Philologos
Bible Prophecy Research
Title: Eternal Life
Submitted by: research-bpr@philologos.org
Date: January 26, 2000
URL: http://philologos.org/bpr/files/Misc_Studies/ms056.htm

Eternal Life

Sh'vat 19, 5760
January 26, 2000

[I'm going to tell you right up front: what I know about this area of science could fit quite nicely (and have room to spare) in a very small thimble. The logistics as represented by me in this article may be off, but the basic concept is sound. I always know if something is worth persuing if I feel like I want to dance a jig as I hear the news. For this I wanted to dance two jigs.]

I watched "Scientific American Frontiers: Never Say Die" last night (PBS). The show was about "the possibility of eternal life." (Watch this episode online or read the transcript! at Previous Shows Archive, Season 10.)

The first segment explained how less food with higher nutritional content was beneficial for both the mental and physical needs of our bodies. Nothing really new about this concept except that it reminded me of the manna given to the Israelites during their time in the desert. Manna is also mentioned in the letter to the church of Pergamos in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna...

This is a promise to be fulfilled in the end-times along with the river of life and "the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." (Rev 22:2)

The program went on to show how healthy cells split and then split and then split again with an average of about 50 divisions before the cell died (Maybe 42 the number for "intensified apostasy"? Please see the file entitled "Forty- two" at http://philologos.org/bpr/research.htm). They were working on a process that would allow the cells to continue dividing indefinitely.

The next segment was on little worms called nematodes. Studies being done with these creatures showed how their cells had receptors attached to the sides of their nuclei. For demonstration purposes these receptors were square shaped. Nutritional content received from their food (hormones) was shown as a square shaped block that fit perfectly into these receptors. Scientists have found that if they alter the shape of these receptors so that the square shaped blocks could no longer fit into them, the worm's life could be doubled. Both the scientist and host were scratching their heads in amazement that the body had a built in death mechanism and were at a loss to explain why nature would allow this. Why would cells have these receptors that in essence kill us?

Genesis 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years...11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

Before Noah, everyone was living for centuries but after the Flood, everything changed. Men's lifespans had been severely reduced yet their bodies weren't any different than before. What had changed? Maybe the food now being grown and eaten from this "new" earth had the square shaped nutrients that clung to their cells and shortened their lives?

Another thing to think about is that the first thing we hear of when Noah gets off the boat is that he starts a vineyard and gets drunk. I've always wondered about this part of the story. Here's Noah, supposedly the only righteous man left on earth and the first thing he does as he steps off the boat is get drunk. He doesn't just get a little drunk but drunk enough to take his clothes off and loll about. I could never reconcile the two. But now armed with this new piece of evidence that some of the nutrients used by the square shaped receptors are byproducts of the fermentation process, I'm wondering if it could be that the grapes before the Flood weren't as potentially intoxicating as those after the Flood due to something in the soil. I guess I just want to give Noah a break...

Another thing they subjected the worms to was zapping their reproductive cells. This, too, doubled the worm's life.

Luke 20:35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

Another mystery of the end-time taking on a new dimension.

The last segment showed how if you don't use your body and mind you lose it--keep yourself occupied both physically and mentally every day of your life and this helps you age better. (I guess we won't be hanging around on clouds playing harps for eternity.)

If scientists are getting this close to unlocking the mystery of longevity then just think how soon Messiah will be here to do it up right. Think of what this technology will do in the hands of godly men and women working to further the kingdom of God. For those of you with loved ones who are sick now, think how close they are to being released from that burden if the Lord so chooses. (Come on now, dance a jig with me :)

Isaiah 65:20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.