Death is the departure of the soul and spirit from the body, but where does each part of man end up after a man dies? The Bible answers this question and more.
At times, God called people to enter into war with the goal of killing their enemies. The Bible clearly distinguishes between this type of killing and murder.
In the most basic sense, punishment is directed toward those who have done wrong. Though any particular punishment may seem harsh by those receiving the punishment, God intended it to be a calculated response toward wrongdoing. Though there are some passages in the Old Testament that indicate punishment was directed toward the people of God (Ezra 9:13; Hosea 12:2), the vast majority of references demonstrate that it was intended for the enemies of God (Psalm 149:7; Proverbs 11:21; Isaiah 10:12; Isaiah 13:11; Isaiah 24:21; Isaiah 26:21; Isaiah 27:1; Jeremiah 25:12; Jeremiah 46:25). A careful study of the New Testament will strengthen the distinction as there are no references to God punishing His people.
Man is made up of three parts: spirit, soul, and body. Death takes place when the soul (Genesis 35:18) and the spirit (Genesis 25:8) leave the body. This event happens to everyone regardless of the individual’s spiritual state at death. Saved or lost, a person’s spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 3:21; Ecclesiastes 12:7). However, the soul’s destination is based upon whether or not a person has trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour during this life. There exists no midpoint between earth and heaven (or hell) to purge one’s sins, including places invented by religions to do so. For a saved person, the Bible declares that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Unfortunately for the lost, this same outcome is not true. Following death, the Bible reveals that the lost man’s soul immediately goes to hell (Luke 16:23).
Fasting, similar to other actions in life, has specific purposes and appointed times. The Bible offers various reasons why people might fast: an immediate need in prayer (2 Samuel 12:16), a need to loosen the bands of wickedness or undo heavy burdens (Isaiah 58:6), during times of elevated conflict or duty in service (Matthew 17:21; Acts 13:3), as a symbol of mourning (2 Samuel 1:12), and as an outward manifestation of true repentance (Jonah 3:5). This list is not exhaustive, but simply demonstrates that God’s people have many good reasons for fasting. Even if none of these circumstances surfaces in our lives, we should fast because we know that the Lord expects us to do so.
Our previous studies have discussed the Bible's built-in dictionary. Interestingly, the discovery of this method of defining words is not new. In fact, men like King James VI (also known as King James I) commented on God's graciousness concerning His word. He pointed out that the definitions of many Bible words could be found by considering surrounding words. John Eadie explains this in his book: The English Bible, vol. 2, London, Macmillan, 1876, p. 191. Our study in humility is a case in point. The true riches of this word can only be gleaned when one considers some of the words used in close proximity of the word humble (along with its variations). These words include: croucheth (Psalm 10:10), lowly (Proverbs 16:19), boweth down (Isaiah 2:9), bowed down (Isaiah 2:11), brought down (Isaiah 5:15), hewn down (Isaiah 10:33), and abased (Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14). God wants the Bible student to understand the depths and riches of His word and words. In this case, He clearly indicated that humility results from one being brought low.
Christians are supposed to strive to be Christlike. For this reason, today's lesson will involve searching the scriptures to learn about the nature of God. One constant theme concerning the Lord’s nature is that He endures. The Bible not only proclaims that the LORD will personally endure for ever (Psalm 9:7; Psalm 102:12), but the scripture declares forty-two times that His mercy “endureth for ever.” God’s enduring mercy means that man does not always receive the bad that he deserves. The Bible also proclaims that many other things directly associated with God will endure. These include God’s “goodness” (Psalm 52:1), “name” (Psalm 135:13), “truth” (Psalm 100:5), “glory” (Psalm 104:31), “righteousness” (Psalm 111:3), “dominion” (Psalm 145:13), and “word” (1 Peter 1:25). In other words, the God of the Bible and all things directly associated with Him will endure for ever.
