Subject: Acts 13:1 |
Bible Note: Hello WOS, First let me state that I am not trying to persuade you that soul sleep is correct. I don't think it really matters whether you believe in soul sleep or that the spirit lives on after death. I assume you will agree that neither belief will save you or condemn you. The bigger issue is that we not just brush under the rug any doctrine that does not line up with ours as if it is nonsense. However, since you have asked for where this is taught, I will give a few examples. I am aware that some Scriptures seem to teach that the soul lives on after death. Others seem to teach that at death you do not exist at all until the resurrection. Choose whichever you like, but each side has valid arguments. Ecc 12:7 is often given as an argument that the spirit lives on. That could be true. Who am I to disagree? Yet, the word translated as “spirit” is the Hebrew word “ruwach”. This is the same word used to describe the spirit of animals as well. See Ecc 3:18-21, the word “ruwach” is translated as “breath” in this passage. Nonetheless, man and beast have the same “ruwach”, breath, spirit. Again, check Gen 7:15 when the word “ruwach” describes the breath of life of animals. This is restated in Gen 7:22. From a study of this words it appears that the “spirit” of man is the same as the “spirit” of animals (which is what Ecc 3:18-21 says). If this is the case, then if the spirit of man lives on, then one should also believe the sprit of animals lives on. Those who believe in soul sleep would say that the “spirit returning to God” is not referring to man entering the “spirit world”, but to that which God gave us which gives us life (His breath) he has now taken back from us, which is similar to what Psalms 104:29 and Job 34:14-15 say. Job 10:20 – Talks of no return from death Job 14:7-17 – Similar to above, but Job does mention that there will be a resurrection at some point, but he talks as if he does not exist until then. Psalms 6:5 – Talks as if there is no consciousness after death. Ecc 3:18-21 – Already mentioned above Ecc 9:5, 10 – Talk about the dead know nothing, having no reward, etc. Ezek 18:4, 20 – Talks about the soul dying (Hebrew: Nephesh) From reading these passages, some will get the definite feeling that the Jews did not believe in an immediate afterlife (or at least not give it much importance). These are the OT verses. I can put in the NT ones if you like. It isn’t really necessary though. The point isn’t to change your mind about soul sleep, but to get you to consider another’s views. It is better to hear what they have to say than to hear what someone else has to say about them. Jamison |