What is man?

Have you ever considered how truly marvelous the body and mind is that make up mankind. Like with any other complex creation it was only natural for our Creator to provide us with an instruction manual setting out the purpose of His product and how it should be operated and maintained. The Scriptures our instruction manual reveals the unbelievable potential that our Creator planned for each and every one of us.

Even though those who believe in evolution assume that man is merely an animal, there is a big difference between man’s mind and animal brains. Despite the fact that some animals have physical brains as large or in some cases even larger than man, with similar complexity, there is not one with the power of intellect, self-consciousness and logic of the human mind. One thing evolution cannot explain is the difference between animal instinct and the human creative reasoning powers of intellect, without instinct in the strict sense in which animals possess it. The reason being as explained in Genesis 1: 20, 21, 24 - 27, in this way: ‘Then Elohim said, “Let the waters team with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.” (21) And Elohim created the great sea monsters, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and Elohim saw that it was good. (24) And Elohim said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beast of the earth after their kind”; and it was so. (25) And Elohim made the beasts of the earth after their kind and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and Elohim saw that it was good. (26) 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.’

So we see that different to fish, animals and birds, man was created in the image and likeness of Elohim, to rule over all the other creatures. These verses reveal Elohim’s ultimate purpose for mankind. Elohim made man to be an exact clay model of Himself, because He ultimately plans for us to become His spirit-born children. Each animal was created with a brain suitable for its particular kind; however animals do not have potential of mind and character which Elohim gave to man alone. Animals do not have the ability to talk, think, reason and make choices and decisions like man does. Animals and birds follow instinctive habits in how they feed, build nests, migrate and reproduce. But man’s mind differs greatly from animal instinct; as man is able to invent different ways to do one thing or to reach a predetermined goal. Man is able to acquire knowledge and reason from it. He is able to draw conclusions, make decisions and acts according to a pre-determined plan. Man is also able to design and build different types of homes, using different building materials. People may live different lifestyles from one another, and if he desires man is able to change his way of life. He is not subject to instinct and is not governed by a fixed or predetermined habit pattern as animals are. We as human beings are able to choose, since we have been given free moral agency. We are able to originate ideas and evaluate different options open to us, because we have minds patterned after Elohim’s own mind.

Mankind was created to have a special relationship with our Creator that is utterly nonexistent with animals, since Elohim made us in His likeness and image! Elohim’s purpose in making us after His own likeness requires mind power in man patterned after Elohim’s own mind. That is why the most remarkable thing about man in his mind. Man does not have an immortal soul which enables him to live on after he dies, however, we read from Zechariah12: 1, that different to animals, man has a spirit within him, as follows: ‘The burden of the word of YHVH concerning Israel. Thus declares YHVH who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him.’ Job tells us in Job 32: 8, why Elohim has put the spirit within man, in this way: “But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.”The difference between animal brains and the human mind is that there is a spirit in man, which gives him understanding and the ability to think and make decisions. The spirit is not the man, but is something that is placed inside the man. It is the spirit in man that combined with the human brain forms the human mind. It gives man the ability to learn languages, mathematics and such knowledge as music, art, etc. Even so, the spirit in man does not give mankind the ability to live forever. In fact the human spirit does not supply human life, since human life is in the physical blood, oxidized by the breath of life. But the spirit in man provides him with the power of intellect; it is spirit essence similar to the way air is a gaseous essence. The human spirit serves as a ‘computer’ and stores whatever enters the brain through the five senses in memory. It also provides the brain with energy to think, i.e. to put the information stored together in a process called thinking, and drawing conclusions. But it is also the human spirit which makes it possible for us to have a relationship with Elohim.

When animals see, hear, smell, taste and feel it is not stored in a ‘computer’ since they do not have a spirit within them. They simply act on instinct, as was proven by psychologists like Pavlov. The truth about the spirit in man has been perverted by Satan long ago, when he told Eve that she will live forever in Genesis 3: 4. Ever since man has come to believe that he has an immortal soul, and when he dies his soul goes on living in heaven. Even so, man has the mental capacity to build motor vehicles, invent computers, do heart transplants and send spaceships to the moon and back, but has shown over the past 6,000 years that he is incapable to solve problems with his fellow man. The reason for this is that most of the seemingly unsolvable problems facing mankind are spiritual. Rav Shaul clearly tells us in 1 Corinthians 2: 9 - 12, that we need more than the spirit in man to know about the thoughts of Elohim, as follows: ‘But just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT ELOHIM HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” (10) For to us Elohim revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of Elohim. (11) For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of Elohim no one knows except the Spirit of Elohim. (12) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from Elohim, that we might know the things freely given to us by Elohim.’

Mankind was made to need Elohim’s Spirit to help him understand spiritual things expounded in the Word of Elohim, namely the Scriptures. As previously mentioned, YHVH gave us the Scriptures as a manual to live by. But because the Law is Spiritual as Rav Shaul wrote in Romans 7: 14, we need the Spirit of Elohim, to understand and apply the Word of Elohim to our lives. The Set-apart Spirit is the divine nature of Elohim working in our lives, allowing us to be led by YHVH. The same divine nature that transformed early believers is also working in Messianic believers today. We read accordingly from 2 Peter 1: 2 – 4 ‘Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of Elohim and Yahshua Messiah our Master; (3) seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own esteem and excellence. (4) For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.’

From our discussion so far, we are able to conclude that as human beings, we are composed of body, soul and spirit, as also confirmed in 1 Thessalonians 5: 23, in this way:‘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.’ When we repent and are immersed into Yahshua’s saving name, accepting that His death removed the record of our transgressions, YHVH gives us a portion of His Set-apart Spirit. The Set-apart Spirit combines with the spirit in us and we are begotten anew. This gives us the opportunity to like Yahshua, be resurrected at His return, as confirmed by Rav Shaul in Romans 8: 11, ’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.’We read further in Ephesians 1: 13 &14, that: ‘In Him (Messiah), you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, youwere sealed in Him with the Set-apart Spirit of promise, (14) who is given as a pledge (or deposit) of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of Elohim’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.’

Similar to what no animal brain can understand human affairs, can man’s mind without Elohim’s Spirit understand Spiritual matters. Even the greatest scientists are unable to understand Spiritual truths. Spiritual things are not visible to the human eye, heard with the ear, felt by the hands. The human mind only receives knowledge through these physical conduits, and cannot understand spiritual concepts and principles without Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit. Only when Elohim’s Spirit enters man’s mind upon repentance and immersion in Yahshua Messiah’s saving name, and combines with the human spirit, can man come to know that which is spiritual. Rav Shaul shows clearly that there is duality in the creation of man, in 1 Corinthians 15: 45 – 49, saying: ‘So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. (46) However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. (47) The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. (48) As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. (49)And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”

Man must be born again to enter the kingdom of Elohim as a family member of Elohim, as Yahshua explained in John 3: 3 – 8, saying to Nicodemus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Elohim.” (4) Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” (5) Yahshua answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Elohim. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. (7) Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again. (8)The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” The creation of man is accomplished in two phases; the physical phase, the first Adam is followed by the spiritual phase, namely Yahshua Messiah. At creation man was made with a ‘human’ spirit, but because he is incomplete, he needs another spirit, namely the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim – to be begotten anew and later at the return of Yahshua our Messiah be resurrected or changed into the spiritual born-again children of Elohim.

As we’ve learnt in previous sermons we can only receive the set-apart Spirit once we are immersed in Yahshua’s saving name (as per Acts 2: 38) and the laying on of hands by the elders of the ecclesia (as per Acts 7: 37 – 39). We received Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit through Messiah, the second Adam. At that point we become the begotten children of Elohim, as witnessed in Romans 8: 14 – 17, as follows: ‘For all who are being led by the Spirit of Elohim, these are sons of Elohim.(15) For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, Avinu! Father!” (16) 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.’ The spirit in man joins the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim to make us begotten children of Elohim, similar to what a male sperm cell enters a female egg cell to make a begotten human being. However, as much as the child needs to develop from that early stage to be born as a human being nine months later, so a new believer has to develop during his/her human live, to be born-again at Messiah’s return. When Elohim’s Spirit combines with the human spirit in man, it begets the human with eternal life to later be born into Elohim’s family as spiritual children of Elohim; and it imparts to the human mind, the ability to understand the Spiritual truths and knowledge of Elohim.

Included in Elohim’s purpose for creating mankind, is that we should develop Elohim’s righteous spiritual character within us. Elohim’s purpose in creating man is to reproduce Himself with perfect spiritual character. Man created in Elohim’s own image and likeness, with a mind similar to Elohim, will only be complete once he has developed the very character of Elohim in him, as we read fittingly from 1 Peter 2: 1 - 3, in this way: ‘Therefore, putting aside all malice and guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, (2) like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect of salvation,(3) if you have tasted the kindness of YHVH.’ The point is that we are ultimately to become Elohim, as Yahshua told us in Matthew 5: 48, saying: “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Similar to the human reproductive process, when the brain slowly begin to form during the gestation period, so the righteous holy character of Elohim must begin to develop once one is begotten by Elohim’s Sprit. But, it is clear that we cannot become perfect in character until the resurrection when Elohim will complete the process, as we read previously 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.’ This is confirmed in Hebrews 12: 23, as follows: ‘To the general assembly and ecclesia 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 point is that such perfect holy character cannot be created in a moment. It has to be developed over a period of time and requires experience. Elohim gives us time during which He wants us to learn that only by doing things according to His way, will we have real peace, joy and abundance in our lives. We need to learn that sin causes death, misery, suffering, heartache and ultimately death. During the passing of time we will have seen the results of Satan’s way of life and rejected it, and will have been developing, with the help of Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit, Elohim’s righteous character until we are one day changed to sinless immortal life. We become spiritual embryos upon receipt of Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit at immersion. Then, similar to the way in which an embryo has to be nourished in its mother’s womb, we must be nourished by the Word of Elohim, as Yahshua mentioned in John 6: 63, saying: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”The development of righteous spiritual character requires time and comes mainly through experience, putting Elohim’s Word into practice in our daily lives. A person develops righteous character as he/she comes to understand right and wrong, through Elohim’s revelation in His Set-apart Scriptures. In fact, in most believers Elohim’s righteous character is formed so slowly that is seems hardly noticeable at first and growing in spiritual knowledge and spiritual character takes an entire lifetime.

A second important element in our Spiritual growth is prayer, as we read from Ephesians 6: 18, as follows: ‘With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all saints.’ We all partake of spiritual food through personal daily contact with Elohim; when we read and study Elohim’s Word, He talks to us teaching us His way, and when we pray, we talk to Him. This is the only way in which we can have a personal relationship with our heavenly Father. But, it is also important that we attend Sabbath services regularly, so as to learn more about Elohim, as well as about the concerns and the things which encourage and comfort our brethren, so as to pray for them or rejoice with them. When Messiah returns one day, we will become fully mature, ready to be adopted into Elohim’s Family, as we read from Philippians 3: 20 & 21, in this way: ‘For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Master Yahshua Messiah; (21) who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power He has even to subject all things to Himself.’

Finally, when we are resurrected from the dead or changed from mortal flesh to immortal spirit at Messiah’s return, we will have realized the unbelievable human potential that Elohim has planned for those of us called at this time to be first fruits. But, the same future also awaits those who will accept Yahshua Messiah as their personal Passover during the period of 100 years known as the Great White Throne Judgmentas witnessed in Isaiah 65: 17 – 20, as follows: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth (as per Revelation 21), and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. (18) But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing, and her people for gladness. (19) 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. (20) 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.”

The only thing that we take with us when we die is the righteous spiritual character that Elohim the Master Potter (Isaiah 64: 8), is busy creating in those of us who are His spirit-begotten children. When we are resurrected one day, we will appear exactly the same as we do at present, without any blemishes and handicaps. People like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, David and those mentioned in Hebrews 11 will all be brought back to life at Messiah’s return. They, too will look like they did when they walked the earth a few thousand years ago. We see that the spirit in man goes back to the Father when we die, as Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 12: 7, in this way: ‘Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to Elohim who gave it.’ When we die all consciousness ends, as Solomon also witnessed in Ecclesiastes 9: 5, as follows: ‘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 physical brain decays, but the human spirit, which has no consciousness on its own returns to Elohim. The spirit of man is preserved intact by Elohim until Yahshua brings it back to believers at His return. It is for this reason that the Scriptures speak of the dead as being asleep, as Daniel wrote in Daniel 12: 2, in this way: “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.’

Therefore when a person dies, the spirit ‘recording’ of his character returns to Elohim where in the case of a true believer it is perfected as we read previously from Hebrews 12: 23. This is very similar to how sound and visual displays are recorded on DVD’s today. In Fact YHVH is showing us through the modern technologies which He allowed mankind to develop today, how He is preserving a person’s character in the spirit in man at present. Finally we understand what type of body the dead in Messiah will receive at His return, when we are resurrected, by what Rav Shaul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15: 51 & 52, as follows: ‘Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep (be dead), we shall all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.’So even though we will look the same as we look at present, when we are resurrected, we will be composed of Spirit and not of flesh and blood any longer. What a wonderful Elohim do we serve, who has shown us in detail what we will be like, if we qualify to be in His glorious Kingdom one day!