Shabbat Shalom family,
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 20:12-13 “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, יהוה has made both of them. 13 Do not love sleep, lest you become poor; open your eyes, be satisfied with bread.”
The hearing ear and the seeing eye!!! יהוה made them both – and what He made He said was ‘good’ – and as we know that in the Hebrew the word for ‘good’ is טוֹב toḇ – Strong’s H2896 and carries the meaning, ‘pleasant, good, agreeable, beautiful, to be pleasing, done well’. In the true understanding of this word טוֹב toḇ we can see that it may best be translated in most cases as ‘functional’, for when יהוה said in Berěshith/Genesis 1:31 that when He saw all that He had made, that He said it was very good. What He saw was His creation functioning properly and working the way it should and this is why it was ‘good’. Sadly though, through sin and lawlessness, that which was functional began to become dysfunctional, and it is only through Messiah that our dysfunctional eyes can be made fully functional and ‘good’ or טוֹב toḇ again; and having our eyes and ears restored to their functional state, we must guard ourselves from allowing them to become dysfunctional through sin and lawlessness – and to do that we must not love sleep! The Hebrew word used here for ‘sleep’ is שֵׁנָה shenah – Strong’s H8142 which comes from the word יָשֵׁן yashen – Strong’s H3462 meaning, ‘to sleep (figuratively to die), to be slack, old, stale’. Do not love to sleep or be slack, and to do that our eyes must be open and satisfied with bread! יהושע is the Bread of Life and in Him we are truly satisfied! There are many today who are sadly asleep as their eyes and ears are in fact ‘dysfunctional’, and in a message tonight called, “EYES FRONT AND AWAKE – MAINTAINING A 20/20 VISION ON THE TRUTH”, I want us to be encouraged in doing just that as we look intently into the Word and take an eye test so to speak, and if necessary allow His Word to get our eyes in focus and have a 20/20 functional vision on the Truth! I will be looking at various verses in order to help us gain a greater overview of our need to keep our eyes and ears in good working order as we faithfully continue to praise יהוה for having woken us up from a hypnotic sleep of lies! Sadly there are many who are still asleep and we need to be proclaiming the Truth and awaken those who are asleep! Turn with me to Romiyim/Romans 13:10-14 (Read).
Love is the completion of the Torah it says in verse 10 – we have discussed this previously – but just to recap – This word used here in Romiyim/Romans for completion is πλήρωμα plērōma – Strong’s G4138 and comes from the word πληρόω plēroō – Strong’s G4137 which means, ‘to make full, complete, accomplish’, and this means, in essence, to fully meet what is required, and not to finish and be done with; and therefore we further understand that love for our neighbour and Elohim is to guard the commands of Elohim (Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 5:2-3). Now Sha’ul goes on and says here in Romiyim/Romans 13:11 that this we should do – love Elohim by fully meeting the requirements of the Torah as we walk in Messiah – and to do that he further stresses that knowing the hour of our deliverance is nearer than before, that it is already the hour for us to wake up from our sleep!
The Greek word used here for ‘sleep’ is ὕπνος hupnos/hypnos – Strong’s G5258 and while meaning sleep it also carries the understanding of ‘being under, put under’. In fact we get our English word ‘hypnosis’ from this word. Hypnosis is a trance-like state that resembles sleep but is induced by a person whose suggestions are readily accepted by the subject!
In Greek mythology ‘Hypnos’ was the personification of sleep and was the Greek mighty one of sleep whose palace was in a dark cave there the sun never shines and at the entrance there were poppies and other hypnotic plants. The Roman equivalent to this pagan mighty one was ‘Somnus’ from which the English word ‘insomnia’ is derived – ‘in..’ meaning ‘no or to not’ and ‘somnus’ meaning sleep!
The charge by Sha’ul is an urgent one as he urges us to put off the works of darkness to which hypnos and somnus and all the Greek mythological mighty ones were ascribed to and Sha’ul says to us that we are to put on the armour of light, which is the Torah of Elohim – as we put on יהושע Messiah and clothes ourselves in His Righteousness and guard His commands, being sober and alert and giving no room for the lust of the flesh and the works of darkness!
Yeshayahu was instructed by יהוה to go and proclaim to a ‘sleeping and deaf’ Yisra’ĕl:
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 6:9 “And He said, “Go, and you shall say to this people, ‘Hearing, you hear, but do not understand; and seeing, you see, but do not know.’”
This is a clear warning that is still ringing loud and clear and will continue until the land becomes a ruin and He comes again to separate those who have heard and understood and seen and known from those who simply have not!
יהושע came to bring us a recovery of sight – by manifesting the very Truth in the Flesh, separating the light from the dark:
Luqas/Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of יהוה is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to bring the Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send away crushed ones with a release, 19 to proclaim the acceptable year of יהוה.”
The Greek word for ‘the blind’ is τυφλός tuphlos – Strong’s G5185 which can mean physically or mentally blind and comes from the word τυφόω tuphoō – Strong’s G5187 which means, ‘to be conceited, foolish, arrogance, vanity, to be lifted up with pride, high-minded’. It can also render the understanding of being enveloped with smoke and blinded so as not to see. The word for ‘recovery of sight’ is ἀνάβλεψις anablepsis – Strong’s G309 and comes from the word ἀναβλέπω anablepō – Strong’s G308 which means, ‘to look up, recover sight’, and comes from the word βλέπω blepō – Strong’s G991 which means, ‘to see, to look at, beware, take heed, perceive’.
When we understand these words in their original meanings it further helps us understand that Messiah came to take away the smokescreen of tradition and man-made dogmas, and then we clearly understand the words of Sha’ul in:
Qorintiyim Bet/2 Corinthians 3:16 “And when one turns to the Master, the veil is taken away.”
When one turns and looks intently into the Light all darkness is taken away! He came to recover our sight and cause us to take heed and see His Good News and be able to see with טוֹב toḇ – good and functional – eyes!
Knowing that the days are dark and evil we are to look intently to the Light and allow the Light (Torah) to light our way, so that we can confidently take each step of faith with boldness and assurance of the hope we have in our Creator and Saviour – יהושע Messiah – The Light of the world!
Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 12:2 “looking to the Princely Leader and Perfecter of our belief, יהושע, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the stake, having despised the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of Elohim.”
We are told to be ‘looking’ to Messiah – and as we can see from the verse before this one, is that in order to be able to properly ‘look’ at Messiah, we need to throw off and lay aside every weight and sin that easily entangles us and run with endurance – looking intently at our King as we run faithfully as servants of the Most High Elohim!
Many are trying to run, yet find themselves getting tired and unable to endure the hardships and persecutions that comes as a result of set-apart living amidst a crooked generation! The question that you need to ask yourself as you take an eye test so to speak is, “What are you looking at?” Are you looking at Messiah?
The two words used here for our Messiah are:
‘Prince’ – ἀρχηγός – archēgos (Strong’s G747) – translates as ‘prince, captain, chief leader and author’ and describes ‘one that takes the lead in anything and thus affords an example, a predecessor in a matter, pioneer’.
‘Perfecter’ – τελειωτής – teleiōtēs (Strong’s G5051) – this is the only place this Greek word and denotes a ‘finisher, completer, perfecter’ and describes ‘one who has in his own person raised faith to its perfection and so set before us the highest example of faith’. This is a description given only to יהושע Messiah who has become the supreme model for us to follow.
The Greek word for ‘looking’ is ἀφοράω – aphorao – Strong’s G872 and means ‘to look/ to turn eyes away from all other things and fix them on something’, metaphorically speaking it means ‘to fix the mind upon/ give full attention/ looking intently upon/ to take heed’, and it also means, ‘to consider carefully, attentively look at’ and comes from the two Greek words: ἀπό apo – Strong’s G575 which is a preposition and participle that means, ‘from, away from, at, in, to’ and the word ὁράω horaō – Strong’s G3708 which means, ‘to see, perceive, attend to, take heed, see with the mind, beware, to see as in becoming acquainted with by experience’.
We are to look to Messiah and careful consider our ways, and we are at the same time to ensure that are eyes are not looking elsewhere as we ‘take heed’ of the corrupt teachings of man-made dogmas and traditions that lead people astray. We are to also take heed not to get consumed by materialism, and Messiah warns us against these in:
Mattithyahu/Matthew 16:6 “And יהושע said to them, “Mind! And beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”
Luqas/Luke 12:15 “And He said to them, “Mind, and beware of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the excess of his possessions.”
The word ‘mind’ in both these warnings given is the word ὁράω horaō – take heed, be watchful that you do not fall prey to the corruption of man’s rules and regulations regarding a form of worship that runs contrary to the Truth and watch out that you don’t get sucked into the need to gain possessions – because your life does not consist in the excess of possessions!
Seeing and watching is what we are to be doing and guard ourselves and take heed not to fall asleep; and in light of what we are discussing here let us look further at some very critical words of warning that are to take heed of from our Master in:
Marqos/Mark 13:33-37 “Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when the time is – 34 as a man going abroad, having left his house and given authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 “Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming – in the evening or at midnight, or at the crowing of the cock, or in the morning, 36 lest, coming suddenly, he should find you sleeping. 37 “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
‘Take heed’ is the word we discussed already – βλέπω blepō – a root of the word used in ‘recovery of sight’, and the word for ‘watch’ in verses 34,35 & 37 is γρηγορέω grēgoreō – Strong’s G1127 which means, ‘keep awake, be vigilant’, and is formed from the word ἐγείρω egeirō – Strong’s G1453 which means, ‘to waken, raise up, arise’.
The word translated as ‘watch’ in verse 33 is the Greek word ἀγρυπνέω agrupneō – Strong’s G69 and means, ‘to be sleepless, wakeful, alert, keep watch’ as it comes from the two Greek words: ‘a’ – as a negative participle and ὕπνος hupnos – Strong’s G5258 as already discussed – so what we clearly understand in the command to ‘watch’ is that we are to ‘keep awake, be vigilant’ and DO NOT SLEEP or get hypnotised under the spell of the false doctrines of man!
In the illustration that יהושע gives here, we can also learn from the command given to the ‘doorkeeper’ to watch, that this is exactly what is required of a faithful servant – to be awake, watchful and guarding the door!
I am reminded of Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom in whose house the Ark of Elohim stayed for three months and his whole house was blessed, and after the Ark was taken back to Yerushalayim, we see from Scriptural records that Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom became a gatekeeper in the House of Elohim and in a Psalm for the sons of Qorah we see the following being proclaimed:
Tehillim/Psalm 84:10 “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand days. I have chosen rather to be a doorkeeper in the House of my Elohim, than to dwell in the tents of the wrong.”
We can deduce that this is exactly what Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom decided as he left his prospered home to serve faithfully as a gatekeeper.
The Hebrew word עוֹבֵד Oḇĕḏ – Strong’s H5744 means, ‘worshipper’ and comes from the word עָבַד aḇaḏ – Strong’s H5647 which means, ‘to work, serve, perform’ and from this we get the word for ‘servant, slave’ – עֶבֶד eḇeḏ – Strong’s H5650. Now when we look at the ancient script for this word for servant we get a great understanding as to what is certainly required by the words given by Messiah:
In the ancient script the word עֶבֶד eḇeḏ is pictured as: 
Ayin – עֶ
The original pictograph for this letter is and represents the idea of seeing and watching, as well as knowledge as the eye is the window of knowledge
Beyt – בֶ:
The ancient script has this letter as , which pictures a tent floor plan and means, ‘house’ or ‘tent’. It represents family and the importance of those who are inside the tent as opposed to the tent structure itself.
Dalet – ד
The ancient script has this letter as and is pictured as a ‘tent door’. It can also have the meaning of a back and forth movement as one goes back and forth through a tent door and so speaks of an access point. It can also carry the meaning of ‘dangle’ or hanging as the tent door would hang from the roof pole of the tent. It speaks a great deal in terms of understanding the door of the tent of appointment as the only means of access.
When we look at this word in the ancient script for a servant, we can see that it speaks of “One who watches at the door of the house” – and as I have said – this is what our Master calls us to do; and when we consider that יהושע Messiah is The Door, then we further see our need to continually be looking at Him, guarding to do all His commands – and this is how we too keep watch over the House/Body of Messiah!
What are you looking at is the question and as we look at these definitions and meanings, may the eye test render some positive and encouraging responses to the Truth!
This week’s torah portion is called ‘Re’eh’ which means ‘to see’ or ‘look’ and the word for ‘see’ is the Hebrew word רָאָה ra’ah – Strong’s H7200 meaning, ‘to see, look, observe, pay close attention, consider’. This is a command that we all would do well to heed today – and that is to observe and pay close attention to that which lies ahead for us as we await the return of our King, so that we are able to discern and act wisely, as we follow the Torah (instructions) of Elohim.
In the ancient script this word also reveals a great truth to us as רָאָה ra’ah is pictured as: 
Resh – רָ
The ancient script has this letter as and is pictured as ‘the head of a man’ and has the meaning of the head of a man as well as chief, top, begging or first. Top as in the top or head of a body and chief an is head of a tribe or people as well as the one who rules the people.
Aleph – אָ
The ancient script has this letter as and is pictured as ‘the head of an ox’ representing strength and power
Hey – ה
The ancient script has this letter as and is pictured as a man standing with his arms raised up and out as if pointing to something, and in essence carries the meaning of ‘behold’ as in when looking at something very great. It can also have the meaning to ‘breath’ or ‘sigh’ as when looking at a great sight and having your breath taken away so to speak! It also has the meaning of revelation or to reveal something by pointing it out.
To see and be functional in seeing as we should can render the following meaning for us, “The beginning of our strength is in the revelation of Messiah our Head, who we praise and serve with our all”
In Hebrew the word רָעָה ra’ah – Strong’s H7462 also can carry the meaning of ‘shepherd’ as well as ‘to pasture, graze, consume, feed’ – and clearly points to יהושע – Our Good Shepherd – Our Strong Head that was lifted up and exalted on High as in Tehillim/Psalm 80:1 – רֹעֵה – ‘Ro’eh’ – “Shepherd” of יִשְׂרָאֵל – Yisra’ĕl or in Tehillim/Psalm 23 – יהוה רֹעִי – יהוה ‘ro’i’ – Strong’s H7473 – my Shepherd.
I want to run through a few verses that highlight the clear need for us to be a seeing and hearing people:
Qoheleth/Ecclesiastes 7:11 “Wisdom is good with an inheritance, and an advantage to those who see the sun.”
As a faithful priesthood we realise that יהוה is our inheritance and to be wise and obey the Torah will cause us to ‘see’ the Light, whereas the fool who gropes around in the dark says in his heart that there is no Elohim.
Tehillim/Psalm 34:15 “The eyes of יהוה are on the righteous, and His ears unto their cry.”
His eyes are on the righteous (those doing His commands) and He hears them, while those who turn away from hearing the Torah he does not hear:
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 28:9 “He who turns away his ear from hearing the Torah, even his prayer is an abomination”
When we are looking intently unto our maker and hearing His words to do them, we recognise that He lifts up His face toward us and gives us favour and shalom and we can clearly praise Him who is our Provider – יהוה Yireh – the word ‘yireh’ is from the word רָאָה ra’ah and is rendered as He will see or He sees and provides! His eyes looking upon us secures us and we need not worry about what we need, as the nations do! However when we take our eyes off of Him and turn away then He only sees our back as He scatters as a result of disobedience !
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 18:17 “I shall scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I shall show them the back and not the face in the day of their calamity.”
What this verse is saying is that He will see their back and not their face – and this makes sense – because if one is not looking to Him and following Him, then their eyes are not where they should be and will end up walking away from Him instead of toward Him!
What we must clearly recognise is that יהוה sees right through us – He sees our hearts and can see if His Torah is there or not:
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 20:12 “But, O יהוה of hosts, trying the righteous, and seeing the kidneys and heart, let me see Your vengeance on them, for I have revealed my cause to You.”
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 17:7-8 “In that day man shall look to his Maker, and his eyes turn to the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl. 8 And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands; and he shall not see that which his own fingers made, nor the Ashĕrim nor the sun-pillars.”
Praise יהוה that this is happening today as there is a remnant who are looking to Him and not at the altars, Ashĕrim or sun-pillars!
What is still sad though is that there are many who are, as we read earlier from Yeshayahu, seeing but not seeing, hearing but not hearing – in other words they are ‘sleeping with their eyes open’ or better put – they are under hypnosis of a false message and have no understanding as long as they hold fast to the circus acts of the enemy!
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 28:5 “Evil men do not understand right-ruling, but those who seek יהוה understand all.”
The word ‘evil’ is the root word רַע ra – Strong’s H7451 meaning, ‘bad, evil, wicked, harmful’. This word is often expressed in the feminine as רָעָה ra’ah – Strong’s H7463 which is from the same as רֹעַ roa – Strong’s H7455 which means, ‘badness, evil’, and this is very interesting as we see it sounds the same as the Hebrew word for see yet is spelt with a difference of one letter – an in fact at root level we can even notice how evil and shepherd uses the same letters!
The difference between רָעָה ra’ah (evil, wickedness, shepherd) and רָאָה ra’ah (see, observe, pay attention) is the middle letter – with ‘evil’ containing the letter – ‘עָ’ – ‘ayin’ and ‘to see’ contains the letter ‘אָ’ – ‘aleph’. This should be a clear ‘wakeup call’ for us to see how things may sound correct and even at times may be written with the same letters, yet may cause us to ‘look’ at what is wrong – many of our father’s teachings and ways may sound good and true yet when tested against the measuring stick of the Torah we find that most of what we inherited was in fact not good at all and what we must learn is that corrupt practices spoil our relationship with יהוה!
Evil men are those who are not paying attention and observing and are therefore dysfunctional!
Those who are hearing but not understanding are not seeking – in other words they are hearers only!!! The word used in Yeshayahu/Isaiah 6:9 for understanding is the same word used here in Mishlĕ/Proverbs 28:5 and is the Hebrew word – בִּין bin – Strong’s H995 meaning, ‘to discern, act wisely, consider carefully, understand, perceive’.
We see this word being used also in:
Tehillim/Psalm 119:34 “Make me understand, that I might observe Your Torah, And guard it with all my heart.”
Tehillim/Psalm 119:104 “From Your orders I get understanding; Therefore I have hated every false way.”
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 2:4-5 “If you seek her as silver, And search for her as hidden treasures, 5 Then you would understand the fear of יהוה, And find the knowledge of Elohim.”
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of יהוה is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Set-apart One is understanding.”
Here the word used for ‘knowledge’ is דַּעַת da’ath – Strong’s H1847 and comes from the word used in Yeshayahu/Isaiah 6:9 for describing those who are ‘seeing’ but do not ‘know’, which is the Hebrew word – יָדַע yada – Strong’s H3045 meaning, ‘to know’.
Why I am sharing all these references to you is simply to let us recognise the very clear words of יהושע and Sha’ul that speak the same warnings and commands that we see in the Tanak (O.T.) – and that is to make sure we keep up a 20/20 vision on the Truth, being awake and fixing our eyes front as we attentively give our ear to hearing and understand and our eyes to seeing and know the Truth.
Let us guard the gift of a recovery of sight that we have been given and keep our eyes front and awake and maintain a 20/20 vision on the Truth, being satisfied with our daily lawful bread and not be found asleep, but keeping watch, and one of the starting points of getting our eyes fixed and open is to remember to keep His Shabbat:
Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 20:20 “And set apart My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, to know that I am יהוה your Elohim.”
Set-Apart His Sabbaths and do not be found sleeping or under hypnosis to the world and its desires – His Sabbath I believe is a great ‘key’ to our understanding more and more and we ought to take careful care how we make sure that we do not allow the world to cause us to be so tired that we find that we cannot even keep watch on His Shabbat!
As Sha’ul says – it is now time to wake up from sleep – how is your sight?
As you take a simple yet very critical eye test, each day as you look intently into the Word – what do you see? Is your vision clouded by deceitfulness of wealth and the worries of life, or is vision and discernment been tossed to and fro with differing teachings as a result of not eating and being satisfied with your daily bread – it is time to wake up from any form of ‘hypnos’ or sleep that the world tries to put us into and be vigilant in our ability to be a true worshipper who worships the Father in Spirit and Truth and watches the door of the House!
How is your vision? If it has been impaired in any way – let Messiah give you a recovery of sight and maintain the 20/20 functional eyes that יהוה has made, aměn!
He who has ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying!
יהוה bless your and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show favour to you; יהוה lift up His face to you and give you Shalom
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