Body, Soul and Spirit

Body, soul and spirit.

An in depth study of the Scriptures reveal that man is composed of body, soul and spirit. My purpose with this study is to show why Elohim created us in His image and likeness, with mind-power enabling us to build spiritual character after the Elohim kind. He gave us the potential to ultimately like Him become rulers of the universe which He created by His word (as per Psalm 33: 6). Even so, the reality that man consists of a body, a soul and a spirit does not mean that we go to heaven when we die. Due to the great deal of confusion about what the different religious groups believe regarding the composition of man, it is difficult for most to understand what happens when we die. Some believe that we are born with immortal souls and at death our souls go to either heaven or hell, depending on how we lived, whilst others believe that they are reincarnated after they die, to return to earth as another human being or even an animal.

This confusion about death can be directly attributed to a misunderstanding about what constitutes a soul. We need to ask ourselves: can the soul exist apart from the body? And does it continue to exist after death? The English word soul is translated from the Hebrew word ‘nephesh’, which simply means creature or life. We see according to Genesis 1 that both animals (in verse 21) and human beings (in verse 27) were created (transliterated as ‘Barah’ as opposed to ‘Asah’ or to make in Hebrew) and are living creatures. Therefore both animals and human beings have souls or are living beings. Every living thing created by Elohim has lifeblood flowing in their veins and are living souls or beings. We see from Genesis 1: 11 & 12, YHVH saying: “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with seed in them, on the earth”; and it was so. (12) And the earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with seed in them, after their kind; and Elohim saw that it was good.” The difference between plant and animal life is that animals like human beings have or are living souls. Their souls give them the instinct to survive, namely to propagate their species; to find food; to build shelters (nest), etc. The difference between human beings and animals is that man has a spirit within him, as witnessed in the second part of Zechariah 12: 1 as follows: “Thus declares YHVH who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit (neshamah) of man within him.” A second more descriptive witness comes from Job 32: 8 in this way: “But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.” The final words in this sentence tell us that it is the spirit in man that gives us the ability to understand; to evaluate various options open to us and to make decisions as to which option to choose. Nevertheless, we are free moral agents, with the ability to choose to go Elohim’s way, or the way of the world.

The point is: Man does not have an immortal soul and if he sins, he is destined to die as witnessed in Ezekiel 18: 4 as follows: “Behold all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.” A second witness to this is found in Ecclesiastes 9: 5, in this way: ‘For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.’ The Hebrew Tanach teaches that upon death, the soul dies. This is confirmed in Job 14: 12, in this way: “So man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens be no more, he will not awake nor be aroused out of his sleep.” A Greek word similar to the Hebrew ‘nephesh’, namely ‘psuche’ is used In the Renewed Covenant meaning life or soul. We read further from Matthew 16: 25 – 26 where Yahshua said: “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. (26) For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul (life)? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul (life)?” Initially YHVH Elohim created man to look like His image, but His ultimate plan is to make man to become like Him in every way – physically and spiritually. Let’s therefore review a number of Scriptures to see how this truth is recorded throughout the Scriptures and unfolds before our eyes. To commence with we read from Genesis 1: 26 & 27, “Then Elohim said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing, that creeps on the earth.” (27) And Elohim created man in His own image, in the image of Elohim He created him; male and female He created them.’” Because Adam and Eve deceived by Satan failed to live up to what YHVH required of them and sinned, they doomed them and their descendants to death – the same way their descendants curse themselves and their children by rejecting Elohim’s Torah way of life. We read accordingly from Genesis 3: 17 – 21 & 23 & 24, YHVH saying to Adam: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. (18) Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field; (19) by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (20) Now the man called his wife’s name Eve (Chavah), because she was the mother of all the living. (21) And YHVH Elohim made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. (23) Therefore YHVH Elohim sent him out from the Garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. (24) So He drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life.’ Even though man originally had the potential to live forever, if only they ate of the tree of life; the result of eating from the tree of good and evil caused the fate of mankind to be the same as the fate of animals and all living creatures, as recorded in Ecclesiastes 3: 19 & 20, in this way: ‘For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. (20) All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.’

Once a man dies his life or soul comes to an end, and his body returns to the dust from which he was made. But this leaves us with the question, what happens to man’s third component part, namely his spirit or mind-power, whereby he is able to build a good and upright character. We find the answer in Ecclesiastes 12: 7, as follows: ‘Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to Elohim who gave it.’ The spirit in man is the mind-power of man recording his character developed during his lifetime in his memory, which at death goes to the Father to be stored in heaven, during which time he/she is unconscious (as we’ve see from Ecclesiastes 9: 5 quoted before) until Messiah returns to remarry those of us who died in Him and our Torah observant Jewish Brothers. At that time He will bring the spirits of those called out of the religions of the world who remained faithful and died in Him, as well as Jews who because of their Torah knowledge and obedience throughout their lives have received the Set-apart Spirit (as per Acts 5: 32[1]), as the first fruits of His people to become kings and priests under Messiah. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied about the return of the house of Israel to YHVH and His Torah way in Ezekiel 36 prior to the two houses of Israel coming together to form the commonwealth of Israel once again as described in Ezekiel 37. We read accordingly from Ezekiel 36: 16 – 28: ‘Then the word of YHVH came to me saying, (17) “Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds; their way before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. (18) Therefore, I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols. (19) Also I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the lands. According to their ways and their deeds I judged them. (20) When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My Set-apart name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of YHVH; yet they have come out of His land.’ (21) But I had concern for My Set-apart name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went. (22) Therefore, say to the house of Israel, Thus says YHVH Elohim, ‘It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My Set-apart name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. (23) And I will vindicate the Set-apartness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am YHVH,” declares YHVH Elohim, “when I prove Myself Set-apart among you in their sight. (24) For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you into your own land. (25) Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. (26) Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (27) And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statues, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. (28) And you will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your Elohim.”’

Yahshua explained the resurrection power of Elohim in John 3, saying to Nicodemus that we need to be immersed in water to receive the Set-apart Spirit if we want to be resurrected (or born again) as spiritual children of Elohim, at His return. Yes, the first-fruits will be resurrected to be born-again from the dead as spiritual children of YHVH our Elohim, similar to the way Yahshua was resurrected as the first born from the dead as witnessed in Colossians 1: 18, in this way: ‘He is also head of the body, the congregation; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.’ Man’s spirit and soul (life) is so intertwined that the way he lives his life will reflect the spirit in him. It is for this reason that we read from Hebrews 4: 12: ‘For the word of Elohim is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.’ If we, from the lost ten tribes of Israel have been immersed into Yahshua’s name, our lives will eventually start reflecting Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit in us. Even though YHVH doomed mankind to death after his fall in the Garden of Eden, He gave Abraham’s descendants a way to get back to Him and eternal life through His Torah as we see Yahshua saying to a Jewish person in Matthew 19: 16 & 17, as follows: ‘And behold, one came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” (17) And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”’ But since YHVH divorced us from the lost ten tribes because of Idolatry, we have forgotten our Torah culture, and He scattered us into the nations of the world. Now, we have to return to YHVH in true repentance (teshuvah) and be immersed into the name of the one seed of Abraham, namely Yahshua to be redeemed from the power of the grave.

Whilst it will be only the first-fruits of called out believers from the house of Israel, and those who remained Torah observant from the house of Judah, who will be resurrected at Messiah’s return, the rest of the people who lived from the beginning of creation until the time of Messiah’s return, will only be resurrected after Messiah’s millennial rule, as witnessed in 1 Corinthians 15: 21 – 24, & 45, as follows: ‘For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Messiah all shall be made alive. (23) But each in his own order: Messiah the first fruit, after that those who are Messiah’s at His coming, (24) then comes the end (ones), when He delivers up the kingdom to the Elohim and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. (This is one reason why all authority or power has been given to Him in heaven and on earth) (45) So also it is written, “The first MAN, ADAM, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.’ Those resurrected after Messiah’s millennial rule will be resurrected to live the rest of their lives out as flesh and blood human beings as may be seen in Isaiah 65: 17- 20[2]. At that time YHVH will open their minds to understand the Scriptures as witnessed in Revelation 20: 12[3] and Isaiah 25: 7 – 9, in this way: ‘And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. (8) He will swallow up death for all time, and YHVH Elohim will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for YHVH has spoken. (9) And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our Elohim for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is YHVH for whom we have waited; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”’ YHVH will open the Scriptures to the understanding of those in the second resurrection, the same way Yahshua opened the minds of His disciples after His resurrection (as per Luke 24: 44 & 45[4]) and give them their first chance to make an informed decision whether they want to follow His way or not. That will also be the time when all knees that have not bowed to Messiah’s authority during this life or during the millennium, will bow before Him as witnessed in Philippians 2: 9 - 11, as follows: ‘Therefore also Elohim highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, (10) that at the name of Yahshua EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth and under the earth, (11) and that every tongue should confess that Yahshua Messiah is Master, to the glory of Elohim the Father.’

Even though those of us called out of the world are required to grow in grace and knowledge, during our life on earth, from the time that we are called until we die, or until Messiah returns, we as human beings will never quite reach the point of perfection required by our Father. It is for this reason that we read from Hebrews 12: 23: ‘To the general assembly and congregation of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to Elohim, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect.’ The more we allow the Set-apart Spirit to dominate our lives and focus our attention on the coming Kingdom of Elohim, the more we will become like Yahshua. The fact that we are made in the image and likeness of Elohim, is a clear indication of the ultimate potential that He planned for us. It was for this reason that King David wrote in Psalm 8: 3 – 6: ‘When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; (4) what is man, that Thou dost take thought of Him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him? (5) Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than Elohim, and dost crown him with glory and majesty! (6) Thou dost make him to rule over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet.’ King David realized that YHVH our Elohim created us to rule the universe one day – he understood that our destiny is linked to stars. The author of Hebrews expanded on what David wrote in Hebrews 2: 6 – 11, ‘But one has testified somewhere saying, “WHAT IS MAN, THAT THOU REMEMBEREST HIM? OR THE SON OF MAN, THAT THOU ART CONCERNED ABOUT HIM? (7) THOU HAST MADE HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; THOU HAST CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND HAST APPOINTED HIM OVER THE WORKS OF THY HANDS; (8) THOU HAST PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.’ For in subjecting all things to him (man), He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him (man). (9) But we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Yahshua, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of Elohim He might taste death for everyone. (10) For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. (11) For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Yahshua came to show us our potential, to like Him become children of Elohim.

Even though mankind was doomed to death after the fall of Adam and Eve, YHVH gave the remnant according to His gracious choice (as per Romans 11: 5) an opportunity to reach the potential He has planned for us all along, as witnessed in Romans 6: 23, as follows: ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of Elohim is eternal life in Messiah Yahshua our Master.’ We read about the first fruits from James 1: 18, in this way: ‘In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures.’ Yahshua is the power of Elohim through whom those first fruits called by Elohim at this time, will receive eternal life, if we remain faithful to the end. We read Yahshua’s commission in Matthew 28: 18 – 20, in this way: ‘And Yahshua came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority (or power) has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Set-apart Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”’ New believers are immersed in Yahshua’s name in order to receive the Set-apart Spirit, as Rav Kepha explained in Acts 2: 38 where He told those who asked him what to do after they come to believe, saying: “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Set-apart Spirit.”’ Immersion into Yahshua’s saving name is essentially the key to eternal life, as witnessed in Romans 8: 11, as follows: ‘But if the Spirit of Him who raised Yahshua from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Messiah Yahshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.’ It was only as recently as 10 years ago that Nazarene Israelites came to the understanding that we need not immerse our Jewish Brothers in Yahshua’s name, since He came only to bring the lost sheep of the house of Israel (as per Matthew 24: 15) back to the Father and brother Judah, who are already Torah observant. This is confirmed in Acts 2: 39, in this way: “For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off (the house of Israel – as per verse 36 of Acts 2 and Daniel 9: 7[5]), as many as YHVH our Elohim shall call to Himself.” We should only immerse those lost sheep of Israel (plus a number of real gentiles) whom YHVH is busy calling back through Messiah.

We need the Set-apart Spirit to indwell us if we want to have eternal life. But, the question many ask is: Why are we immersed into Yahshua’s name? The answer is given in John 14: 26, where Yahshua said: ‘But the Helper, the Set-apart Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.’ Continuing on the same subject in John 16: 7 – 14, Yahshua said: “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. (8) And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; (9) concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; (10) and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; (the example that YHVH gave us to follow) (11) and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. (12) I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. (13) But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak of His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (14) He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you.”

Once we are immersed into Yahshua’s saving name we are given a deposit or pledge of our inheritance as witnessed in Ephesians 1: 13 – 15, in this way: ‘In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Set-apart Spirit of promise, (14) who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of Elohim’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. (15) For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Master Yahshua which exists among you, and your love for all the saints.’ This deposit of the Set-apart Spirit given us after immersion in Yahshua’s name will ensure that we will be resurrected at His return to earth. But what we are promised is the same inheritance that He will receive at His return, as recorded in Romans 8: 16 & 17, as follows: ‘The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of Elohim, (17) and if children, heirs also, heirs of Elohim and fellow heirs with Messiah, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.’ If we qualify, our inheritance will be to rule over nations at Messiah’s return, and ultimately, after the second resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment, the universe. But what is meant by the words, ‘if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him’? To answer the question, let’s start by reading from Romans 6: 3 – 7, in this way: ‘Or do you not know that all of us who have been immersed into Messiah Yahshua have been immersed into His death? (4) Therefore we having been buried with Him through immersion into death, in order that as Messiah was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, (6) knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; (7) for he who has died is freed from sin.’

We read further from Hebrews 10: 5 & 6, as follows: ‘Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “SACRIFICE AND OFFERING THOU HAST NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY THOU HAST PREPARED FOR ME; (6) IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES FOR SIN THOU HAST TAKEN NO PLEASURE.’ This is talking about the body of flesh with which the word of Elohim has been born as our Master and Savior Yahshua the Messiah. Messiah being Elohim in the flesh is the veil through which we have access to our heavenly Father, as the author of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 10: 19 & 20, saying: ‘Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Messiah, (20) by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh.’ But, we are also told that Messiah’s congregation is His body in Ephesians 1: 19 – 23, ‘And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might (20) which He brought about in Messiah, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, (21) far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. (22) And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the congregation, (23) which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.’ As the body of Messiah most of His original disciples (except for Yochanan) suffered violent deaths. But the suffering that is spoken about Messiah was more than His death on His impalement stake; He was ridiculed, mocked and spit upon during His life on earth. Yahshua said accordingly in John 15: 18, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”

But apart from being hated by the world, some of us will also be killed for our faith, as Yahshua showed Yochanan in Revelation 20: 4, in this way: ‘And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Yahshua and because of the word of Elohim, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Messiah for a thousand years.’ Yes, if we suffer as Yahshua did because of our faith in Him and the Torah of Elohim, we will also be resurrected from the dead like He was, as we are assured in 1 John 3: 2, as follows: ‘Beloved, now we are children of Elohim, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.’ Yahshua is the perfect example YHVH sent us, to show us how we can become children of Elohim by the resurrection, like He was as witnessed in Romans 1: 1 – 4, in this way: ‘Shaul, a bond-servant of Messiah Yahshua, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of Elohim, (2) which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Set-apart scriptures, (3) concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, (4) who was declared the Son of Elohim with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the spirit of holiness, Yahshua Messiah our Master.’

Finally we read Rav Kepha’s admonition in 2 Peter 1: 10 – 14, where he said: ‘Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; (11) for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior Yahshua Messiah will be abundantly supplied to you. (12) Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. (13) And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, (14) knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Master Yahshua Messiah has made clear to me.’ Belief in the coming Kingdom of Elohim is essential for entry into that Kingdom. We read Yahshua’s words in this regard in Mark 1: 14 & 15, as follows: ‘And after John had been taken into custody, Yahshua came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of Elohim, (15) and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of Elohim is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”’ It takes faith in the coming kingdom of Elohim, that will ensure us being there one day soon, just as it took faith in Elohim’s ability to give ancient Israel the promised land, as we read from Hebrews 3: 19, in this way: ‘And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.”

Our faith in Messiah should be strengthened by what we read from 1 Thessalonians 5: 23, as follows: ‘Now may the Elohim of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Master Yahshua Messiah.’ One day at Yahshua’s return, He will bring with Him the spirits of those who died in Him, who received the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim at immersion, and resurrect our bodies from the dead. This is when we will once again be composed of body, soul and spirit – as He was when He was resurrected. That is when we will have eternal life and be like our Father who is eternal life, as recorded in 1 John 5: 20, in this way: ‘And we know that the Son of Elohim has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Yahshua Messiah. This is the true Elohim and eternal life.’ Baruch HaShem YHVH!

[1] Acts 5: 32, “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Set-apart Spirit, whom Elohim has given to those who obey Him.”

[2] Isaiah 65 17 – 20: ‘For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing, and her people for gladness. I will also rejoice in Jerusalem, and be glad in My people; and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the sound of crying. No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his days; for the youth will die at the age of one hundred and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred shall be thought accursed.’

[3] Revelation 20: 12, ‘And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds (after they get to understand what is written in the books, and decided to follow the way of Elohim, or not).’

[4] Luke 24: 44 & 45: ‘Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ’Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.’

[5] Daniel 9: 7, “Righteousness belongs to Thee, O YHVH, but to us open shame, as is this day—to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which Thou hast driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against Thee.”