Their is a mystery that only the Bible can unlock, no one else, scientists and mankind have been baffled by it for years…

Difference Between Man and Animals

What makes us different from animals – how is that we can write prose and poetry; compose music; paint works of art; build skyscrapers; design computers; decipher DNA and go to the moon and beyond.

Man was made of physical material:

Genesis 2:7 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 being.

Nephesh – soul in KJV

Ezekiel 18:4 “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.

No “Immortal Soul”

Two quick points that we have dealt with extensively in the past

1. We do not have a soul; we are a soul
2. The “soul” is not immortal because we are not immortal; we all die because we all have sinned.

Same word Nephesh – “creature” in Genesis 1:24

Genesis 1:24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind (mı̂yn meen) cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind“; and it was so.
Genesis 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image (tselem tseh’-lem shade, a phantom, resemblance; we are a shadow or form of God, but not after His kind), according to Our likeness (demûth dem-ooth’; shape, resemblance); let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

In the Hebrew different words are used to describe the way that animals were created after their own kind, man was created in the form and shape of God, but not after His kind. Man was made out of flesh and blood and not like the God kind in that way (God is Spirit [John 4:24] and we are made decidedly different from that [John 3:6]).

The other main thing that we see here is that we are NOT made after the animal kind

Physical Differences between our brains

Human brains are similar to the mammalian brains, but there is a significant difference that biology cannot explain.

Think about this: a brain is just matter – gray and white matter. In and of itself it is material / physical. Even you try to jump start it and run fluids through it you do not get life much less sentient one.

Brain in a Jar Experiments

“According to the MIT Technology Review, Sestan and his team experimented on between 100 and 200 pig brains obtained from a slaughterhouse. Using a special apparatus known as BrainEx, they were able to circulate oxygen throughout the brains with a perfusion fluid.

“The BrainEx system is a closed loop of tubes and reservoirs that pumps artificial blood that’s been warmed to body temperature into a brain. According to Sestan, the system resulted in the unexpected result of cells in the brain returning to a healthy state, capable of normal activity.

“Clearly seeking to assuage those fears, Sestan and his team claimed the brains showed no signs of consciousness. This was determined by using an electroencephalogram (EEG), a test that can detect brain wave activity, particularly those indicating thoughts and sensations.”

Levels of Creation

Psalms 8:4 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?
Psalms 8:5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
Psalms 8:6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,
Psalms 8:7 All sheep and oxen— Even the beasts of the field,
Psalms 8:8 The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas.

Man was created in a tier above animals and below the angelic realm.

The Missing Component

As a part of the His plan God had to give us more than instinct. We had to have the ability to reason and think and understand new and greater ideas and concepts – like the one that we are discussing today.

Even bigger brains or the ones of the chimpanzees and dolphins cannot compare to what ours can do AND our brains do not display significant differences in density, prefrontal cortex, etc… to account for the vast difference in our capabilities.

What is the missing component that cannot be discovered by the scientific method? It can only be found in the pages of your Bible? It is called the spirit of man, or the spirit in man. This is not the holy spirit but a God given spirit that accounts for the differences that we have been talking about.

Because we cannot see, touch, taste, hear or feel it – it can only be discovered through the Word of God – that is the only way that we can come to this understand this subject. :)

God Forms in Us

Zechariah 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD against Israel. Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him:

We are given some insight into the awesomeness of this creation; it is put in the same context and arena of magnitude as the stretching out the heavens and laying the foundation of the earth. How incredible is that?

Isaiah 42:5 Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it: [two separate things]

It Works With the Brain

We probably have taken for granted that the fact that we have thoughts, new ones, creative ones that seemingly come out of thin air. How does that happen – have you ever thought about it?

Mankind cannot explain this. They try to reverse engineer and explain it that way, but their best explanation is:

“Subjectively, our thoughts come from nowhere: they just pop into our heads, or emerge in the form of words leaving our mouths. Objectively, we can say that thoughts emerge from neural processes, and that neural processes come from everywhere.”

Objectively, that cannot be true. We can control our thoughts and generate new ones at a whim, THEN the neural processes are engaged. Otherwise we would be subjected to an untold number of new thoughts all the time.

“How do we analyze and evaluate things that we know; how do we go find our memories and the things that we have stored? Typically, I say let me think about that for a second… what am I doing in that instant, how am I finding things.”

Science says there are four basic ways that science in which information can be pulled from long-term memory.

“The type of retrieval cues that are available can have an impact on how information is retrieved. A retrieval cue is a clue or prompt that is used to trigger the retrieval of long-term memory.”

Recall – accessing information without cues, Recollection – reconstructing memory, Recognition – identifying information after experiencing it again, and Relearning – information that has been previously learned

But this does not explain how we get to the information… but the Bible gives us insight:

Psalms 77:6 I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search.

It Gives Us Ability to Understand

Job 32:8 But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.

In most examples of comparing us to the animal world, science has always opted for the most intelligent species – they don’t ever pick an armadillo, cane toad, or a sloth. Because the difference is so great that it is ludicrous to even consider.

The word for “understanding” in Hebrew is bı̂yn and it means: to separate mentally (or distinguish), that is, (generally) understand: – attend, consider, be cunning, diligently, direct, discern, eloquent, feel, inform, instruct, have intelligence, know, look well to, mark, perceive, be prudent, regard, (can) skill (-ful), teach, think, (cause, make to, get, give, have) understand (-ing), view, (deal) wise (-ly, man).

… and much more in reasoning, creativity, logic, etc

Nebuchadnezzar

Daniel 4:27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
Daniel 4:28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 4:29 At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon.
Daniel 4:30 The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”
Daniel 4:31 While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you!
Daniel 4:32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”
Daniel 4:33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
Daniel 4:34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
Daniel 4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?”
Daniel 4:36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me.
Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

This is the difference between man and animal.

Self-awareness

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart

Romans 2:14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law by nature, do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,
Romans 2:15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

Conscience: comes from a word that means to see our self; to understand or become aware, and to be conscious or informed of

Because of this even they were able to judge to a degree what was right and what was wrong.

This is One of the Methods that God Uses to Inspire Us

Haggai 1:14 So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,

This is how Satan Influences Us

Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Ephesians 2:3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

What Happens to the Spirit of Man When We Die?

We have already covered briefly that we do not have an immortal soul nor are we an immortal soul. So what happens to our spirit when we die? In looking at this we discover more about the human spirit and another function of it.

Ecclesiastes 3:20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
Ecclesiastes 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?

*If ALL spirits go upward then this is in direct contradiction to the concept of heaven and hell

*Once again this is not an immortal soul

The spirit of an animal is not saved.

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

Ecclesiastes 8:8 No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war, And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.

Our Spirit does not Work Independent of the Body

Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

Psalms 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks?

Psalms 146:4 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans [thoughts, thinking] perish.

Most literal versions use the word “thought.”

Death is Like Sleep

1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—
1 Corinthians 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

So death is a conscienceless, thoughtless sleep!

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

The two work in conjunction with each and do not operate separately from one another

Why Does God Keep our Spirit?

Luke 8:49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”
Luke 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.”
Luke 8:51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.
Luke 8:52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.”
Luke 8:53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.
Luke 8:54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.”
Luke 8:55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.

Specifically “her” spirit

Why does God take each person’s spirit to heaven? Because it is the permanent part of the person that needs safekeeping until he is resurrected. It defines who he is—it is his full identity. It records and preserves his character, personality, memories and understanding. Then, that spirit will be used as the code or “blueprint” for fully restoring all those features when the person is resurrected with a new body!

Ezekiel 37:5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
Ezekiel 37:6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.” ‘ ”
Ezekiel 37:7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.
Ezekiel 37:8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
Ezekiel 37:9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Come from the four winds [ruchuth; its root is ruach, the Hebrew word for spirit], O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ‘ ”
Ezekiel 37:10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Notice now their self-awareness

Ezekiel 37:11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’

They are resurrected to a physical existence at least 1000 years after they have died (so the body is thoroughly gone, brain (anything stored there is definitely gone), vital organs, nervous and vascular system; perhaps the only thing somewhat remaining are the bones) but we see that their memories are intact. They begin expressing their last thoughts prior to death. It is because they have been given back a blueprint of who and what they are in the form of the spirit in man, that they know this and more.

Ezekiel 37:12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
Ezekiel 37:13 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opene
your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves.
Ezekiel 37:14 I will put My Spirit in you [in addition to their spirit which He formed in them, He will now give them the holy spirit], and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the LORD.’ “

In much the same way, this happened to Jesus at His resurrection – He was able to remember all that He had gone through on Earth:

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

But now here is the most important aspect about the spirit in man.

What About the Gift of God’s Holy Spirit?

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

God’s desire is for everyone to eventually receive the gift of His Holy Spirit. A person receives that gift when he has understood and believed the gospel, has deeply repented of his sins, is baptized for the forgiveness of his sins, and the minister has prayed for that gift with the laying on of hands (Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 8:14-17; 9:17; 19:6; 2 Timothy 1:6-7).

Then one of the great purposes of the human spirit is fulfilled—to receive and integrate with the Holy Spirit. It is at that moment when God begins to look upon the person as being spiritually “converted” (Acts 3:19), a “new man” (Ephesians 2:15), “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17), a “saint” (1 Corinthians 1:2), and one of the “sons of God” (Romans 8:9, 14, 19). As Romans 8:16 says, “His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children” (New Living Translation).

Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.’ “ Having said this, He breathed His last.

His spirit as a flesh and blood man with a full measure of God’s holy spirit, was a combination of His human spirit and the Holy Spirit – this was committed into the Father’s hands for re-implementation at His resurrection. It was necessary that He remember His time on earth and all that He went through and He did.

Difference between the Man’s Spirit and God’s (and animals)

1 Corinthians 2:6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,
1 Corinthians 2:8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: “EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”
1 Corinthians 2:10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
1 Corinthians 2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.
1 Corinthians 2:16 For “WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD THAT HE MAY INSTRUCT HIM?” But we have the mind of Christ.

How the Holy Spirit Interacts with Man’s Spirit

Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Ephesians 5:31 “FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.”
Ephesians 5:32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

1 Corinthians 6:16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “THE TWO,” He says, “SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.”
1 Corinthians 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

The way that this is accomplished is by our human spirit having the missing piece of God’s spirit and this combination joining with God as ONE when we become fully spirit at His return.