should be a ” !!! ” moment. In Hebrew: “wow!”
The word of G-d has been compared to a seed. We are the soil in which this seed grows. (You dirty guy) Hello Adam,- you jar of clay. Are these G-d’s instructions to us? “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom..” (Colossians 3.16)
Yes, ‘anticipation’. We may “rest assured”- when we pray “Your will be done”- it will be followed by these words- “and it came to pass.” For G-d will do this. He always has.. -He “always” will! (Do we need a few more of these? – “!!!”
Now, if only we had faith the size of a mustard seed.. – where does “faith” come from? -What do the scriptures say? Faith comes by ___________. And ___________ by ____________.
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/282507/jewish/Soul-Talk.htm
exerpt from above article–“For what is life in its most essential form, life fulfilling the purpose which G-d created it to fulfill? Life, in the ultimate sense, is a soul in a physical body causing the stuff of this world to be revealed as G-dly. This is what we achieve every time we do a mitzvah, a good and G-dly deed. And when our positive actions are inspired by the life of one who has passed on to a more spiritual state of life, and are motivated by the desire and goal that they be in his or her merit–we give life and growth to a soul of the next world. Through our actions, the souls of those who passed on can attain something they could not achieve on their own. They can “live,” in the ultimate sense of what life is about–affecting this world, making G-dliness felt in this world.” Maybe we all can learn from saying Kaddish and understanding Yhartzeit…….so much to know, so much to learn.”.Torah, try it you’ll like like it” as Rabbi Noach Weinberg OBM use to say. I appreciate you Skip, you are so right-on,
Just a minor comment. The idea that we are a soul in a physical body is quite problematic and has significant detrimental implications for human existence. I find nowhere in Scripture that suggests we are souls encased in some physical, material form. That is Platonic, at best. Other than that, I agree that performing mitzvot has both temporal and eternal effects.
Skip, I think you’re right: we do not have a soul, we are a soul: the result of unification of spirit and body. No dualism, like Plato. As I see it spirit is not conscious existence, but simply the principle of life, which brings forth consciousness, a function of being a soul. Do you agree?
Now I have another question. Is the soul and spirit of a man the same?
Robin, i have always understood that the soul & the spirit are not the same – that the soul is the mind, will & emotions & the spirit is the SPIRIT… ♥
perhaps Skip knows something else we/i don’t or he agrees… ♥
jan
As far as I can see spirit (ruach, pneuma) is wind in motion, our breath, the breath of life, the principle of life, given to us when God breathed his breath into Adams nostrils. And than he became a living soul (psyche), a person with all the things that made him Adam.
So spirit is the principle of life; soul is the person you are when spirit makes your body alive. When God calls the spirit (breath) home and your body returns to the soil, your soul simply stops to exist. It is not there anymore, as anyone who has ever had to carry a loved one to the grave, can certify: this body isn’t the person I loved anymore. That person has gone. Where? To sheol / hades. Sheol is hebrew. It is linked to the name Saul, who was the ‘asked’ king. Sheol, we would say: That’s the question. Maybe the best translation is: a questionmark: ?
When you look at the greek the name Hades is built up of (h)a-ides, not-seeable, which is correct: the person that died is no longer there, somewhat like the light that disappeared when you turn off the light.
This person that died will return only at the ressurrection when God returns a spirit into a new body. Than and only than we will be there again. As far as I can see….
Again, you are making distinctions that are not differentiated in Hebrew. The Hebrew words are umbrellas with lots of room under them for actions that characterize being human (and in some cases, being alive). Greek wants to break the concept “human” into parts but Hebrew does not do this. Stop thinking of the world as a combination of PIECES. Rather, think of it as a flow of actions. Is there a human being without action? Does the “soul” exist without the dynamic of human behavior? Is there a kettle without the metal, the purpose, the design? Is there a man without the assignment, the stewardship, the performance, the worship?
Nope. Once again, your distinctions come from a Greek dualism. You must set them aside in order to see the Hebraic perspective. I have written a lot about this in Today’s Word.
Who said that the words “soul” and “spirit” describe a “man’? The very question assumes a dualism. In Hebrew, lev, nephesh, basar and others are undifferentiated. All describe “man.”
I respectfully disagree. As we say: ‘there are 25 souls aboard this ship’, we certainly mean people, not ‘parts’. Í don’t know how this is in English, but the Dutch call someone ‘a great spirit’, when he’s a wise man or woman. This is not dualism. Rather pars pro toto. And as Scripture uses these differences, there must be a reason. It sound a bit too easy to call these words undifferentiated. Why writing about a word every day if Hebrew words are that indifferentiated? There is a good definition, although time may have done it’s covering work, even in Hebrew definitions. Word meanings shift. Modern understanding of Hebrew is blurred as well. I think Genesis gives us a perfect definition in the creation of ha-Adam. That’s not dualism, because body as well as spirit originate in God.
Hi Kees,
While I agree that Hebrew does differentiate in some areas, the concept of a human being as the combination of body, mind and soul is not Hebraic. The Hebrew words describing being human do not present humanity as the combination of parts. At best, Hebrew suggests human being is essential embodiment. As an example, Yeshua does not present himself without a body after his resurrection. His body might be different than ours, but he is not a “spirit.” This might be one of the reasons why there is so little about the afterlife in the Tanakh. Embodied is what we are. Yes, Genesis talks about the adamah given life to become Man, but this does not suggest that we could do reverse engineering and separate the adamah from ha-adam. The fact that our contemporary language speaks of “souls” or a “good spirit” only demonstrates how thoroughly we have adopted the Greek idea of composite. It is not evidence that our concepts are correct.
This is not a trivial issue. As a result of the dualism incorporated into theology, the Christian Church demonstrated a long history of emphasizing the “spiritual” versus the “physical.” Sins of the body defined the human condition. Monasticism was a direct result of this dualism. Christianity turned away from life as it is toward the hope of heaven, where the corruption of the physical would be left behind. At the same time, dualism introduced “spiritual” beings – beings without bodies – as the epitome of elevated existence, the supposed goal of every true believer. For example, Mary becomes nearly divine partly because she denies her flesh. Pauline theology is rewritten so that the “flesh” becomes evil itself (and thus we have the NIV translation of sarx as “sinful nature”).
Heschel’s book Who Is Man? deals directly with this problem. It’s worth the read.
Hi Skip,
I think we agree more than we differ. In my opinion I don’t have a soul, I am a soul. That means that apart from the body I cannot exist. Death is really death and not another form of existence. But even Scriptures have some notion of identification of aspects of being: Ecclesiastes 12:7 pictures death as a return: the body returns to the adamah from which it is taken, the breath of life to God Who gave it in the first place. As a result of this I simply cease to exist, or, as Scriptures say, my soul (personality) is in Sheol / Hades: it is no longer there. This is no dualism. This is why I believe spiritism is false: a (human) spirit cannot (consciously) exist apart from the body. Consciousnous exists only when a person lives; than and only than he is a whole person. In this I agree: you cannot break up the body-spirit-soul-unity without ending life. Right? (If I’m wrong please tell me!)
Even Genesis makes a distinction between ruach (the breath of life) and nephesh: there is the ruach-wind/breath link (air in motion) and there is the nephesh-blood link. As the breath of life is necessary to make Adam to a living nephesh. the soul is ‘in the blood’, the very natural link between your breath and the bodyparts that all need oxygin. This is picture-language, but clearly speaks about distinctions being made in Hebrew.
Heschel’s book is on my wish-list and I will certaily read it!
As far as Plato is concerned: I’m very much aware of the detrimental effect platonism had on early christanity: I teach the kids at school about Monasticism and our distorted view on sex (both extremes) as results of platonism invading our culture and beliefs.
I would like to say a thank you to this community for helping me
A few weeks ago I poured out my heart on a few issues with Skip
one being financial.. He responded with a gift of help, one I did not expect.
Because there are those of you who are able to give to Today’s Word financially
you therefore made it possible for Skip to be able to help me.
I am grateful to him and to you
Humbly
Judith
May G-d Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 5.23)
We are made in the image of our Creator, who Himself is Echad or ONE. We are also three-in-one, body-soul-spirit. The only difference I can tell between the Greek (separate parts) and the Hebrew (we are one) is actually in the punctuation! In Greek it is a comma, in Hebrew a dash. There is no way none many exist without body, soul, or spirit. All three reflect the tri-unity of our G-d . G-d the Father, G-d the Son, and G-d the Holy Breath. (I agree brother Kees,- YHWH did breath into man’s nostril’s the breath of life and man became a living soul. When we (or whoever) ‘breathes his last’- he (or she) is one gone dude. (He’s no longer breathing). This also ties in nicely brother Skip, with the Hebrew idea of prayer. “Pray without ceasing” – which we have often wondered how this is possible- is seen through the Hebraic mindset (the mind of Christ, BTW) as “breath without ceasing.” When we “remember” where each breath and each heartbeat come from (actually the Source of ‘every good and perfect gift’ (including our breaths!) we may continually with thankful hearts go about our everyday affairs ‘giving thanks’ to our G-d and Father above!
Man (I believe) as a reflection of, and made in the image of His creator is three-in-one, body, soul, and spirit.
Now if, (please don’t try this at home) I were to say, lose a finger- I would (minus one finger) still be Carl. I would be Carl of the nine fingers, but I would still be (lovable) me. Wave hello Carl.. ) no, use the other hand- please. My body carries me (the inner man) around.
May I “testify?” (true story). After heart surgery ( I had an aortic valve replacement- metal) I was awake for two days listening to the clicking sound this new metal valve was making. -“How am I going to get away from this?,” I wondered. It’s hard to run away from your own heart. Also this new valve was throwing out volumes of blood I had never known before. My surgeon told me – you’ll feel 25% better but I promise, I felt as if I had the heart of a teenager!.. (Pause for an “oorah!”)
I decided to go for a cup of coffee somewhere,so I grabbed my monitoring equipment (which was on wheels) and down the hallway we trudged in search of a coffee pot.
A strange thing occurred. (This is the ‘point’ of this story..) My mind (I promise) was saying to me- “run up the stairs.” -My body was weak as a kitten and I could barely ambulate- more like “toddled” down the hallway. My heart meanwhile was furiously pumping out volumes of blood I have never known before. – (I had no clue what a ‘normal’ heart was!)- but now I knew.
So, I thought.. Okay- I have the mind of a child, (run up the stairs!)- the heart of a teenage, and the body of an old man! -It’s a three-way split! lol!- My next thought? – Hey now.. we’re all going to have to get together here and place nice with each other.
Brother, I can guarantee you this- Your mind will write checks your body cannot cash. -Rotater cuff surgery anyone? A fifty seven year old pre-geezer has no business water skiing. – But I thought I could!- Yeah.. – you thought.
No, – you exist inside of your mind. The mind is the ‘holy of holies.” No, I do not ‘worship’ my mind, but my mind is “me.” My mind is where I exist. Everything exists to serve the mind. From bloodflow to breathing- I ‘carry’ me around. – Remember the missing pinky? – think on these things! You would still be you (minus one pinky finger)
The “battle” we fight today- is the battle for the mind. Not to say the body is not important, but it is the “outer court” of the tabernacle- the dwelling place of YHWH. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Breath, who is in you, whom you have received from G-d? You are not your own;For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify G-d in your body, and in your breaths, which are God’s. Each breath is a gift from G-d. Each heartbeat. We should praise Him with every breath and every heartbeat. -It is so. He gave us our first breath. (remember?)- I’m having difficulty- it was so long ago.. lol!- But I praise Him now for by breaths, and for my heartbeats. click,click,click..-just like the clock in the crocodile (Peter Pan).
“Death” is separation. Separation from G-d and separation from those we love. Sin separates. Sin divides. G-d is a god of unity and reconciliation. We are one (we being many are one) in the bond of love, through the atoning blood of Christ. We are the children of YHWH and we belong (through adoption) to Him. Hello brothers and sisters- worldwide! G-d has a very large (and diverse!) family. There is a wonderful unity in our diversity. I need you- and you need me. We (absolutely) are made to live in community.
Look at the variety of critters inside Noah’s Ark. But it was pitched (same word used for atonement!- what a coinkydink!) within and without and didn’t leak a drop. Whoever was in the ark was delivered safely to shore. And friends, (from every kindred, every tribe, on this terrestrial ball) whoever is “in Christ” will also have safe passage to “the other side!”
The storms of life will (not may) rock the boat- but we are assured deliverance by our Captain. Make sure seatbelts are securely fastened..- there may be (no, will be) turbulence ahead.
Enuf of my words..- what did He say? “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! -I have overcome the world.” (John 16.33)