[George]

THE “BREATH OF LIFE”

[Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: . . . . ]

Please notice the relationship between God’s “words” and “life”:

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

What kind of “word” is being spoken of? - “The word of life”. What kind of “words” are spoken? - The “words” of “eternal life”! What is significant about the “words" of God? – They are spirit, and they are life”! From hence do these “words” proceed? {“The WORD of Life” – the giver of all life!}

Now, notice the relationship between the “spirit” in man & “the breath of life”:

Genesis 2:7 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 soul.

Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

Isaiah 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

The above verses clearly demonstrate that, as far as receiving the “spirit” of man, (which is in all men) from God is concerned; Adam is NOT just an “isolated” case – “separate” from all the rest of mankind! God “breathes life” upon all the people of the earth and imparts to all men “spirit” and “life” - The question is: WHEN does He do it?

Genesis 2:7 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 soul.

Job 27:3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
{The “spirit” spoken of here is the “spirit” that God gives to all men (when he “breathes” on them) – NOT the Holy Spirit of God.}

Isaiah 2:22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?

Lamentations 4:20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.

Notice the location of the breath (“the breath of life”) being IN THE NOSTRILS?

Ezekiel 37:5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

What kind of “breath” is being spoken of in all of the preceding verses? - “The breath of life”. What is significant about the “breath” of God? – it is spirit, and it is life”! From hence does “the breath of life” proceed? - Almighty God – The giver of all life!

God giveth “breath”, and God giveth “spirit” to all the people on the earth (Job for example), and WHEN God does this they are made “alive”. So the question arises: WHEN does God do this? - At “conception”? During “gestation”? Or at birth? {It’s an honest, sincere, and respectful question – not “blasphemy” or “heresy”.}

According to the Holy Scriptures:

FACT #1. The breath of life comes from God.

FACT #2. The breath of life (from God) imparts “life” to men (women & boys, girls) and even animals {WHEN God “gives” it}.

FACT #3. The breath of life is IN the “nostrils” of men (women & boys, girls) and even animals.

{God wiped out every single man, woman and child on the earth (with the exception of Noah and his family) in the Biblical Flood [Genesis 6:17, 7:15, and 7:22]. That is, God destroyed - “all flesh, (man & animals) wherein is the breath of life.”}

FACT #4. A babe within the womb – DOES NOT BREATH!

FACT #5. A babe within the womb gets its “life” (oxygen) from its mother.

FACT #6. A babe does not BREATH on its own until it is “born” – at which time it has BREATH in its “nostrils” for the FIRST TIME!

Job 12:10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

Psalms 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

God “breathes” onto all people in order for them to receive the “spirit” of man – so they might live. [James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.]

John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

God “breathes” onto all people in order for them to receive the “spirit” of man – so they might live. But God “breathes” on all those who receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, in order for them to receive the Holy Spirit and have their “spirit” quickened – so they will live eternally!

I believe that we receive our “spirit” (from God) at the moment of our birth (when we can {for the first time}, receive the “spirit” of God in our “nostrils”; when we can {for the first time}, “breathe” on our own, without our mother’s aid; when our bodies are formed and functional {with a Biblical heart, mind and conscience within}.

I believe that when we receive the “spirit” (from God) at birth that we become “a living soul”. I could be wrong (it wouldn’t be the first time! ), but if I am wrong, it won’t be because of a lack of “study” (on my part); or solely because of "personal opinion" – it will be because of a lack of “understanding” (on my part).

As you can see - I do not hold this conviction based on just one Scripture or because I am following a man. I have searched the Scriptures trying to determine the truth of this matter. If you believe differently, please post your conviction or belief about this issue and don’t forget to support your belief with the Scriptures – “opinions” without Scripture don’t impress me.