Jefferson Vann explains why the Bible warns people not to go near any dead souls. Leviticus 21:9-12 Lev 21:9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by whoring, profanes her father; she will be burned with fire. Lev 21:10 “The priest who is most influential among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured and who has been consecrated to wear … [Read more...]
Old Testament
Articles in this subcategory either trace a subject through the 39 books of the Old Testament (Genesis to Malachi) or focus on the subject as revealed in a particular book or group of books. The books may be grouped by historical period or author. The articles serve as a basis for a biblical theology on their particular subject.
preview at Pisgah
In "preview at Pisgah" Jefferson Vann explains why Moses was able to see the promised land, but not allowed to enter it. Deuteronomy 34:1-4 (JDV) Deuteronomy 34:1 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which faces Jericho, and Yahveh showed him all the land: Gilead as far as Dan, Deuteronomy 34:2 all of Naphtali, the land of … [Read more...]
A study of the Biblical word rephaim
A SHADY ARGUMENT FOR THE AFTERLIFE The Hebrew word rephaim occurs in the Old Testament a total of eight times. The words origin is thought by many to come from the Hebrew word raphah which means to sink. In its use, the word has been translated into the English words; dead, departed spirits, spirits of the dead, shades, or ghost. In several cases, the word serves as a … [Read more...]
an index to my references to Genesis
Jefferson Vann shares an index of the references to Genesis in all his posts online. I have been working on a project which involves archiving and indexing all of my writings. Since many of the links I am collecting are from my Afterlife articles, I thought some of our readers might be interested in that index. It includes links from articles posted elsewhere as well, … [Read more...]
no ghosts within us
In ‘no ghosts within us’ Jefferson Vann shows that the Old Testament poetical books do not suggest a dual nature for humanity. They teach that humans are dependent on God for life. Our final look at the Old Testament use of רוּחַ (ruach) will cover the remaining books – the poetical category. The word רוּחַ appears 259 times in 108 verses of Job, Psalms, Proverbs and … [Read more...]
idols without breath
idols without breath In “idols without breath” Jefferson Vann examines how the minor prophets of the Old Testament used the word רוּחַ (ruach) – a word that is often translated “spirit.” I have recently shared my translation of the books of Moses, the historical books and the major prophets of the Old Testament with reference to רוּחַ. So far, I have only used three words … [Read more...]
the breath of our nostrils
In “the breath of our nostrils” Jefferson Vann examines how the major prophets of the Old Testament used the word רוּחַ (ruach) – a word that is often translated “spirit.” Translating words from one language into another is a complicated process. The translator has to decide all the shades of meaning that can be conveyed by a particular word. This list of potential … [Read more...]
exterminate!
In "exterminate!" Jefferson Vann explains the meaning of an Old Testament word linked to the New Testament's description of hell. God does have a wonderful plan for your life, but it may be to exterminate you! Now that I have your attention, let me explain. We have been taught that God created human beings with an indestructible element – sometimes called a soul or a … [Read more...]
where did all the spirits go?
In "where did all the spirits go?" Jefferson Vann shows how the authors of the Hebrew historical books in the Old Testament used the word that is most often mistranslated as “spirit.” In our study of the Hebrew word רוּחַ (ruach) in the books of Moses, we found this semantic range for the word: First, רוּחַ is the Breath of God, as the source of life for all … [Read more...]
introducing the breath of God
In “introducing the breath of God” Jefferson Vann shows how Moses used the Hebrew word that is most often mistranslated as “spirit.” Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to engage in a uniquely productive form of Bible study. I have been translating Scripture! I began with no preconceived notions about the best translation theory, but in the process of … [Read more...]