The Principles of Matter and Spirit
| Contents |
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1. Introduction 2. Material and Spiritual Laws 3. The Underlying Distinction 4. Principle 1 5. Principle 2 6. Principle 3 7. Principle 4 8. Applications 8.1. Harmony 8.2. Unity 8.3. Stability 8.4. Eternity 4. Conclusion |
Introduction
Zahakiel: Luke, can you please open the meeting with a prayer?
Qinael: Our most holy heavenly
Father,
We thank you for this
opportunity you have provided for us to come together, though miles apart, ever
bonded in spirit. We thank you for this day of both rejoicing and soul
searching, and that these things need not necessarily be mutually exclusive.
We ask that your Spirit attend to us during this meeting and beyond, opening the eyes and ears of all present to what you would have each soul to learn. In the name of Yahshua we pray, amen.
Rita: Amen.
Zahakiel: Amen.
Ye: Amen.
Crystle: Amen.
Zahakiel: This month’s study might, in a way, resemble the study on Araphel that we did many months ago. It is about a subject that is new in many ways, although the foundations are certainly there in the Scriptures, and I think we apply the things we will be discussing every day as we discuss doctrines and apply them to our lives. What we are going to look at this month are “The Principles of Matter and Spirit,” examining how these two concepts are different, and what these differences mean for our sanctification.
First, I will give some background about the Christian perspective on matter and spirit.
Christians in general, and CSDAs in particular, take a non-Gnostic view of the universe. I single out our Church “in particular,” because – as we will touch on briefly as we go through this topic – the Gnostic view has indeed influenced some of what is considered “mainstream” Christian thought, and to its detriment.
Gnosticism taught, as we’ve discussed in previous lessons, that the spirit was good and pure, while matter was evil and corrupt. Now it is true; this sounds a lot like some of what Paul says. For example, Paul writes, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing,” (Rom 7:18a) and the “flesh” that he speaks of there is his physical body. Christians are told to recon themselves “dead” to the flesh that is made of matter, and be alive in the Spirit. How, then, is this different from what the Gnostics taught?
The truth is that the difference can be a bit subtle, and this is precisely why John the Beloved had to dedicate an entire letter (the Book of 1 John) to warning Christians against the influence of pagan gnosis. The Spirit of Yah, furthermore, saw fit to preserve that letter (from among all those written by the apostles) for our use at the very end of all things, and this is significant.
Zahakiel: As we know, Yahweh does not give gifts idly. It is true that He desires to give good gifts to His children, (Luke 11:3) but unlike human parents, the gifts that our heavenly Father provides are never just to make us happy, the are also important for our growth and development. We might name such things as the Sabbath day, and the New Moon, (both of which coincide this day) which are wonderful times of refreshing – but those who neglect them will find themselves at a grave disadvantage in their spiritual lives. The same might be said of the health laws, and the victory message. The things that many among nominal Christians see as “bondage” are, ironically, among the most important blessings that man has ever received from Divinity. This is not a coincidence any more than was the preservation of 1 John. Satan has worked hard to bring about just such a situation in modern Churches, and Yah has seen to it that we would have good books that tell us how to avoid the traps that have been laid.
Gnosis and Christianity have this in common – the flesh is the source of temptation, even to the converted individual. But the similarities as they pertain to matter and the spirit end there. In many forms of Gnosticism, matter is irredeemable; it was created by an antagonistic sub-god named Ialdabaoth, it has always been evil, and it will always be evil. In Christianity almost the very opposite is true. Matter was created to be good. It became subject to Satan’s influence by his stealing Adam’s authority over the earth due to treachery in the Garden of Eden, but it will be redeemed. Even now, the Scriptures tell us, “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together” (Rom 8:22) straining to be free of this temporary curse. The good news, of course, is that there will be “a new Heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth [will have] passed away […] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Rev 21:1, 4)
Much of Christianity has been influenced by strains of Gnosticism, regardless of the true believers’ work to counter its effects. Examining just how is something we have done briefly before, and to do an in-depth study would take more time than we have here, but just looking at the principles that spring from their misconception of the flesh and matter, we can see that such ideas as the celibacy of priests in certain religions, and some of the stereotypical “Puritanism,” comes (at least partly) from the idea that the union between a man and a woman is somehow less exalted than remaining alone. Now, in certain contexts, and Paul even discusses this in 1 Corinthians 7, it is better to remain unmarried. But the reason given by Paul is very different than what the Gnostics were teaching.
Zahakiel: While Gnosis holds that physical communion between men and women is simply clinging to this evil material plane, Paul is the first to confirm the sacred nature of the marriage covenant, even the intimate, physical aspects. (1Cor 7:3-5) He uses the marriage relationship as a picture, in human terms of the Godhead Itself, (Eph 5:23-33) and he is careful to point out that he was speaking about that specific time in his letter to the Corinthians about this subject when he discusses remaining without a mate. (1Cor 7:26) Paul says of a related philosophy, that denies the body simply because of the idea that the body is made of evil matter, “[These] things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.” (Col 2:23) The flesh is not sanctified by denial. The spirit is always strengthened by the practice of self-control, of course, and that is the benefit of fasting and self-denial in the Christian context, but the motive is not to be afraid of the earthly things, as he goes on to say in the next chapter of Colossians.
The Christian view is that things of the world have been tainted by Satan’s dominion, and that we must be spiritually-minded (Romans 8) in order to succeed at this life. Yet this does not mean that we must fear or avoid what this earth provides either. What is taught is that we “use this world, [yet] not abusing it; for the fashion of this world passeth away.” (1Cor 7:31) If we remember that the things of earth are only temporary, and our affections are set on Heavenly things, then – and then only – is it true of us that “Unto the pure all things [are] pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” (Titus 1:15) That verse, out of context, can be quite dangerous, as you might imagine. Yet in its right setting, with a proper, Christian view of the world, it sums up perfectly the difference between the Biblical and the pagan worldview.
Zahakiel: Are there any questions about this background information?
Rita: No.
Qinael: No.
Israfel: No.
Ye: No.
Crystle: No.
Naraiel: No.
Material and Spiritual Laws
Zahakiel: Now we will discuss some differences between spirit and matter, and these not only have implications when speaking about our faith in a rational manner, but also applications to our spiritual lives.
In our communion with those in the world, we will find that many who are skeptical of Christianity, and really religion in general, fail to grasp the viewpoint of the faithful. This is because we are speaking from two different sets of Laws. Skeptics have something of an advantage in this area, since the kinds of study that the world respects have been done (and can be done!) on material laws. We, on the other hand, have to take “God’s word for it” regarding spiritual principles in some situations. Now, this is not always the case – I am not talking about blind faith. We can often find a clear application of a spiritual principle in our lives, and this confirms what we have been taught of divine things. Every now and then even secular study will confirm what the Bible has been explaining for thousands of years, (like the Levitical health laws regarding seafood) although think of the benefits to mankind if they had indeed accepted the teaching all along.
Here is the underlying factor when it comes to skepticism: ultimately, those individuals with authority issues resent the demands of faith upon their reasoning. This is where humility comes into play. I am not presenting a full apologetic on faith in this study, what I am doing is pointing out is that we have to accept the fact that we do not know everything. Everyone in the world accepts things by faith, even the most ardent critic of spiritual concepts. We have to trust that that the information we have is valid, and presented in an objective way, because we cannot observe everything for ourselves. The question is merely one of where, and in what, and in Whom, our trust lies.
Zahakiel: Some have said that those who believe in the spiritual world only do so because of the gaps in human knowledge, that we are simply filling it with the supernatural because of ignorance of the full set of material laws. It is a valid criticism of the quality of many people’s beliefs, yes. But true faith is not based solely on humility, and definitely not on ignorance. It is based upon accepting the testimony of others, (such as the Bible writers, prophets ancient and modern, the experiences of the converts) and seeing for ourselves – by personal observation – what comes of a relationship with Yahweh. In the CSDA Signet I recently wrote about “experimental” religion, and this was the basic idea behind that article. The Scriptures do not ask us to accept everything It says uniformly without question; Yahweh says, in several places, “Test me and see what I will do.” (Psalm 34:8; Micah 6:3; Malachi 3:10, 11; Mat 14:28, 29; 1 John 3:10)
That last verse, in particular, will come into play when we discuss the application of the ideas we will be seeing.
When it comes to learning by observation, what we know of the spiritual world we often know only by contrast with what is known of matter. For example, we might say, “Matter has this particular property, and the spirit does not appear to.” This is how we learn about spiritual things for ourselves, beyond what is already pointed out plainly in the Bible. Does everyone understand how this works?
Rita: Yes.
Qinael: I’m not clear on the last statement.
Zahakiel: Basically, the principles of spiritual things are going to be presented by contrast with matter. Like in Proverbs, where Solomon says things like, “A wise son maketh a glad father, but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” (Pro 10:1) You learn about foolishness by contrasting it with wisdom.
See how it works?
Ye: Yes.
Qinael: Sort of... Wisdom is a spiritual concept like foolishness though. I’m not sure I understand the spirit vs. matter contrast allowing us to understand the spiritual; I’ve always encountered the spirit being understood by it’s similarity to matter. Like in metaphors and parables.
Zahakiel: Maybe you will see as we go through the examples.
Qinael: <nods.>
Zahakiel: Relatively briefly, then, we will go over a few distinctions between matter and spirit, and then we’ll look at what this means for us on a practical level. This is one of those studies that I could write a great deal about, but there is only so much we can do in these meetings, and it may be good to leave the matter open for further study and discussion, because I can tell you that just from the time I spent preparing the notes for this New Moon talk, I could see how deep this topic can get.
The Underlying Distinction
Zahakiel: Although there are four specific differences we will see in this study, you are going to notice a common theme. The basic idea underlying all the distinctions is this:
Matter is subject to physical forces, while the Spirit is not.
Matter operates, except for events involving divine intervention, along a set of rigid laws. Gravity pulls on particles with mass, heat causes the expansion of fluids; objects in motion tend to stay in motion unless they encounter external resistance, and so on. This is not to say that the spiritual world is not subject to order. The spirit has its own rules, of which we are not told too much explicitly; but as I have said we can describe it in terms of how it differs from matter. This is one of the reasons why this study is about “principles” and not “rules.” They are a set of what appear to be the case from the evidence we have, and we know that both matter and spirit are consistent within their order, and not random. We have this on Yah’s authority, for even (maybe especially) spiritual things are orderly things. (1Cor 14:33, 40; Mal 3:6)
Principle 1:
Zahakiel: Matter is discrete;
Spirit can be in same place at the same time
Matter displaces matter. We know this from observation, and the Bible also has examples of this idea. “And God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.’ And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament ‘heaven.’ And the evening and the morning were the second day. And God said, ‘Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear,’ and it was so. And God called the dry land ‘Earth;’ and the gathering together of the waters called He ‘Seas,’ and God saw that it was good.” (Gen 1:6-10)
Here we have Yahweh creating heaven (in this case the first heaven, the atmosphere) that divided the “waters from the waters,” and again we have the collection of the dry land into one location displacing the water into the seas. In both these cases, material objects (air, earth) displaced other material objects (the waters). They could not be in the same place at the same time. Where one thing is, another cannot be. Even when you combine solids and liquids, such as when mixing sugar and water, you are still displacing water with molecules of sugar; it’s just that it takes place on a scale too small to see.
Zahakiel: This is not the case with spiritual concepts. One of the old questions from skeptics is “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” This question is meant to mock believers, because it presupposes that anything that exists must exist materially, and therefore the idea that many creatures can occupy a single point in space exposes the foolishness of the idea of spiritual beings. As I said before, however, the apparent absurdity rests upon the assumption that “space” as we know it is a restriction to the spiritual world.
We can demonstrate, from the Bible, that it is not.
We read that, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2Cor 5:7) There is not only a doctrinal reason, but also a practical one, why this is true. Things that are spirit do not interact with matter even on the level of light, deflecting and reflecting it so that we can detect them with our organs of sight. This is the reason why spiritual things (unless they are allowed to interact with matter) are invisible.
Consider this passage: “When [the Gadarene demoniac] saw Yahshua afar off, he ran and worshipped Him, and cried with a loud voice, and said, ‘What have I to do with thee, Yahshua, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.’ For He said unto him, ‘Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.’ And He asked him, ‘What is thy name?’ And he answered, saying, ‘My name is Legion, for we are many.’ And he besought Him much that He would not send them away out of the country.” (Mark 5:6-10)
Zahakiel: Say when you’re done reading that.
Rita: Done.
Qinael: Done.
Ye: Done.
Naraiel: Done.
Israfel: Done.
Crystle: Done.
Barbara: Done.
Zahakiel: There were “many” demons possessing a single body, and this would not be possible under material laws. In fact, one demon could not possess a human body if the material laws bound spiritual entities, because the two could not be in the same place at the same time anyway. Now, some might say, “Well, angels and demons might be able to make themselves ‘small,’ so that many could fit inside a man.” This idea might come about if one is subject to the notion that angels have bodies of matter like ours. But this is not a matter of size, as the text confirms.
You will notice that here, as in other places when speaking of more than one spiritual being (even the Members of the Godhead, in fact) the pronouns are loosely applied. Yahshua asked for “his” name, and “he” replied, “Cha’yil (the Hebrew name) for we are many.” To show that this was not just an author’s mistake, it is repeated. “His” name was Legion because “they” were many, and “he” besought Yahshua that He should not send “them” out of the country.
What we find is a multi-layered presence; a collection of spiritual organisms acted as a single entity, spoke as a single entity, and acted as one. This is not possible for matter, but it is possible for the spirit – and it is also possible (on a very important level) for human beings when they are acting spiritually. We will see this when we look at applications.
Zahakiel: A third example is found in the movement of angels through “space” as we understand it. Angels can move quickly, appearing and disappearing faster than humans can detect, (Judges 6:12) and unobstructed by such things as the bars of a prison cell. (Acts 12:6, 7) The only reason there was a delay when the angel Gabriel was sent to the prophet Daniel was because he was opposed by another spiritual force. (Dan 10:12, 13)
Does everyone understand the principle here? And also the “learning by contrasts” idea that is being employed?
Rita: Yes.
Ye: Yes.
Crystle: Yes.
Naraiel: Yes.
Israfel: Yes, very nice.
Barbara: Yes.
Qinael: Yes.
Principle 2:
Zahakiel: Matter dissipates;
Spirit coalesces.
Matter is subject to entropy, which basically means that, “things fall apart.” We certainly know this from experience. We get old, our skin falls off as dust and our hair falls out of our skin and (sometimes) our heads. We leave fragments of our bodies wherever we go, because we are constantly falling apart. Fortunately, for a time biological organisms renew themselves by taking in new matter, (eating and drinking) yet even this process is limited in its duration due to the curse. Eventually, without divine intervention, living creatures die. This is not the case with the spirit, nor was it the case when even the physical creation retained its spiritual properties before the fall. The spirit, indeed, tends to draw together, (coalesce) and as I wrote a long time ago in The Empyrean War, without having this study or this idea even in mind, if the full Spirit of Yahweh was released upon the universe, everything material would be destroyed, but everything spiritual would be “absorbed.”
The passage is from the second chapter, “Were it not for the angelic guardians, [i.e., the Covering Cherubim] even that tiny fragment of IaHVeH’s presence would have consumed the physical structure of the Tabernacle, and all people and objects around it. It is the same way even for the holy Host of Heaven. Though we would not be ‘consumed’ by the Shekinah, we would be absorbed into It, for It is pure, creative energy, the essence from which our very beings were made.”
Zahakiel: This is a fundamental difference between spirit and matter. Yahweh must maintain the distinction between spiritual things, (Ecc 12:7) but He must maintain the consistency of material things. We read of this, that Yahshua, the Agent of Creation, is the One through whom “all things consist,” (Col 1:17) or stay together. We read that when there are conflicts among human beings that lead to separation, they are being “carnal” or acting like flesh, as opposed to acting spiritually. (1Cor 3:3, 4)
Here is another example, and again from Genesis: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of Yahweh Elohim walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Yahweh Elohim amongst the trees of the garden.” (Gen 3:6-8)
Here we see a practical example of how this works. When Adam and Eve were spiritual, (although they were composed of matter) they were in the fellowship of Yah and His angels. There was no separation, but an ever-deepening connection. There was a drawing-together. The instant the fall occurred there was a separation, the flesh (now acting materially rather than spiritually) sought separation from the Creator. This is ultimately what happens in the Lake of Fire, after all… those who did not “walk in the spirit” (Gal 5:16) and thus rejected Christ and the Father are destroyed by the revelation of the Glory of Elohim.
Rita: Amen!
Zahakiel: Are there any questions on this?
Rita: None.
Ye: No.
Crystle: No.
Israfel: No.
Naraiel: No
Qinael: I have one...
Zahakiel: Go ahead.
Qinael: Along the same lines as when the light garment flickered out... I recall that Adam and Eve were able to see angels before the fall too, but it was because of a change on their part, not the angels no longer reflecting light rays, that they stopped being able to (the same with the light garment I would assume). Why was that?
Zahakiel: One of the other principles we’ll look at a little later sort of deals with that. It doesn’t point it out, however, so it is a good question to ask.
Qinael: <nods.> Okay.
Zahakiel: When creatures of matter are spiritual in nature, they can interact with the spiritual world. That’s the basic idea behind it, and I’ll point out how this works when get to that principle. But you should get the idea…
Ready for the next one?
Qinael: Yes.
Barbara: Yes.
Rita: Yes.
Israfel: Yes.
Crystle: Yes.
Principle 3:
Zahakiel: Matter is temporary;
Spirit is permanent.
The Scriptures tell us, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2Cor 4:17, 18)
This is true of the principles that we acknowledge as “spiritual.” We know that things of matter are destroyed, or fade away with time. But in their purest form, the virtues like love, kindness, and hope are enduring.
Some might ask, then, “Doesn’t this mean that the evil virtues are also eternal? And Satan, being a spirit, how can he be destroyed if the spiritual things are everlasting?”
Those are good questions. The answer is that when even “spiritual” things take on properties associated with matter, they may be destroyed just like matter. Conversely, when beings of matter (i.e., human beings) take on properties that are spiritual, as I mentioned above to Luke’s question, they may become eternal through a continuous connection with the source of Divine life. We will look at that last part again and more closely in discussing the next principle.
Zahakiel: The above may seem like strange statements, but the Bible says precisely the same thing, only with more familiar words: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ‘Ye must be born again.’ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:6, 7, 14, 15) More concisely, “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Gal 6:8) This is true not only of humans, but spiritual beings also.
In his fall, Lucifer began to act in a way that the Scriptures describe as “fleshly,” although he himself has no literal flesh. When Christ became literal “flesh,” then this flesh was subject to fatality, although His nature (literally and morally) was spiritual. This was why the grave could not hold Him, although He submitted to death for man’s sake. (Heb 2:9) In either case, when that which is spiritual becomes fleshly it is subject thereafter to the law of flesh.
Rita: Excellent.
Zahakiel: Specifically, Lucifer, taking on the essence of flesh, (which, in this context is “cursed matter”) will be subjected to death of his essence in the Lake of Fire. Christ, taking on a body of flesh, was subjected to the death of that body at the Cross; but since Yahshua did not “lose” any of what was His in the Spirit, this death was merely that destruction of what was temporary, and thus He was resurrected in what Paul calls the “spiritual body.” (1Cor 5:44)
Israfel: I have a question.
Zahakiel: Go ahead.
Israfel: Christ came to earth and became flesh, so does that mean that He is destructible?
Zahakiel: The flesh was. Yes, that is what was meant in that His flesh was subject to death.
Israfel: Oh, ok.
Qinael: Question.
Zahakiel: Go ahead.
Qinael: Okay... Lucifer is subject to the rules of the flesh (decomposing, destructibility) because he began operating under the rules of the flesh (the things that the flesh prompts us, as material beings to do)... If matter wasn’t prone to decompose before material beings fell, or prone to those actions, where would that have put Lucifer? There wouldn’t have really been an inherently evil “flesh” concept for him to be identified with.
Zahakiel: That’s true, and in this he was the “originator” of the idea that became a part of the curse on the material universe. I think Mrs. White said something like that also... the physical world, post-fall, began to reflect the spiritual changes that sin caused. So then death, disease, thorns and thistles... these all reflect the “dark” spiritual concepts that came into known existence upon that rebellion. This is one of the reasons why Satan is preserved, so that the universe can see the results of his sin made “manifest,” or visible, so that they will know that the punishment (destruction) is fitting, and not just an arbitrary penalty on Yah’s part.
Does that clarify?
Qinael: I think so... Why is it that the flesh / material world was what was made to reflect Lucifer for us as opposed to the spiritual, if he’s spirit? Or are they both and grace just could have an immediate affect on the spiritual for humans?
Zahakiel: Well, as you pointed out, since man fell he could not directly see the spiritual world. We need examples on this level also :)
Qinael: Hmm, okay... still sort of wrapping my mind around the spirit/matter switches here.
Zahakiel: <nods.> If you still have questions when you read the transcript, we can take it up then.
Now these “spiritual bodies” that Paul mentions, the bodies of the redeemed, will be made of matter, unlike those of the “ministering spirits,” (Heb 1:7, 14) but they will have the spiritual properties that were ours before the fall into sin and the fleshly “separation” from the Creator.
The spiritual bodies will need rest, and food, (Isa 65:21) whereas angels were created, and are sustained naturally. We do not know that they have to “eat” to survive; we know, however, that they do not have to rest as humans do in order to be perfectly healthy and spiritually complete. Even when working on Sabbath for humanity or in other capacities (Mat 18:10, Rev 4:8) they are sustained.
Are there any questions on this third principle?
Rita: None.
Ye: No.
Crystle: No.
Israfel: No.
Principle 4:
Zahakiel: Matter is subject to the Spirit regarding energy and life
We read several properties of Yahweh Himself: He is a Spirit, (John 4:24) He is described as “a consuming fire,” (Deu 4:24) and He is the source of life. (John 17:3, Col 3:3) Material things can only be “alive” by connection with the Divine, which both initiates and sustains this property. “And Yahweh Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen 2:7) “Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of Yahweh hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:9, 10)
In living creatures we read passages like this one: “the life of the flesh is in the blood,” (Lev 17:11a) and “Only be sure that thou eat not the blood [of the sacrifice], for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.” (Deu 12:23)
What we understand from other passages is that there are two levels to this. It is true that “blood is life” for animals that breathe air, because the blood carries essential oxygen to every cell for its survival. From a spiritual standpoint, the blood of a creature is a metaphor for the spirit of life that is placed within it. This is particularly true in humans, for Yahweh said of Abel that his “blood crieth unto me from the ground.” (Gen 4:10) Christ’s blood “speaketh better things than that of Abel,” (Heb 12:24)
Ye: Amen.
Zahakiel: “The souls of them that were slain for the word of God […] cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?’” (Rev 6:9b, 10)
As we know, some have mistaken that passage in Revelation 6 for a description of things that take place in Heaven (i.e., the souls of the departed ones crying out for vengeance from the Holy Kingdom). We have looked at the problems with that interpretation before, but for now we can see that there is a clear parallel that runs through those three passages.
Zahakiel: The life “cries out” spiritually when the blood is shed.
As we saw from Principle 3, when that which is spiritual becomes fleshly it becomes subject to the law of entropy: “things fall apart,” from Principle 2. But here in this fourth distinction we emphasize that the opposite is also true. Constructs of matter like animal bodies may be vessels for life, but the life of a spiritual being is its essential self. Spiritual beings may, of course, have “forms,” and the description of Yah certainly reveals this, for He is spoken of as having arms, (Psa 98:1) wings, (Ruth 2:12) eyes, (Gen 6:8) and feet. (1Kings 5:3) Yet while He has these attributes ascribed to Him in the prophecies and parabolic verses listed above, we know from other descriptive passages that these are metaphoric. For example, the “Arm” of Yahweh is the Person of Yahshua the Messiah, (Isa 40:10, 2Pet 1:11) and “the clouds are the dust of His feet.” (Nah 1:3) What Yahweh essentially IS is not something the Scriptures explain, except in terms we can comprehend, like light, (1John 1:5) fire (Heb 12:29) and – most importantly – Agape love. (1John 4:8)
We read, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63) Again, “the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (2Cor 3:6b)
Zahakiel: This is why it is
written, “they that are after the flesh do mind the
things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the
Spirit, for to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is
life and peace, because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the
flesh cannot please God.
“But ye
are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell
in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if
Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life
because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from
the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also
quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Rom 8:5-13)
Say when you’ve read all that, and if you have any questions on this fourth idea.
Rita: Done.
Qinael: Done – no questions.
Crystle: Done.
Ye: Done.
Crystle: And no questions.
Barbara: Done.
Israfel: Done.
Rita: No questions.
Israfel: No questions.
Applications
Zahakiel: While some of the applications of the four principles above may be obvious from simply reading the verses from which these ideas were derived, there are one or two other applications that, while not as blatant, are nevertheless essential for our sanctification.
Harmony
Zahakiel: For example, the first principle speaks about matter displacing matter, while spiritual beings and objects can occupy the same physical space without disruption. While this does immediately explain some doctrinal issues, like the invisibility of angels and Yahweh, (Rom 1:20) and the ability of the messengers to appear and disappear at will without concern for obstructions, there is a spiritual lesson here as well.
The idea that two things cannot occupy the same place at the same time is one of the principles behind individual competition. In sports, in schools and in many other areas, the goal to be “the best,” even at the expense of others, comes from the idea that there can be only one individual at the top of the mountain.
What the spiritual world teaches us is that, if we reckon the flesh dead, and live for divine principles, we will not feel a desire to be above other people, but rather to serve them. In the spirit, even when discussing the worst of examples like Legion, we find that there is cooperation, even Harmony. The demons may themselves be confused, and may spread confusion, but when they are laboring against humanity they are united inasmuch as they can be. We read of Christ saying, “How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.” (Mark 3:23-26)
This is a true principle, and if even the devils can cooperate, how much more should not the children of Yah espouse order and harmonious action? We certainly find a powerful example of this in marriage: two individual persons become “one flesh,” (Gen 2:24) and thereafter act as one, although they are a pair. This is one of the applications of the first principle.
Rita: Amen and amen.
Zahakiel: Does everyone understand this application?
Qinael: Yes.
Crystle: Yes.
Rita: Yes. It helped me to understand from a principle why competition is destructive, and of the flesh.
Barbara: Yes.
Naraiel: Another example of this is the holy spirit of Yah in every believer.
Zahakiel: That is true. There is a very important example of cooperation.
Crystle: He draws all unto Him and only those that are like Him can be drawn.
Zahakiel: Right.
Unity
Zahakiel: The second principle, which states that matter breaks apart while the spirit draws together, has some obvious lessons for our walk with Yahshua and each other. We have already seen examples of the breakdown of this idea in Paul’s letters to the schismatic Corinthians, and also Adam’s desire to break away from the Almighty after the fall.
But there are many, many positive examples also. When we are spiritually minded, we do not draw apart from Yahweh, and we do not draw apart from each other.
Ye: Amen.
Zahakiel: The reason why there are so many sects, denominations, cults, independent ministries and self-sent messengers is because the individuals who spearheaded these movements were acting like matter rather than spirit. They were following the flesh; and even though many may have been trying to help, they were nevertheless unfamiliar with the reasons identified in the Scriptures as valid grounds for pulling apart from others, and thus fell into error.
Consider, for example, the idea of divorce. Divorce, in principle, is bad; there is no question about that. It may be common, but it is certainly not a good thing. The Bible tells us “Yahweh, the God of Israel, saith that He hateth putting-away.” (Mal 2:16) Yet there are times when reconciliation is simply impossible, and allowances are made for this situation. “And I say unto you, ‘Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery.’” (Mat 19:9a)
There is a principle there that if the covenant between two people is already broken, the innocent party needs not hold to its fragments. This is true not only of human marriage, but also of Churches and Yahweh’s relationship with humans as well. To an already unfaithful nation the Almighty said, “And I took my staff, even Beauty, [a symbol of the union of Yah with His people] and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.” (Zech 11:10) To a nation in conflict the Almighty said, “Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, [a symbol of the union between the northern and southern parts of the kingdom] that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and [Northern] Israel.” (verse 14)
When it comes to Church history, we find that (from the Protestant view that we espouse) there was a legitimate “split” from Judaism under the ministry of the Apostles. Likewise, there was a legitimate “split” from the Roman Catholic church by the Reformers. When these churches failed to advance, another “split” was legitimately enacted by those who became Seventh-day Adventists. And now, we find one final calling-out under the message borne by the Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Zahakiel: It must be said, however, that these are rare occasions, like divorce was meant to be – and always for a very specific reason. Churches that employ the aid of civil government are seen, from God’s perspective, as committing “fornication” with the “kings of the earth,” (Rev 17:2, 18:3) and He Himself summons out His faithful – it is not (and is never to be) the act of man. (Rev 18:4)
In general, Unity is what Heaven requires. We find the lesson of the spirit in this; when we think spiritually we do not “fall apart,” either individually, or as groups. We draw closer to Yahweh, for read that even in this life, “every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (John 3:20, 21)
We also draw together as a people, until we are able to act “as one,” according to the prayer of Christ in John 17.
Are there any questions on this?
Rita: None.
Crystle: No
Qinael: No.
Ye: No.
Israfel: No.
Barbara: No.
Naraiel: Churches that become fleshy produce division from the spiritual sons of God.
Zahakiel: Right.
Stability
Zahakiel: The third principle, that matter is temporary while the spirit is permanent, under normal conditions, teaches us a very simple, but very vital, lesson.
When the apostles were trying to pray with Christ near the Garden of Gethsemane, we found that they repeatedly fell victim to lethargy, and fell asleep. Yahshua said, “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mat 26:41) The lesson of the third spiritual principle is Stability. If we are acting as permanent spirit, and not as temporal matter, we will “not be weary in well doing,” (Gal 6:9, cf., 2Th 3:13) and we will be among those who “endureth to the end [and] shall be saved.” (Mat 10:22)
It is said of the resurrected bodies, which participate in the properties of spirit although they be glorified flesh, “the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’” (1Cor 15:52-54) The idea of “incorruptibility” is the key here. The bodies are stable, enduring, because they are directly sustained through the Spirit of Yah, and we have access to applications of this even now… for we read of the following examples:
“And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount; and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” (Exo 24:18) “And [Elijah] arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” (1Kings 19:8) “And [Yahshua] was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto Him.” (Mark 1:13)
These are spectacular examples of the principle, but the less dramatic ones are no less important. A Christian may endure, and testify of his faith, in the face of opposition, persecution, and the hatred of the world. Christ taught, “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved,” (Mat 24:12, 13) echoing what He had already said as I quoted above. Because those who are born again are born of the spirit, they endure. They are stable.
Zahakiel: Are there any questions about this?
Rita: None.
Qinael: No.
Israfel: No.
Barbara: No.
Crystle: No.
Ye: No.
Eternity
Zahakiel: Finally, the fourth principle teaches that matter is subject to spirit when it comes to life. The most obvious application of this is probably the most important. We are told, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” (John 3:36, 1John 5:11)
It is only by full reliance upon the Spirit of Life, which comes through us from the Father through Yahshua, that we may inherit Eternity. Even now, it is only by that reliance that we may develop the kind of spiritual character that would allow us to reside in Heaven without the same discord that ultimately led to Lucifer’s ejection. A relevant quote from Ellen White states, “Unless correct ideas of true worship and true reverence are impressed upon the people, there will be a growing tendency to place the sacred and eternal on a level with common things, and those professing the truth will be an offense to God and a disgrace to religion. They can never, with their uncultivated ideas, appreciate a pure and holy heaven, and be prepared to join with the worshipers in the heavenly courts above, where all is purity and perfection, where every being has perfect reverence for God and His holiness.” [Testimonies for the Church Volume Five, p. 500]
That statement shows the importance of this study in general, of understanding the difference between the sacred things and the common things. It also shows specifically the importance of this fourth difference; the life of Christ, in these human vessels, is that which accomplishes this perfect work. Satan has had his counterfeits. His sorcerers, alchemists and (to a degree) atheistic scientists all seek to obtain the benefits of the spirit, (specifically, a body like the resurrected body described in the Bible) but without a true reliance upon the Spirit of God that is their conduit. It is not, of course, bad to seek to extend life and to improve the quality of that life, and there is no conflict between true religion and true science; but if this goal is pursued independently of the Source of that life the end is certain to be failure.
Zahakiel: There are many verses that tell us how to rely upon the spiritual for our lives. A few include, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Phil 2:13) “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” (Job 33:4) “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Yahshua hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom 8:2)
Conclusion
Zahakiel: What we find, then, is that as we draw near to Yahweh in spirit, we incorporate His spiritual properties. We have harmony one with another. We are in unity with Him and the brethren. Our lives become stable, and our walk is consistently upward. Finally, we obtain eternal life through the refinement of our spirits, continuing on into eternity without such “material” considerations as age, mortality, boredom, conflict or fear of any kind.
Are there any questions before we close with prayer?
Rita: None.
Qinael: No.
Barbara: No.
Ye: No.
Israfel: Nope.
Crystle: No.
Zahakiel: All right. Let’s pray, then...
Almighty Father in Heaven,
We give you thanks for this beautiful gift you have given us, a high and holy day on which your children can gather together to testify of your goodness, and learn more about your glory. I thank you for all the souls here today, who came to study your Word, and the principles we can draw from them to guide us ever onward and upward.
Bless us with a living witness, and a desire to apply all the lessons of your revelation to our daily lives, that none who behold us will have reason to doubt that we have been in your presence. Dismiss us from this meeting, but keep our hearts ever bound to yours, and to each other’s in unity and harmony, and may we stand before you in consistency... as we travel toward your Heavenly Kingdom.
In the name of Yahshua we pray, Amen.
Ye: Amen.
Barbara: Amen.
Crystle: Amen.
Rita: Amen. Praise God for a wonderful study.
Qinael: Amen.
Israfel: Amen.
