Did You Know?

What is the Soul‭?‬

Did you know that the word soul is mentioned many times in the Scriptures‭? ‬What is the soul‭? ‬Where does the soul come from‭? ‬What‭ ‬is the purpose of the soul‭? ‬How can the soul be defined‭? ‬Why is there misunderstandings regarding the soul‭? ‬Let’s explore what the Scripture has to say about this important issue of the soul‭.‬

Dictionary definitions of soul are‭ ‬“the spiritual part of a person that some people believe continues to exist in some form after their body has died‭, ‬or the part of a person that is not physical and experiences deep feelings and emotions”‭. ‬“The principle of life‭, ‬feeling‭, ‬thought and action in humans‭, ‬regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body and commonly‭ ‬held to be separable in existence from the body‭. ‬The spiritual part of humans as distinct from the physical part”‭.‬

In Genesis chapter 2‭ ‬and verse 7‭ ‬it clearly explains‭ ‬“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground‭, ‬and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life‭, ‬and man became a living soul”‭.‬‭ ‬Lot was the nephew of Abraham in the Old Testament‭. ‬Yehovah allowed the escape of Lot from destruction in the land of Sodom and‭ ‬Gomorah‭. ‬Lot said in Genesis chapter 19‭ ‬and verses 19‭ ‬and 20‭ ‬“Behold now‭, ‬thy servant hath found grace in thy sight‭, ‬and thou hast magnified thy mercy‭, ‬which thou hath shown unto me in saving my life and I cannot escape to the mountain‭, ‬lest some evil take me‭, ‬and I die‭. ‬Behold now‭, ‬this city is near to flee unto and‭ ‬it is a little one‭. ‬Oh let me escape thither‭, ‬and my soul shall live”‭.‬

Isaac‭ (‬the son of Abraham‭) ‬talks about his own soul or own life in Genesis chapter 27‭ ‬and verses 1‭ ‬to 4‭ ‬stating‭ ‬“And it came to pass‭, ‬that when Isaac was old‭, ‬and his eyes were dim so that he could not see‭, ‬he called Esau his eldest son‭. ‬He‭ ‬said to him‭, ‬my son‭, ‬and Esau replied to him‭, ‬here I am‭. ‬Isaac said‭, ‬behold now‭, ‬I am old‭, ‬I know not the day of my death‭. ‬Now therefore take‭, ‬I pray thee‭, ‬thy weapons‭, ‬thy quiver and thy bow and go out to the field‭, ‬and take me some venison‭. ‬Then make me‭ ‬some savoury meat‭, ‬such as I love‭, ‬bring it to me that I may eat‭, ‬that my soul may bless thee before I die”‭. ‬Also‭, ‬in Genesis chapter 34‭ ‬and verses 2‭, ‬3‭ ‬and 8‭ ‬it is evident the soul refers to the living man‭ ‬“And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hittite‭, ‬prince of the country‭, ‬saw her‭, ‬he took her‭, ‬and lay with her‭, ‬and defiled her‭. ‬And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob‭, ‬and he loved the damsel‭, ‬and spake kindly unto the damsel‭...‬Hamor communed with them‭, ‬saying‭, ‬the soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter‭. ‬I pray you give her him to marry‭ ‬”‭.‬‭   ‬

Leviticus chapter 4‭ ‬and verse 2‭ ‬refers to the soul as a living being‭ ‬“Speak unto the children of Israel‭, ‬saying‭, ‬if a soul shall sin through ignorance against the commandments of the LORD concerning‭ ‬things which ought not to be done‭...‬”‭. ‬Leviticus chapter 5‭ ‬and verses 1‭, ‬4‭ ‬and 17‭ ‬clarifies‭ ‬“And if a soul sin‭, ‬and hear the voice of swearing‭, ‬and is a witness‭, ‬whether he has seen or known of it‭, ‬if he does not utter it‭, ‬then he shall bear his iniquity‭. ‬Or if a soul swear‭, ‬pronouncing with his lips to do evil‭, ‬or to do good‭, ‬whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath‭, ‬and it be hid from him‭, ‬when he knoweth of it‭, ‬then he shall be guilty in one of these‭.  ‬If a soul sin‭, ‬and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD‭, ‬though he wist it not‭, ‬yet is he guilty‭, ‬and shall bear his iniquity”‭. ‬Leviticus chapter 6‭ ‬and verses 2‭ ‬and 4‭ ‬the LORD spoke to Moses saying‭ ‬“‭ ‬If a soul sin and commit a trespass against the LORD‭, ‬and lie to his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep‭...‬then it shall be‭, ‬because he hath sinned‭, ‬and is guilty‭, ‬that he shall restore that which he took violently away‭, ‬or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten‭...‬”‭.‬

Again in Leviticus chapter 26‭ ‬and verses 15‭ ‬and 43‭ ‬it reiterates that the soul is a living being‭ ‬“‭ ‬And if ye shall despise my statutes‭, ‬or if your soul abhor my judgements‭, ‬so that ye will not do all my commandments and break‭ ‬my covenant‭...‬Then the land also shall be left of them‭, ‬and shall enjoy her sabbaths‭, ‬while she lieth desolate without them‭, ‬and‭ ‬they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity‭, ‬because they despised my judgements‭, ‬and because their soul abhored my statutes”‭.‬

The same theme continues throughout the book of Deuteronomy confirming that the soul in Scripture refers to a living being who is able to make decisions‭. ‬Deuteronomy Chapter 4‭ ‬and verses 9‭ ‬and 29‭ ‬explains‭ ‬“Only take heed to yourself‭, ‬and keep thy soul diligently‭, ‬lest though forget the things which thine eyes have seen‭, ‬and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life‭, ‬but teach them thy sons‭, ‬and thy sons son‭. ‬But if from thence thou shalt seek‭ ‬the LORD thy God‭, ‬thou shalt find him‭, ‬if you seek Him with all thy heart and with thy soul”‭.‬

Deuteronomy chapter 6‭ ‬and verse 5‭ ‬declares‭ ‬“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart‭, ‬and with all thy soul‭, ‬and with all thy might”‭. ‬Deuteromy chapter 10‭ ‬and verse 12‭ ‬repeats this‭ ‬“And now Israel‭, ‬what does the LORD thy God require of thee‭, ‬but to fear the LORD thy God‭, ‬to walk in all His ways‭, ‬and to love Him‭, ‬and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul”‭.‬

In Deuteronomy chapter 13‭ ‬and verses 6‭ ‬and 8‭ ‬it mentions‭ ‬“If thy brother‭, ‬the son of thy mother‭, ‬or thy son‭, ‬or thy daughter‭, ‬or thy wife of thy bosom‭, ‬or thy friend‭, ‬which is as thine own soul‭, ‬entice thee secretly‭, ‬saying‭, ‬let us go and serve other gods‭, ‬which thou hast not known‭...‬thou shalt not consent or hearken unto him”‭.‬

It is important to recognise that there is much misunderstanding with regards to the meaning of soul in Scripture‭. ‬So far one can see‭ ‬the soul refers to the physical living human being‭. ‬Yehovah‭ (‬Jehovah or God‭) ‬wants all to be absolutely clear on this matter‭. ‬John chapter 17‭ ‬and verse 17‭ ‬states‭ ‬“Sanctify them through thy truth‭, ‬thy word is truth”‭.‬‭ ‬John chapter 14‭ ‬and verse 6‭ ‬says‭ ‬“Jesus saith‭, ‬I am the way‭, ‬the truth and the life‭. ‬No man cometh unto the Father‭, ‬but by me”‭.‬

I hope you have learned more about the Scriptures‭. ‬Next month I will continue with the soul‭ (‬Part 2‭)‬

If you would like to know more‭, ‬contact‭ ‬Sandra 602‭ ‬466‭ ‬534