GIVING THANKS IN ALL IS MORE THAN JUST THE WORDS FROM OUR LIPS! – Psalm 100

29^th of the 7^th month 2016/2017

Shabbat Shalom all,

Tas’loniqim Aleph/1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in all circumstances give thanks, for this is the desire of Elohim in Messiah יהושע for you.”

Sha’ul makes it abundantly clear to us here in his letter to the assembly of the Thessalonians that we are to give thanks in all! Give thanks in all for this is the desire of Elohim in Messiah יהושע for us all!

The Greek word used here for ‘all’ is πᾶς pas – Strong’s G3956 meaning, ‘all, everything, continually, every kind, everyone’ and what ‘all’ entails is literally just that – ALL – everything, hence the ISR Scriptures translation has put the word ‘circumstances’ in italics for a better understanding, as we are able to learn from this text that no matter the circumstance we may face, or be in, we must do our utmost in accomplishing the desire of Elohim in Messiah יהושע for us all. For many this is not as easy as it initially sounds and they therefore neglect to do the desire of Elohim as they are unable to properly render thanks in all/everything. Before going further, let me make it very clear here that this ‘all/everything’ does not pertain to sin/lawlessness/compromise as the instructions given in this letter is to set-apart believers who are in the Master and are reminded to stay in Him as they pursue what is good and functional, according to the clear design and instructions of Elohim for set-apart living, both for themselves as well as for all.

In this brief message called, ‘GIVING THANKS IN ALL IS MORE THAN JUST THE WORDS FROM OUR LIPS!’ I would like to take a closer look at what proper thanksgiving toward Elohim entails, as it certainly carries more meaning than simply saying ‘thanks’. Giving thanks in all is the desire of Elohim!

The Greek word translated as ‘desire’ is θέλημα thelēma – Strong’s G2307 which means, ‘will, desire, pleasure’ which comes from θέλω thelō – Strong’s G2309 which means, ‘to will, have in mind, intend’.

Here are a few verses from the renewed Writings (N.T.) that speak of the ‘desire of Elohim’:

Marqos/Mark 3:35 “For whoever does the desire of Elohim is My brother and My sister and mother.”

Romiyim/Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.”

Tas’loniqim Aleph/1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 “For this is the desire of Elohim: your set-apartness! – that you should abstain from whoring, 4 that each one of you should know how to possess his own vessel in set-apartness and respect, 5 not in passion of lust, like the gentiles who do not know Elohim”

Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 10:36 “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the desire of Elohim, you receive the promise:”

Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 2:17 “And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but the one doing the desire of Elohim remains forever.”

As one collectively considers and meditates on these verses it is pretty clear that the desire of Elohim is our set-apartness, which is to be continually pursued with endurance and thanksgiving! As we consider what giving thanks in all entails we must recognise that giving proper thanks unto Elohim in all can only be properly done when set-apartness is faithfully pursued and lived out. This teaches us that in order to faithfully give thanks in all there cannot be any form of compromise or sin in our lives as it would render our assumed thanks as invalid and unacceptable before the face of Elohim!

This message is all about the proper giving of thanks unto Elohim and in order to expand on this I would like to look at Tehillah/Psalm 100 as the base for this message; along with the few verses that I have already mentioned and explore the clearer understanding of what true thanksgiving entails by exploring some key passages that emphasise this, as we look at a few more Hebrew and Greek words. Turn with me to Tehillah/Psalm 100 (read).

The heading/title of this Psalm is translated in English as ‘A psalm of praise’ and it is written in the Hebrew text as follows מִזְמוֹר לְתוֹדָה – mizmor letoḏah which comes from the two root word: 1) מִזְמוֹר miz’mor – Strong’s H4210 meaning, ‘melody’ and it comes from the primitive root זָמַר zamar – Strong’s H2167 meaning, ‘to make music (in praise of Elohim), sing praises’ and 2) תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 which is a noun that means, ‘thanksgiving, confession, praise’, and comes from the primitive root verb יָדָה yaḏah – Strong’s H3034 which literally means ‘to throw, shoot or cast, to confess, laud with praise, extol, i.e., make a public confession of the attributes and acts of power of a person’, and when we consider the Hebrew word יָד yaḏ – Strong’s H3027 which means ‘hand’ we are able to see why the expression of ‘giving thanks’ is understood in the Hebrew as ‘extending the hands in praise’.

This word – תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 – is used twice in Tehillah/Psalm 100: firstly it is used in the title/heading, which highlights for us the clear purpose of this Psalm, and then it is used in verse 4 where it is translated as ‘thanksgiving’.

We ‘enter His gates with thanksgiving’!

As we consider this word תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 in terms of ‘praise/thanksgiving’ we are able to properly understand why Sha’ul tells us in Timotiyos Aleph/1 Timothy 2:8 that men everywhere should ‘lift up their hands that are set-apart’ in prayer! For this is our true expression of ‘giving thanks in all’, as it is done with ‘extended hands that are set-apart’ in our continual willing obedience of working unto Elohim (extending the hand) in all we do; while at the same time, giving Him esteem and praise. Giving thanks is not a silent matter and it must be seen in our work ethic too, as our actions may often speak louder than words!

Tehillah/Psalm 18:49 “Therefore I give thanks to You, O יהוה, among nations, and I sing praise to Your Name”

Our giving thanks is seen in what we do, wherever we are – as we sojourn here as ambassadors of the reign to come!

A true life of praise is seen in what we do – whether in word or deed! Is your life of praise clearly visible in your daily actions?

The primary meaning of the root verb יָדָה yaḏah – Strong’s H3034 is to acknowledge or confess sin as well as to acknowledge and make a bold confession of the character and works of Elohim. The primary difference between this verb and its synonym, הָלַל halal Strong’s H1984 which means, ‘to shine; to be boastful; to be clear; to make a show; to rave; be foolish; to celebrate; praise, cheer, brag or extol, i.e., extol the greatness or excellence of a person, object or event.’, is that הָלַל halal tends to stress the ‘boasting of’ or ‘celebration of’ another person, object or event whereas יָדָה yaḏah emphasises ‘recognition’ and ‘declaration’ of a fact, whether good or bad – hence the understanding of making a public confession. The noun תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426,being derived from יָדָה yaḏah, basically means “confession”, either of sin or of Elohim’s character and works. This term – תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 – is also used uniquely in referencing to the sacrificial system, as one would bring a ‘thanksgiving offering’ or ‘praise offering’ in which a declaration of praise unto יהוה would be done as his slaughtering/sacrifice was offered to יהוה. It is also used to describe the declaration of a confession of sin that was made unto יהוה when bringing his sin offering.

Before looking at other verses where we find the word תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 being used I thought it best to highlight some of the key words that we find in this Tehillah/Psalm 100 as we are able to grasp further lessons in terms of what true thanksgiving entails.

In verse 1 we see this Psalm beginning with the call to ‘raise a shout for יהוה’ and the Hebrew word that is translated as ‘raise a shout’ is הָרִיעוּ – hariy’u which comes from the root word רוּעַ rua – Strong’s H7321 meaning, ‘to raise a shout, give a blast, battle cry, jubilant shouting, shout joyfully, shout in triumph’. A word that we all know is derived from this root! And that is the Hebrew word Teru‘ah’ תְּרוּעָה – Strong’s H8643 which means ‘a shout or blast of war, alarm or joy’.

What I find extremely interesting with this word רוּעַ rua, is that while it is found 46 times in the Tanak (O.T.) it is found 12 times in Tehillim/Psalms and I want to quickly list those 12 verses from the Psalms that contain this verb, as it is very fitting in recognising the call for us to raise a shout to Elohim, as a proper extension of true thanksgiving!

1 – Tehillah/Psalm 41:11 “By this I know that You did delight in me, because my enemy does not shout for joy over me.”

2 – Tehillah/Psalm 47:1 “Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to Elohim with a voice of singing!”

3 – Tehillah/Psalm 60:8 “Mo’aḇ is My wash-pot, over Edom I cast My shoe, shout loud, O Philistia, because of Me.”

4 – Tehillah/Psalm 65:13 “The meadows are dressed in flocks, and valleys are covered with grain; they shout for joy and sing.”

5 – Tehillah/Psalm 66:1 “Shout with joy to Elohim, all the earth!”

6 – Tehillah/Psalm 81:1 “Shout for joy to Elohim our strength; raise a shout to the Elohim of Ya’aqoḇ.”

7 – Tehillah/Psalm 95:1 “Come, let us sing to יהוה! Let us raise a shout to the Rock of our deliverance.”

8 – Tehillah/Psalm 95:2 “Let us come before His face with thanksgiving; let us raise a shout to Him in song.”

9 – Tehillah/Psalm 98:4 “Raise a shout to יהוה, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.”

10 – Tehillah/Psalm 98:6 “With trumpets and the sound of a horn; raise a shout before יהוה, the Sovereign.”

11 – Tehillah/Psalm 100:1 “Raise a shout for יהוה, all the earth!”

12 – Tehillah/Psalm 108:9 “Mo’aḇ is My wash-pot, over Edom I cast My shoe, over Philistia I raise a shout.”

In these 12 verses we see the great call to raise a shout with joy unto the Rock of our Deliverance – יהושע Messiah, and what is clear here is that the call to shout, sing, and clap our hands is to be done it with joy!!! I love the contrast between Tehillah/Psalm 60:8 where יהוה is ironically calling Philistia to shout aloud, and basically asking them if they actually think that they can shout in triumph over Him!!! Then in Tehillah/Psalm 108:9 we see how יהוה declares that He raises a shout over Philistia – for He is triumphant over our enemies, and as Tehillah/Psalm 41:11 declares: that because He delights in us, our enemies do not shout in triumph over us but rather, through His deliverance for us, He raises a shout of triumph over them!

And this is why true thanksgiving calls for us to raise a shout with joy to the Elohim of our deliverance and do so with singing and songs of praise, clapping of hands and the sound of the horn – singing out the splendour of His Name, making His praise esteemed!!! But that is not where thanksgiving stops as we must recognise that true thanksgiving is accompanied with the proper pursuit and service of set-apartness and obedience to Elohim!

In verse 2 we are called to ‘serve יהוה with gladness’. The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘serve’ comes from the root word עָבַד aḇaḏ – Strong’s H5647 meaning, ‘to work, serve, observe, do the work, cultivate, worship’ and carries the understanding of ‘expending considerable energy and intensity in performing a task or function’ – in other words – ‘giving it your all’! A noun that is derived from this root verb is the Hebrew word that is used for ‘servant’, which is the word עֶבֶד eḇeḏ – Strong’s H5650 meaning, ‘servant, slave, bondservant’; and as a child of Yisra’ĕl, which we have become by the Blood of Messiah, we are servants of יהוה:

Wayyiqra/Leviticus 25:55 “Because the children of Yisra’ĕl are servants to Me, they are My servants whom I brought out of the land of Mitsrayim. I am יהוה your Elohim.”

The equivalent Greek word for servant is δοῦλος doulos – Strong’s G1401 and is translated as, ‘slave, servant, bondservant, bondslaves – both men and women’, and is used repeatedly throughout the renewed Writings, as we take note how Sha’ul, Ya’aqoḇ, Kěpha and Yehuḏah called themselves a ‘servant’ (doulos) of יהושע Messiah.

Romiyim/Romans 1:1 “Sha’ul, a servant of יהושע Messiah, a called emissary, separated to the Good News of Elohim”

Ya’aqoḇ/James 1:1 “Yaʽaqoḇ, a servant of Elohim and of the Master יהושע Messiah, to the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion: Greetings.”

Kěpha Bět/2 Peter 1:1 “Shimʽon Kěpha, a servant and emissary of יהושע Messiah, to those who have obtained a belief as precious as ours by the righteousness of our Elohim and Saviour יהושע Messiah”

Yehuḏah/Jude 1:1 “Yehuḏah, a servant of יהושע Messiah, and brother of Yaʽaqoḇ, to those who are called, set-apart by Elohim the Father, and preserved in יהושע Messiah”

A true faithful servant of יהושע Messiah is one who serves with their all and does so in complete set-apartness. Sha’ul told Timotiyos the following:

Timotiyos Bět/2 Timothy 2:3-5 “Suffer hardship with us as a good soldier of יהושע Messiah. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in the affairs of this life, in order to please only him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And if anyone competes in a game, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.”

A faithful servant is also a good soldier of יהושע Messiah and seeks to please Him, for our Master has caused us to be enlisted, so to speak, by grafting us into the Covenants of Promise by His Blood. As faithful servants and soldiers we are called to fight to good fight, be strong and courageous and not be afraid of what the enemy can or cannot do, for our Master is with us and He strengthens us and helps us and upholds us in righteousness (as we guard to do all He commands us to).

The reason for highlighting this is to simply emphasise that true servants of our Master and Elohim serve and therefore we take note in this call of this ‘song of thanksgiving’ that thanksgiving cannot be properly fulfilled if proper servanthood is neglected in any way! In the ancient script the word עֶבֶד eḇeḏ is pictured as:

Ayin – עֶ

The original pictograph for this letter is which pictures an ‘eye’ 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 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!

A true servant fixes their eyes on the Prince and Perfector of our faith, יהושע Messiah, and gives proper thanks through joyful obedience.

We are to serve with ‘gladness’! The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘gladness’ is שִׂמְחָה simḥah – Strong’s H8057 which means, ‘joy, gladness, delight, festival, pleasure’, and comes from the root שָׂמַח samaḥ – Strong’s H8055 and means, ‘to rejoice, be glad, be joyful, delight in and be elated’, and can also carry the meaning ‘to brighten up’, giving us the picture how we are to carry His joy as the light of the world and let praise and rejoicing abound!

In the ancient pictographic script this word שִׂמְחָה simḥah – Strong’s H8057 looks like this:

Shin – שָׂ:

This is the letter ‘shin’ which in the ancient script is pictured as, , which is ‘two front teeth’ and carries the meaning of ‘sharp or press, chew or devour’; which is what the teeth do, and also speaks of the sharpened word that comes forth from the mouth, as the teeth ‘chew’ or ‘meditate’ on the Truth, making what comes forth pure and sharp! It also carries the understanding of consuming or destroying – as teeth do to food. This can give us the meaning of WORD or Words.

Mem – מַ:

The ancient script has this letter as and is pictured as ‘water’, and also carries the meaning of ‘chaos’ (from the storms of the sea) and can also picture that which is mighty or massive as well as the unknown. We are also able to understand this letter as representing the nations, for the nations are often likened to the seas in Scripture. This also carries for us the picture of washing, as we understand the function of water being that which cleanses us and sustains us, showing us how we are washed and sustained by the Living Waters of the Word! This letter also can represent any liquid, especially blood!

Ḥet – ח:

The ancient script has this letter as which is a ‘tent wall’, and carries a meaning of ‘SEPARATION’, as a tent wall separates two halves of the tent; or it can also reflect the outside walls that separate the people inside from that which is outside and so can also symbolise protection and security to those inside, while picturing a cutting off of those who are outside. Hence this letter can mean ‘established, secure’ as well as ‘cut off, separated from’. As a tent wall we are also able to recognise the picture of stones being built up to make a complete wall, having been separated from the world and built up in the master!

Hey – ה:

The ancient script has this letter pictured as , which is ‘a man standing with his arms raised out’. The meaning of the letter is “behold, look, breath, sigh and reveal or revelation”; from the idea of revealing a great sight by pointing it out. It also carries for us the meaning of surrender, as we lift up our hands and submit to יהוה as we lift our hands in praise, declaring His authority under which we humbly submit!

When looking at this word in its pictographic form, in terms of our command to rejoice, we are able to see why we are able to rejoice as we recognise the following:

BEHOLD, THE WORD THAT WASHES US HAS SEPARATED US AND SECURED US AND IS TO BE PRAISED!

This is a clear reason to serve with gladness, for as long as we allow the Word to wash us and keep us clean, we are able to confidently make our boast in Elohim, whom we give continual thanks and praise to with much gladness, as we are built up as living stones in the Master; living stones that offer up our lives as a daily living offering with rejoicing praise and obedient thanksgiving!

We are further told that we are to come into His presence with singing, which could be literally rendered as ‘come before His face with singing’. The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘singing’ is the noun רְנָנָה renanah – Strong’s H7445 which means, ‘a ringing cry, a joyful shout, triumphing’, and this word comes from the primitive root verb רָנַן ranan – Strong’s H7442 which means, ‘to overcome, cry out, shout for joy, give a ringing cry, sing aloud’.

So far, in this psalm of thanksgiving, we are able to clearly see that giving thanks is not a silent affair, nor is it an undercover mission as true thanksgiving expresses a bold boasting in the Master, done with jubilant song and praise that is brought forth from a place of uncompromised set-apartness!

There are many people who will make a great sound and noise of an assumed praise and thanks unto Elohim while their lives are riddled with compromise! Perhaps it is with this thought that we are able to grasp a better understanding of the words of Sha’ul in his letter to the Corinthians:

Qorintiyim Aleph/1 Corinthians 13:1 “If I speak with the tongues of men and of messengers, but do not have love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”

In this chapter of his letter Sha’ul expands on what love is and we know that love for Elohim is to guard to do His commands:

Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 5:2-3 “By this we know that we love the children of Elohim, when we love Elohim and guard His commands. 3 For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands, and His commands are not heavy”

There are many today who are ‘making a big noise’ of an assumed boast in Elohim while they neglect to guard and do His commands, revealing that they actually do not love Elohim and despite their songs and praise beings made very loud before many, they are simply a clanging symbol that is not pleasing to Elohim at all, as they clearly show that they do not know Elohim, for we are also told in:

Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 2:3-4 “And by this we know that we know Him, if we guard His commands. 4 The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus said יהוה , “Let not the wise boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty boast in his might, nor let the rich boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am יהוה , doing kindness, right-ruling, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” declares יהוה .”

Our ability to make a proper boast and praise of Elohim entails that we know Him and love Him, by guarding His commands, for then a proper thanksgiving can be rendered!

Here in Tehillah/Psalm 100:3 we are further told that we are to know that יהוה, He is Elohim and that we are the sheep of His pasture, for He is our Good Shepherd (Tehillah/Psalm 23).

The Hebrew root word used here for ‘know’ is יָדַע yaḏa – Strong’s H3045 and means ‘to acknowledge, clearly understand, to perceive, distinguish and discern’ and implies the ability to respond to and recognise the Master’s voice and this verb can also render the ability to know by experience. As we consider this Hebrew word, you may have noticed that this word has the same phonetic sound of the word we have already discussed – יָדָה yaḏah – Strong’s H3034. The difference between the two root words is seen in the last letter. The root word that means ‘know’ – יָדַע yaḏa – is spelt with a ‘yod’ (יָ), dalet (דַ) and ayin (ע), while the root word for ‘confess, give thanks’ – יָדָה yaḏah – is spelt with a ‘yod’ (יָ), dalet (דָ) and ayin (ה). While this may seem insignificant to some I find this a great reflection of the clear truth that only those who ‘know’ יהוה are able to properly ‘give Him thanks’ and ‘confess his Name’ with joyful and obedient thanksgiving.

Many may claim to know Elohim while they are clearly not known by Him, simply because they are disobedient and unable to give proper thanks in all!

In verse 4 we are told to enter His gates with thanksgiving! This carries great insight for us, especially as we understand the design and pattern of His Tabernacle and recognise that there is only one way into His presence, and that is to come through the Door! Our Good Shepherd, יהושע Messiah is The Door.

The Hebrew word for ‘gates’ is שַׁעַר sha’ar – Strong’s H8179 meaning, ‘gate, door, entrance’ which comes from the root verb שָׁעַר sha’ar – Strong’s H8176 which means, ‘to think, split open, reason out, calculate, reckon, estimate’; and we must recognise that it was commonly understood that the ‘gates’ of a city was where right-ruling and justice was proclaimed and carried out before all! As we consider how His commands are to be written on our doorposts we recognise that in our ability to come in and go out we are to be constantly reminded on the clear need to guard His commands! Anyone who does not guard His commands will not get access into His kingdom; hence our ability to properly enter in with thanksgiving entails our complete obedience as true servants of the Most High! As mentioned, the word which we are looking more closely at in this message – תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 – is translated here in verse 4 as thanksgiving! The Hebrew word translated as ‘praise’ in Tehillah/Psalm 100:4 is תְּהִלָּה tehillah Strong’s H8416 means, ‘praise, or a song of praise’ and comes from the word הָלַל halal Strong’s H1984 which means, ‘to shine; to be boastful; to be clear; to make a show; to rave; be foolish; to celebrate; praise, cheer, brag or extol, i.e., extol the greatness or excellence of a person, object or event’.

This Tehillah/Psalm 100 is a clear call for true thanksgiving, which entails a proper service of obedience to His commands along with jubilant praise and song. I would like to highlight a few verses where we see this word תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 being used.

This word תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 is used 32 times in 30 verses in the Tanak (O.T.) and as we take a closer look at a few of these we are able to grow in our understanding of what true thanksgiving toward Elohim entails.

The first time that this word is used is in:

Wayyiqra/Leviticus 7:11-12 “And this is the Torah of the slaughtering of peace offerings which is brought to יהוה: 12 ‘If he brings it for a thanksgiving, then he shall bring with the slaughtering of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened thin cakes anointed with oil, or cakes of finely blended flour mixed with oil.”

In the above passage we see that the Hebrew word תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 is used twice in verse 12 and is translated as ‘thanksgiving’. This is the Torah for any peace offerings that are brought with thanksgiving.

Wayyiqra/Leviticus 22:29 “And when you slaughter a slaughtering of thanksgiving to יהוה, slaughter it for your acceptance.”

In the next example we see the word תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 being translated as ‘make confession’:

Yehoshua/Joshua 7:19 “Then Yehoshua said to Aḵan, “My son, now give esteem to יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, and make confession to Him. And please declare to me what you have done, do not hide it from me.”

Aḵan had sinned and had to make confession to יהוה and acknowledge his disobedience, which cannot be hidden from Elohim! Aḵan was made to confess before all and faced death for his disobedience and through his example we are able to learn a great lesson in regards to proper confession before it is too late! Aḵan tried to hide his sin and was caught and made to confess before Elohim and the rest of the people.

Mishlĕ/Proverbs 28:13 “He who hides his transgressions does not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them finds compassion.”

Aḵan was too late, for he tried to hide his transgression instead of openly confessing and forsaking his transgression in order to find compassion and as a result he stood before Elohim and was judged! Everyone will stand before the Master and have to give an account and make confession before Him. Those who do not hide their transgression and confesses and forsakes them before the Master, while they can, will find compassion as he is interceding for us as High Priest in the Heavenly Tabernacle. When He comes to fetch His Bride and comes out of the Most Set-Apart Place on Yom Kippur , He will take off His priestly garments and put on His Kingly Robes and when this happens there will be no more intercession for those who have hidden their transgression. We have the sure promise that if we confess He will forgive!

Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is trustworthy and righteous to forgive us the sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

True thanksgiving and proper confession requires our ability to seek Elohim while He is to be found and forsake all unrighteousness as we pursue complete set-apartness!

The next verse I would like to highlight is:

Ezra 10:11 “And now, make confession to יהוה Elohim of your fathers, and do His desire, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.”

Some of the men had taken foreign wives and were called to make confession to יהוה for transgressing against Him. From the words given to us here in this verse we are able to learn a great lesson in terms of true confession. We are not to simply just say sorry and acknowledge our transgression yet not change! There is a clear pattern contained in this verse which can be understood as follows: 1) make confession – that is acknowledging your wrongdoings to our Master and Elohim and then 2) do His desire and 3) separate yourselves! True confession entails a proper doing of the Word of Elohim by pursuing set-apartness! Just saying sorry because you got caught and not changing your compromised lifestyle will not be enough! True confession involves a forsaking of unrighteousness and a proper pursuit and seeking of His Righteousness and Kingdom! His desire is our set-apartness, which can only happen when we acknowledge our transgressions to Him, turn away from sin and do walk in His Word!

In the next verse that I would like to highlight we see the word תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 being used in a clear rebuke being given for hypocrisy:

Amos 4.5 “And burn an offering of thanksgiving with leaven, proclaim voluntary offerings, loudly. For you have loved this, you children of Yisra’ĕl!” declares the Master יהוה.”

This chapter in Amos carries a severe rebuke for a backsliding Yisra’ĕl and here יהוה entices them to continue in their hypocrisy and wicked ways and see how far they will get! When we read these words we must be reminded that no leaven may be in any burnt offering to יהוה:

Wayyiqra/Leviticus 2:11 “No grain offering which you bring to יהוה is made with leaven, for you do not burn any leaven or any honey in an offering to יהוה made by fire.”

No thanksgiving offering could be burnt with leaven!!! Leaven is often used as a picture of sin and what we can learn from this is that as long as there is any sin or compromise in our lives we are not able to properly bring an offering of thanksgiving!

We are told in:

Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 13:15 “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a slaughter offering of praise to Elohim, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.”

The Greek word that is translated here as ‘praise’ is αἴνεσις ainesis – Strong’s G133 which means, ‘praise, thank offering’, and this is the word that is used in the LXX (Septuagint – Greek translation of the Tanak (O.T.)) for ‘thanksgiving’ in:

I hope you can see the clear connection in regards to what I am highlighting in this message on giving thanks! We are called to continually offer up a slaughter offering of praise. The Greek word that is translated in Ibrim/Hebrew 13:15 as ‘giving thanks’ is ὁμολογέω homologeō – Strong’s G3670 and means ‘to acknowledge, admit, to confess, i.e. to admit or declare one’s self guilty of what one is accused of’ and also means ‘to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with’.

This ‘giving thanks’ to His Name is a clear picture of words that involve an intense action of acknowledging the True Name that saves, having confessed our sin and guilt and profess our worship of the One who saves us, and showing this through both our words and actions.

We are to praise the Name of יהושע, our Master and Elohim, יהוה who saves us! We proclaim, make mention, acknowledge, make our boast in and extol His great Name; in prayer and in the offering of a continual praise – a praise that is in sync with an uncompromised life of complete set-apartness, as we walk in righteousness and guard His commands! In speaking of many unruly men, senseless talkers and deceivers, who teach what they should not teach for filthy gain, Sha’ul tells Titos in:

Titos/Titus 1:16 “They profess to know Elohim, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unfit for any good work.”

Many false teachers claim to know Elohim but their word and work contradict each other – their word confesses Elohim while their work denies Him, rendering the fruit of their lips as bad fruit, revealing that they are tress that will be cut down and thrown into the fire! Having said this of false teachers, we must also be aware that this can be evident in many who are not teachers and who claim to know Elohim, yet by their lawless actions deny Him and His Table!

The offering up of the ‘the fruit of our lips’ is a quotation from Hoshěa/Hosea 14, in the appeal and call for Yisra’ĕl to return to יהוה:

Hoshěa/Hosea 14:2 “Take words with you, and return to יהוה. Say to Him, “Take away all crookedness, and accept what is good, and we render the bulls of our lips.”

The Greek word used in Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 13:15 and in the LXX for Hoshěa/Hosea 14:2 is καρπός karpos – Strong’s G2590 which means, ‘fruit, benefit, gain, harvest, produce’ and typically refers to fruit that has been plucked, rendering the figurative meaning of the labours, works or acts of those who have fitted themselves with every good work unto everlasting life.

The Hebrew word used here in Hoshěa/Hosea 14:2 for ‘bull’ is פַּר par – Strong’s H6499 which means, ‘bull, young bull, steer, heifer’, and in a metaphoric sense in speaks of us bringing our all and our best, offering up all we have, as we make our confession before Him who saves us and proclaim His praise!

Bring the ‘Bull of our lips’ costs us! It costs us our all! It will cost us relationships, and will cost us customs and handed down traditions and inherited comforts of the flesh, yet it will bring about the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by the disciplining of the Word!

In his letter to the believers in Philippi Sha’ul tells us:

Pilipiyim/Philippians 4:6 “Do not worry at all, but in every matter, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to Elohim.”

Our prayers and petitions must be done with thanksgiving, in every matter – once again we see the requirement for thanksgiving to be done in all circumstances and here we are able to highlight that proper prayer and petitions can only be done when there is no leaven or compromise in our lives!

Those who turn their ears away from hearing the Torah are unable to bring proper prayers with thanksgiving!

Mishlĕ/Proverbs 28:9 “He who turns away his ear from hearing the Torah, Even his prayer is an abomination.”

As we consider the requirement of the proper thanksgiving that is called for we must do our utmost to make sure that we are able to bring a continual offering of thanksgiving by ensuring that we guard the commands of Elohim and be set-apart, lest we find that our offering of thanks is rendered as unacceptable!

GIVING THANKS IN ALL IS MORE THAN JUST THE WORDS FROM OUR LIPS!

As we consider the call to praise Elohim with thanksgiving and understand the true meaning of תּוֹדָה toḏah – Strong’s H8426 let us be on guard against any form of hypocrisy that renders a lips service that is not pleasing to Elohim.

Mattithyahu/Matthew 15:7-9 “Hypocrites! Yeshayahu rightly prophesied about you, saying, 8 ‘This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and respect Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 9 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.’”

Marqos/Mark 7:6-8 “And He answering, said to them, “Well did Yeshayahu prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it has been written, ‘This people respect Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 7 And in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.’ 8 “Forsaking the command of Elohim, you hold fast the tradition of men.”

Those who forsake the commands of Elohim and hold fast to vain traditions of men that are taught as teachings are unable to give proper thanks to Elohim!

GIVING THANKS IN ALL IS MORE THAN JUST THE WORDS FROM OUR LIPS!

In Modern Hebrew there is a phrase that is used today when giving much thanks to someone, which is:

רָבָה תּוֹדָה toḏah raḇah and the Hebrew word רָבָה raḇah – Strong’s H7235 means, ‘to be or become much, many or great, abundant’, which renders the meaning of this phrase as, ‘great thanks, much thanks, thank you greatly, thank you very much’.

While this phrase is NOT specifically found in Scripture we recognise the expression as rendering a clear thanksgiving toward another. The question we all must ask ourselves is this – how much thanks am I truly giving to our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah? Am I giving thanks in all? Does my life reflect a pure thanksgiving in all or has compromise and sin caused me to be rendering a vain lip service?

GIVING THANKS IN ALL IS MORE THAN JUST THE WORDS FROM OUR LIPS!

As you continue to meditate on the need to give thanks in all I will close with the verse I opened with:

יהוה bless you and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show favour to you; יהוה lift up His face to and give you shalom!