I don't understand all of the depths of the creation of man. There is so much to learn about it. The creation that is represented by the flesh man, goes beyond the being that spends finite decades on the earth. We know that this creation was formed in the image of God (Elohim, which is plural) as He said, "Let Us make man in Our image (likeness, resemblance, representative figure, shadow)" (Gen. 1:26). He formed this creation from the dust (dry earth, ashes, heap of rubbish, debris, pulverized gray powder, as of the grave). Into this sculptured formed from the dust of the earth, Elohim breathed into His nostrils the breath of life. The word for "breath" used here is a word in Hebrew that means to give up or lose life, the panting of a woman giving birth, to disperse by blowing. With this breath, the dust image "inflated" and became a living soul. The words "life, living" used in Gen. 2:7, mean life, but also revived life, restored life, recover, preserve alive. However, this "life" also includes in its root meaning "declare, make known". Because of this, rabbis teach that this breath of life also imparted "the divine voice" to the soul of man, that was created by the breath of God. The New Testament perhaps confirms this teaching in Jn. 1:1-4:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men."
The Word (Jesus, see v. 14) was the spark of life deposited in man, and that deposit was light within all men.
Why did Elohim encase the Divine Voice within the soul, the seat of thought, emotion and will? Rabbis teach that this was done for the purpose of prayer:
"Speech has a physical reality and makes it possible for the Divine grace to flow to the physical reality of the material world. The spoken words thus become the instrument or intermediary through which the spiritual fulfillment of prayer can become realized on the physical level."
For this reason also, the LORD scolded His people for their empty prayers spoken while their hearts were far from Him:
"Therefore the LORD said, "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men..." Isa. 29:13The Divine Voice, therefore, cannot be separated from our hearts, or souls.
The idea of the Divine Voice being deposited into man, in the creation of the living soul, with the breath of life received directly from Elohim, emphasizes to me the importance of the words that we speak, joined with the condition of our hearts. Scripture in many places stresses this power of words spoken, but now I can see the source of that power. Proverbs 18:21:
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit."
As we have seen, the living soul created by Elohim not only includes the Divine Voice from God, but is the seat of the mind, the will, and all of our emotions. Jesus connected all of these things when He taught the following as He spoke to the most religiously enlightened of His day, the Pharisees:
"Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned."
Mt. 12:34-37
What had the Pharisees said that caused Jesus to accuse them of evil use of the Divine Voice? They had said that He cast out demons by the power of the Devil, Beelzebub. Not only did this speak against Christ, but also against God's power to deliver. The Pharisees would have understood the scolding of Jesus, because they understood the connection of the Divine Voice and the soul, or heart, of which Jesus spoke.
The verses above are some indication to us of the power in the Divine Voice given to us. We all know these verses, but we need to understand the ramifications.
In scripture, there was a spiritual condition that was manifested in physical symptoms. Because of the spiritual root of the problem, the sufferer was brought to the priest for it to be identified. This condition is translated as "leprosy" in English. However, the rabbis know this condition, tzara'at (one smitten, to scourge, to strike down), as being associated with "misuse of speech", and he that is afflicted with this spiritual condition as "he that utters evil reports", metzora. What we have translated as "leprosy" in scripture is described below:
"He is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean (altogether defiled, impure); his sore is on his head. Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare (acts of mourning); and he shall cover his mustache (upper lip), and cry, "Unclean! Unclean! He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp." Lev. 13:44-46
(They accused Jesus of this "misuse of speech", in His case, blasphemy (Jn. 10:33, Mt. 26:65-67). They thought Him "stricken and smitten by God and afflicted". They scourged Him, and His face was marred by them more than any man. They sent Him outside the city to kill Him. However, He was marred, and scourged, and smitten for our sakes, and for our sins, including, I'm sure, our abuse of the Divine Voice.)
While we see the physical symptoms and connect them to a disease, the cause is spiritual.
We see the connection between speech and "leprosy" in other examples.
God told Moses exactly what He would do to delivery the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt (Ex. 3:15-22). Then Moses answered the LORD, "But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, "The LORD has not appeared to you." (Ex. 4:1)
After Moses said this, the LORD had him cast his rod on the ground. The rod became a serpent, and Moses ran in fear. When instructed to take it by the tail, it became a rod again. Then the LORD had Moses put his hand in his bosom, and when Moses took it out it was leprous. If the people would not listen to the voice of Moses (v. 9), they would be shown these signs, and more. I think these signs were also a warning to Moses. What Moses said to God was questioned the LORD's ability to carry out what He was saying.
When the sister of Moses, Miriam, spoke against the Ethiopian wife of Moses, she was stricken with the condition translated as leprosy, and forced to live outside the camp. Aaron said she was as "one dead, whose flesh is half consumed". Moses prayed to God, and Miriam was exiled only seven days. Miriam's "misuse of speech" not only caused her to suffer, but all Israel was delayed in their journey until Miriam was restored. Not only that, but Israel was driven out of Hazeroth (an enclosed court, especially before the holy tabernacle or temple; to surround with a stockade that separates from the open country; to sound, to blow, to trumpet), and sent to the Wilderness (driving into the desert, or open field; also speech, including its organs) of Paran (place of caverns, desert of Arabia; to boast or explain oneself, to glorify self, vaunt self, to be proud). All Israel paid a price for Miriam's "misuse of speech" against Moses, and, consequently, the Holy One who appeared to Moses (he saw the form of the LORD), not in dreams and visions, but "face to face". The anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed (Num. 12:1-9). The presence of the LORD left them.
According to the rabbis, "misuse of speech", or of the Divine Voice, not only had repercussions for the speaker, but for those who are the hearers of it:
"When we misuse the gift of speech, and its divine purpose, we are diminished, as well as the person to whom, or about whom we are speaking. We diminish the Divine Speak, and also the divine soul within. For this reason, it is akin to murder, which extinguishes the image of God within man."
This knowledge of the rabbis helps us to understand the importance of the teachings of Jesus when He said:
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not murder", and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother (without a cause) shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, "Raca!" (empty headed, worthless senseless) shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, "You fool!" shall be in danger of hell fire." Mt. 5:21-22 (see also Lev. 19:17)
And the New Testament also tells us: "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life." 1 Jn. 3:15
Remember that the Divine Voice is part of the soul, which also includes our thoughts and emotions, as well as our will. Even our thoughts and emotions carry the power of the Divine Voice.
Just as I sat down to write this, I saw an article about an amazing technological invention. It was developed at MIT. When a person wears the headpiece, it can "hear" your thoughts, and broadcast them in speech through a device such as "Alexa" (see article here). This is a confirmation (and warning!) of the substantive nature of our thoughts and emotions because of their unbreakable connection to the Divine Voice given to us when Elohim made us a "living soul".
Our Father has breathed into us the Divine Voice.
"El Na Refa Na La"-Healing prayer of Moses for Miriam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAspeVxTLQ8
"Break Every Chain"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUPZbNozGZc
"I can't hear You!"
A host on a national talk show came to the conclusion that a public figure who had recently said that he both talked to God and heard from Him, must be suffering from mental illness, including the hearing of voices.
This host later apologized for the comment, saying that she was taught to be "tolerant" of others' faith, and she had failed to remember this.
Many people, including those who attend church or temple, would say that they also have never experienced hearing from God, and don't understand it, nor relate to it. They might even go so far as to hold the same derogatory opinion concerning it as the talk show host.
However, for as long as man has been on the earth, God has spoken to him. God has eyes, ears, and mouth, and uses all of those things. He specifically contrasted Himself with the idols that men make with their hands:
"They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell." Ps. 115:5-6
God created by speaking (Gen. 1). God then spoke to Adam, and even Adam's murderous son, Cain (Gen. 3, 4). Not only did He speak, but He listened to their responses, and had dialogues with them. He spoke to each generation that followed. During Jesus' ministry, God spoke audibly to the disciples on occasion. As Jesus was baptized, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, God spoke:
"And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Mt. 3:17 (Lk. 3:22)
As Jesus was transfigured on the mount, with His disciples as witnesses, God spoke:
"And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!" Mk. 9:7 (Lk. 9:34-35)
John's Gospel describes Jesus as being the spoken Word, or *Logos in Greek (Jn. 1:1-3), that created all that was created by the Godhead.
As Jesus was praying and giving His last instructions to His disciples before He was arrested and crucified, He told them that He was sending the Holy Spirit, who would speak:
"However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come...He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." Jn. 16:13, 14:26
The Holy Spirit both hears, and speaks, according to the above verses, He has direct contact and communication with, and from within, the believer. This is a provision that Jesus left for His followers, and expected them to experience: "He dwells with you, and will be in you." (Jn. 14:17). The Spirit, like Jesus, cannot be separated from God. If you have heard from Him, you have heard from the Son, and from our Father, God.
Jesus also warns that there will be those who do not hear the Holy Spirit:
"....the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him, nor knows Him..." Jn. 14:17
However, when we seek Christ, when we desire to follow Him, He will indeed send His Holy Spirit to us:
"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter), that He may abide with you forever-..." Jn. 14:16
It is not the case that God does not speak, but it is often the case that we refuse to hear. Does your earthly father speak? So does your heavenly Father! Perhaps we indeed hear, but we refuse to accept or heed Him, because His Word goes against our own desires. There are many references in scripture to man refusing to hear or heed what God is saying:
"Thus says the LORD of hosts...To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the LORD is a reproach to them; They have no delight in it." Jer. 6:10
"But they did not obey nor incline their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive instruction." Jer. 17:23
"But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear." Zech. 7:11
"For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them."
Acts 28:27, Mt. 13:15, Isa. 6:9-10
"...according to their own desires...they will turn their ears away from the truth..."
2 Tim. 4:3-4
It is not God who does not speak, but we who refuse to hear.
To that talk show host, and others of her same opinion: apologizing to a man is not the solution. A far greater, wiser, and richer solution is to seek God's voice for yourself. There is a prayer below that will, I believe, help to begin your journey**. Find out what wonders, what truth, what love, what tender caring, you have been missing!
Our living Father speaks to us.
* "Logos": http://biblehub.com/greek/3056.htm
"Word of God Speak"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8cJQMU9Q-U
** "Lord Jesus, You are the living Word of God. I want to find out about You, and I would like to hear Your voice in my life. I ask that You send the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth to teach me, and tell me those things that You and my heavenly Father have to say to me. Circumcise my ears, that they are not dull of hearing, and my heart so it is not dull of receiving. Set Your name upon me so that the only voice that has power in my life is Yours.
I believe that You have heard my prayer, and that I will hear You. With thanks and praise, AMEN."
There are many learning environments, but not all learning is the same. Not all teaching is the same either. There is a special learning experience that goes beyond teaching, and into something more: impartation. It goes beyond the sharing of information, and involves a giving of an actual portion of one's self that contains experiential knowledge. This is done, especially, within the relationship between parent and child.
In scripture, fatherhood and sonship hold tremendous importance. Individuals are identified by who their father and grandfather were. Even in the Hebrew names given in the mentions of fathers and grandfathers, we can see the spiritual impartation that has passed through the generations. For example, the prophet Jeremiah's name means "whom Jehovah has appointed". His father is listed as Helkiah, meaning "my portion is Jehovah".
We see a great example of the impartation of experiential knowledge of God from parent to child in the Book of Proverbs. Proverbs is recognized as a book of Godly wisdom, written by King Solomon, whose reputation throughout history is one of great wisdom. The first thing Solomon does is identify himself as a son, in this case, the son of David:
"The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel..." Prov, 1:1
Solomon is also specifically imparting his experience of God to his son:
"My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother;
Prov.1: 8
"My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding....then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God." Prov. 2:1-5 (excerpt)
As we can see from the verses above, the impartation comes not only from the father, but from the mother as well. Chapter 31 of Proverbs, for example, is an impartation to Solomon from his mother.
Solomon's intent was to pass down to his son what he had learned from his father and mother, and from his own experiences with God. In amazing revelation, he is imparting to his son that wisdom is not a quality or thing, but it is a person, and this person is to be found above everything else:
"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom..." Prov. 4:7
So great is the impartation from Solomon to his son (and consequently to all of us), that the Person of Wisdom, actually begins to speak directly to us, revealing, or imparting truths from eternity (Prov. 8:12-36). Wisdom tells us here, "...whoever finds me finds life"
(v. 35). Wisdom imparts all of these things to us in this chapter, referring to us as "my children" (v. 32 NKJV).
This is also how God imparts to us: as a Father to His son, or child. The power of it is not just a teaching of truth, but a giving of a part of the Father to us, His children. Jesus described the impartation this way:
"For I have given to them the words which You have given to Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You...all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them...Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as we are...You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us...I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one..." Jn. 17:8-23 (excerpt)
The words that Jesus gave to His disciples, and to us, as we read in the above verses, were not just a teaching, but an impartation from Him, and from His Father within Him, a giving of Himself, even as His Father gave to Jesus from Himself.
The Apostle Paul wanted to make clear to us that we are sons, and receive impartation from our heavenly Father as sons:
"And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." Gal. 4:6-7
The LORD commands parents to teach their children His precepts:
"You shall teach (exercise in, train diligently and skilfully) them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days, and the days of your children may be multiplied..." Deut. 11:19-21 (excerpt)
As these verses tell us, impartation of Godly knowledge from parent to child is so powerful that it can extend both the parent's and child's life. One of His great commandments tells us to "honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you" (Ex. 20:12). The word "Honor" used here is the Hebrew word kabad, which is the root word of kabode, meaning the awesome glory and honor that belong to God. He has imparted His own glory to fathers and mothers. Fathers and mothers, in turn, impart this same glory knowledge of God to their children. Fatherhood and motherhood is more than just a biological process, but a spiritual impartation of the experiential knowledge of God that can extend life and purpose.
We can see the great difference between teaching and impartation. We can also understand the importance of sharing, or imparting, our experiential Godly knowledge with our children. It becomes easy to see why the forces of evil have worked so hard to destroy relationships between parents and children, especially between fathers and children, in families today. "Fatherhood" has become marginalized, and this started generations ago. Our focus should not be only about spending "quality time" with our children and grandchildren, but about impartation, which has become a forgotten practice in many households. We can see the cumulative effects of this neglect in our society today. I am going to have to do much better in this with my family than I am doing now.
Our children's Godly education at church, synagogue, and some schools is important in every way, but impartation is a powerful and essential spiritual truth that takes place in the home between both parents and their children, and between grandparents and their grandchildren. Many "old timers", for example, tell of the powerful experience of learning to pray or praise from their grandmothers. I know someone who has continually had his son with him, even from an early age, when he has followed the leading of the Holy Spirit on excursions of intercession and ministry. He has imparted a special experiential knowledge of God to his son, and, hopefully, his son, following this example, will impart these things to his own children when they are born. Also, let us not be neglectful- impartation is not only to sons. We have these examples to show us that Jesus imparted His great experiential knowledge to women as well:
"...whoever drinks of the water I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." Jn. 4:14
"But the hour is coming and now is when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." Jn. 4:23-24
"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" Jn. 11:25-26
Impartation from parent to child is such a vital spiritual precept, that God prophesies that He will send an earthshaking miracle in order to restore it:
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse." Mal. 4:5-6
Godly impartation between parent and child can save the whole earth from being cursed!
God's people can no longer afford to ignore this powerful provision that God has made for our children, and our land.
Our Father does not just teach, but imparts to His children.
"Ancient Words"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vmTkXNpwzs
"Days of Elijah" (American Marines singing)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjZ_IlP9c5A
Scientific Study-Gazing into child's eyes while speaking synchronizes both brain waves:
https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/growth-curve/staring-baby-eyes-brain-waves-sync
In the Book of Hebrews, a verse describes Jesus' entry into the world:
"Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:
"Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, "Behold, I have come-
In the volume of the book it is written of Me-
To do Your will, O God."
Heb. 10:5-7
In the above verse, the word "prepared" means to be fit, sound, complete, to mend what has been broken or rent, to repair, to equip, put in order, arrange, to perfect The root word it comes from contains a prefix that denotes motion or diffusion or direction from the higher to the lower. God Himself, prepared this body above, and Jesus brought it downward to the earth below when He came.This definition can very well describe the Body of Christ made up of His believers, as well. I would like to suggest that it IS the same-that the body that the Father prepared for His Son, as He entered the world was also a physical, fleshly body that includes us. I think there is only one body that pertains to Christ. The scriptures also say this:
"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit, we were baptized into one body...For in fact, the body is not one member, but many."
"But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased."
"Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually."
1 Cor. 12:12-14, 18, 27
These verses, and the verse from Heb. 10 above, tells us that God prepared the body as He pleased for His Son.
In Ephesians, we are described in the following manner:
"...the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him, who fills all in all."
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling."
"For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones."
Eph. 1:22-23, 4:4, 5:30
The last verse above, tells us that we are not just His spiritual body, but we were incorporated into His actual physical body, even, as stated in the Heb. 10 verse, a body prepared and fitted together before Jesus entered the physical earth. When Jesus ministered in the earth, He wore us. When He was tried and suffered, He wore us ("...inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering" and "...the fellowship of His sufferings"). When He was crucified, He wore us ("I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;..." and "...made conformable unto His death..."). When He was buried and He rose from the dead, He wore us ("buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him...") . When Jesus ascended to His Father after His resurrection, we ascended with Him ("...I am ascending to My Father, and your Father, and to My God and your God..." and "...when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men"). When He was seated at His Father's right hand in the heavenly places, we were seated with Him (...and made us sit together in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus.").
Jesus said to His disciples, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." Jn. 10:16.
Jesus didn't say that He will have other sheep, but He says, "I have", in the present tense.
As Jesus described our then presence with Him to His disciples of that day, He said "them also I must bring...". The word bring used here means: to lead, take with one, lay hold of and this way to bring to a point of destination, lead by accompanying to a place, attach to one's self as an attendant.
Isn't it interesting that the word bring means to physically attach someone to you in order to lead them to where they have to go? And Jesus described us in this manner to His disciples of that day.
In the above verse, Jesus also says "..other sheep I have...". The word have used here means: to have (hold) in the hand, in the sense of wearing, used of those joined to any one by the bonds of natural blood or marriage, to adhere or cling to, to hold one's self to a thing, to be closely joined to a person. Again He uses a term of physical connection, even "wearing". And of course, there is the having through marriage, interestingly included in this word meaning.
Even as Adam described the woman as being of his flesh and bone, so we are described as being flesh and bone of and from Jesus in the above verse, Eph. 5:50. The Hebrew phrase "flesh and bone", originally used as Adam's description of the woman in Gen. 2:23 means:
"bone" (atsam)- vast, numerous, mighty
"flesh" (basar)-bear tidings, publish, preach, gladden with good news, announce salvation as good news.
The very word "body" in the Greek of the New Testament is the word soma, which comes from the root word sozo, which means "to save, to rescue from destruction."
I saw an amazing thing in the Spirit. The Father took me to Isa. 6:1, where Isaiah tells of his vision of the LORd (Adonai). He describes the Lord as sitting on a throne, high and lifted up. The train (hem of His garment, of a high priest's robe) of His robe filled the temple.What I saw was the LORd, from far above and slightly behind, walking down the center aisle of a huge Temple, or cathedral. He wore a very long train that ran all the way down the long aisle behind Him. It was white, like a bridal train, that was attached at the back and top of the LORd's shoulders. As I zoomed in closer, I saw that this white train was really made up of people wearing white. I could see their heads. Many, many people made up this living train of His robe.
He was wearing us. We were physically attached, or joined, to Him as His train in the above vision.
We cannot be separated from Christ, because we are part of His Body, fitted to Him by His Father. Where He goes, we go (Rev. 14:4). What He speaks, we speak. We are not us, we are Him.
Our Father has prepared a Body.
"I See the Lord"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebzoET4XIj8
