Chapter Two WE ARE GODS (Created in the Image of God)

Chapter Two

WE ARE GODS
(Created in the Image of God)

The First Commandment of the Decalogue (which means ten words) is often abbreviated to be:

 

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

 

While diving into this topic, take a moment to reflect carefully on what is being said. Charging ahead without consideration can be like grabbing the bull by the horns in a china shop—chaotic, destructive, and ultimately counter-productive.

This statement regarding having “no other gods before me” can be interpreted as the speaker claiming to be the supreme God—a claim that is rightly made by the Lord God Himself. However, when we say, “You shall have no other gods before me,” we subtly include ourselves in that divine context. In the first-person singular, this becomes: “I am God.” You might dispute this interpretation, but it holds weight. If language is to have meaning, we must be accountable for the words we use.

As Jesus said, “It is not what goes into a man’s mouth but what comes out that defiles him.” And again, “On the day of judgment, everyone will have to give account for every careless word spoken” (cf. Matthew 15:11; 12:36).

If we were Hindus, we would have no problem declaring the abbreviated form of the first commandment (“You shall have no other gods before me”) whatsoever. Hindus believe in god-men, and in India, many people claim to be living gods. A significant number of these so-called living gods have thousands of devotees; some even have devotees numbering in the millions. For any of them to say, “You shall have no other gods before me,” would be consistent with the beliefs to which they subscribe.

On the surface, you might think, “So what! This is merely splitting hairs.” For those who prefer the abbreviated version, this might seem an insignificant issue, as they would claim they know what they mean.

Their argument would go along the lines of the following:

“I know that when I say, ‘You shall have no other gods before me,’ I don’t mean that I am God, and I don’t expect that you would think I meant that I was God.”

The argument is a plausible one, and it is highly unlikely that a Christian using the abbreviated version of the First Commandment would think that he or she is actually God. The problem is that the very statement implies something different from what the speaker may mean. The truth requires us to be consistent, because if we are not consistent, there is no authenticity in what we say and do. Unintentionally, when we are not consistent, we may find ourselves either confused or numbered among the hypocrites, who say one thing but mean and do something else. Furthermore, if we are Christians who desire to live victorious lives, it is impossible to do so if we are perpetuating falsehoods. This is true whether those falsehoods are intentional or not. Only the truth will set us free; not misconceptions or falsehoods.

The statement, “You shall have no other gods before me,” can be misleading when taken out of context. This commandment asserts the exclusivity of God, but quoting it in abbreviated form may lead to unintended consequences, wherein the speaker inadvertently asserts personal divinity, even if this is unintentional.

For example, a Christian who quotes, “You shall have no other gods before me,” while thinking they are simply referencing the First Commandment, might be conditioning themselves to think of themselves as God. This is a subtle but significant shift in perception.

Our adversary, the Devil, is adept at exploiting human pride. He will ensure that this commandment appeals to the pride of life that exists within each of us. The Evil One can easily manipulate a speaker’s thoughts toward self-exaltation.

It is astonishing how easily individuals can be tripped up by such temptations. Therefore, it is crucial to approach the use of this abbreviated commandment with humility and awareness, recognizing the potential for pride and self-deception.

Many do not believe that the Devil exists. They ask for proof. If you are such a person, consider the following: Does a deceiver reveal himself unnecessarily? Secondly, look at the evil that exists on this Earth. Do you really think the Creator, having created everything good, also created evil? Thirdly, are you in complete control of your actions and never find yourself doing wrongful things that you never intended to do? Fourthly, if you find yourself doing evil, and this was not your original intention, how can you be completely sure that another influence is not at work upon you?

 If you dare to claim that the Devil doesn't exist, then you might as well insist that the blue sky above is nothing more than a solid ceiling during the day and that the clouds, which seem solid, don’t exist at all. How can you ignore the reality that surrounds you? And yet, how can you be absolutely sure of anything that you see? Regardless of how knowledgeable you might think you are, what little knowledge you possess is merely a grain of sand upon the Earth within the scheme of things.

If, in your estimation, you are a larger grain of sand than the other grains—so what? Do you want a certificate for that too? So you can gloat about your greatness, your superiority, your membership in the meritocracy?

The Evil One laughs at you if you are such a person—one who measures your self-worth against others. He has you in his grips because you are blind to him and the truth regarding the reality of life.

We are all prisoners of death. This commandment is designed to remind us of this fact. It also points to our only hope: the hope that we might avail ourselves of the opportunity to take it while still alive on this planet. Self-examination in respect to our existence is where truth begins, and wisdom and humility are found.

For many Christians, the idea that we could be gods might seem bizarre, because we generally accept that humans are not gods, and neither could any man be a god—except Jesus Christ, who was God in human form! We need to distinguish between God (as in Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe) and a god, who is a created being.

We Christians tend to see ourselves as sinners in need of salvation rather than gods who have supernatural powers. The Christian worldview is one that sees humankind as having fallen from a pre-eminent status with God because of rebellion, sin, and evil.

There are different views on how our fall from grace—our paradise lost—has affected humanity. Some Christians believe that people are utterly depraved, lacking any inherent goodness. Others hold that while we have knowledge of goodness and can perform good acts, this does not grant anyone the right to elevate themselves to the status of a god or goddess. Regardless, any good a person might do is ultimately in vain, as it lacks eternal worth.

In the grand scheme of life, an act of goodness can be likened to a band-aid placed over an open wound that requires stitches. While a band-aid may provide temporary relief, it does not heal the underlying issue. As the saying goes, “A stitch in time saves nine”—one plus nine makes ten, and the job is complete. Thank you, Jesus, for providing access to the mercy seat.[i] At the appointed time, God accomplished what the ceremonial law could not: He provided access to the mercy seat through Jesus, who fulfilled the Law.

Since we have all fallen short of the glory of God, no human effort or treatment can adequately address the sin problem. Just as a band-aid cannot suffice when stitches are needed, our attempts at goodness cannot resolve our need for redemption. It is through Christ’s sacrifice that we find true healing and the strength to pursue goodness that reflects His love.

It is rather ironic that the proverb “a stitch in time will save nine” has been coined to remind seamstresses that a broken stitch on a piece of cloth, caught in time, will save nine more from unraveling; because when it comes to the Ten Commandments, merely breaking one brings the other nine undone. However, because Jesus kept all Ten Commandments—and in so doing, so to speak, He has stitched up the Devil, making him impotent—all we have to do now is keep one of the commandments to be saved. This is because Jesus has bequeathed to us His righteousness at the mercy seat, where we need only acknowledge the First Commandment, and this makes up for the other nine. For whoever comes to know Jesus as Lord has been given the power to become a fully-fledged child of God.

Our responsibility to ourselves is now to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and, in so doing, keep the law ourselves; because the means by which we can keep God’s law has now been made easy—easier! This is what Jesus said: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30).

We could say that if we are associating with the Son of God and have been adopted into the family of God (Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5; 1 John 3:1-2), we should think of ourselves as gods.

 

The Bible Says We Are Gods

Surprisingly, the Bible actually refers to men as gods. Psalm eighty-two, verse six, reads: “I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High’” (KJ21). Jesus even referred to this. John chapter ten, verse thirty-four, reads: “Jesus answered them, ‘Is it not written in your law, “I said, ‘You are gods?’”’’

The fact that Jesus mentioned the Scripture stating that men are gods does give more weight to the idea, even if we might struggle with the concept of humans being gods. Most interpreters of the Bible, though, will work around this idea by suggesting that the Scripture does not actually mean what it states—that men are gods. They like to claim that Jesus mentioned this to draw attention to the unbelief of the Jews He was addressing at the time, rather than to support the idea that men are gods.

The notion that men could be gods is frightening to many people who want to believe that they are not responsible for the sins they commit. Gods, on the other hand, would need to be accountable for their misdeeds, whereas humans need not be. Certain sections of the general Christian community believe that they are not accountable for their sins because they were preordained to be saved, while the rest of humankind was created to be condemned to suffer eternal torment in Hell. What these people do not seem to understand is that, according to Jesus, Hell was created solely for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41), and not for Adam and Eve or any of their descendants.

Another view is that fallen angels become gods when people worship them. According to this perspective, men and women cannot be gods because they are fallen biological beings and not spirit beings. Angels are spirit beings and are like God, who is also a spirit;[ii] therefore, because they exist in the realm of the spirit, they are capable of being worshiped.

There is evidence to support the idea that angels are gods in the book of Job, which says, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them” (Job 1:6; 2:1). We find further evidence when Job is asked where he was when God created the universe: “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). Both of these references indicate that angels are sons of God.

Irrespective of anything else, it is quite clear that Jesus was making a reference to humans being referred to as gods in the Bible when He said: “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods?”’ If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God?’” (John 10:34-36).

Jesus was obviously making a point about how silly and inconsistent the thinking of the Jews was in suggesting that He was blaspheming because He said He was the Son of God. However, this does not take away from the fact that Scripture states that the Word of God attributes godhood to human beings.

In discussing the nature of humanity in relation to divinity, Psalm 82:6 asserts that humans are referred to as "gods" and "sons of the Most High." This statement does not imply that humans have the potential to become children of God in the future; rather, it affirms a present reality of our divine identity. The Psalmist emphasizes that we are inherently connected to the divine.

This theme is echoed in the teachings of Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount, where He instructs His followers—comprising Gentiles, Samaritans, and Jews—to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). This prayer highlights the intimate relationship between humanity and God, suggesting that we are not merely potential children of God but are already part of His divine family.

In contrast, the Apostle Paul, in Romans 8:14-23, speaks of becoming children of God through adoption. While this concept of adoption is significant, it serves a different purpose than the assertion made in Psalms. Paul’s focus is on the transformative process of becoming aligned with God's will and purpose, which complements but does not negate the inherent divine identity suggested in Psalm 82:6.

In summary, both the Psalmist and Jesus affirm a profound connection between humanity and the divine. While Paul elaborates on the process of becoming children of God through adoption, the foundational truth remains that we are already recognized as "gods" and "sons of the Most High." This understanding invites us to embrace our divine identity and live in accordance with the will of our Heavenly Father.

Such a concept is not too difficult to accept because the Bible teaches that man was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). This does not refer to a physical image; rather, it means that man was created to reflect God's qualities—Imago Dei[iii]—and to possess a god-like nature. The significant difference between God and humanity is that we are not gods without sin. Instead, we could be considered fallen gods, sinful gods, or imperfect gods. Nonetheless, Scripture attributes a godlike status to us.

However, just as the angels who left their original places of dwelling, humanity has also lost its original habitat. Adam, referred to as the Son of God (Luke 3:38), and his helper, Eve, were driven out of the Garden of Eden due to their violation of faith towards God. As a result of Adam and Eve’s act of breaking faith with God—essentially, discontinuing their trust in His word—every child is born into a sinful world marred by illness, disease, war, destruction, and death.

Further examination leads us to consider another crucial aspect expressed in Psalm 82:6-7: “I said, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.’” While humanity is addressed as gods and is said to possess a form of sonship, humans are also reminded that they will die like mere mortals.

This contrast highlights two essential elements possessed by humanity: an eternal element—an individual spirit that cannot be destroyed—and a temporal biological element, which is made from the earth and shared with all animals.

 

Animals Possess A Soul—Not A Spirit

There is an inner yearning within everyone to be satisfied with a relation-ship that fulfills the spirit. The spirit that God has placed within every person is what gives us our god-like status. Animals do not possess a spirit; they possess a soul,[iv] but not a spirit. We can search the Scriptures and find that animals do not possess a spirit; neither will we find the term “God of the souls of all flesh,” but we will find the expression “God of the spirits of all flesh” (Num. 16:22; 27:16; cf. Heb. 12:9). Hence, God is concerned with every man and woman, for He puts a spirit within each one of us at birth.

There is an argument put forth that animals have a spirit based on the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter three, verse twenty-one, where it is suggested that a beast has a spirit. However, the context of the passage discusses death and contrasts the futility of life on Earth for humankind and beasts, as well as goads the reader to consider his or her own ignorance on the matter. This is entirely different from saying that animals actually have a spirit and are made in the image of God.

In the New Testament, we are told that God is a Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24—KJV). The spirit that God places in each one of us makes us God-like. Consequently, humans are sons of God because they have spirits. Angels are spirits; they are also called sons of God. On the other hand, animals are not sons of God because they do not have spirits, even though each animal possesses a soul. The spirit within us is what distinguishes human beings from animals. This spirit is what gives us the ability to know right from wrong, to think, speak, and understand the Word of Life, the word of truth.

 

The Soul That Sins

The Bible mentions in a number of places that the soul that sins shall die. Based on these texts, the assumption has been made that the seat of the will (i.e., human volition) is in the soul. Many teachers and preachers have propagated this misinterpretation over the centuries, and when you think about it, it is easy to see why. Both animals and children help give us this impression.

For instance, one friend of mine has a cat that meows and scratches the door to go outdoors. When the cat wants to come inside, it meows and scratches the door. The cat gives the impression that it can think because when it seeks to come inside or go outside, it scratches the door. Other times, the cat will meow and scratch at a fixed, sealed bedroom window that cannot be opened. The cat wants to get outside and appears to expect the window to open, even when the back and front doors are open, as it will sit, scratch, meow, look, then meow and scratch again until its owner comes and gets it. Now, if the cat could think, it would realize that the window has never opened, and the only way it has gone in and out of the house is through the front and back doors; in which case, the cat would know it needed to go to one of the doors to get outside. As for the cat having a will, unless it can think, it has no need for a will—but a will is required to make moral decisions.

The inability of cats to think is evidenced particularly by the number of these furry felines that are killed by motor vehicles on the road. Before their fatal attempt to cross the road, it is doubtful that cats meow to themselves, “Will I, or will I not, wait for the traffic to go past? No. It is more fun to run the gauntlet and race rubber on the road.”

When it comes to children, they are often renowned for being stubborn during their formative years, particularly in what is commonly referred to as “the terrible twos.” These children are often called self-willed because they refuse to obey their parents while exploring their world and imitating what they see others do. They appear self-willed when, in fact, they are merely learning about their environment without giving anything a second thought. What this means is that they have not yet learned to exercise their volition. Learning how to exercise their volition begins in the next stage of development, when children have sufficient knowledge to ask why they should not turn on the gas stove or play with matches and light fires. Without a “why,” that is, “a reason,” children cannot exercise their will. Before understanding why they should not perform dangerous actions—like turning on gas stoves while playing with matches—children need to understand what happens when they do either of those things. Once children understand what happens, they can then make a decision to go ahead and blow their home to kingdom come or listen to mommy and daddy. Depending upon how well the children are taught about the dangers of gas and lighting matches, this will form the basis of their ability to say, “I will do what I am told” or “I will not do what I am told.” At this point, there would be some exegetes (those who critically explain the meaning of Scripture) who would say that the soul that sins shall die. Many of us might be saying, “But for the grace of God, back then when I was a child, playing with those matches would have been the end of me.”

There are verses that read: “if a soul sin” (Leviticus 5:1 KJV); “if a soul swears” (Leviticus 5:4 KJV); and “that soul shall be cut off from among his people” (Exodus 31:14 KJV). On the face of it, when reading these verses, coming to the conclusion that we think and make decisions with our soul is not too difficult. However, it is imperative to realize that the word for “soul” is “nephesh,” which is applied to animals, fish, birds, and creatures. Nephesh means “a living being.” Now, we know animals do not think—and neither does the soul.

Hence, when we read, “if a soul touches any unclean thing…he shall be guilty,” the translation is obviously meant to be “if any living being touches any unclean thing…he shall be guilty” (Leviticus 5:2). The term “nephesh” could be referring to any creature, but in this case, it specifically refers to being human, as animals are not the ones that are being pronounced guilty in Scripture. When the Bible refers to a human as a soul, the term needs to be understood correctly. We are living beings; however, unlike animals and other creatures, each one of us consists of a spirit created by our Father in Heaven, which is attached to the soul of our physical body—1 Thessalonians 5:23[v]—even if we do not know how this is done.

 

Words Make The Difference

Before it is possible for us to exercise our will, we need, as a prerequisite, the ability to know right from wrong. This means that where the faculty of our conscience exists is where we will discover the seat of our will—that is, you could say, in our throne rooms.

The spirit placed within us by God at birth is what enables us to make a distinction between right and wrong, to process knowledge, and to exercise our volition—in other words, we possess our own thrones, whereupon we sit and make decisions. This place is otherwise known as the seat of our will and exists in our spirits.

There is no record of God ever saying to animals, “Come, let us reason together.” However, in Isaiah, chapter one, verse eighteen, we read that God is encouraging us to come and reason with Him about our violation of faith regarding Himself.

When we consider the First Commandment, we need to see its correct perspective and not just say, “You shall have no other gods before me.” The reason for this is that misconceptions can arise, and these can lead us into breaking faith with God. For some, this might be a moot point—arguably insignificant. Nonetheless, this can be more serious than first realized.

People brought up in denominations where the Ten Commandments are referred to regularly often hear that the First Commandment is “You shall have no other gods before me.” The reason for this is that speakers will claim that this particular wording reflects the primary focus of the First Commandment. Thus, this is taught in Bible colleges, Sabbath schools, Sunday schools, and confirmation classes. Subconsciously, the hearers then repeat the mantra, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Repeating this thought is tantamount to saying, “I am god, and others are my inferiors.” Not that human beings would think such a thing—would they?

If we are prone to quoting this little mantra, the Devil’s little agents work on this and subtly convey the idea that we are better than other people, or that other people are not quite as good as we are. Contrary to reason, this disposition is also very common among people who claim that every person is born in utter depravity and that nothing good exists in anyone—except for those of us whom God has chosen to save. Generally, we call this disposition the sin of pride. Pride itself is the tool of Satan, which he powers up with thoughts that put self first, and—believe it or not!—all this goes on in our subconscious mind because we unwittingly allow Satan’s agents access.

Therapists and clinicians frequently exploit the power of the subconscious by using word-based strategies to change people’s behavior, especially when using cognitive behavioral techniques to assist individuals in overcoming difficulties such as anxiety, self-doubt, depression, and phobias—often with great success.

Likewise, people have discovered they are able to overcome fears by reading, over and over again, positive affirmations from the Bible. Logos (meaning "word") therapy is a technique that was developed using the power of words to overcome obstacles that prevent people from living a fulfilling life and discovering the satisfaction each one ought to experience.

Words are a powerful tool, distinguishing gods from non-gods and animals from human beings. Consider the first verse of the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This has also been expressed as: “In the beginning was the idea, and the idea was God, and the idea emanated from within the depths of God’s innermost being.” While this may seem flippant, it is a serious attempt by theologians to understand the concept of the Word emanating from God while also being one with God.

When we discuss the Word existing alongside God and yet being God, the concept can be quite perplexing. We are referring to the One who has the power to calculate harmony, as He alone possesses comprehensive knowledge of life and being. Within the limits of our finite existence, we learn that both the spoken word and the written word can be powerful. These words begin in the spirit of the individual. We are created as unique individuals, each with a spirit placed in us at birth. As stated in 1 Corinthians 2:11, “nobody knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him.” God is the exception to this, of course (Heb. 4:12-13; Rev 2:23; Rom. 8:27; 1 Chr. 28:9; Ps. 7:9, 139:2;  Jer. 17:10).[vi]

God alone can read our thoughts, for He created our spirits and possesses the ability to retrieve everything imprinted within them. This is akin to a beekeeper who places frames in a beehive for bees to build their wax comb, develop their colony, and leave honey for him to collect. Similarly, we leave our thoughts about everything we see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and the attitudes we develop imprinted within our spirits for God to collect. Ultimately, all we have done will be revealed on that wonderful day when the angels come to collect the harvest. Thank God that the blood of Jesus can wipe our slate clean, so none of our unworthy deeds and thoughts are on record anymore (cf. Ezekiel 18:21-22).

 

The Word Becomes Flesh

In the Gospel of John, chapter one, verse fourteen, we learn, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among men.” If we were to say the Spirit of God became flesh and dwelt among men, there would be no difference, because the Bible tells us that God and His Word are One. This mystery of God the Father, His Word, and His Spirit being One, yet distinct from each other, we may never understand fully, but we can at least grasp the idea of what it means for us.

Humans have a spirit placed in their innermost being at birth. This comes from God, who creates everything by His Word of power. There is a difference, of course, between the Word of God becoming flesh and God creating a spirit by the power of His Word and placing it within flesh. The Word of God is actually God Himself, whereas a created spirit is a separate entity that God has brought into existence, which has the ability to communicate with the Source of Life, the Almighty Omniscient One, through knowledge and understanding. This is the higher realm of the spirit, rather than the lower realm of the flesh, where the irrational instincts of the biological creature (otherwise known as the realm of the soul) are experienced but cannot be appreciated by the soul itself.

Appreciation means more than being grateful for something. We can be grateful for what somebody does for us in meeting a need. However, appreciation requires more knowledge than just being thankful for having a need met; yet both gratitude and appreciation require knowledge and are sentiments that belong to the spiritual realm, not to the flesh. To appreciate something is to have the ability to evaluate its worth. This takes into account the intrinsic nature and qualities something might possess, as well as the magnitude and significance of its capacity to interact and successfully cope with its surrounding environment. We might not be able to have the appreciation that God has for everything that exists, but we have the inherent ability that enables us to appreciate everything we encounter, even life itself, and to be God-like, rather than be controlled by the impulses, desires, and negative emotive tendencies of the flesh. We have the choice to be God-like or soulish. This is why Romans 8:5 says: “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” When the spirit is in control, the intellect produces sounder thinking, especially if the mind is being renewed (Romans 12:2). In this case, the flesh is subdued, and the soul, with its carnal desires and worldly lusts, is in the process of being overcome.

The difference between the Word of God that was placed in the soul and body of the baby Jesus and the spirit that is placed in us humans, we could say, is like chalk and cheese. To be more realistic, it is like contrasting life with death. While the human spirit has the power to think, it does not have the power of an indestructible life; whereas the very Word of Life, the Word of God Himself, possesses this power (Heb. 7:16; 9:14; Rom. 1:4). However, the Word of God emptied Himself of His glory—but not His inherent nature—and took on the form of human flesh (Philippians 2:7) so that He might prove beyond doubt that it is possible to keep the just requirements of the Law, even though no one else appears to have been able to do so. At the age of twelve, Jesus, the Word of God in human form, understood who His Father was and honored Him (Luke 2:42-49). Jesus did not listen to men, but to His Father in Heaven. Unlike us, Jesus always had ears to hear what the Spirit was saying. Jesus did not give in to the flesh—not even once!

 

The First Commandment: “Hear, O Israel”

The First Commandment states:

“And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me”’-–Exodus 20:1-3.

Firstly, it is important to understand that God spoke these words stating who He is. Jesus Himself emphasizes this fact when He is asked, “What is the First Commandment?” Jesus answers, beginning with: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God…” (Mark 12:29). Even though Jesus was directly quoting Deuteronomy 6:4, what is important for us to understand is that God actually spoke these words, and this forms part of the commandment, which is to, first, hear the words of the Lord our God.

That faith comes from hearing, and “hearing” means being able to hear and thereby possess the faculty to listen to the words of God, is no accident. Paul, the apostle, wrote, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). We learn that the faculty of hearing is what enables faith to come about. The righteous Job had heard of God in a way that generated such faith in him that he repented of the sins of his youth. Job’s resultant faith from hearing of God (Job 42:5) enabled him to survive his persecution and physical assault by the Devil, even though he had others telling him to curse God and die. Unless we hear God Himself or the words of an anointed one, we will struggle to develop faith. Without faith, it becomes impossible to please God. This is why Jesus said that the first and most important commandment begins with “Hear, O Israel…” (Mark 12:29), which equates to what we read in Exodus at the beginning of the First Commandment: “And God spoke all these words, saying…”

Jesus used the term “ears to hear” a number of times in the Gospels. In the book of Revelation, chapters two and three, we learn that we need to have an “ear to hear” what the Spirit is saying, and this is reiterated seven times. We might think that it is not difficult to hear because we have ears. But are our ears tuned into the voice of the Spirit of God? Can we hear what the Father is saying? Have we found the right gospel frequency? Or are we like those whom Jeremiah says have ears but are not inclined to listen (Jeremiah 25:4)?

 

Is He Our Lord?

Secondly, in the First Commandment, we are told who God is. Without knowing who God is, it is impossible to know Him. The same applies to a boy who is born out of wedlock and does not know who his father is. He could accidentally run into his father, move on, and still not know him. If we do not know who God is, then He cannot be our Lord.

Salvation is promised to all who know God as Lord. We need to know that God is also our Lord. The Psalmist says: “Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!” (Psalm 136:2-3, KJV). For there are many who would be called “lord” (just as there are many who are gods), but only one who can be called “the Lord of lords.” To know God as Lord means to recognize Him as the One who is worthy of our service and devotion; the One who reigns over death, for which we have reason to give Him thanks. For we who confess Jesus as Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead shall be saved (Romans 10:9).

 

The Relevance Of Egypt

In this First Commandment, we see that God is worthy to be called Lord because “He bought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2).

There is a problem with this statement, though, because: When were we brought out of the land of Egypt by God? The truth is we may not have been to Egypt, let alone have been a slave there. Not only do we have a problem with the relevance of Egypt for the Christian today, but we also have a similar problem with the relevance of the Ten Commandments being applicable today. Yet, as unbelievable as it may seem, both Egypt[vii] in this context and the Ten Commandments are relevant to us all.

First, though, we will address some issues regarding the Ten Command-ments, and then we will consider the relevance of Egypt and what this means for us today.

 

Not Given To The Fathers

Interestingly, in Deuteronomy chapter five, we learn that God made a covenant with the people of Israel, which was not the same covenant made with their fathers:

”The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.  Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today. The Lord spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, while I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord. For you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. He said:

‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me’” (Deuteronomy 5:2-7).

The fathers were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is quite clear in the Bible, as evidenced when Moses saw the burning bush that was not consumed and God commissioned him to go down to Egypt:

God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:15a).

It is very clear who the fathers are, and according to the Scriptures, they had not been given the Ten Commandments as a covenant. Yet, it needs to be pointed out that Abraham kept all of God’s commandments, statutes, and laws, as well as keeping His charge and obeying His voice (Genesis 26:5). While this implicitly includes the Decalogue, there was no covenant like the Mosaic covenant made with Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. The Scripture has no record of any covenant being made with any of the fathers charging them to keep the Ten Commandments,[viii] like the covenant made with the Israelites, who had been rescued from Egypt. This does not mean we should break the Ten Commandments carte blanche whenever we feel like it, so that grace upon grace might be extended to us (cf. Romans 6:1-2).

The covenant made with the Israelites, after their rescue from the oppression of Pharaoh, was for a good reason. God had to set up an appointed time to demonstrate His righteousness to all of Creation and legally lay claim to what was lost when Adam forfeited his right to reign on Earth to Lucifer, the now ex-Archangel, who is otherwise known as Satan and the Devil—among other names.

Some major cosmic declarations[ix] were taking place at the time of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt, and these were seen in everything God commanded Moses to copy from the Heavenly Sanctuary (Hebrews 8:5). Much of what occurred during this period, and what Moses was ordained to institute and perform, was full of typology that represented greater truths about God’s purpose for humankind. God, in His wisdom, ordained this so that those who truly wanted to know Him would seek Him and find Him, while for others, the events that happened and the requirements of the covenant would seem like nonsense.

The Ten Commandments were given specifically to the Israelites, along with the sacrifices and redemptive model that Moses copied from the Heavenly Sanctuary. God designated these to become a tutor until the full truth was revealed (Galatians 3:24). The commandments, statutes, laws, and charge that were given to Moses included the weightier matters of the law (faith, justice, and mercy). However, the blood of bulls and goats could not provide the efficacy of grace and truth that was needed for salvation. Neither could the blood of goats and bulls act as a shield to protect the sinner against the accusations of the Ten Commandments. This is why it is written that the Law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ—Jesus did what the Mosaic Law could not do through the blood of animals and provided salvation power through His death and resurrection. However, the many regulations of the Ceremonial Law did provide the knowledge of God and how men were to be redeemed from the bondage of sin and death. As for the Ten Commandments, they have always been of value, except that no human being appears to have been able to keep them—that is, apart from Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.

To keep the Ten Commandments—and fulfill the Royal Law (James 2:8) by walking in the Spirit—a person needs to, first of all, understand that they have to heed the voice of God. This is what the First Commandment is really about. We need to know who God is and obey His voice, which we will do if He is our Lord. The reason God becomes our Lord is that He has rescued us from the slavery of sin and the bondage of death. If we do not know the reason why we need to know God, then it is impossible for God to be our Lord. Essential to knowing God and being saved from a life of futility is reasoning with God as to why we need Him in our life. God invites us to “come and reason with Him.”

 

The Relevance Of The Ten Commandments

Abraham is the father of the faithful; that is, of all who believe and continue in faith—even those who were given the law had to walk by faith (Romans 4:11-12). There is no Scripture stating that a covenant was made with Abraham to keep the Ten Commandments or any law or statute. However, the Apostle Paul does say the gospel was preached to Abraham (Galatians 3:8), and this throws new light on the subject.

The gospel, which many claim came after the law, actually existed before the law; otherwise, it would not have been preached to Abraham. This means that the law is also contained within the gospel. This must be the case if there is to be any continuity in the progressive revelation of biblical truth. The Apostle Paul strongly implies that the law is contained in the gospel. This is evident when Paul states that we who have been set free from sin are now obedient from the heart to a standard of teaching to which we are committed in the gospel (Romans 6:17-19). Now that we know the gospel came before the law, and since the gospel upholds the law (Rom. 3:31; Matt. 5:17-19), this helps explain why Abraham was able to obey God’s voice and keep His charge, His commandments, His statutes, and His laws (Genesis 26:5).

The ceremonial laws were of no effect since they merely pointed to what was to come. The Ten Commandments are different from the ceremonial laws because they have to be kept perfectly in order for a person to be righteous. Jesus has done this! The laws concerning redemption via the means of bulls, goats, lambs, doves, cereal offerings, and observance of Sabbaths and feast days that speak of faith, justice, mercy, and the love of God are no longer applicable. This is because they were ineffectual, even when observed. These ceremonial laws were to be instructive of the true reality that was to come through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus fulfilled the Ten Commandments. This was ratified in His death and resurrection. Nevertheless, they still need to be upheld (Romans 3:31). They are cited in the Gospels and by the New Testament writers as still binding. The Apostle to the Gentiles declares that nothing matters except keeping the commandments of God (1 Corinthians 7:19). Effectively, the Ten Commandments point out what is required of us in our dealings with God and with each other. As Paul states, if it was not for the Ten Commandments, he would not have known what it was to sin (Rom. 7:7; cf. 3:20). The Ten Commandments are still relevant today and need to be understood as being fulfilled in Christ. However, the Ten Commandments need to be seen in the correct light and not misinterpreted so they become a stumbling block that prevents their fulfillment from being found in us. We need to understand that the prism of our mind, when enlightened by the Holy Spirit, enables us to fathom how the light of the gospel fans out into the beautiful spectrum of salvation knowledge that empowers us to fulfill the Ten Commandments; that is, the royal law of God’s righteous love (James 2:8).

 

The Distortion Of The First Commandment

The other major difficulty with the first of the Ten Commandments is that unless we were rescued from Egypt as slaves under Pharaoh, how can this commandment apply to us? This difficulty of location and historical appli-cation is one of the reasons why the First Commandment is abbreviated to “you shall have no gods before me.” Dishonest and ignorant religious leaders prefer to avoid having to answer this question because it puts them on the spot and makes them feel helpless when trying to influence questioners expressing doubts, who otherwise would be trusting souls looking to them for guidance.

Over the centuries, religious authorities have tried to come up with many innovative ideas for dealing with the tricky elements contained within this commandment. When questioned, ignorant religious leaders have purposely avoided speaking about the issue because it arouses inner conflicts, which would eat at the fabric of their own beliefs. For many, it has been better to remain compliant with church dogma and be close-minded rather than seek the truth. (Church dogma consists of those doctrines that are not found in the Bible but are said to be based on some biblical teaching.) Hence, it is easier to promote the First Commandment as being “you shall have no other gods before me” and not have to soul-search as to whether one really knows God as Lord; neither does one have to delve into lengthy explanations and try to justify church dogma.

Regardless of which denomination or congregation we attend, the truth is we will find that the teachers and leaders will admit that they were not delivered from Egypt and have never been slaves in that country. Those who insist on the authority of the Ten Commandments prefer to avoid having to explain the Egypt problem. This is because it contains typology, which can become a can of worms, where tricky questions somehow get entangled with every attempted explanation. However, when pushed for, the explanation is that in the context of the First Commandment of the Decalogue, Egypt becomes a figure, or a type, representing “the world system” and is instructive of an important truth for all people..

 

The Literal And The Figurative

The Bible contains many ideas with more than one meaning. There is the literal application, and often there is a figurative application that points to a deeper meaning or prophetic outcome. This is referred to as typology, and the meanings are revealed in other passages of the Bible.

An example of typology is the story of Ishmael and Isaac. In the New Testament book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul explains that the mothers of these two children are symbolic representations of being born into a people who are under the law and a people who are born free from the law. Hagar’s child represents a nation that is enslaved, while Sarah’s child represents a people who have been promised an inheritance (Gal. 4:22-5:1). We can take this a little further and say that Ishmael and his descendants represent being born as a slave to the god of this world, while Isaac represents being born into the kingdom of God.

 

The Symbolism Of Egypt

In the Bible, Egypt is symbolic of the world, as we know it today. The Pharaoh who ruled in Egypt serves as a type of the Devil, who is the god of this world. When Pharaoh enslaved Abraham’s offspring—the children of the promise!—it was equivalent to people being born into this world and being enslaved by the god of this world. In the book of Second Corinthians, we learn that the god of this world blinds the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the truth and being set free from ignorance (2 Corinthians 4:4). The book of Ephesians tells us that the god of this world is the Prince of the Power of the Air, who is at work in people, causing them to follow a course of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). This disobedience leads to civil unrest, violence, and all other forms of evil and rebellion against God, which, of course, leads to punishment and death. This is what Adam and Eve discovered when they broke faith with God, were cast out of the Garden of Eden, and eventually died.

 

Egypt Represents The World

The First Commandment now has relevance for us because we can see that if Egypt represents the world and the god of this world is the Devil, then we need to be delivered from his influence. There is a need to distinguish between the god of this world and the Lord God Almighty, Creator of the Universe. The god of this world has the right to rule Earth because Adam broke faith with God to follow the deceptions of the Archangel Lucifer, who had been given charge over him. Lucifer was jealous of his preeminence in Creation and could not bear losing out to what God was offering humankind. God was giving humans the ability to reproduce and give birth to a new race that would be able to choose (whether or not) to become one with Almighty God Himself and have a higher status in Creation than the most admired archangel of all the angels.

The following Scriptures, taken from the English Standard Version, provide evidence that when considering types in the Bible, there need be no uncertainty that Pharaoh is depicted as the Devil. The Devil is also that Ancient Serpent, who is called a lion that attempts to devour people, and Egypt is the world where the Lord Jesus was crucified. Even though Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, He was in the world but not of the world; He was made sin on our behalf—the only person to have never sinned.

“Son of man, raise a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: ‘You consider yourself a lion of the nations, but you are like a dragon in the seas; you burst forth in your rivers, trouble the waters with your feet, and foul their rivers”’ (Ezekiel 32:2).

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

“Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people” (Proverbs 28:15).

“And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him” (Revelation 12:9).

“Their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified” (Revelation 11:8).

We sometimes think that the Devil has no hold over us and that we have no need for any deliverance. Yet this is why God has spoken through the prophet Isaiah, saying, “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord (Isaiah 1:18). God evidently indicates that we are in need of deliverance—and He is not seeking to reason with animals.

 

Did You Ask To Be Born?

Just minutes before I became a Christian, I was on my knees telling God the reasons why life on this planet stunk, as far as I was concerned. Let’s be honest: living in a sinful world is not sweet. Besides, when did we have a say in being born?

I put the question to God. I said that I did not ask to be born into this futile existence, where the only certainty is death. What is the point of being born only to die? This is how I reasoned with God. I presented my argument to Him. This is what God expects us to do. When we come to God and tell Him our reasons why we believe we should have a better life—one filled with love, joy, and peace—and why we should not be judged, it is then up to the Lord to answer. Which is only right, don’t you think? Well, I think it is only fair; so I presented my case before God, and He answered me. However, for me, it was a long, earnest session before I realized the need to state my case so that I could receive a satisfactory answer.

Actually, the question of “What is our purpose for existence?” is such a part of our lives that people are always speculating, in one form or another, about the reason why they are here on Earth. People will say they do not like talking about politics and religion, but they cannot avoid discussing their purpose for existence from time to time. Within every person, there is the nagging question: Why was I born? People seek various means to quench the inner thirst for this knowledge. Alcoholic beverages seem to be the most common means used to dull the mind and inhibit sound reasoning. Drugs are another means that some use to avoid, if possible, the inner torment of not having a relationship with God. In some cultures, drugs are used to produce hallucinogenic states of mind, and because the inner pain is transformed into a surreal psychedelic state of consciousness, users convince themselves that they have discovered the supernatural or the place where the afterlife is found..[x]

 

Finding The Answer

One day, I was reading the book of Ephesians on my lounge room floor. I had been a Christian for about nine months and was attending a fellowship group led by a former Methodist minister who was assisted by a preacher from a Baptist background. At the time, there was much discussion about how profound the book of Ephesians was because it spoke about the purpose of God from the beginning of time. I decided to read the book of Ephesians until I understood it. I am not sure exactly how many times I read and re-read its six short chapters during that sitting, but after about four hours, I gave up—exasperated. I looked up and, in utter hopelessness, told God that I did not know what it meant at all. Amazingly, before my very eyes, as if written in little clouds of fluffy cotton balls, these words appeared:

“Harmony is the fulfillment of life, acquiring possession of oneness. One God, Creator of all things in wisdom, gave man the option of perfection or imperfection in order that those whom are His would come to the knowledge of the truth in Christ Jesus, thus perfecting individuality in oneness.”

I took that vision to mean that the whole purpose of God was to bring about harmony by giving people a choice as to whether or not they wanted to develop their individuality toward being perfect, while at the same time being different from others—unique—and having a harmonious relationship with each other and the Lord God, Creator of the Universe.

When God speaks to us through Isaiah and calls us to come and reason together with Him, we are told:

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword” (Is. 1:18-20).

We have the option to choose for ourselves whether we want what is perfect or whether we are content to settle for the imperfect; whether we want to conform to God’s ideals or do our own thing; whether we want to have promised-land living or a never-ending wilderness experience; whether we want God’s desire for our lives or not.

 

Individuality And Social Cohesion

The biggest issue for social cohesion appears to be people wanting to be individuals, separate from others, and doing their own thing whenever they choose. It is only when we recognize that this is futility that we can do something to rectify the matter. The reason individuality in isolation needs to be addressed is that the social consequences are too harmful—destructive, even. Not only are people separating themselves from each other, but they are also separating themselves from God. It is only when we reunite with God and become part of His kingdom that we can truly become individuals who are appreciated for our contributions and our uniqueness. If we break faith, we find ourselves unable to relate to the person with whom we were in a relationship and unable to be appreciated for who we are. True individuality is found in acceptance and not in rebellion.

This is what God is saying to us: “If you want to have the very wealth of being, the riches of life, you need to enter into a relationship with Me.” This relationship requires that we keep faith with the Father and do not walk in our own ways, irrespective of what others might think or desire. To walk in our own way may seem profitable at the time, but it leads to breaking faith with God. To break faith with God means that we grieve the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph 4:30; Is 63:10).

 

Sin is the breaking of faith between two individuals. We sin against God when we break faith by being disloyal to the truth and to each other. The only way we can make amends for this is through confession of our sin and acceptance of our need for the other party.

Sin, by the way, is really lawlessness or willful transgression of the law. This is how sin is defined in the Bible. The first letter of John, chapter three, verse four, clearly states, “Whoever commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness” (RSV).

 

Situational Ethics Is Rationalized Sin

Sin is a form of anarchy. Anarchy is a state where nobody listens to another person, and everybody does what he or she thinks, regardless of the consequences. In a way, sin is like the idea of situational ethics or situational morality. Depending on the situation, each person decides what is right or wrong to do.

“Today I will do it with you.” However, the next day: “I do not love you anymore, so what I said yesterday is no longer true.”

Situational ethics is sin. It is all about what is right for me, not what is right for you. It is all about me feeling good, regardless of what happens to you. Situational ethics is a secularly sanctioned view that condones breaking faith with each other. This approach is so common that it is no wonder this world is in such a mess today.

When God delivered the Hebrew slaves from the hands of the Egyptians, a covenant was made. This covenant was a faith covenant. The promise was that if the people whom God delivered from Egypt were to acknowledge Him as Lord God Almighty and always keep His commands by obeying His voice, all would be well with them and their children forever. This promise also applies to us today.

 

First Commandment: Hear God’s Voice

We can be sure about one thing: the First Commandment is not about any one of us saying, “You shall have no other gods before me.” The First Commandment is about hearing God’s voice, appreciating the fact that we have been saved from being alone and isolated from true love, as well as having to face death without any hope of something better in life. This commandment will have real meaning to us if God is our Savior and the Lord of our lives; because, if this is the case, we will know who is the Lord our God, and we will have a meaningful relationship with Him—worshiping our Father in Heaven through the Lord Jesus Christ, having been baptized and empowered to do so in the Holy Spirit.

The First Commandment also contains typology. As we have already discussed, typology is symbolism that has a broader application beyond the strict literal sense in which a type is used. In this case, there is meaning inherent in the First Commandment, which applies to us as well as to those who were brought out of the Land of Egypt at the time of Moses. The fact that the First Commandment contains this symbolism (by using types) also means there may be other commandments of the Decalogue that have a broader application than the strict literal sense, which appears to apply only to the Israelites. It is important that this be borne in mind because, if we are not consistent in interpreting the Scriptures, we will find ourselves breaking faith with God. Our aim is to understand God, not to break faith with Him.

Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” He replied by quoting Deuteronomy, which reads:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! ‘You shall love the Lord your God with When Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” He replied by quoting all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might”’ (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

This equates to loving the Lord God with our spirit, our soul and our body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Actually, Jesus also incorporated the word “mind,” as recorded in the Gospel of Mark:

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”[xi] (Mark 12:30).

The idea of “mind,” as used by Jesus in this verse, incorporates our innate ability to make moral decisions through the conscious mental application of our reasoning faculty, which the Apostle Paul refers to as the intellect that needs to be renewed (Romans 12:2). Faulty reasoning develops conditioned neural pathways within our brains that need to be reconditioned. The Holy Spirit does this by purging incorrect thinking patterns within our minds that are contaminated by sin, so that they can be replaced by the purity of thought that comes with a transformed mind focused on understanding and knowing the One and Only true God, who is Lord of Heaven and Earth.

The First Commandment is not “you shall love your god” as many people seem to think. Your god could be anyone or anything. It is, firstly, hear, or listen to the words that God is speaking. For the Lord is One and there is no other God. Then the commandment says, we are to love God and must know Him personally as Lord—not merely know of God and believe He exists. We need to love Him with our whole being and all our strength. If we do love God, we will keep His commandments and, because of this, live a life of much blessing. This is God’s promise to us. This promise is found in Deuteronomy, chapter six, verse three.

                            

God’s Principles Do Not Change

We have the ability to make choices and take hold of God’s promises because we are gods, not animals. We each have a spirit, which was created to have fellowship with the God of gods—our God. This may seem strange, but Jesus Himself, called the Father not only our Father and His Father, but our God and His God, too (John 20:17). We are not mere animals with a soul; we are gods; we are spirit beings, designed to worship and have fellowship with the Father of spirits (Hebrews 12:9). Nothing has changed. The Father’s purpose has always been the same.

Many people claim that Jesus did away with the Old Testament and what is written in the books of Moses is no longer valid today. However, for those of us who actually read the Bible and note what it says, one of the remarkable discoveries we have been able to make is how the principles of God do not change. Another discovery is God Himself does not change in His require-ments for having a relationship with Him. That which was applicable to Adam and Eve is still applicable to us today. That which was written in the Law of Moses and had significance for salvation is still applicable today. The fact that people were required to walk in the truths of God is still applicable today—even though they were given by God to Israel nearly some three thousand, five hundred (3,500) years ago. There may be a cultural shift, but the truth remains. Hence, Jesus and the apostles all quoted the Old Testament, even when it came to declaring what is now known as the New Commandment, and even the First Commandment; which is, we shall learn to hear the voice of the Lord God, and love Him with all our heart, our soul, our mind and our strength. This is the only way we can be delivered from the futility of being born—only to die.

 

 

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[i] The Mercy Seat was located on top of the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle of Moses, where only the High Priest went once a year to make atonement for the sins of Israel. He did this by sprinkling blood over the Mercy Seat. The Mercy Seat represented the throne of God. We all have access to the throne of God and His mercy through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ., because we are covered by Jesus’ eternal blood from the accusations of the Evil One.

[ii] The idea of God being a Spirit requires us to understand that this does not mean that God is like one of many finite spirits, rather that God is the one and only Infinite Spirit, whereas all the other spirits are finite beings

[iii] Theological term referring to the attributes found in man that inherently reflect the image of God and ascribe value to his existence

[iv] Genesis 2:7  “The breath of life i.e., breath producing life, does not denote the spirit by which man is distinguished from the animals, or the soul of man from that of the beasts, but only the life-breath (vid.,1 Kings 17:17). It is true, נשׁמה generally signifies the human soul, but in Genesis 7:22 חיּים נשׁמת־רוּח is used of men and animals BOTH; and should any one explain this on the ground that the allusion is chiefly to men, and the animals are connected per zeugma, or should he press the ruach attached, and deduce from this the use of neshamah in relation to men and animals, there are several passages in which neshamah is synonymous with ruach (e.g., Isaiah 42:5;Job 32:8; Job 33:4), or חיים רוח applied to animals (Genesis 6:17; Genesis 7:15), or again neshamah used as equivalent to nephesh (e.g., (Joshua 10:40, cf. Joshua 10:28, Joshua 10:30, Joshua 10:32). For neshamah, the breathing, πνοή, is “the ruach in action” (Auberlen). Beside this, the man formed from the dust became, through the breathing of the “breath of life a חיּה נפשׁ, an animated, and as such a living being; an expression which is also applied to fishes, birds, and land animals (Genesis 1:20-21, Genesis 1:24, Genesis 1:30), and there is no proof of pre-eminence on the part of man—Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

[v] Theologians have often tried to interpret Scripture in the light of philosophy and, also, psychology; rather than the other way around. We are triune beings that possess a spirit, a soul and a body and not a soul and body only—or only a physical body, as some theologians have suggested.  Psychology has its place and deepens our understanding when it agrees with the Scriptures

[vi] The scriptural evidence is that Satan cannot read a person’s innermost thoughts, rather familiar spirits that know our minds from what we do and say, will put thoughts into our head. These are called familiar spirits because they are very familiar with what we do and say. In the Old Testament, they are forbidden to be consulted. Although, unfortunately, too many Christians think that they are hearing from God, when in fact they are being given instructions from a familiar spirit.

[vii]It is worth noting that God ensured Jesus went to Egypt, so that prophecy could be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt, I called my Son” (Matt. 2:15).

[viii]Not making a covenant with Abraham to keep the Ten Commandments, does not negate the requirement of the Ten Commandments needing to be kept by Abraham—this he did by putting his faith in the promises of God. And Jacob did likewise.

[ix] Israel being God’s firstborn and God slaying Pharaoh’s firstborn because he refused to let God’s son go  (Exodus 4:22-23) has greater implications beyond the physical realm and refers to the first born of death being slain by Christ  (1 John 3:8;  Is. 53:12;  2 Cor. 5::21;  Job 18:13;  Lk 11:20-22; Heb. 2:14b; Rom. 1:4;  Eph. 4:8-10;  Col. 1:18;).

[x] Rabi Maharaj was a Brahmin priest and a boy guru before he came to Christ. He tells of how he could identify with what people were describing when taking drugs, because that is what he experienced when in a meditation trance as a Hindu guru and was experiencing out-body-experiences (OBEs) astral travelling in the spirit world.—His autobiography is entitled Death Of A Guru.

[xi] “Strength” is used here by the ESV instead of “might”. Essentially, the words are synonymous, and the quotation is drawn from Deuteronomy.