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Fred R. Coulter—August 6, 2005
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Today we're going to study about the Spirit of God and the spirit of man, and we will also cover the seven spirits of God: What are they? and How do they work? Now the Bible has an awful lot to say about the Spirit, so this is not going to be going right down the line what is the Holy Spirit and so forth. So let's start out with the basic principle of why we need the Spirit of God, and this also tells us what God is, how we approach Him, and so forth.
Now let's pick it up here in John 4:23, this tells us an awful lot. A lot of people, just to give you an example, think this way: 'Well, if I feel good about it and it works for me, therefore, God has to accept it.' or 'that God does accept it.' Well, that's not true!
John 4:23: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers… [and I want to emphasize the true because
- there are false worshipers
- there are false brethren
- there are false apostles
- there are false religionists
—and they are the majority in the world and that's just the way that it is, because God said that there would be few. Jesus also said that when He returns would He find faith in the earth?] …the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth... [No one is going to fool God, no one is going to come with the wrong attitude, no one is going to come contrary to the Word of God and worship God. All of those things are vain, but what this tells us is as we read it here] …worship Him in spirit and truth; for the Father is indeed seeking those who worship Him in this manner." Now keep in mind seeking those—the Father is seeking. How does He seek? We'll answer that question later.
Verse 24 is the key: "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth." So He says it twice. The world believes that since God is spirit. And Jer. 23, where it says that 'God fills'—does He not fill heaven and earth? They think that God is just a big energy source out there, He's not a person Who has form and shape, and that's what they call the 'transcendent' God.
The Bible shows that God is a person, and He is in one place,and that's on His throne in heaven above. He controls and upholds the vastness of the universe and He uses Christ as the Administrator to do that (Heb. 1) by the very word of His power, and He does it by His spiritual power and force. There is a far greater connection with spirit, not being the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is separate because that is a begettal from God the Father that He puts in us, but it is spiritual power that God uses. Now, we also know that Jesus told Phillip, when Phillip said, 'show us the Father.' Now what was Jesus' answer? 'if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father'—verifying that God is a person and that God has form and being, and we'll see this again here a little later.
Now let's come to John, the first chapter, and let's understand something about life, about creation, about God, all contained in these first four verses of the Gospel of John. That's why we need to understand that the very first thing that people need to do in coming to understand God is to really get serious about it and prove the things from the Bible. Oh, a lot of people like to have God as a hip-pocket helper like a rabbit's foot, or to command God to come and rescue them when they are in trouble and things like this. But that's not what the Bible reveals. God and His creation is intimately involved in it and upholds and supports it by the power of His Spirit. That's how God does everything and as we will see we are far more connected in that process than we have ever understood. All of creation, all of humanity is far more involved in that process of God, because He's the one who set it in order and made it possible.
1-John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word… [and this means before the beginning was…] …was the Word… [so this shows the preexistence of Christ. The Word is Christ, personified. He is the Word of God; He spoke the Word of God, New Testament and Old Testament.] …and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And as a matter of fact, for all of those who wonder if Jesus was God before He came in the flesh, if you can't understand it from v 1, I can't help you. Always remember, because I have studied them in great detail, everyone of the refutations—or nearly every one of the refutations—that Jesus was God before He became flesh come from Jewish scholars who want to reduce Jesus to a man, a Prophet, a wisdom Teacher. Since the Word is Christ you could also say, 'In the beginning was Christ and Christ was with God and Christ was God.' Now just put in your notes there: 1-Tim. 3:16, that He was God 'manifested in the flesh'; Philip. 2:5-9, That He 'divested Himself' and was made in the form of man—all of those have to do with it.
"He was in the beginning with God…. [Now, carefully note]: …All things came into being through Him… [somuch for evolution] …and not even one thing was created that came into being without Him" (vs 2-3). So when scientists use everything that God has already created—if they do cloning, if they do invitro-fertilization and so forth—that is only because of what God has first done—which tells you what? Men cannot do anything without Jesus Christ whether he believes in Him or not. It's impossible, because God gave life to all human beings! We're going to see this in a unique creation that is functioning through a special spiritthat God has given man. We need to understand that.
Now, hold your place here and come to Titus, the first chapter, because this is really something! When we read this we're going to see how much you miss when you don't read the first couple of verses of the introduction. Titus 1:1: "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the Truth that is according to Godliness. In the hope of eternal life, which God Who cannot lie promised before the ages of time" (vs 1- ). Now isn't that amazing? And it says in Rev. 13:8 that Christ was the 'Lamb slain before the foundation of the earth,' showing that the whole plan of God was all planned out, all set to go. That God does not do things by happenstance; that God does not do things by evolution, God does it by design and deliberation and He's got a fantastic plan of which we are the key and focal point!
Now, let's come to Genesis, the first chapter, and again we're going to see, and of course, we have read this how many times, but we need to emphasize things a little differently sometimes so we can understand it because this is important. This ties directly in with John 1
Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God… [The Hebrew there is 'Elohim'—plural, the 'I AM'—and we know from John 1:1-2 that Christ and the Father were existing before the beginning as time relates to human beings.]… In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved… [This is the power of God, that's how He does things. We're going to see He commands, that is after He has planned obviously and they come into existence.] …And the Spirit of God moved… [This is the power of God; this is how He does things. We're going to see He commands—that is after He has planned, obviously—and they come into existence.] …and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (vs 1-2). And then God created everything through the power that He had there to do it.
Let's come to Isaiah 40. This is what we need to understand, and today the insanity is that you cannot even get Intelligent Design, the theory of it, into public schools to be taught alongside the theory of evolution. And they say that you cannot have faith intermixed with science. Well listen, the biggest false faith in the world is belief in evolution because it never happened, and they call that science.Now, who is more insane? The truth is, in the light of God's Word, it is true insanity—which insanity is what? You do not recognize and function in reality.Is that not true? Isn't that what insanity is? Yes!You may not be demon possessed or Satan-influenced but, if you believe in evolution you believe in an insane, impossible, incalcitrant, absolutely blind faith in insanity. Now that's what evolution is. And if some evolutionist hears this and doesn't like it then, it's up to you to disprove it. And I tell you what, do not go out on the top of a mountain someday and shake your fist at God, because He will answer you, because He knows what you do, as we're going to see. And He made us in such a way that He can always know what we do.Now that's amazing!
Now, let's pick it up here in Isaiah 40:21, after he compared to an idol: "Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understoodfrom the foundations of the earth? Itis He Who sits above the circle of the earth… [So they knew it was round, they never believed it was flat] …and the inhabitants thereof are like grasshoppers; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain… [God did it, through His Word, through His power, through His Spirit] …and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in; that brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth as vanity… [Now here God says of the evolutionists]: …Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown; yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth. And He shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble'" (vs 21-24) Now if you don't believe that just read what's going to happen in Rev. 8-19. That's exactly what God is going to do.
Verse 25: "'To whom then will you liken Me, or shall I be equal?' says the Holy One…. [Then He says, 'You want a lesson? I'm going to teach you a lesson. You want some intellectual convictions so that you can humble yourself?' Yes!] …Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who has created these things, that brings out their host by number?.… [Billions and billions and billions of galaxies and the vastness of the universe that cannot be discovered, that cannot be counted by man. Now notice how powerful God is! Notice how God knows all about His creation, everywhere in the universe]: …He calls them all by names by the greatness of His might, for He is strong in power; not one fails" (vs 25-26). Now that's pretty powerful to understand, that's something that we need to know and realize.
Now, in Genesis 1, when God created, how did He do it? Let's go back and see. This is why Jesus, Who created all things, was the One Who spoke here in Genesis 1—and 'all things came into being by the One Who spoke the Word.'And that's by the Spirit and power of God. The Holy Spirit of God, which He gives to us (as we'll see later) is special! And that's tremendous for us to understand.
Genesis 1:2 "…the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters…. [So it's by the power and Spirit of God that all the physical things are made.] …God said, 'Let there be light.' And there was light" (vs 2-3). God does it! He speaks it! And all the way through here He spoke everything—didn't He? He created everything down through day five. All the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air, the oceans, the firmament, the clouds, the sun, the moon—put them in order. God did it all for us so we would have a perfect environment to live in as part of the plan of God for what He has for us as human beings. That's what's so fantastic about it.
Verse 24: "And God said, 'Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle and creeping things, and beasts of the earth; each after its kind.' And it was so." That's something to keep in mind—isn't it? Yes!
Now let's see some of these great scientists, if they think they are so good by cloning. So what all these great, exalted, vain scientists ought to do: Do not start with an egg or sperm from an animal or human being, you go, as God said, 'Create your own dirt make your own life' and then let's see what you do, because all you are doing is using the building blocks of what God has already made and set in motion.
Now, let's look at the uniqueness of man, v 26: "And God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness'…" Now that contains an awful lot and tells the whole purpose in life. Who does the 'Us' refer to? Jesus Christ and the Father,They're both involved. 'Make man in Our image'—we're made after the image of God, so as you look at yourself and what you are seeing, you are seeing the image and the true reality—God! God looks like us! We look like God!—and 'after Our likeness.'
Now, if you have The Christian Passover book, you read in the chapter 'The Nature of God/The Nature of Man,' because I cover it very thoroughly there. Now God is always generous. God is always good, and since He made us after His image and after His likeness and gave us intelligence and thought and mind and creative ability, God also gave us something to be a perpetual challenge to us, for all people through all time. Now, that's fantastic—isn't it?
"'…and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth…. [He gave it to man as a present, as a gift, and gave him rulership over it. Everything is subordinate to Him.] …and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." (v 26). So God created man in His own image and we're going to see how He created him because He created him differently than He did the rest of His creation, because He spoke the rest of His creation into existence but not man.
Verse 27: "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it…. [We'll cover a little bit about reproduction here. That is a tremendous and fantastic process that God has created in all human beings and every animal that reproduces itself, and they all do, and God made it possible. And to confound man so man would never be able to fully comprehend God, He gave so many different ways of reproduction that the scientists are absolutely astounded. When you consider all the animals and insects and fish and everything that has life that reproduces itself.] (And He says): "…'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth'" (vs 27-28).
God got done with that; He saw it was very good! Now, let's see the special relationship that man and woman have with God that no other creature of His creation has, not even the angels. The angels are made out of spirit, but we're not going to get into the angelic world today, we want to talk about the power of God, the creation of God, and the Spirit of God.
Genesis 2:7: "Then the Lord God formed… [that means with His own hands] …man of thedust of the ground… [not only is he made in the image of God, but God personally formed him] …and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Now, we also know that God created in the mind, a language, because Adam talked to God; Adam named all the animals. Then we know that God took a rib of Adam and formed and created his wife Eve from whom all human beings have come. That is a special relationship, in order to set man aside and make him profoundly different than all the rest of the creation of the earth.
This is why evolution cannot work, and this is why they can take and experiment, which they are doing. I'm not saying they can but men do—they shouldn't, but they do—taking human brain cells and injecting them into mice and into chimpanzees and monkeys trying to make them more intelligent. But the truth is it is not the gray-matter of the physical brain that gives intelligence. The advertising industries already followed along with that, they have an ad where there is a chimpanzee sitting down on a park bench talking to a man. They have another ad where mice become the scientists experimenting on men who are in little mazes trying to find Pepsi Cola.
Now, we're not going to get into the choices that God gave man, which He did, it's symbolized through the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life, but God gave choice! God knew what man would do. Therefore, that's why Christ was slain before the foundation of the world because man needed to be saved. God gave such grave potential to human beings that He gave none of the other animals, and they weren't made in His likeness and after His image. So God did something special for man!
Let's come here to Zechariah, the 12th chapter. God put in man what is called in the Bible 'the spirit of man.' Now this is a spiritual component and function of man that God put in there. It is the spirit of man that gives him
- thinking power
- intelligence
- capacity
- the ability to have a relationship with God
- the ability of God to have a relationship with man.
So this is tremendous!
Now let's pick it up here Zechariah 12:1: "The burden of the Word of the Lord for Israel, says the Lord, Who stretches forth the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him." Every human being that is conceived and born God forms, just like with the rest of creation, that spirit within him. So, in the what we call the physical inheritance—contribution of the father and the mother, the egg and the sperm—there is a spiritual component involved. It has to be! God forms it!
Now, if you have seen the documentary on National Geographic called 'In the Womb' (be sure and see that)—that is just absolutely stunning! It shows the development and creation of a baby from conception through new, modern technology that they call 3-D and 4-D that it looks just like a movie and you can hear all the sounds as well as the sights. What is fantastic about it is this: At the instant of conception 80-percent of what you are and will be is preprogrammed in the genes and chromosomes and the 'spirit of man' that comes from your father and mother. Environment only accounts for about 20-percent.
Now, let's look at something else concerning the 'spirit of man.' Let's come here to Job 32. Comment is made: It's kind of like a spiritual chip. Very interesting! What is Satan's counterfeit? The implantation of a chip to control you, take away your free moral agency.That's why God says do not receive the mark of the beast.Now we don't want to get sidetracked with that. Job 32:1—this is almost like talking to, even though he believed in God, the attitude of Job was as hard and as incalcitrant and as self-righteous as the evolutionists—couldn't convince him of anything; although he was not an evolutionist, but I'm just saying, that's the attitude revealed here.
Job 32:1: "So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then was kindled the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram. Against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God…. [Isn't that what the evolutionists always do? Yes!] …Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled. And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, 'I am young, and you are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and dared not show you mine opinion.' I said, 'Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man… [and that's what is formed in man, and this is the spiritual component of man that we're going to see is very profound and very important, and relates to the Spirit of God and is also what the seven spirits of God seek out.]…and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding'" (vs 1-8).
So it is the 'spirit of man' which gives us the understanding! That's how we think! Not just the gray-cells of our brain. They've done studies and they have found there's not much difference in the gray matter of the brains of different animals and elephants and chimpanzees than the gray matter in the brains of men. What is the difference? It is the spirit of man!
Job 33:4: "The Spirit of God has made me… [Let that sink in deep! The whole process, appropriation and reproduction of children, though the product is physical, it is powered by the power of the Spirit of God.When you look at that fantastic presentation In the Womb and it shows that the cells start dividing and it shows, at aset time,the beginning of the heart starts beating. At the set timethe brain begins forming and all of the nerves are communicating. The set time! That which you are watching is the action of the Spirit of God within the womb to create a human being! God is directly involved in it as it says in John, the first chapter, 'without Him was not anything that came into being came into being.' So that's amazing!
Now let's finish this here, v 4: "…and the breath of the Almighty has given me life." Now when the baby is born and takes its first breath there are so many miraculous things that must take place, and it's the breath of the Almighty—Who created the air so it can breathe? God did!So it's kind of a miniature reenactment of God breathing into Adam's nostrils the breath of life. When the baby is born it must breathe the first time, which it has never done before. The heart must all of a sudden have an instantaneous change in the flow of blood, and that's why the hole is there in the heart, which gradually closes in almost 99.99-percent of the cases. Once in awhile the hole doesn't close and they are able now to go in and surgically close the hole, but that hole closes. The veins that fed the baby coming from the placenta through the umbilical cord into the navel, then, drain of their blood. Then it goes into the rest of the system, all of this automatic because God created it. Then, those veins shrink down to virtually nothing and remain in you. That's why when you press in on your belly button you get sort of a ticklish or painful sensation because those nerves are still there and those blood vessels—though they have been miniaturized into nothing—are still there and that tells you, you were born of your mother.You're not your own, God created you, and God prepared you in the body of your mother. God created women to have children as a direct instrumentality of God's creation.
All right, speaking of creation, let's go to Psalm 139. Now there are many other things. I'm going to bring a series of sermons later going through 'spirit' in the Bible. Spirit has more to do than just the Holy Spirit. The Spirit, as the power of God, is used in many, many, many different ways. We can't go into all of those.
Let's see how David understood, and this is a fantastic Psalm, and this applies to every human being who has been born through the process of procreation and God designed this fact: The father is the one who impregnates. He is the one who causes the begettal. And the seed from the father, as soon as it penetrates the egg of the mother, the egg seals so no other sperm can enter. That's a special miracle of God. BAM! There you are. At that instant you are created, that's the start of it. That's something! Now also, the father always determines the sex of the child, because he has been given the chromosomes for female and male; the mother only has the chromosomes for female. This is a fantastic and just almost so scientifically accurate and correct description of human life that it is phenomenal.
Psalm 139:1: "O Lord, You have searched me and have known me." How does God search? He can search and know—right? He does it because you have a spiritual component, which is the 'spirit of man' that unites with your brain and gives you intelligence. And we're going to see how powerful this is a little later, because He also says that you're going to be judged for every idle word you have spoken during your entire life. Now God has a way of doing that.
Verse 2: "You know my down-sitting and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off…. [Yes, He created us! Should He not be able to do that? If He isn't, He's not much of a Creator—right? Don't you think that every man who has built his own car or motorcycle or house or whatever, from designing the plans, getting the material, building it and putting it together, don't you think he knows every part about that and how it works? Of course! God is greater than any man! He knows everything about us!] …You compass my path about and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways…. [Who put in you all the abilities to do anything anyway? God did!] …For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, You know it altogether…. [Because He gave the ability and power of God in speech—amazing!] …You have beset me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it" (vs 2-6).
Now we can understand a little bit more in understanding the 'spirit of man' and understanding how procreation and the development of life in the womb takes place—but, not much more. You stop and think about it.
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Verse 9: "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even here shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hides not from You; but the night shines as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to You. For You have possessed my reins.'…. [Very profound statement! What are 'the reins'? It's part of the human spirit that God has created to know you at any time He desires to.] …You have covered me in my mother's womb…. [A woman's body is not hers when she is pregnant, because she is the custodian and keeper of another human being! Protector, nurturer, everything.] …I will praise You; for I am [awesomely] fearfully and wonderfully made…" (vs 9-14).
In the study of the human body, it's almost endless the things that they've studied on the human body, the human cell, the human flesh, the human bones, eyes, hands, feet. Every part of the human body is miraculously and specially made! The hand is a miraculous thing. The use of the mind and the ability to think, the ability to speak, to have emotions, to have feelings, and to do the different things like sing, stay in balance, do athletics—all of those things!
"…I am [awesomely] fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works; and that my soul knows right well…. [Now, v 15 then becomes a modern scientific terminology, because this is what they call a human being right after conception]: …My substance… [they call it substance! Aren't we will advanced in this modern age? (with sarcasm)] …was not hid from You, when I was made in secret…" (vs 14–15). And still—though they can observe the growth and development—they do not know how it is done. The Bible alone tells us how it done. 'The Spirit of God formed me,' said Elihu. That's how it's done.
Now, every new creation within the womb of the mother, of another human being, is a special, spiritual creation by God. He set the whole process in motion. He gave all the laws so that it happens the way that it does. He says here: "…when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth…. [that's a metaphor for in the womb.] …Your eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect… [when you watch that video, or see it on National Geographic—In the Womb—you will see that, yes, there is a time when you are imperfect, but you are still you—right? They always make the statement: 'Well, there's not much difference between the way that different forms of life look at the stage of conception.' It always comes out as a human being and nothing else, so all of the comparisons are just foolishness and falsely called 'science.'] …Your eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect…" (vs 15-16). In other words, God is interested and directly involved in new human life—isn't He? Now, you keep in mind about the horrors of abortion with this.
Notice, very profound: "…and in Your book…" [today that's called 'genes' and 'chromosomes'—it is a book. And what are they trying to map, scientifically, of human beings? They trying to make the 'genome' book—mapping all the genes and chromosomes of human beings. They will never be able to get a perfect genome. They estimate that the genome, in tracking and writing the 'genome' book they have of genes and chromosomes, may perhaps be three percent. It's probably a whole lot less than that because of the fantastic variations that God has created within the human inheritance.
Notice this: "…all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when, as yet, there was none of them" (v 16). And if you watch that documentary In the Womb you will see that's exactly how it happens. And they know exactly when it happens.
Now, let's think on this: How much do parents really do for their children? God creates them; God causes them to be born—doesn't He? Mother's have to feed them, and breast milk is the best. That's what God made; there can't be anything better. And by the way, if you want to create a lot of medical problems for your children later on in life, feed them all of this synthetic baby formula that they have on the market, and you're going to destroy a creation of God—just look at it that way. Out of pure selfishness, women do not want to have their figures—for the sake of selfishness, so they can 'look good'—they are willing to destroy their children.
The baby is set to grow and develop, according to what God has pre-programmed in the body in the way of glands and hormones and so forth—children grow If you feed them correctly, if you take care of them, they will be healthy. If you teach and train them they will be able to use their minds and make right decisions and choices and reach the full potential of the intellect that God has given them—and they have the 'spirit of man' in them. But, every human being is a special creation of God, and God has put in every human body all of those abilities that—if parents will do what they should—they will grow to become full, mature adults and be able to be functioning and useful in life.
Verse 17: "How precious also are Your thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with You" (vs 17-18). In other words, the marvelous thing of God creation of human beings and forming them by His Spirit within the womb of the mother is a tremendous and a fantastic creation. I want to emphasize this because the 'spirit of man' is that which God can use to call people, deal with people. And that's why human beings are unique!
Now, let's look at a couple of others things here that are important for us to understand. Let's come to Matthew, the tenth chapter. Because every human being has the 'spirit of man'—both male and female—God is able, through that, to keep track of who you are, what you are, how you think, what you think, and everything like this. And also, as we will see, He will use that 'spirit of man' in you to begin to call you and deal with you. Quite a marvelous thing!
Matthew 10:28: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but do not have power to destroy the life…" The King James says 'soul' because that comes from the Greek 'psuche`'—which is mostly translated life throughout even the King James Version . Most who believe in the immortality of the soul will not tell you that. So it should be properly translated life—because why? The life contained in the 'spirit of man' goes back to God—that's why! And it is spirit and everything that you are is recorded; every experience that you have gone through is recorded in that 'spirit of man' and it has got to have all of the DNA and RNA and genetic code of you as a special creation of God, it has got to be encoded on that 'spirit in man.' That's how God is going to be able to perform the resurrection.
Can't "…destroy the life; rather, fear Him Who has the power to destroy bothlife and body in Gehenna" (v 28). This shows us that God can take spirit and transform it into another complete use from what it was before. God also shows, as we see in the book of Rev., that He builds things, which we would call 'physical things,' from spirit. New Jerusalem is wholly and completely composed of spirit, though it is manifest in a way that spirit beings can see it as a physical object. So there's another whole realm of the power of God and His creative abilities with spirit, that we only have a little inkling into when we read Rev. 21 & 22.
Notice what He says here, v 29: "Are not two sparrows sold for a coin? And yet not one of them shall fall to the ground without your Father taking account of it…. [That doesn't mean that when a sparrow falls that the Father is immediately aware of it. It means that the life that He put in the sparrow also, when it dies or falls, God knows, because wherever He has put life, that comes from Him—so He knows!] …But even the hairs of your head are all numbered" (vs 29-30). Every human being. Why? Because God put in your genes and chromosomes so your body would develop its own hair—its color and its texture. So God knows! Isn't that something? He does know that because of the 'spirit of man' that is in him. At any time God wants to know He can. At any time that God wants to test your attitude, He'll check your 'reins.'
Let's look at something else here I already alluded to—Matthew 12:36. Now we can understand how God does it, because everything that you are, everything that you live through, every experience that you have gone through in your whole life is recorded in the 'spirit of man.' Brain surgeons know that if they poke certain parts of the brain, it will call up memories that have been stored there and will be expressed through the 'spirit of man' and the person will re-live that experience. That's something—isn't it? If your memory's going bad, don't worry about it. Whatever you are has been stored there.
Matthew 12:36: "But I say to you, for every idle word that men may speak, they shall be held accountable in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned" (vs 36-37). How will you be justified by your words? Let's see how that is.
Proverbs 16:6—here's how to get every idle word removed from the 'spirit of man.' Put in your notes there: Matt. 6, the model prayer. What are we to pray every day, which are part of our words—right? 'Forgive us our sins.' When you're forgiven your sins, you are justified—correct? Yes! So by your words you shall be justified; by crying out to God in repentance and asking for forgiveness, you are justified. If you never pray to God and you live an evil, wicked life, you're going to be judged—for what? Every idle word and condemnation to you because you didn't believe God! That's pretty fair deal—isn't it? Notice how it's done here: Proverbs 16:6: "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged; and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil."
Let's see what else God does when we repent. Let's come to Psalm 103—so by your words, and by your prayers, and by yielding to God and asking forgiveness, you are justified by God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ—correct? Yes! Maybe this will help you be more earnest in asking forgiveness, and help you be in more earnest to forgive others.
Psalm 103:1: "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his Holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits" (vs 1-2)—and one of the greatest benefits God has given is what? To keep you alive! By what? Breathing—from the first day you were born till the very last breath in however long you live. Isn't that amazing? Yes! That's a fantastic benefit! A miracle happens every time you breathe. And all the processes with the body. It's so common. We don't even think about it until we start choking or we start smelling something bad, or we get short of breath or whatever.
Verse 3: "Who forgives all your iniquities… [when you repent, because you must repent to God directly. And by your words you shall be justified, or by your words you shall be condemned. Isn't that something? So, the only way to clean up the mind and the 'spirit of man' in you, is through the power of God's Spirit. We want to talk here, in just a little bit, how does God begin calling someone.
"…Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from destruction… [by the power of the resurrection] …who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies" (vs 3-4)—and so forth. You can read all the rest of Psalm 103—a very powerful, powerful Psalm. who heals all your diseases
Now, since every human being has the 'spirit of man' in him, and it says that God is 'seeking those who worship Him in spirit and in truth.' How does God do that? Well, let's come to the book of Revelation, and now we're going to study about the seven spirits of God, and this will conclusively show that the seven spirits of God are of the power of God. Nowhere, nowhere in the entirety of the Bible does it ever speak of the Holy Spirit as a person. Everything in the King James Version and the other versions that do so is a flagrant mistranslation! In some cases deliberate mistranslation, because those who know the Greek know better! If you don't believe me, just read in the New Testamentin Its Original Order: The Exegesis of John 14, 15, 16 and you will see admitted by some of the greatest scholars of the Greek.
Now, let's come here to Revelation 1:4. We're going to see that the seven Spirits of God are what Christ uses to seek out those who are seeking God, because did not Jesus say, 'Seek, and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened'—right? So if a person is seeking, how's he going to know that he's going to connect with God? And how is God going to know who is seeking Him? Well, it's all the 'spirit of man' and the 'seven spirits of God.' We're talking about before conversion. After conversion is another thing. This is before conversion when someone in his heart and mind says, 'Oh, I really want to know about God. How do I find God?' And God will work out circumstances.
- Lo-and-behold he may come across a Bible.
- Lo-and-behold, he may meet someone who knows the Truth.
- Lo-and-behold he'll be searching out the Scriptures.
And remember, connected with this: One of the great tools that Jesus said of His Word is, 'The words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life.' So God uses the 'spirit of man,' the Word of God and the 'seven spirits,' to find those who are seeking Him. Quite an amazing thing, as we will see.
Revelation 1:4: "John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace and peace be to you from Him Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come; and from the seven spirits that are before His throne." Now, what do these seven spirits do? And why are there seven? This is different than the Holy Spirit of God. We've covered many sermons on the Holy Spirit of God.
Revelation 3—and let's see something else that is important here. Christ is the One Who uses and directs the seven spirits of God. Jesus said, 'All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Me.' Remember, we are far more of spiritual creation, with the spirit of man in us, than even people in the Church like to give credit to God for. That is stunning to read, where Elihu said, 'The Spirit of God has formed me.' And He forms the spirit of man in us. So God is actively in involved in His creation, by the process—physically and spiritually—that He has set in motion.
Revelation 3:1: "And to the angel of the church in Sardis, write: These things says He Who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars…." The seven stars are the messengers to the seven churches. So the seven spirits are different than the seven stars—right? So these are not angels. The seven spirits are before the throne of God, they are used and directed by Jesus Christ—for what?
Revelation 5:6—Jesus has the seven spirits, He uses the seven spirits, and let's see what they are. This is something that today, because of modern technology, we have more of a parallel and more understanding of what they are. It would be almost impossible to understand them, say, even a hundred years ago. They may have had a little inkling when they began with radio and electricity. Maybe even a little more inkling when they came into the computer chip. But today, with satellites and surveillance equipment we can understand more of the spiritual parallel of that concerning the seven spirits.
Revelation 5:6: "Then I saw, and behold, before the throne and the four living creatures, and before the elders, was standing a Lamb ashaving been slain, having seven horns… [those are the seven churches] …and seven eyes,which are theseven spirits of God that are sent into all the earth"—constantly going into the earth. They are the eyes of God! This, under the direction of Christ, tells Him what's going on at any place on the earth that He needs to know, at any time and He desires. Just like giant surveillance cameras. With these and the power of these they go into all the earth seeking those who are seeking Him. That's how God begins to call someone. If someone doesn't want to know about God, they recognize that he doesn't want to know about God and they go on. But it also tells the condition of what things are.
Let's come here to the book of Genesis and let's see how it communicates back to God. The eyes go out—they are like news-gathering surveillance cameras of God going into all the earth. Here is where the Lord and two angels, after they had dinner with Abraham and after Sarah was informed that she would bear Isaac in the following year, as they were leaving:
Genesis 18:17: "And the LORD said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him… [How does He know him? By the spirit—right? Does he have the Spirit of God? Does He test the reins? Yes! Because He was with Abraham, He talked with Abraham, He knows him.] …that He will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He has spoken of him.' And the LORD said, 'Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous'" (vs 17-20). Now, how did He know that? By the seven eyes that go through the whole earth to see what's going on, on the earth.
So He said: "'I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know" (v 21). So that's how God knows. That's why it said there in Psa. 139, where are going to go to get away from God? You're not, because you've go the 'spirit of man' in you and God has the 'seven eyes' which are going through the whole earth to know where the evil is and to know where those who are seeking Him are. It's better than 'global positioning'! It doesn't miss!
But the difference between men and God is this: Men use it to oppress and control. God uses it to know what's going on, because He's given free choice, He does not interfere and take it away. He knows whether you sin or whether you don't. He knows whether you repent or whether you don't. So this is fantastic! God is not way off, disconnected. He's got the means and the ability, through His Spirit and 'the spirit' which He puts in every human being—and when I say 'spirit' I'm talking about the seven spirits of God, plus the angels of God, plus the whole spiritual realm of which we know virtually zip! God is in constant contact with the earth and the whole universe.
Comment was made about all the human beings that He has made on this little, itty-bitty earth in the massiveness of the universe, and now you know how special the earth is and the human creation is—made in the image of God. Having the spirit of man, having a characteristic of God, even when you are not called of God by having the spirit of man which God forms in you to give you intellect and thought and feeling and emotion and everything that you are as a human being; and it's permanently, absolutely recorded—amazing!
Let's come to 2-Chronicles 15 and we will see how the seven eyes work. If there is anyone who is truly seeking God—He will know; He will answer. He won't answer dramatically. He'll give you a little bit and see if you agree with that and go forward. 2-Chronicles 15:1: "And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, 'Hear you me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; the LORD is with you while you be with Him… [you've got to be in agreement with God] …and if you seek Him… [because the eyes of the Lord go 'to and fro' on the earth for those who seek Him. The seven spirits of God are constantly doing this.] …He will be found of you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you" (vs 1-2). Very clear!
Now then, He had a great revival! If people don't want God around, He knows it and withdraws. The seven spirits of God then keep track of everything—whether for good or whether for evil. God knows how and knows when to withdraw.
Verse 3: "Now for a long season Israel has been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found of them…. [if you seek you shall find; if you repent, forgiven—right? Here it is altogether—isn't it? Yes, indeed! But it requires that!] …And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries" (vs 3-5). And that's why lives are in turmoil and upset because they reject God, they turn from God, they're not willing to repent and the seven spirits of God are the 'eyes of God' to know whether it's so
- to know the extent of the sin
- to know the extent of the problems and difficulties
- to know the extent of the repentance
- to know the sincerity of the people involved
God does it through the seven spirits.
"And nation was destroyed of nation… [sounds like today—doesn't it?] …and city of city; for God did vex them with all adversity. Be you strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD" (vs 6-8). And they offered offerings and everything was wonderful.
Now then, they had a sin. Instead of trusting in God, he wanted to have an alliance. When he tried to make that alliance and fight against the king of Israel, he sought out the Syrian for a league between them (2-Chron. 16:1-3) and then: 2-Chronicles 16:4: "And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel…" There's one thing you never do: You never fight tribe against tribe and hire and alien army to do it. And Judah, over in Palestine thought to listen. Now then, when he did that it was a great sin.
Verse 7: "And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, 'Because you hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD your God. Therefore, is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of your hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you didst rely on the LORD… [at that time] He delivered them into your hand…. [so you could conquer them] …For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth… [those are the 'seven eyes' which Christ directs. He is the Lord God of the Old Testament. He knows precisely all the time everywhere, concerning all things down through all history, and nothing escapes! That's what the seven spirits of God are—the eyes of the Lord, which go to and fro through the whole earth.] …to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him…. [that means repentant faithfully, and believing in Him] …Herein you have done foolishly. Therefore, from henceforth you shalt have wars" (vs 7-9).
Notice, he hardened his heart. He could have repented like Manasseh, but he didn't do it. "Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great. Yet, in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign" (vs 10-13). He died in the 41st year of his reign. He had two years to repent. God sent upon him the affliction to see if he would repent and return to God.
So, that's how the seven spirits of God work! That's why we have the spirit of man in us, so that God can, at any time, know the thoughts of anyone anywhere. And for those who seek Him, they shall find Him, because the seven eyes of God are going 'to and fro' on the earth.
I hope that answers the question: What are 'the seven spirits of God'?—which are the seven eyes of God—that He sends in all the earth to know what's going on. We could add a great deal more to it, but we'll save that for another time.
Old Testament Scriptures from the King James Version
New Testament Scriptures from The Bible in Its Original Order by Fred R. Coulter
Scriptural References:
- John 4:23-24
- John 1:1-3
- Titus 1:1-2
- Genesis 1:1-2
- Isaiah 40:21-28
- Genesis 1:2-3, 24-28
- Genesis 2:7
- Zechariah 12:1
- Job 32:1-8
- Job 33:4
- Psalm 139:1-6, 9-18
- Matthew 10:28:30
- Matthew 12:36-37
- Proverbs 16:6
- Psalm 103:1-4
- Revelation 1:4
- Revelation 3:1
- Revelation 5:6
- Genesis 18:17-21
- 2 Chronicles 15:1-8
- 2 Chronicles 16:4, 7-13
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Jeremiah 23
- Hebrews 1
- 1 Timothy 3:16
- Philippians 2:5-9
- Revelation 13:8-19; 21; 22
- Matthew 6
- 2 Chronicles 16:1-3
Also referenced: Book: The Christian Passover by Fred R. Coulter
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 1-3-10
