Soul and Spirit of Man

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Evan600:
I'm looking for some insight on this subject. I'm hoping that someone can help me out here.

I realize that the "breath of life" combined with the body, is what makes the soul, as Genesis clearly states.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath [H5397, neshâmâh] of life; and man became a living soul.

The problem that I see with this, is that this is not the Hebrew ruach. Ruach is the word that is used for spirit, such as the Spirit of God. We know that man has a ruach.

Ecc 1:14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit [H7307, rûach].

Does anyone understand what the "ruach" of man is?

Thanks, and may God bless you all!

- Jason

hillsbororiver:
Hi Jason,

Great to see you here! Are you still planning to attend the Conference? Have you ever heard from the other guy (sorry I forgot his name) who ate lunch with us that Sunday?

OK, enough questions. ;)

As far as your question, did you check Strong's because the definition seemed pretty clear, although this one word has a variety of meanings, and if you search "spirit," and "breath" you will find a few Hebrew words are translated into these English words (spirit/breath).

H7307
רוּח
rûach
roo'-akh
From H7306; wind; by resemblance breath, that is, a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions): - air, anger, blast, breath, X cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit ([-ual]), tempest, X vain, ([whirl-]) wind (-y).

The above (in bold) seems to fit.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed5301 into his nostrils the breath5397 of life; and man became a living soul.

H5301
נפח
nâphach
naw-fakh'
A primitive root; to puff, in various applications (literally, to inflate, blow hard, scatter, kindle, expire; figuratively, to disesteem): - blow, breath, give up, cause to lose [life], seething, snuff.

This appears to be clear as well.

H5397
נשׁמה
neshâmâh
nesh-aw-maw'
From H5395; a puff, that is, wind, angry or vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect or (concretely) an animal: - blast, (that) breath (-eth), inspiration, soul, spirit.

Vital breath, divine inspiration, it works for me as blowing into the nostrils of a clay dummy or statue and it comes to life breathing on it's own is certainly only accomplished by the One who is Divine!

Peace to you Brother,

Joe

Kat:

Hi Jason,

I think Joe gave you the needed definitions.

It is this breath from God that gives 'life' to all being that physically needs to breathe to live.

Psa 104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath (7307 - ruach), they die, and return to their dust.
Psa 104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit (7307 - ruach), they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

It is also referred to as the 'mind.'

Eze 11:5 ...Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind (7307 - ruach), every one of them.

The Holy Spirit also comes from God, but serves a different purpose, it is given to the Elect, but the difference is it is to give 'spiritual life' to those receiving it. Now in this physical life it is only the ernest or downpayment of God's Holy Spirit, to be received in full for those that endure to the end and are raised at the first resurrection.

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit (4151 - pneuma) of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Here is an email from Ray on the subject.

http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,1675.0.html -----

Yes, there is a spirit in man (AND ALL ANIMALS). Nothing can live without "spirit." Spirit IS life (Ecc. 8:8; Ecc. 12:7; Luke 23:46; I Cor. 2:11; etc.). There is no consciousness in our spirit alone. There is only consciousness (soul) when man's spirit is combined with a body.
God retains our spirit until resurrection when He puts our spirit into a new body and we once again become conscious or receive back the quality of "soul." We are said to have new "spiritual" bodies, not that we are made "spirits."

God be with you,
Ray

Gregor:
Greetings,
According to Ray's email, would this indicate that animals also have soul, that is a spirit combined with a body?

Kat:

Hi Gregor,

Is that a serious question?
Anyway, animals and man have the same breath and when they die they return to dust.

Ecc 3:20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
Ecc 3:21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?

But man's flesh/body is different from animals, as Paul state it.

1Co 15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.

And further more only man's spirit returns to God, so to be raised from the dead.

Ecc 12:7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

I don't recall any Scripture about animals being raised.
Animals do not have conscience, nor do not have minds to reason.

5590 soul psuchē - breath, that is, (by implication) spirit, soul; heart, life, mind, soul, + us, + you.

http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,655.0.html ---------

You are not paying attention to my writings. The consciousness is not in the body, and it is not in the spirit. The consciousness of man is in his soul, and his soul is resultant outcome of our spirit being united with a body. God breathed the breath and spirit of life into the man formed from the dust of the ground, and the man then BECAME a living soul. He BECAME conscious of his own being. At death we are no longer conscious of our being or our death. Our spirit must be reunited with a new body in resurrection before we will regain the soul and consciousness that we had before we died.

God be with you,
Ray

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