The human´s progression as a soul

The soul's initial
Everything has a beginning, except for God. "Even from time indefinite to time indefinite you are God". Psalms 90:2.

The first who was created where Jesus as a spirit-being, and since then everything has been created through him and for him. "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him". Colossians 1:15,16.

Our ancestor Adam has a beginning. "And Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man came to be a living soul". Genesis 2:7.

Man came to be a living soul. The root word soul here is "nephesh", according to Stron's no. H5315 it can be understood as "living being that breathes".

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H5315&t=KJV

By this time death did not exist at all. All conscious life with a moral sense was created for eternal life, both the invisible in the heavenly and the visible, humanity here on Earth, which was created in God's image. This is God's original intent with his creation, for it to have eternal life. The angels in heaven are created individually and are for the amount of myriads, to us innumerable. Humans, on the other hand, had the mission to multiply on the earth. "Further, God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth". Genesis 1:28.

Notice that it says fill the earth. So there is a certain amount of people that the earth is able to supply with food, space, etc.. along with the animals.

The Animal soul
The animals also have a soul, in the sense that they are "creatures that breathe", the difference is that they are not created as "God's image", as humans where.

We have the ability to morally decide what´s right or wrong, that is not what the animals have, as they live only by instinct.

Nowhere in the Bible it says that animals can sin, or that they are doomed, or that they are created for eternal life, as it says about the mankind. Nowhere in the Bible it says that an animal has returned from the dead, as mentioned for humans. For example, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jeremiah or anyone of the prophets.

What happened
An angel, Lucifer, which also received the names of Satan or the Devil, rebelled and challenged God for the lawfulness of his rule. And through a lie about more freedom, he got Adam and Eve with himself in his rebellion against God. In short terms, Adam and Eve were driven out of the paradise, the park that was prepared by God. They were sentenced to death and gave birth to their children outside. We have all since then died a physical death. But God made a restoration of what went wrong. "For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive". 1 Corinthians 15:22 (More detail about this you will find under Jesus' ransom).

As a human soul, with the ability to distinguish between right and wrong and to reflect the attributes of God, we are designed for eternal life. The soul of man lives on, by that reason, after the physical death. They are to the number exactly as many as the earth is able to support in a perfect condition, therefore reincarnation. The earth will not become overpopulated at the resurrection, because the exact number will be constant. Therefore, in all likelihood, are the most of us which are born in our days old souls.

The soul has the possibility to eternal life
The Bible says. "And do not become fearful of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be in fear of him that can destroy both soul and body in Ge•hen´na". Matthew 10:28.

The body, here is the physical body, sōma, Strong´s no. G4983

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4983&t=KJV

The soul, psychē, Strong´s no. G5590 can be understood as "the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life" and "the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death".

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G5590&t=KJV

Gehena, Strong´s no. G1067 geenna, is "Hell is the place of the future punishment call "Gehenna" or "Gehenna of fire". "This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction".

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1067&t=KJV

Gehenna, is therefore not a place of torment, but a symbol of future annihilation.

The Bible speaks about reincarnation
Sure it does. Jesus says about John the Baptist that he is Elijah. "and if YOU want to accept it, He himself is ‘E•li´jah who is destined to come.’ Matthew 11:14, and further on "However, the disciples put the question to him: “Why, then, do the scribes say that E•li´jah must come first?” In reply he said: “E•li´jah, indeed, is coming and will restore all things. However, I say to YOU that E•li´jah has already come and they did not recognize him but did with him the things they wanted. In this way also the Son of man is destined to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples perceived that he spoke to them about John the Baptist". Matthew 17:10-13.

Jesus asked his disciples who the people thought he was. "They said: “Some say John the Baptist, others E•li´jah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Matthew 16:14.

About who Jesus was, it was said. "Now it got to the ears of King Herod, for the name of [Jesus] became public, and people were saying: “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead, and on that account the powerful works are operating in him.” But others were saying: “It is E•li´jah.” Still others were saying: “It is a prophet like one of the prophets”. Mark 6:14,15.

When Jesus was killed, it says. "But the rest of them said: “Let him be! Let us see whether E•li´jah comes to save him”. Matthew 27:49.

They expected that Elijah, literally and physically, would come to help Jesus.

The words used in the above verses, "to come", "must first come", "will come" can be understood as "to come from one place to another, and used both of persons arriving and of those returning". Strong´s G2064.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G2064&t=KJV

Two kinds of death
As we see, the soul is something that lives and that can only be punished or be killed by God, and which, according to Strong's number. G1067 on geenna lies in the future.

This is something that will happen after the Millennium when everything is restored to the original purpose with the creation. But before this happens, the death inherited from Adam, the physical death will be removed. "As the last enemy, death is to be brought to nothing". 1 Corinthians 15:26.

Death is here is according to Strong´s no. G2288 thanatos,can be understood as the "death of the body".

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G2288&t=KJV

"And death and Ha´des were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire". Revelation 20:14.

Hades, Strong's no. G86 - hadēs,means "hell".

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G86&t=KJV

The first death, (where we dies physically, but from where our soul lives on) is the death we inherited from Adam. The second death, the lake of fire, is the definitive death where everything dies, and where also the soul dies. (This is a symbol of eternal annihilation, and not a place of eternal torment).

When can the soul die
In Ezekiel 18:4 it says about God. "Look! All the souls—to me they belong. As the soul of the father so likewise the soul of the son—to me they belong. The soul that is sinning—it itself will die".

Sin means according to Stron's no. H2398 chata' "miss, miss the way, go wrong, to miss oneself, lose oneself, wander from the way".

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H2398&t=KJV

Note that this concerns the death of the soul, not just the body, (the soul that is designed for eternal life and that can only be annihilated by God). Scriptures that speaks of the soul's death, is therefore intended for a future sentence for the soul. (for example Ezekiel 18:4, Isaiah 53:12, Job 11:20).

It is said about God "He is a God, not of the dead, but of the living, for they are all living to him". Luke 20:38.

As physically dead bodies, we are entirely without consciousness. "For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all". Ecclesiastes 9:5.

It is only when our soul takes place in a new body that our consciousness will come back again. For most of us, we will not remember our past lives, (the case could be that we have not yet reached the time when everything that went wrong is to be restored, and we are simply not yet ready for it), but as the evolution goes forward we get closer to our soul more and more, maybe it's the leap that will come in 2012, we'll see.

The Millennium (Two kinds of resurrection)
The first resurrection takes place in the heavens of those who with Jesus Christ make up the heavenly government. In the Bible, this is mentioned in symbolic terms as the "New Jerusalem" whose influence will affect the whole earth. The number of these are a hundred and forty-four thousand, selected from different races and nations, and who is redeemed from the earth.

The earthly Jerusalem, with the temple for worship and the Israelites as a people, was a model of reality that would come, and which now covers all the peoples of the earth. Thus, not only the people of Israel, who nevertheless was among the first to become selected, with the beginning of Jesus' disciples. That the temple in Jerusalem and its worship no longer is in force was clearly demonstrated when Jesus died, then did this happened. "And the curtain of the sanctuary was rent in two from top to bottom". Mark 15:38.

The temple in Jerusalem is therefore not sacred anymore. All the sacrifice´s in the temple had fulfilled its function as a role model to the realities that came with Jesus' sacrifice as a perfect human. This also ceases the law of Moses, as was written on stone tablets, and now a new law where to apply, which would be written on hearts. Jesus instituted the new covenant when he with his disciples broke bread and drank the wine, which were symbols of his sacrifice and their involvement with him. About these it says.

"Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years". Revelation 20:6

"I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away". Revelation 21:2-4.

"And they sing a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth". Revelation 5:9,10.

"And I saw, and, look! the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads".

"And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth". Revelation 14:1,3.

"And I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel". Revelation 7:4. (Consider here that Israel was a model for reality, and that they are selected from all the peoples and nations).

Just as the temple in the model, there was an inner courtyard where the priests served (the model to the one hundred and forty-four thousands of lives in the heavenly) and there was also a large courtyard where people gathered, and no one knew the number, this is the model for the people on the earth. "After these things I saw, and, look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: “Salvation [we owe] to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb". Revelation 7:9,10

The second resurrection takes place here on earth.

The eternal life as one with the whole
In the Millennium, all souls will be raised up to a physical body, with the ability to live forever and where we certainly will know who we are as a soul. (Possibly it is so, that at a given time there will be a change so that our physical bodies may have a renewed vitality and that the cells change in order to physically open the possibility for eternal life). The souls that come back, by birth, or by a resurrection, will have the same physical health. Anyway, at the end of the thousand years, everyone will have attained perfection, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The same condition or state as Adam and Eve were in.

Jesus Christ will hands over the kingdom to God

When everything is reset, Jesus will hand over the kingdom to God, and we are then in the same position as our first parents were in, with the same free will to choose, that they had.

The priority is described like this in the Bible. "However, now Christ has been raised up from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep [in death]. For since death is through a man, resurrection of the dead is also through a man. For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive. But each one in his own rank: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who belong to the Christ during his presence". 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.

(Those who belong to Christ during his presence are the one hundred and forty-four thousand, which are co-rulers with him in heaven and with him has the task of raising humanity to perfection).

It says further like this. "Next, the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. For he must rule as king until [God] has put all enemies under his feet. As the last enemy, death is to be brought to nothing. For [God] “subjected all things under his feet.” But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that it is with the exception of the one who subjected all things to him. But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone". 1 Corinthians 15:24-28.

The final trial
Satan, who had been imprisoned for a thousand years will be set free for a short time, and then it finally will be settled who each one of us want to worship. He will then try to mislead as many as he can. After this trial, the Devil and of course those who join him will be hurled into the lake of fire. "Now as soon as the thousand years have been ended, Satan will be let loose out of his prison, and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Ma´gog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea. And they advanced over the breadth of the earth and encircled the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down out of heaven and devoured them. And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulphur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet [already were]; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever". Revelation 20:7-10.

(The wild beast is the worldwide political system on earth and the false prophet reefer to the Anglo-American empire).

This tormenting is symbolic and not literal, perhaps it is that the tormenting are, that they will eventually be forgotten forever. What however, never ever will be forgotten is that the contentious issue between the Devil (or indeed if anyone else in the future, have doubts about the fairness of God's rule), will have to be settled once more, this is done once and for all and for all eternity to come.

Which ones will live
There is a list called "Book of Life" there it says "Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire". Revelation 20:15.

Future Opportunities
After this final trial, we are back again where death no longer exists, and there are only life there. The universe is big, perhaps those who will have eternal life may have the ability to populate other planets similar to our own, and become ancestors there, who knows. Staggering thought, or what?

Wish You All

Peace and Freedom

Reymond