Jun 29, 2014

Life is in the Blood

I've yet to find the name of the author of this article, but it's great theology, and digs deep into the connection between human blood and the soul.  Very good stuff.  You can link to the author's site at the bottom of this article.

"And the LORD God...breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul". (Gen2:7) "But you shall not eat flesh with its life - its blood". (Gen9:4) "For the life of the flesh is in the blood...for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul"(Lev17:11)

What we consider in this lesson (and follow-up commentary) is a subject that, when its Truth hit me, it was of such profundity, I have come to realize it is a major doctrine that SHOULD BE taught more, but isn't. The seed for this discussion came from listening to a sermon tape of a Godly pastor of a church in Madison, Wisconsin. The seeds his message planted, sprouted in my heart as the Holy Spirit flooded me with related Scriptures; thus, I knew what he had proclaimed, although not commonly heard from pulpits, was God's Truth. As I share with you in a small way, here, what the Lord has revealed to my heart, perhaps you who are True Believers will then experience the Holy Spirit opening His Word to you in a similar fashion. This discussion is for blood-bought and redeemed children of God. The unsaved will likely not have a clue.  Medical science understands a partial significance of blood. They can take blood samples and if they conduct all the necessary tests, they can presume to know "everything" about the physical health of the owner of that blood. The blood supplies nutrients to empower the body, oxygen to make those nutrients work, other mechanisms to remove impurities. The blood is the pathway for pathogens which make a person sick. It is also the conduit for chemotherapy which often makes the body well again.  But there is another aspect which medicine has apparently not detected under their microscopes and centrifuges. Life, actual LIFE, is in the blood. No; blood is not merely the conduit of nutrients to keep the body alive; but the blood, -itself-, is-and-contains LIFE. Medical science says a person is dead when the brain waves stop. But when a person has drowned (for instance) and brain activity has ceased, and they are revived, what is the concern about 'time and the brain'? The lack of 'blood' to the brain. You might quickly suggest, "Well, sure... the brain needs its nutrients and oxygen, which the blood -supplies-." True. But 'what' makes the brain work? We have observed in the past how the brain is merely an organic "computer". As with electronic computers, computers don't program and operate themselves; somebody, or some thing, needs to enter commands to make the computer function. We have spoken in the past of demon-possession, and how demons can only enter an "empty house". (Mt12:43-45) How charismania uses Tibetan/Hindu/TM/Yoga type shamanistic "meditation" techniques to empty one's mind in order to become "spirit-filled". But we wonder, when a person is in their 'normal' [non-possessed] state, -where- is that seat of understanding? Where is the soul? Where does the consciousness of a person reside? Where is the "operator" of the "computer"? Well, by the time we have finished here, perhaps we will come to realize that the concept of "-heart-" may not be as far-fetched a concept as we might have thought. "For from within, out of the heart [the 'blood' organ] of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness." (Mk7:21-22)  To understand this, we must look at the Hebrew. In our opening passages, the words "soul" and "life" come from the same word, "nephesh" (Strongs 5315) Now, what does "nephesh" mean?  Nephesh == "living being, individual, seat of the appetites, seat of emotions and passions, activity of mind, activity of the will, activity of the character." In other words, one's personality, decision-making, emotions, morality... conscience and knowing what's right and wrong. The N.T. Greek for "soul" (psuche Strongs -5590) has a definition not all that different, in practicality, from "nephesh"; so, for simplicity and consistency, this article will stick with "nephesh".  In Gen2:7, "man became a living soul [Nephesh]". In other words, "man became a living [Life]". Lev17:11 "life [nephesh] is in the blood". In other words, the "[soul] is in the blood".

Read the rest of this article at - http://www.a-voice.org/main/voice082.htm