Is the Soul Real? A Neurosurgeon Makes the Case [Sean McDowell Show]

[Alfred Persson]

Again you're ignoring the context of Babylonian captivity. At the very beginning of this chapter, it is prophesied that Israel will rule over their oppressors who had taken Israel captive, the passage of 14:12-15 does fit the king of Babylon as a comparison between the king of Babylon and Satan.

Then people will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the Lord; they will take them captive whose captives they were, and rule over their oppressors. (Is. 14:2)

As a matter of fact, Babylon was already doomed during Daniel's lifetime, the clash between the northern and southern king is another prophecy for another time.

God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. (Dan. 5:26-27)

 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. (Dan. 5:30-31)

Cite a commentary or Bible history that says Is. 14:2 is fulfilled, especially the Israelites taking Babylonians captive and ruling over them.

 

[Alfred Persson]

Where exactly is the "soul trapped within the flesh" in the verses below? Why would you say it if you don't believe it? If there's anything trapped within the flesh, it's the SPIRIT, evil spirit, the kind which Jesus cast out and false followers claimed they have cast out, not soul. Upon the first death, spirit is merely released from the dead body, it is in this second death that it suffers forever.

So he answered and said, "`You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and`your neighbor as yourself.' (Lk. 10:27 NKJ)

Logically, grammatically, heart, soul, strength and mind are listed separately, because they are separate things. The soul is neither heart, strength or mind.

 

[Hawkins]

The big picture is that the Tree of Life is hidden from the reach of humans. Humans have no way to fully discover the truth of soul. To me it's like a clustered computer system. You can't possibly speculate how the parallel system works unless you go to the backup site to experience it. The only big difference may be that the "system turned on" for us while the "main site" is blocked from our access.

 

[Alfred Persson]

The big picture is that the Tree of Life is hidden from the reach of humans. Humans have no way to fully discover the truth of soul. To me it's like a clustered computer system. You can't possibly speculate how the parallel system works unless you go to the backup site to experience it. The only big difference may be that the "system turned on" for us while the "main site" is blocked from our access.

If I understand you, "we were networked to heaven" but now that connection is broken.

You have taken "communion of the saints" to a whole new level!

But I can't agree. The Tree of life isn't part of a network, its something we eat and gain eternal life. That's a natural interpretation of the symbolism.

Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever "-- (Gen. 3:22 NKJ)

All born again are "raised up into the heavenlies" by the Holy Spirit, but its in the coming ages that reality will become known to finite beings:

4 But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;
(Eph. 2:4-7 RPTE)