CrystalDragon
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Genesis merely indicates it was just a serpent though. How would the punishment to slither on the ground make any sense if it was Satan?
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Half Human and Half Animal
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Genesis merely indicates it was just a serpent though. How would the punishment to slither on the ground make any sense if it was Satan?
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Every one who studies the Bible ought to eventually ask your question because it is confusing.
How is it that we believe there is a body, soul, and spirit?
The Biblical composition of man is not as many think – body/soul/spirit – this is pure Greek philosophy adopted into the western philosophical tradition. The terms in the Greek language were defined by Greek ideas and not Hebrew ideas.
Western philosophy starting with the ancient Greeks (Plato particularly) thought of soulishness as an entity – something that exists apart, i.e. on its own just as body exists on its own. In Greek philosophy and religions, the soul was immortal. It existed endlessly before birth and after death. Greek spirit or spirits were the mechanisms that animated the world of nature and the affairs of men. So there were spirits for weather, water, mountain, sea, river, animal, crop, fate, fertility, governments and armies. Neither use in the Greek corresponds with what is the Biblical view of spirit and soul. Soul and spirit in Greek were very different from the meaning in Hebrew or Aramaic words translated into Greek.
Furthermore, this Greek philosophy has infiltrated western Christian theology because the New Testament texts were transmitted in the Greek language from the first centuries and through western philosophy to all western languages including English. Even western translations of the Bible (English versions included) are captured by the Greek philosophy that man is body, soul, and spirit and so translate the passages using English words whose definitions have these Greek philosophical presuppositions. So, we in the Western (Greek) philosophical tradition are trapped in seeing the scriptures as teaching a body/soul/spirit as the composition of man rather than what is intended by the Hebrew and Aramaic languages.
The biblical view of the composition of man is of a body (dust) + spirit (divine breath) = soul or man. Soul and man are equivalent terms.
Genesis reveals a body created by God and animated by the Breath of God (Spirit) becomes a living soul. Living soul equates to human being. A soul is the body made from the elements of the earth that has the spirit of life “blown” into it by God. This life spirit is from God and does not belong to man but is, so to speak, on loan from God. Man is a living soul. That is, an earthly body animated and made alive by life (Spirit) from God.
The breath of every human being is the Spirit of breath on loan from the Holy God and does not belong to humans. When man sins he will become separated from the Holy God and thus from the life Spirit of the Holy God – this is why sin causes death. Because of sin man looses the breath of life belonging to God. What is left is a decaying body made of the dust of the earth.
There is nothing of man that is automatically immortal or even everlasting apart from divine intervention. Anyone’s existence after death continues to be a creative act of YHWH. It is YHWH who provides everlasting life rather than humans having a soulish immortality or a spiritual survival after death. To place themselves into the correct understanding believers ought to know that when God quits thinking about us - or about the earth, or the universe – it isn’t anymore – gone as if it had never been. Every man that has lived existed only because God has provided the gift of life, and every man alive or that will live only exists because God has provided the gift of life. Life is the breath of God and therefore, very, very holy.
The translation into the Greek language of what the Lord Jesus taught in Aramaic (a version of Hebrew) and what was written in the Old Testament did not have Greek words with ideas that corresponded exactly to Hebrew ideas. H. Wheeler Robinson, New Testament and Greek scholar, demonstrates in his commentaries how the Greek philosophy has corrupted the terms used mainly by the Apostle Paul.
This was a long answer to say, No, we don’t have a relationship with our flesh. Biblically, we are our flesh and only our flesh. This is what the resurrection on the last Day or Judgment Day is about – resurrection of the physical/fleshly body and not the resurrection of ghosts. You know, the sea will give up its dead, etc. Most reject this biblical revelation because they like the pagan Greek idea - the idea that they are immortals and not dependant upon YHWH for existence after the body dies.
Even if all this is too strange to accept, readers ought to at least realize the problems encountered in the Greek and English texts over the confusing use of body/soul/spirit has to do with English definitions of words used to translate words and ideas that do not have exact correspondece.
Here is the clearest example of the issue:
Biblically the nature of man is described in Genesis 2:7.
Literally it reads: “and-he-is-forming YHWH Elohim the-human soil from the-ground and-he-is-blowing in-nostrils-of-him spirit-of living-ones and-he-is-becoming the-human to-soul-of living.”
In a little less literally translation it reads: “ And YHWH Elohim forms the man -- dust from the ground, and blows into his nostrils spirit of life, and the man becomes a living soul.” Adam did not become a soul without a body or a body/soul/spirit composition. What Adam became was a man. Man is a soul. Soul is an earthly body made alive by the Spirit of God.
Again we find a soul in Genesis 46:27 just after all the descendants of Israel are listed in verses 8 -26. It is said of them literally, “and-the-sons-of Joseph who he-was-born to-him in-Egypt soul two; all-of the-soul of-the-house Jacob the-one-coming toward-Egypt seventy.”
Or a little less literal translation would read, “and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt were two souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy souls.”
Did 70 disembodied souls go to Egypt?
Were Jacob’s boys ghosts/souls?
Were there the two disembodied souls or were the sons of Joseph born in Egypt?
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I do not see a theological issue with the serpent of Genesis being identified with Satan.
However, for me, I am a strict constructionist" - so to speak when it comes to interpretations. It seems much more is concluded from scripture than what the text provides. The doubts I have about my own reasoning encourages me to error on the side of caution rather than speculation. Therefore, I have more difficulty in the promotion of Satan to a proper name as it is commonly used and translated.
Doctrinal differences always ends in arguments. I attempt to avoid them. On the other hand, theology is the true guide for the believer because a systematic theology attempts to either logically reconcile or rephrase the significance of the various doctrines. You have a strong theological position from which to start - Catholicism. If you have not, learn the the theology and how and why it was developed. From such a position believers are better equipped to evaluate doctrines and theology so as to strengthen their own view or to change.
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Sanoy
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Dead sea scroll - Giant Scroll Fragment.
1Q23 Frag. 1 + 6 [ . . . two hundred] 2donkeys, two hundred asses, two hundred . . . rams of the] 3flock, two hundred goats, two hundred [ . . . beast of the] 4field from every animal, from every [bird . . . ] 5[ . . . ] for miscegenation [ . . . ]
4Q531 Frag. 2 [ . . . ] they defiled [ . . . ] 2[ . . . they begot] giants and monsters [ . . . ] 3[ . . . ] they begot, and, behold, all [the earth was corrupted.
Too fragmentary to derive any details but definitely sounds familiar to the past, as well as the sudden surge of civilization.
1Q23 Frag. 1 + 6 [ . . . two hundred] 2donkeys, two hundred asses, two hundred . . . rams of the] 3flock, two hundred goats, two hundred [ . . . beast of the] 4field from every animal, from every [bird . . . ] 5[ . . . ] for miscegenation [ . . . ]
4Q531 Frag. 2 [ . . . ] they defiled [ . . . ] 2[ . . . they begot] giants and monsters [ . . . ] 3[ . . . ] they begot, and, behold, all [the earth was corrupted.
Too fragmentary to derive any details but definitely sounds familiar to the past, as well as the sudden surge of civilization.
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Matthew 24:37-39King James Version (KJV)
37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
So, what was going on in the "days of Noah"?
Genesis 6:11-13King James Version (KJV)
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
So, what does "all flesh had corrupted His way" mean?
Many believe that the Nephilim had played with human and animal DNA hybridization. I tend to believe this.
To be quite frank.... this is expected in this time or season where Christ could return at any time.
37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
So, what was going on in the "days of Noah"?
Genesis 6:11-13King James Version (KJV)
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
So, what does "all flesh had corrupted His way" mean?
Many believe that the Nephilim had played with human and animal DNA hybridization. I tend to believe this.
To be quite frank.... this is expected in this time or season where Christ could return at any time.
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Radrook
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Because the slithering is merely a symbol of Satan's abasement. Please note that the prophetic language used in Genesis 3:15 indicates that someone other than Eve and the serpent were being spoken about. For example, Genesis 3: 15 speaks of the serpent as producing a seed or offspring that would be in fierce oppositions to the woman's seed. It mentions a fatherhood and motherhood. It mentions a future struggle involving a deep hatred that would lead to a wounding of one and a destruction of the other.
In short, we are promised the Christ, a savior who would be wounded but not defeated and who would ultimately destroy the one who used the serpent to deceive. That promise laid the foundation for the awaiting of the Messiah and the promise was reinforced via repeated mentions through other prophets unto the arrival of Jesus.
But it also described a struggle between two groups, the seed of the woman, God's heavenly organization and the offspring of Satan the original serpent. Jesus refers to those who are the serpent's offspring in the following way:
The enmity, or deep hatred, between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman mentioned in Gen 3:15 is described in this way:
References to the seed as Jesus followers and Satan's.
The wounding in the heal was Jesus crucifixion. The crushing of the serpent's head was to be Satan's destruction.
Jesus spoke of that future wounding and the pain involved it distressed him:
-----------------------------------------
The serpent is crushed in the head via Satan being destroyed
The woman is a symbol of God's heavenly organization:
So the language in Gen 3:16 is clearly SYMBOLICAL and definitely not referring just to a literal serpent. The abasement of the literal serpent that was used as a puppet is merely a symbol of the abasement of the creature who used it as a puppet and nothing more. That entity once held a high position in God's heavenly organization but was divested of that privilege due to his treasonous behavior.
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christina Pickle
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I'm sorry, but I don't believe that God would show you something that is not true. There are laws of nature that God has put into the Earth that will not allow any such thing to happen. Genesis is clear about what types of species can produce together. The article you site is very deceptive and has a deceptive title. What the article says is that they have a few human cells growing inside a pig embryo which is a far cry from being a hybrid especially since it has not really been successful. There are no half animal/ half humans walking around...they do not exist. Deception is always a tactic of the Great Deceiver; don't be fooled.
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christina Pickle
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Absolutely... it will never happen. They keep working on it and saying they are close and have been since Hitler and probably before that.
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CrystalDragon
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To be fair, technology has improved. I don't think "hybrids" should be created anyway though.
Not all scientists are atheists.
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christina Pickle
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It's just a matter of faith. I totally, unequivocally believe the word of God and the power of His might. There are just some things that God will not allow. I know the whole Earth is never going to flood again into total destruction, I know if someone trusts in Christ they will be in heaven with God someday, I know the devil and his demons will be cast into the lake of fire. There are just some things that you can know for sure and some things are left to be discovered, but I think that this whole thing of half man/ half animal is just a big lie. It goes right along with evolution.
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Not only that, but I believe that man has been trying to duplicate these "Nephilim" as war machines. Super soldiers.... I believe that it is coming and coming soon.
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It seems to me your interpretation is speculative. This passage is unclear as to the meaning. Your interpretation is commonly held, but wise and cautious interpreters ought to leave the meaning as indecipherable. Applying any interpretation of such unclear passages may result in faulty conclusions. It is quite acceptable to say, "I don't know."
One of the distinguishing marks of the unredeamed mind is the Eve like curiosity to know more than YHWH has revealed. What He has clearly revealed should be our prize knowledge.
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