15th of the 9th month 2015/2016
Shabbat Shalom,
Tonight I would like to do something a little different. And by that I mean that I am going to start off by showing you a Hebrew word that is written in the ancient pictographic script, and see if you can identify the letters and recognise what word it is. The word I am talking about looks like this:
Can you identify which letters these are? Remember that Hebrew reads from right to left!
(Time spent with transparency displayed for people to try to recognise each individual letter)
Let me remind you what each picture is and the letter it represents:
This is the letter ‘Beyt’, which is written as בָּ in the Modern Hebrew text of this word we are looking at. This pictographic letter is a picture of ‘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, and represents the Dwelling Place of the Most High, which we are, as we are ‘living stones’ that are being built up in Messiah.
This is the letter ‘Tet’, which is written as ט in the Modern Hebrew text of this word. The original pictograph for this letter is pictured as ‘a container made of wicker or clay’. Containers were a very important item among the nomadic Hebrews. They were used for storing grains and other items. Wicker baskets were used as nets for catching fish. The meaning of this letter is ‘basket, contain, store and clay’. It can also mean ‘surround’ as a basket is used to ‘surround’ something in order for it to be protected and secure.
This is the letter ‘Waw/vav’, which is written as וּ in the Modern Hebrew text of this word. The ancient pictographic form of this letter is pictured as a ‘peg’ or ‘tent peg’ or ‘nail’, 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 a secured object from slipping off. The root meaning of this letter is ‘to add, secure or hook’.
This is the letter ‘Ḥet’, which is written as חַ in the Modern Hebrew text of this word. The ancient pictographic letter is pictured as a ‘tent wall’, and carries a meaning of ‘SEPARATION’, as a tent wall separates two halves of the tent. It can also reflect the outside walls that separate the people inside from that which is outside and can therefore also symbolise protection and security to those who are inside, while picturing ‘a cutting off’ of those who are outside. Hence this letter can mean ‘established, secure’ as well as ‘cut off, or separated from’. As a tent wall we are also able to recognise the picture of stones that are being built up to make a complete wall, having been separated from the world and built up in the Master!
In the Modern text this word that we are looking at looks like this: בָּטוּחַ – and is pronounced as ‘batuaḥ/batuach’.
When we look collectively at these pictographic letters that form this word we are able to glean some valuable insight into the encouraging message that is being given through this word, as the following meaning can be rendered from these pictures:
THE HOUSE OF THE BASKET IS SECURE AND SAFE!
As we recognise the prophetic significance of the Good News of the deliverance that our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah, has brought to us and secured for us in his Blood, in order that we can be built up in Him as living stones. And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, with the full assurance of His complete protection to those who remain in Him, having been called out and separated from darkness and set in His marvellous light. This pictographic rendering, in light of the Good News, can certainly give us great confidence in our Master as we recognise that we are His Dwelling Place, and as clay vessels that are being gathered to Him and added by His mercy, we are able to be firmly established in The Truth!
As we consider the many renderings of confidence and sure protection of the House of Elohim that this word can picture for us, have you any idea what this word is understood and translated as?
The Hebrew word we are looking at – בָּטוּחַ – ‘batuaḥ/batuach’ is a form of the primitive root בָּטַח bataḥ – Strong’s H982 which means, ‘to trust, rely on, feel confident and secure, feel safe, be bold, be secure’.
The verse where we find this word written in this form is from:
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 26:3 “The one steadfast of mind You guard in perfect peace, for he trusts in You.”
This verse really gripped me as I simply meditated on these powerful words of Yeshayahu.
Yeshayahu/Isaiah Chapter 26 is a song that Yeshayahu wrote, and it is a song of praise that will be sung by a restored Yisra’ĕl who has been gathered by our Master and Elohim and taken back to the Promised Land. He tells us clearly in verse 1 that ‘In that Day this song is sung in the land of Yehuḏah…’
This is a clear reference to the Day of יהוה, which is the 7th Millennium when He will come and rule and reign on the earth! After having announced the coming judgement upon all mankind, which he starts writing about from Chapter 24, he described the blessing of deliverance that follows, and here in Chapter 26 he records a song of praise, which features the sure hope of the 1st resurrection of those who are in the Master, with the complete and sure promise that ‘in that Day’ that the destruction of Yisra’ĕl’s enemies and oppressors will result in the deliverance of the true remnant Bride being made complete! In verse 19 there is a call to ‘awake and sing’, and this is a clear call that we see being given repeatedly in Scripture in various forms. It is certainly time for the remnant to wake up and sing! The Hebrew word used for ‘sing’ is רָנַן ranan – Strong’s H7442 which means, ‘to overcome, cry out, shout for joy, give a ringing cry, sing aloud’.
We are to be a people who are willing to give a joyous ringing cry for our wonderful Maker and Creator, clothed continually in garments of righteousness and praise, and always ready to relate the Good News of our Master and Elohim! How eager are you to shout aloud the praise of Elohim, and make know His deeds among the earth?
When one’s trust is weakened then the ability to awaken the required energy to praise is often severely hindered, yet those who put their trust in יהוה and make יהוה their trust are blessed and are wide awake with continual praise!
This is what gripped me when reading this verse in this powerful song that shall be sung in the Millennial Reign of our great King! Praise and singing to יהוה is a vital part of any true believers life, and we have many great examples given to us in Scripture of how praise to יהוה is what lead the nation of Yisra’ĕl to many victories. A good example of this is found in the account of when Mo’aḇ and Ammon came against Yehoshaphat to battle. We read in:
Diḇre haYamim Bět/2 Chronicles 20:18-22 “And Yehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Yehuḏah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim fell down before יהוה, to bow themselves before יהוה. 19 And the Lěwites, of the children of the Qehathites and of the children of the Qorḥites stood up to praise יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl with exceedingly loud voice. 20 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Teqowa. And as they went out, Yehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Yehuḏah and you inhabitants of Yerushalayim: Trust in יהוה your Elohim and be steadfast, trust His prophets and prosper.” 21 And after consulting with the people, he appointed those who should sing to יהוה, and who should praise the splendour of set-apartness, as they went out before the army and were saying, “Give thanks to יהוה, for His kindness is everlasting.” 22 And when they began singing and praising, יהוה set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Mo’aḇ, and Mount Sĕʽir, who had come against Yehuḏah, and they were smitten.”
What you will take note of from this passage is the power of singing and praising יהוה, and the need to trust in יהוה and be steadfast. Trust and be steadfast! In the song of Yeshayahu he writes prophetically was will be sung by those who have trusted in יהוה. Let us read it again:
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 26:3 “The one steadfast of mind You guard in perfect peace, for he trusts in You.”
The Hebrew text is written as follows:
יֵצֶר סָמוּךְ תִּצֹּר שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם כִּי בְךָ בָּטוּחַ – ‘yetser samuḥ titsor shalom shalom ki ḇeḵa batuaḥ’ and can be literally translated as:
‘he whose mind is steadfast You keep in perfect peace, because in You he trusts’
The term ‘perfect peace’ is translated from the repetition of the word ‘shalom’. Yeshayahu was picturing himself standing in the redeemed land with the remnant, listening to the people express their thanks to and confidence in יהוה our Saviour! And the true thanks of the reality of the deliverance being made complete for those who are steadfast in mind is expressed in the complete shalom that is experienced by those who trust in יהוה. The Hebrew word שָׁלוֹם shalom – Strong’s H7965 means, ‘wholeness, completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, health, prosperity, well-being, safety, protection’, and is from the primitive root שָׁלֵם shalem – Strong’s H7999 which means, ‘to be complete or sound, rewarded, make full restitution’. The repetition of this word is for emphasis and speaks about the complete and constant peace that abides in the one who is steadfast in mind, all because they trust in יהוה. When we say in a greeting to someone, ‘shalom, shalom’, we are in effect saying, ‘may it be completely well with you’!
The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘steadfast’ is from the primitive root word סָמַךְ samaḵ – Strong’s H5564 which means, ‘to lean, lay, rest, support, uphold, sustain’, and can also carry the meaning, ‘to grab hold of’.
The word that is translated as ‘mind’ is יֵצֶר yetser – Strong’s H3336 which means, ‘imagination, a form, fashioned, framing, purpose’, and basically speaks about the shaping of our thoughts or our intent. Steadfast intentions or steadfast thoughts – that is a ‘sound mind’ is what is being pictured for us here. We are to ‘grab hold of’ His commands and cling to Him in total trust; in order that we do not fall and find ourselves leaning on our own understanding!
The word for ‘steadfast’ – סָמַךְ samaḵ – Strong’s H5564 is also used to describe how the priests were to ‘lay their hands’ on the head of the offerings, as well as when Mosheh laid hands on Yehoshua. It is also used in a negative sense of those who trust in Mitsrayim and lean on the staff of Pharaoh, as their hands will be pierced! This is a vital lesson for us in recognising how we are to not lose the proper grip we have on the Truth, and not try to ‘lean on our own understanding’ or on worldly ways for help. Messiah also warns us that he who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is not fit for the kingdom. This picture of steadfastness in mind is a picture of a true trustworthy servant of Elohim that guards to do His commands and does not let go. The steadfast one is guarded in perfect peace! The Hebrew word that is used here for ‘guard’ is נָצַר natsar – Strong’s H5341 meaning, ‘to keep watch, guard, preserve’ and a derivative of this word is the נֵצֶר netser – Strong’s H5342 meaning, ‘Branch, a sprout, descendant’ which is used as a reference to Messiah:
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 11:1 “And a Rod shall come forth from the stump of Yishai, and a Sprout from his roots shall bear fruit.”
We are warned in Mishlĕ/Proverbs 4:6 to not let go of wisdom, for if we keep hold of wisdom then she will ‘watch over’ us, where the word נָצַר natsar – Strong’s H5341 is translated as ‘watch over’. As ‘branches’ of THE VINE, we are ‘watched over’ by יהוה, and equipped to bear much fruit:
Yoḥanan/John 15:4 “Stay in Me, and I stay in you. As the branch is unable to bear fruit of itself, unless it stays in the vine, so neither you, unless you stay in Me.”
Being ‘watched over’ must cause us to ‘watch over’ that which we have been entrusted with, and that is His Torah that He has written upon our hearts!
As we consider this verse in the song that Yeshayahu said will be sung ‘in that Day’, may we be strengthened in our Master and Elohim to not lose heart nor let our trust be hindered, but with much prayer and thanksgiving make our requests known to Him, as Sha’ul tells us in:
Pilipiyim/Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not worry at all, but in every matter, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to Elohim. 7 And the peace of Elohim, which surpasses all understanding, shall guard your hearts and minds through Messiah יהושע.”
THE STEADFAST HAVE PEACE FOR THEY TRUST IN יהוה!
As we consider the need to trust יהוה being vital and understand how we can trust יהוה, knowing that we are His Dwelling Place being built up in the Master, we must be steadfast in our minds of recognising that we have this treasure in clay vessels and have been securely separated, doing our utmost to pursue apartness, for without apartness no one will see Elohim!
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.”
What is ‘trust’? According to various dictionaries it can be best described as:
Trust is the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something. It is a dependence upon one, or one in which confidence is placed. It is the confidence, reliance and resting of the mind in the integrity/friendship of another person.
When you make the bold statement that you ‘trust in יהוה’, do you really mean it? Or do you allow doubts and fears to come and cause you to waver in your ability to fully trust – especially when things do not seem to go your way?
Pure trust in יהוה results in the blessing of being stable and unshaken by unfavourable circumstances that we may find ourselves in. As Yirmeyahu writes here – when יהוה is your trust you will not get affected by the heat or pressures of life – in other words when the heat is turned up and persecutions are on the rise or difficult circumstances and trials are hitting you from all sides – the true truster in יהוה stands unaffected and is guarded in perfect peace –shalom, shalom!!!
How steadfast is your mind? Let me close with the following verses that teach us the joy of a secure mind and the peace we have in Messiah that should cause us to put our steadfast and complete trust in our Master and Elohim, unto who we sing and exult in the sure expectation of the esteem of Elohim:
Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 4:1-2 “Therefore, since Messiah suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so that he no longer lives the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but according to the desire of Elohim.”
Romiyim/Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, having been declared right by belief, we have peace with Elohim through our Master יהושע Messiah, 2 through whom also we have access by belief into this favour in which we stand, and we exult in the expectation of the esteem of Elohim.”
Tehillah/Psalm 9:10-11 “And those who know Your Name trust in You, for You have not forsaken those who seek You, O יהוה. 11 Sing praises to יהוה, who dwells in Tsiyon! Declare His deeds among the peoples.”
May this pictographic word for ‘trust’ be captured in your mind and continually remind you to be steadfast and trust with the firm assurance of the perfect peace of Elohim being planted in your hearts as you continue to sing and give praise to His great Name!
THE STEADFAST HAVE PEACE FOR THEY TRUST IN יהוה!
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!!!