10th of the 11th month 2014/2015
Shabbat Shalom,
Qorintiyim Aleph/1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Master, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Master.”
Be steadfast and immovable! The Greek word for ‘steadfast’ is ἑδραῖος hedraios – Strong’s G1476 which means, ‘steadfast, firm’, and comes from the word ἕδρα hedra which means, ‘seat, chair, base’, and therefore carries the understanding of being settled and steady. It us used metaphorically in referring to the mind and purpose of a man that is secure and firm!
The Greek word translated as ‘immovable’ is ἀμετακίνητος ametakinētos – Strong’s G277 which comes from two words: 1) – α alpha – Strong’s G1 used as a negative prefix, and 2) – μετακινέω metakineō – Strong’s G3334 which means, ‘to move away, removed’. In recognising that Messiah, having died for us, He has given us the overcoming through Himself and here Sha’ul then urges us to be firm in our position in our Master and not be moved from our steadfast position in our Master and Elohim, The Rock of our deliverance, as we sojourn here as faithful ambassadors of His coming reign! Being steadfast and immovable we are to make sure that we are not only doing what has been commanded but that we are always excelling in doing what has been commanded! To excel in something implies surpassing others and does not just give an average performance, but rather exceeds all standards! With Messiah making clear to us, through His life, death and resurrection, the full proclamation of the Torah and the Prophets, He calls us to a ‘higher standard’ if you will, or rather He calls us to excel still more – and this Sha’ul makes clear as he calls us to do so in:
Tas’loniqim Aleph/1 Thessalonians 4:1 “For the rest then, brothers, we beg you and call upon you in the Master יהושע, that as you received from us how you should walk and to please Elohim, you should excel still more”
We are not to simply just ‘go through the motions’ and try to do just enough to get by, so to speak. We are to excel in our set-apartness and to do so takes great effort and care and a continued stand of a firm and steadfast faith that is not moved by any form of compromise. In a message tonight called, ‘STEADFAST SOJOURNERS ARE NEVER MOVED!’, I want us to be greatly encouraged to keep our feet firmly planted on our Rock and Refuge, our chief cornerstone, יהושע Messiah! To do that I want us to take a look at a Psalm of Dawiḏ, who asks the clear question of who is standing firm! Please turn with me to Tehillah/Psalm 15 (read).
The title of this Tehillah/Psalm is מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד – ‘mizmor l’Dawiḏ’ – A Psalm of Dawiḏ! The name of Dawiḏ – דָּוִד – Strong’s H1732 means, ‘beloved’ and the term used for ‘psalm’ is 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 therefore could literally be rendered as, ‘a melody of the Beloved’.
This Tehillah is a powerful melody of the Beloved King asking a clear question of who is truly standing steadfast and firm on the Rock, and then makes clear the characteristics of what a true steadfast and firm sojourners is – one that is never moved!
As we take a look at some of the key words in this great melody we are able to see some wonderful pictures that we can link up with other texts, in giving us the great encouragement to endure and excel as immovable sojourners, with the full assurance that our Beloved Husband and King is coming for His faithful remnant Bride that has made herself ready!
The first question Dawiḏ asks here is, “Who does sojourn in your tent?” and then he asks, “who does dwell in your set-apart mountain?”. At first glance they may just seem like some very poetic words that sound nice, but there is a great deal more that is being expressed here, which we are able to find as we dig into some of these words contained in these two questions, questions that are still being asked by the clear mirror of the Word of Elohim to us who are sojourning here today! Let us therefore take a closer look at the powerful pictures we are able to uncover from the basis of this melody of the beloved king.
The Hebrew wording for “who does sojourn” is מִי־יָגוּר – ‘miy – yagur’. The question ‘who’ is from the Hebrew word מִי mi – Strong’s H4310 which is an interrogative pronoun of persons meaning, ‘who, what whom, whomsoever’, and so this melody is calling for the true identity of the steadfast, and in the characteristics that are laid out herein, presents a wonderful interrogation of the soul of all who look intently into the mirror of the Word, as this melody lays down some very clear conditions that are given in regards to who it is that will have access into the Reign of Elohim! Many may claim to have access but are they really being steadfast and firm in their daily lives and perfecting the set-apartness of a true remnant Bride!
The Hebrew word translated as ‘sojourn’ is from the primitive root verb גּוּר gur – Strong’s H1481 which means, ‘to sojourn, abide, dwell, reside’, and the noun derived from this and often translated as ‘foreigner’ is גֵּר ger – Strong’s H1616 which means, ‘a sojourner, alien, immigrant, stranger’. Kěpha appeals to us as ‘strangers and pilgrims’ to abstain from fleshly lusts which battle against our life (Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 2:11), and we can only do this when our feet are firmly secure in our Rock and Master. We get a better understanding of this when we look at the this root word in the ancient pictographic form.
The ancient pictographic Hebrew alphabet the word גּוּר gur – Strong’s H1481 looks like this:
Gimel – גּ:
גּ – This is the letter ‘gimel’, which in the ancient script in pictured as – –which is ‘a foot’ and carries the meaning to ‘walk, gather, carry’, as clearly referring to the functions of a foot. It can also give the meaning of ‘a gathering of people’, and we know that ‘feet’ in Hebrew often speaks of one’s walk and ability to keep the feasts of יהוה.
Vav – וּ:
וּ – This is the letter ‘waw’ or ‘vav’ and the ancient pictographic form of this letter is , a peg or ‘tent peg’, which was used for securing or tying the tent or other items. The possibility of it having a Y-shape is to show that it prevents the rope from slipping off. The root meaning of this letter is ‘to add, secure or hook’.
Resh – ר:
ר – This is the letter ‘resh’- which in the ancient script is pictured as – – which is ‘the head of a man’ and carries the meaning of ‘top, beginning, first’, as in being the top of the body or the head of a tribe and the one who rules; and also speaks of possession or inheritance that is decided by the chief.
Looking at this word in terms of understanding our ability to ‘dwell’ as faithful ‘sojourners’, we are able to see that our walk has been secured by our Head and Master, יהושע Messiah.
This picture grouping speaks of ONE WHOSE FEET ARE SECURE IN THE HEAD!
In other words this can clearly represent for us those who are steadfast and immovable, as their feet are set on The Rock of deliverance and are not shaken when the storms come!
Tehillah/Psalm 62:2 “My being finds rest in Elohim alone; from Him is my deliverance. 2 He alone is my rock and my deliverance, my strong tower; I am not greatly shaken.”
Our rest is in our Rock, and as we stay in Him our feet shall not slip!
In the words of a song that Dawiḏ spoke on the day that יהוה delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and the hand of Sha’ul, he says:
Shemuʼěl Bět/2 Samuel 22:37 “You enlarge my step under me, so that my feet shall not slip.” (Also Tehillah/Psalm 18)
The question Dawiḏ is asking יהוה here is one of steadfastness – in what? In dwelling and walking in the tent of Elohim! The Hebrew word used here for ‘tent’ is אֹהֶל ohel – Strong’s H168 which means, ‘tent’ and is symbolic of wilderness life, and this is also the same word used for the Tabernacle. We see this word being used in:
Bemiḏbar/Numbers 24:5 “How good are your tents, O Yaʽaqoḇ, your dwellings, O Yisra’ĕl!”
The Hebrew word used here for ‘tents’ is the plural of the root word אֹהֶל ohel – Strong’s H168 and the root word used here for ‘dwellings’ is from the root word מִשְׁכָּן mishkan – Strong’s H4908 which comes from the root word שָׁכַן shaḵan – Strong’s H7931 which means, ‘to settle down, abide, dwell, establish, make or cause to dwell’. The term מִשְׁכָּן mishkan is used here in the plural sense, and we take note that this is the same word used in the singular for ‘The Tabernacle’. We take note that both these words – אֹהֶל ohel and מִשְׁכָּן mishkan are used for the Tabernacle and there is often the questioned raised of whether one represents the inner part of the Tabernacle while the other the outer, yet this cannot be definitively shown. What we do recognise however is that in the uses of these two words that are collectively used for the Tabernacle, we may be able to see that the אֹהֶל ohel is often the place where man/congregation meets with Elohim; whereas the מִשְׁכָּן mishkan may be likened to the expression of Elohim dwelling amidst the nation of Yisra’ĕl.
What we can possibly understand in these two words is that the אֹהֶל ohel pictures our sojourning here, as ‘in the tents of Ya’aqoḇ’, and how we have been given the Appointed Times/Feasts of יהוה for us to come and meet with Him, in the Tent of Appointment; whereas the מִשְׁכָּן mishkan pictures for us the fullness of the Dwelling of Elohim in our midst, when He shall come and be with us forever, and we shall be made to dwell with Him forever!
Dawiḏ is therefore asking first up, who is steadfast in sojourning in our Master – by the proper keeping of His Appointed Times, and in asking this question of stability and steadfastness we can also ask the opposite question of, ‘whose feet are slipping from obedience?’, or ‘who is neglecting to keep the Sabbaths and Feasts of יהוה?’. Who is perfecting set-apartness? In Dawiḏ’s second question he asks, ‘who does dwell in your set-apart mountain?’.
The Hebrew word used here for ‘dwell’ is not גּוּר gur, as in the first question, but is the root word שָׁכַן shaḵan – Strong’s H7931 which means, ‘to settle down, abide, dwell, establish, make or cause to dwell’, which I have already mentioned, from which the word מִשְׁכָּן mishkan – Strong’s H4908 is derived!
Notice the change in the two questions – first he asks יהוה who does dwell in His tent, while in the second he asks יהוה who shall dwell in His mountain! A tent and then a mountain! Tent speaks of temporal dwelling, as we sojourn here, while a mountain speaks of a permanence, where our Rock will dwell in our midst forever!
Shemoth/Exodus 29:45-46 “And I shall dwell in the midst of the children of Yisra’ĕl and shall be their Elohim. 46 “And they shall know that I am יהוה their Elohim, who brought them up out of the land of Mitsrayim, to dwell in their midst. I am יהוה their Elohim.”
The Hebrew word used twice here for ‘dwell’ is שָׁכַן shaḵan – Strong’s H7931, and we see this word used 3 times in Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 7 as we see the clear words of our Master and Elohim laying down the clear and specific requirements that must be met before He will come and dwell in our midst forever:
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 7:3 “Thus said יהוה of hosts, the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, “Make your ways and your deeds good, then I let you dwell in this place.”
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 7:7 “then I shall let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.”
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 7:12 “But go now to My place at Shiloh, where I set My Name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of My people Yisra’ĕl.”
The reason I am mentioning these verses is to highlight our need to excel in our set-apartness in order that we may find ourselves having a permanent dwelling with our Master and Elohim! Our ways and deeds must be made good, which means that our walk and actions must be amended to walk in and do righteousness, exercise right-ruling and not walk after other mighty ones! In Verse 12 the word translated as ‘set’ is שָׁכַן shaḵan – Strong’s H7931, and in seeing that Shiloh is the place where יהוה set His Name at the first, we can get a greater insight in understanding and breaking open the melody of Dawiḏ! שִׁלֹה Shiloh – Strong’s H7887 means, ‘place of rest’, and was a city in Ephrayim and was the temporary home of the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle/Tent of Appointment. Understanding that Shiloh means place of rest, we can see how this further stresses that there still remains an entering into His rest for all the people of Elohim; yet those who are disobedient and lawless shall never enter His rest!
The first times that we see the word שִׁלֹה Shiloh – Strong’s H7887 being used in Scripture in reference to the place in Ephrayim is in Yehoshua/Joshua 18. Let us look at the first 3 verses of this chapter in Yehoshua:
Yehoshua/Joshua 18:1-3 “And all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl assembled at Shiloh, and they let the Tent of Appointment dwell there. And the land was subdued before them. 2 And seven tribes were left among the children of Yisra’ĕl who had not yet shared their inheritance. 3 So Yehoshua said to the children of Yisra’ĕl, “Till when are you going to fail to go in and possess the land which יהוה Elohim of your fathers has given you?”
Shiloh became the new home for the Tent of Appointment (ohel), instead of Gilgal. This is also the first time that the term אֹהֶל ohel – Strong’s H168 is used in the Book of Yehoshua/Joshua. Although we must understand that the Tent of Appointment would have been put up in Gilgal. Here in this verse we see the first use of the Hebrew word שָׁכַן shaḵan – Strong’s H7931 in this Book of Yehoshua/Joshua. Here the Tent of Appointment was ‘set up’ and signified a permanence, as the Tent of Appointment would remain here in Shiloh for 400 years, until Dawiḏ would come and move it to Yerushalayim! I find this a very interesting picture that is being presented to us within the pages of Scripture, as many would perhaps overlook this vital lesson that we see here. 400 years is a very long time for the Tent of Appointment to be at Shiloh, so what can we glean from this? Yehoshua here shadow pictures for us יהושע Messiah who leads us into His rest – at Shiloh were His Tent of Appointment remains for 400 years. 400 years is a significant number for us to consider as we see the words יהוה spoke to Aḇram, in:
Berěshith/Genesis 15:13 “And He said to Aḇram, “Know for certain that your seed are to be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years.”
400 years can clearly symbolise for us, according to Scriptural accounts, a period of affliction, whereby we need to excel in our steadfast commitment to perfecting our set-apartness, as we sojourn here as faithful ambassadors of the coming reign of Elohim, having the full assurance of His dwelling in our midst to be fulfilled when He comes again and takes us to His mountain. For now we are to ensure that we guard His Appointed Times and recognise that there still remains a entering into His rest and a proper Sabbath keeping for the people of Elohim. We are now called to ‘sojourn’ – that is to ‘dwell’ – גּוּר gur – Strong’s H1481 – keeping our feet secure in the Head, in His Tent – His אֹהֶל ohel – Strong’s H168, until He comes again and takes us to Yerushalayim where He will ‘dwell’ – שָׁכַן shaḵan – Strong’s H7931 with us and makes His מִשְׁכָּן mishkan – Strong’s H4908 – His ‘dwelling’ here with us forever! In the context of what we are discussing, Yehoshua pictures for us Messiah’s first coming – as a servant who would deliver us from bondage and cause us to enter into His rest and sojourn in Him amidst a time of affliction, and establish our walk in Him, securing our steps as we stay in Him, our Head, and keep His Sabbaths and Feasts, learning to hear His clear and wonderful voice!
Dawiḏ represents for us Messiah’s second coming – as our Beloved King who shall come and take us to His Set-Apart Mountain!
שִׁלֹה Shiloh – Strong’s H7887, as I mentioned, was a city in Ephrayim, and as we know in Scripture Ephrayim is often used as a metaphor for the House of Yisra’ĕl – the scattered tribes. יהושע Messiah made it clear when He came in the flesh that He had only come for the lost sheep of Yisra’ĕl, and so Elohim pitched His Tent among us at His first coming:
Yoḥanan/John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and pitched His tent among us, and we saw His esteem, esteem as of an only brought-forth of a father, complete in favour and truth.”
As the remnant return – that of Ephrayim amongst whom the Tent of Elohim was pitched, we are able to faithfully enter into His rest as we walk steadfast and firm in His Torah and guard to keep His Appointed Times with joy as we excel in our set-apartness, which is His desire! With His tent pitched in Ephrayim, we take note that it will be the House of Yehuḏah that will come to the House of Yisra’ĕl and be gathered together in His tent that He will come and take to Yerushalayim and make His permanent dwelling with us!
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 3:18 “In those days the house of Yehuḏah shall go to the house of Yisra’ĕl, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers.”
This is a very encouraging, yet sobering reality – and that is that while many today will find themselves running to the Yehuḏim (Jews) for answers, thinking that they have the knowledge of the Set-Apart one, what we must realise is that the answers are with us!!! Messiah has pitched His tent in our midst and The House of Yehuḏah need to know Messiah and His Voice, which we have, and we need to be ready to receive the returning Yehuḏim, and make known to them that יהוה, our Elohim and Rock of our Deliverance, has pitched His tent in our midst and given us His Spirit as a pledge of our inheritance, and that we can walk in Him and stay in Him and be steadfast sojourners that are never moved!
What is also worth noting is that the word שִׁלֹה Shiloh – Strong’s H7887 is used in Scripture as a noun and proper location, and is related to the noun שִׁילֹה Shiloh – Strong’s H7886 which means, ‘he who it is, that which belongs to him, tranquil’, and is used only once as a reference to Messiah in:
Berěshith/Genesis 49:10 “The sceptre shall not turn aside from Yehuḏah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to Him is the obedience of peoples.”
You will notice that the term שִׁילֹה Shiloh – Strong’s H7886 as a prophetic reference to Messiah, has an extra letter in this word compared to the place שִׁלֹה Shiloh – Strong’s H7887, which is the letter ‘yod’ (י), used in the word which is prophetically used as a reference to Messiah. In the ancient script this letter is pictured as 
, which is the picture of an arm and hand and represents the meaning of ‘work, throw’, which are the functions of the arm and hand, and clearly shadow pictures for us the outstretched Arm and Hand of Elohim that would come and pitch His tent among us and work deliverance for us, and cause us to enter into His Rest!
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 53:1 “Who has believed our report? And to whom was the arm of יהוה revealed?”
In Yoḥanan/John 12:38 this text is quoted in referencing how many did not believe in Messiah, even though he did many signs before them! Messiah is שִׁילֹה Shiloh – Strong’s H7886 – the one to whom the sceptre belongs, and when He came and pitched His tent among us, the sceptre was turned aside from Yehuḏah, for שִׁילֹה Shiloh – Strong’s H7886 had now come! Again I reiterate that while Yehuḏah have been blinded in part so that the completeness of the nations can come in (Romiyim/Romans 11:25), we recognise that it is us to whom the Arm of elohim has been revealed that have the Truth in our midst! In Berěshith/Genesis 48:19 we are told in the blessing that Ya’aqoḇ gave Ephrayim was that his seed would become the completeness of the nations! Why I am highlighting this is to clearly show that it is we, Ephrayim, that the arm of Elohim has been revealed and we have His Tent אֹהֶל ohel – Strong’s H168 among us, where we can enter into His rest as we guard and keep His Sabbaths and Appointed Times, and we do not need to run to the ‘blinded’ Yehuḏim (Jews) for knowledge. We must be ready to receive Yehuḏah and teach them who שִׁילֹה Shiloh – Strong’s H7886 is, so that they too, as natural olive branches) can enter into His rest and be grafted back in to the Covenants of promise.
As we look at the text in Yehoshua/Joshua 18 we see in verse 2 that not all the tribes had been assigned their inheritance. In fact 7 tribes had not yet received their allotted inheritance, and in Scripture we take note that the number 7 is often understood in symbolising completion. What we see here is the clear picture that the 12 tribes (13 in fact) had not yet fully inherited their allotment and this pictures for us a kingdom that was not yet complete, therefore יהוה could not yet fully dwell in their midst until everything that had defiled the land had been removed. This is a clear picture of Bride that is not yet ready, and is not a Bride without spot or blemish! The time has come for the Bride to get cleaned up so that our Husband and King can come for a ready and complete Bride!
In verse 3 of Yehoshua/Joshua 18 he basically asks the question that needs to be asked to many today, “How long are you going to fail at getting ready?” When Dawiḏ asks, “Who does sojourn in your tent?”, he is basically asking the same question to all of us today, as we look intently into the mirror of the Word! Who is really getting ready and who is procrastinating? The second question of who dwells in the set-apart mountain is obvious – those who have been steadfast sojourners that are never moved! So who are they?
The answer is clearly revealed in the rest of this Tehillah/Psalm 15.
The one who walks blamelessly!
We know that the Hebrew word for ‘walk’ is הָלַךְ halaḵ – Strong’s H1980 which carries the meaning, ‘to walk, to live, manner of life, cause to live’ and literally speaks of how one lives, and the word translated as ‘blamelessly’ is תָּמִים tamiym – Strong’s H8549 meaning, ‘complete, whole, sound, perfect, without blemish, blameless’, and comes from the primitive root word תָּמַם tamam – Strong’s H8552 meaning, ‘to be complete, to be finished, be at an end’. This term can also have the meaning, ‘to be upright, totally obedient, to finish what was started and have a constant obedience.
The one who does righteousness!
The Hebrew word for ‘does’ is פָּעַל paal – Strong’s H6466 which means, ‘do, make, accomplish, perform’, and from this root we get the word פֹּעַל poal – Strong’s H6467 which means, ‘doing, deed, work, activity, wages, what you have done’, which is used in reference to our Rock, in:
Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 32:4 “The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are right-ruling, An Ěl of truth and without unrighteousness, Righteous and straight is He.”
Notice that His work is ‘perfect’ – tamiym – Strong’s H8549! Righteous and straight is He! The Hebrew word for ‘righetsouness’ is צֶדֶק tseḏeq – Strong’s H6664 which means, ‘righteous, just, righteousness’. We are told in:
Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 6:25 “And it is righteousness for us when we guard to do all this command before יהוה our Elohim, as He has commanded us.”
We who stay in Him and גּוּר gur – Strong’s H1481 (sojourn) – having our feet secure in our Head – must too walk blamelessly and do righteousness at all times, never being moved by compromise and sin!
The one who sojourns speaks truth in his heart!
Eph’siyim/Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, having put off the false, speak truth, each one with his neighbour, for we are members of one another.”
Zeḵaryah/Zechariah 8:16 “These are the words you should do: speak the truth to one another, judge with truth and right-ruling for peace in your gates.”
Qolasim/Colossians 3:8-9 “But now, also put off all these: displeasure, wrath, evil, blasphemy, filthy talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have put off the old man with his practices”
Not slandered with his tongue!
What is interesting to take note of here is that the word used for ‘slandered’ here is רָגַל ragal – Strong’s H7270 which is a denominative verb meaning, ‘go on foot, spy out, slander’, and comes from the root word רֶגֶל regel – Strong’s H7272 which means ‘a foot/feet or to walk’. Feet, in Scripture, is often used to describe the path that one walks in and submits to and obeys, and typically speaks of one’s obedience to walking according to the commands of Elohim and obeying His call to keep His feasts as commanded, as we take note that this word is also translated as ‘times’ in:
Shemoth/Exodus 23:14 “Three times in the year you are to observe a festival to Me.”
רָגַל ragal – Strong’s H7270 is used 24 times in Scripture and is mostly used in reference to ‘spying’, and is only used twice in reference to slandering or backbiting. I see this as a great play on words, especially when asking the question of who is walking as they should! Here, slandering with the tongue can picture for us those who are rendering a lip service only! Many will talk the walk but refuse to walk the talk, so to speak!
Mattithyahu/Matthew 15:8 “This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and respect Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.”
To slander with the tongue can speak of many who profess to know Messiah yet He does not know them, and their confession without proper works of set-apartness actually slanders Messiah, by not guarding to walk in His Torah, keep His Sabbaths and Feasts and by not setting their feet firmly upon the Rock!
Dawiḏ goes on and expresses the true steadfast sojourner is one who loves יהוה, and this is seen in how he loves his neighbour, for this one is known by Elohim and knows Elohim:
Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 5:2 “By this we know that we love the children of Elohim, when we love Elohim and guard His commands.”
Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 2:9-10 “The one who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother stays in the light, and there is no stumbling-block in him.”
A true sojourner does not look down on others, and gives great weight to those who fear יהוה. He also does not swear falsely and performs his oaths to יהוה, not changing his mind when it doesn’t suit him anymore. In other words a true steadfast sojourner walks in integrity – something that is often lacking in the body of Messiah today! A true sojourner does not deal shrewdly with money and does not try to cut corners in doing what is required!
The one who stands steadfast in the Master and keeps their feet secure in Him our Head, is never moved!
The Hebrew word translated as ‘moved’ is מוֹט mot – Strong’s H4131 which means, ‘removed, to waver, slip, fall, shake, totter’. We who trust in יהוה shall never be ‘shaken’ and never waver or slip or fall, or even totter as we stand firm in the Truth! Those who are trusting and never shaken shall inherit the earth, while those who waver shall not dwell in the earth.
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 10:30 “The righteous is never shaken, while the wrong shall not dwell in the earth.”
The Hebrew word used here for ‘dwell’ in Mishlĕ/Proverbs 10:30 is שָׁכַן shaḵan – Strong’s H7931, which further confirms that there is no permanent dwelling here for the wrong, while the steadfast sojourners and never moved and will inherit the earth and dwell with our Rock and Mighty Deliverer – יהושע Messiah!!!
What is also worth taking note of in this ‘melody of the Beloved’ given to us in Tehillah/Psalm 15 is that we are able to see a clear picture of us being dressed as faithful sojourners who are armed in the Truth of the Word and serving as a faithful priesthood! From this Tehillah/Psalm we are able to see a couple of aspects or references to clear pictures of how we are to be dressed in service of our King! As we consider the ‘Armour of Elohim’ that we are told to put on and stand fast in, in Eph’siyim/Ephesians 6, we take note that this armour is clearly likened to the priestly garments used in the Tabernacle, which I have spoken of in the past. In this Tehillah/Psalm 15 we are able to see 3 parts of this armour, if you will, and that is ‘the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth and feet of peace’. These 3 aspects are clearly being echoed here in this Tehillah! Why then no sword, shield or helmet? Well this Tehillah is speaking of ‘dwelling’ in the presence of our Master and in is Tabernacle and the helmet, shield and sword are certainly pieces of the armour we are to stand girded in as we sojourn in Him, yet as we enter into His rest and come into His presence we see that the offensive weapons are not needed inside His permanent dwelling, yet we must always be fully dressed in His righteousness and truth and be at rest in Him, filled with His Shalom! This in no way teaches us to not take up the complete armour, for we recognise that Dawiḏ is prophetically speaking of those who will enter the reign of Elohim and go to His set-apart mountain – and it is those who are faithful sojourners here in His tent! As we sojourn and wait expectantly for His soon return we must be clothed in the complete armour! This melody of the beloved is call to set-apartness and reveals the clear reward for those who set themselves apart – a permanent dwelling with our Rock and King!
As we consider this melody of the beloved, and look intently into the mirror of the Word, let me ask you how you are ‘dwelling’? How secure are your feet in יהושע Messiah, our Head? Have you been moved and shaken by afflictions and troubles? Have you been moved from your steadfast position due to compromise when a little heat came your way?
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 17:7-8 “Blessed is the man who trusts in יהוה, and whose trust is יהוה. 8 “For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and does not see when heat comes. And his leaf shall be green, and in the year of drought he is not anxious, nor does he cease from yielding fruit.”
Recognising our need to be faithful and steadfast sojourners that are never moved, I urge you all to be urgent in excelling still more in perfecting set-apartness, as we ‘dwell’ – that is sojourn here as strangers and pilgrims and abstain from fleshly lusts which battle against our life, knowing that our labour in the Master is not in vain, as we faithfully wait for Him to take us to His set-apart mountain!
Kěpha tells us to do our utmost to add to our belief uprightness, to uprightness knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control endurance, to endurance reverence, to reverence brotherly affection, and to brotherly affection love, and he tells us in:
Kěpha Bět/2 Peter 1:10-11 “For this reason, brothers, all the more do your utmost to make firm your calling and choosing, for if you are doing these matters you shall never stumble at all, 11 for in this way an entrance into the everlasting reign of our Master and Saviour יהושע Messiah shall be richly supplied to you.”
STEADFAST SOJOURNERS ARE NEVER MOVED! – HOW SECURE ARE YOU?
יהוה bless you 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!!!