The idea of death has come up several times recently. We need to look at it.
There is a rather common piece of machinery called an engine. It is a collection of metals, fluids and other materials that are carefully shaped and fitted together. It may even be an object of beauty. But it doesn’t do anything until it is “brought to life” where it is put in motion, it burns fuel, maintains its motion and can push a load. It “dies” when it quits or is turned off.
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” Genesis 2:7. Older translations say “man became a living soul.” Look carefully at this. God formed a structure on which life would run (like the engine). He then gave this structure the property of life (put it in motion). Structure plus life and man became (not was given) a living being or soul (a working engine).
We can’t here well develop the idea of soul, but we’ll look quickly at ways the word and concept are used. One use is “There were 137 souls on board the aircraft.” Souls = people. Ones soul is the essence of a person – how/what he thinks, what he values indicated in how he directs his life, reflected in his personality. Soul and mind are closely associated. The function of the heart is to pump blood. A key function of the brain is to think. Soul is a function of and resides in a functioning brain. When the heart and brain cease to function the person, the soul ceases to exist. This seems simplistic. More in a moment.
The first introduction to the idea of death is found in Genesis 2: God said, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” But then during the conversation at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil there was this exchange: Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” Genesis 3:4, 5. In Revelation 12:9 we discover who was saying this: So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world…. Consider the source. That does not seem like a trustworthy source of good information. To make some sense of “You will not surely die” the idea of “the immortal soul” is born. By this the soul is an ethereal intelligent entity separate from a body. This makes way for Satan and angels who fell with him to act as souls of the dead and continue making suggestions as happened at the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He (Satan) too is a created being and (since his own fall) is subject to death – an idea he tries to outrun.
“In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return” Gen 3:19.
“Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish” Psalm 146:3, 4.
“For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing,
And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun” Eccl 9:5, 6.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” John 5:24-29.
Lazarus was a friend of Jesus. Lazarus became ill, passed away and was buried. Jesus came to the grave. He called for it to be opened. The stench confirmed Lazarus death. Yet Jesus called him by name: “’Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go’” John 11:43, 44. He didn’t say “come back” or “come down” as if bringing an ethereal soul back. He returned life even to the decaying flesh.
Such is the model of the resurrection. We may die. We may pass out of existence. But the God who made us remembers us. As He spoke with intent and the universe bloomed, when He calls our name His memory of us refreshes our existence as happened with Lazarus.