What is Man and Why Is He Here?

[gregoryfl]

What is man? Why is he here? Man has spent thousands of years trying to figure out what it means to be human. Whole philosophies and ways of life have been built on the attempt to make sense of those questions.

There have been some who, believing the physical is evil, and only the spiritual is good, have practiced ascetecism, which is the abstaining of physical pleasures, and even oftentimes, self inflicted punishment, all in the attempt to rid oneself of desiring the physical, and seeking only the spiritual.

Others have gone in the opposite direction, seeking only to gratify their physical desires, and to totally disregard even the idea of anything spiritual.

History has shown, however, that both end up leaving man empty in the end.

So where can we turn to find satisfactory answers to these important questions? Many turn to the Scriptures, but even then we find people coming away with differing understandings of what it says concerning what it means to be human.

Our Creator, in his infinite wisdom, has summed up all that it means to be human in one word. Do you know what it is?

What is the word for human?

If you said 'Adam' (אדמ) you would be correct. This little three letter word tells us what we need to know about what man is, and why he is here. Let's analyze this word and see what treasures we can find.

The first letter is aleph (א), which is the first letter of the alephbet. Back before man used the Arabic numberals we are used to today, (1, 2, 3, etc.) the letters of the alephbet represented numbers as well as letters for words. For example:
א (aleph) is 1,
ב (beyt) is 2,
ג (gimel) is 3,
ד (dalet) is 4,  all the way to 9, then
י (yod) is 10,
כ (kaf) is 20,
ל (lamed) is 30, and so on...

א, representing 1, is unique among the numbers in two ways:

1. It is the only number found in every other number. For example 2 contains two 1's, 3 contains three 1's, etc.

2. No other number is found in it.

As such, it is found in all other numbers, yet is distinct from those other numbers.

Now, what else is considered the beginning, is found in all created things, yet is distinct from those things?

Elohim.

Yes, Elohim is represented by א. This is why most of the words describing him start with aleph, such as Elohim.

The first letter in adam, א, tells us on a deeper level, that there is something of man that is connected to our Creator directly. We have a spiritual component, that part of us which is aware of, and relates to, Elohim.

The other two letters, דמ, make up the Hebrew word 'blood'. Leviticus 17:11 tells us that life is in the blood, so it is fitting that the other component of man, the physical, be represented by blood.

Very simply then, what is man? He is spiritual (א) and he is physical (דמ)...together. While many try to separate the two, or ignore the one in favor of the other, our Creator, by what he calls us, אדמ, teaches us that the two are meant to be experienced together, that both make up the whole of who we are. However, the order of the letters tells us in part why we are here.

Notice that the א comes first, not the דמ. What if we seek to gratify our physical desires, taking meticulous care of ourselves, and seeking to pursue all that this physical life has to offer? In other words, what if we put the דמ first? Solomon was such a man who had the means to do exactly that. He sought all the pleasures of life, and the mental pleasures of wisdom. He also loved Yah. How did he sum up these pursuits?

"Futility! Futility!" says Qoheleth. "Futility, futility, all is futile!"
(Ecc 1:2 The Scriptures 1998+)

Even though he loved Yah, he evidently let the physical things take precedence in his life, becoming most important. Having reflected on his life, what advice did he think necessary to leave for those after him?

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them":
(Ecc 12:1 The Scriptures 1998+)

Let us hear the conclusion of the entire matter: Fear Elohim and guard His commands, for this applies to all mankind!
(Ecc 12:13 The Scriptures 1998+)

This is why we are here. It is very easy for us to be like the other living creatures around us, living only out of the physical, making it the sole focus, or, as many religious people do, making it the first focus, with Elohim getting the leftovers, what they feel comfortable with.

But the א is first, which means we are here to learn to have our א (spiritual component) rule over the דמ (physical component). Not neglecting either, but recognizing which of the two, when taking the lead, makes us the complete and whole human we were designed to be.

Ronen

[Lazarus Short]

Excellent, Ronen!  I'm seeing that kind of Hebrew letter analysis more and more - I suspect that may well be the proper approach to theology.  I also suspect that we will not fully know who/what we are and why we are here until we are resurrected and glorified. :dsunny:

[sheila]

 after reading Ronen's post..it brought to my mind God creating man..a garden the earth

and the dominion given over it ..'to keep it..and have in subjection the material creation"

  and it occurred to me...that it is in the likeness of the spirit of God..that all the physical

subjection occurs and it is through the spirit of God in man that all is subjected and dominion

  held over the physical.

  and when sin entered...and ruled over man[see cain's warning] such dominion was lost

and sin ruled..and briars and thorns come up in the earth[not a desirable thing in a garden

kept of God,or by God's spirit]  and the spiritual dominion over the material ,in the image

of God..with all it's glory and beauty..was lost.


  but a promised seed unto man was prophesied of..with the dominion and glory of the kingdom

and the image of God ruling. And He came and exercized dominion over the physical creation

and over the spiritual creation..whether in heaven or on earth. and He has dominion over

death.  And if ye have seen the son ye have seen the Father..theword of God come in flesh.

[gregoryfl]

 :iagree: Very well expressed Sheila! Yeshua be praised for showing us the perfect expression of all it means to be truly human, expressing the image of his Father, and restoring that image to us.

I heartily agree with you Lazarus. The translation I have been working on for over 6 years now is seeking to bring that out. I know many believers consider Hebrew to be sort of second fiddle to Greek, almost like an antique to be stored away but not really useful for us today. But as for myself, I see it as totally our Creators way of expressing what he wants us to know in such simple ways we all can relate to, yet in deep ways as well, that we have to dig and search for like hidden treasure. From a universal reconciliation standpoint, learning the original meanings of the words by the meanings of each letter has helped me so much in seeing the big picture, and to dispel much of the misinformation I grew up with as one who used to believe in eternal torment.

[micah7:9]

What is man? Why is he here? Man has spent thousands of years trying to figure out what it means to be human. Whole philosophies and ways of life have been built on the attempt to make sense of those questions.

There have been some who, believing the physical is evil, and only the spiritual is good, have practiced ascetecism, which is the abstaining of physical pleasures, and even oftentimes, self inflicted punishment, all in the attempt to rid oneself of desiring the physical, and seeking only the spiritual.

Others have gone in the opposite direction, seeking only to gratify their physical desires, and to totally disregard even the idea of anything spiritual.

History has shown, however, that both end up leaving man empty in the end.

So where can we turn to find satisfactory answers to these important questions? Many turn to the Scriptures, but even then we find people coming away with differing understandings of what it says concerning what it means to be human.

Our Creator, in his infinite wisdom, has summed up all that it means to be human in one word. Do you know what it is?

What is the word for human?

If you said 'Adam' (אדמ) you would be correct. This little three letter word tells us what we need to know about what man is, and why he is here. Let's analyze this word and see what treasures we can find.

The first letter is aleph (א), which is the first letter of the alephbet. Back before man used the Arabic numberals we are used to today, (1, 2, 3, etc.) the letters of the alephbet represented numbers as well as letters for words. For example:
א (aleph) is 1,
ב (beyt) is 2,
ג (gimel) is 3,
ד (dalet) is 4,  all the way to 9, then
י (yod) is 10,
כ (kaf) is 20,
ל (lamed) is 30, and so on...

א, representing 1, is unique among the numbers in two ways:

1. It is the only number found in every other number. For example 2 contains two 1's, 3 contains three 1's, etc.

2. No other number is found in it.

As such, it is found in all other numbers, yet is distinct from those other numbers.

Now, what else is considered the beginning, is found in all created things, yet is distinct from those things?

Elohim.

Yes, Elohim is represented by א. This is why most of the words describing him start with aleph, such as Elohim.

The first letter in adam, א, tells us on a deeper level, that there is something of man that is connected to our Creator directly. We have a spiritual component, that part of us which is aware of, and relates to, Elohim.

The other two letters, דמ, make up the Hebrew word 'blood'. Leviticus 17:11 tells us that life is in the blood, so it is fitting that the other component of man, the physical, be represented by blood.

Very simply then, what is man? He is spiritual (א) and he is physical (דמ)...together. While many try to separate the two, or ignore the one in favor of the other, our Creator, by what he calls us, אדמ, teaches us that the two are meant to be experienced together, that both make up the whole of who we are. However, the order of the letters tells us in part why we are here.

Notice that the א comes first, not the דמ. What if we seek to gratify our physical desires, taking meticulous care of ourselves, and seeking to pursue all that this physical life has to offer? In other words, what if we put the דמ first? Solomon was such a man who had the means to do exactly that. He sought all the pleasures of life, and the mental pleasures of wisdom. He also loved Yah. How did he sum up these pursuits?

"Futility! Futility!" says Qoheleth. "Futility, futility, all is futile!"
(Ecc 1:2 The Scriptures 1998+)

Even though he loved Yah, he evidently let the physical things take precedence in his life, becoming most important. Having reflected on his life, what advice did he think necessary to leave for those after him?

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them":
(Ecc 12:1 The Scriptures 1998+)

Let us hear the conclusion of the entire matter: Fear Elohim and guard His commands, for this applies to all mankind!
(Ecc 12:13 The Scriptures 1998+)

This is why we are here. It is very easy for us to be like the other living creatures around us, living only out of the physical, making it the sole focus, or, as many religious people do, making it the first focus, with Elohim getting the leftovers, what they feel comfortable with.

But the א is first, which means we are here to learn to have our א (spiritual component) rule over the דמ (physical component). Not neglecting either, but recognizing which of the two, when taking the lead, makes us the complete and whole human we were designed to be.

Ronen

Thus...Hebrews 4:12
Diaglott(i) 12 Living for the word of the God, and energetic, and more cutting beyond every sword two-mouthed, even cutting through to a division of life both and of breath, of joints both and of marrows, and able to judge of thoughts and of intentions of heart;

12 For the word of God is living and operative, and keen above any two-edged sword, and penetrating up to the parting of soul and spirit, both of the articulations and marrow, and is a judge of the sentiments and thoughts of the heart. (CLT)

[gregoryfl]

Thus...Hebrews 4:12
Diaglott(i) 12 Living for the word of the God, and energetic, and more cutting beyond every sword two-mouthed, even cutting through to a division of life both and of breath, of joints both and of marrows, and able to judge of thoughts and of intentions of heart;

12 For the word of God is living and operative, and keen above any two-edged sword, and penetrating up to the parting of soul and spirit, both of the articulations and marrow, and is a judge of the sentiments and thoughts of the heart. (CLT)

This is an excellent example of this very thing Micah, but allow me to share the Aramaic reading (my primary version) which differs slightly:

For the word of Alaha is living, and completely effective and sharper than a two - edged sword, and enters all the way to the separation of soul and of spirit, and of the joints and of the marrow and of the bones...

The Aramaic has the additional component 'of the bones'.

The bones may be likened to the body, the joints to the blood, and the marrow to the spirit. Just as the joints give functionality to the bones on one level, allowing them to function on a physical level, so to the blood gives functionality to the body, allowing it to function on a physical level, one we can see with our eyes (the moving bone and joint).

Just as the marrow gives life to the bone, without which it could not live at all, and yet the marrow is that part which we cannot see with the eye (as it is inside the bone), so to the spirit gives life to the body, yet is not seen with the eye (as it is inside of us).

Thank you for bringing that passage up.

Ronen

[eaglesway]

Man is here for God's pleasure, and to enjoy the good will of God. :o)

[JulieTang84]

Ask yourself not what I am doing here, but rather who am I?

You might be shocked learning you add not who you think.  :girlheart:

Love Julie  :HeartThrob:

[Lazarus Short]

Dare I say it?

Jesus asked at one point, "Know ye not that ye are gods?"  Did I get that right?  :dunno2:

Later, the New Testament states:  "...we will be like Him."  :Peace2:

I could meditate on that for hours, like a bull at a new gate... :declare:

[micah7:9]

Dare I say it?

Jesus asked at one point, "Know ye not that ye are gods?"  Did I get that right?  :dunno2:

Later, the New Testament states:  "...we will be like Him."  :Peace2:

I could meditate on that for hours, like a bull at a new gate... :declare:

:dsunny: and soft snort :Peace2:

[eaglesway]

Well actually Jesus said, "Is it not written in the scriptures, Ye are all God's? Why then do you marvel that I say, 'I am the son of God'.

The verse He quoted from is, "Ye are all god's(elohim, mighty ones) but you shall all die like men"

Not that I am dissing anyone's point because we are all sons of God by the adoption, if we remain faithful, "Unto all those who believed He gave the right to become the sons of God".

A son is given an inheritance in His Father's house. "To the ones who overcome I will give to sit with me on my Father's throne".
Awesome mysteries. Mighty ones, elohyim, sons of God......

"Eye has not seen nor ear heard what God has reserved for those who love Him, but to us He has revealed them by the Spirit, for who knows the things of a man but the spirit that is in him? Even so the things of God no man knows, but the Spirit of God does. Now, we hav received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit of God tht we may kno the things freely given to us by Him. We speak about these things, but not in the wisdom that man teaches, but in that which is taught by the Holy Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual words."

....making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus, the Father of glory will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling(the restoration of all), what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints(the ministry of reconciliation as priests and sons), and what is the surpassing greatness of His power towards us who believe (The spirit of resurrection and restoration).

To sit as a mighty one, as the elohim in the council of God, as sons breaking bread at the Father's table, discussing the redemption of the creation and the restoration of all things.....what a glorious privilege we share :o)