Genesis 1:1-2
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” We will stop here. There are a few items to point out right away. Please remember this text was written a very long time ago in a language called Hebrew which did not use any vowels to start with. The Hebrew language didn’t get vowels to much later. So, there are sometimes different translations. This being said, the Jewish publication society has another way to translate the Hebrew phrase “Bere’shith”. “When Elohim began to create the heavens and the earth,” I find this interesting in the fact that this would lead the local readers of this text in their time would have in their mind that there was this ball of rock and water already floating around in space and the creator decided to get to work on it. Does this change the story? No… God still created it. But I want you to get used to how we study the bible. We need to take the time to look at the text as it was written for the audience it was written for. The authors of the bible did not think, “I better write this in a way the Jennings clan will understand it in the year 2023. They wrote with the thought of what their readers of their time would understand it. We need to approach study this way. Take the time to investigate various words in the original language. The second point of interest in this first verse is the word that is used for “God”. In the Hebrew language it is “Elohim”. This word is used often in the bible and to the Hebrews this word is used for any being not of this world. This word is used for angles, God, demons, spirts and anything in the spiritual realm. When used for God, it is capitalized. Just keep this in mind as we move forward. Another interesting fact about the word ‘elohim’ is that it is plural. The Jewish people actually believed in a dual Godhead before the second temple period. We will get into this later, but I want it to be floating around in your mind. This word is used more than 2000 times in the bible. This verse just keeps going. The Hebrew word “bara” is used in the Old Testament as a way to describe a divine activity. Meaning that only Yahweh could ‘create’ in this way, not man. So, the writer is using words that his audience would understand and take to heart and fully comprehend what he is driving at. As you can see, we can lose much in our translations of the bible if we don’t take the time to study and understand. Our language sometimes simplifies words where other languages will use various words to describe in detail what one of our words has. A great example of this is our word for love. Our word love can be used in a multitude of variations where the Greek language will use 6 to 7 different words to actually describe various ways to love. One last point on this verse… I know, right? What do we have – 10 words? It’s amazing gang what a little time spent studying can reveal if you just take a moment and reflect. And with all our tech out there, it is so much easier to study this way. The phrase “the heavens and the earth” refers to the entirety of creation. The Old Testament often uses the phrase to refer to a totality. To the reader of this time period there is the earth they live on and everything else – the heavens – a ‘total’. Verse 2: ‘The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.’ So let us tackle this second verse together. How do you, the new reader ‘study’ this verse? Well, first read it as it is. We have a planet that was void and without form. There was darkness – so no light. There were deep places and water. Easy enough, but let’s get a deeper understanding of the text. The word ‘form’ in Hebrew is Tohu and means wilderness, wasteland, emptiness, desert, and nothing. Wow! That is a lot of meaning for one word. But does that not paint an image in your mind? The word void or ‘bohu’ means emptiness and wasteland. So, the writer is really hitting home that the place is inhabitable for human life. A human being could not exist in such a place. The word deep in Hebrew is ‘tehom’ and means flood, deluge, primaeval ocean – the cosmic waters of chaos. This indicates to us that the entire planet is covered by water. Again, the language of the Hebrews often uses this term to once again describe a place that man cannot survive. We will see this terminology used again and again as we move forward. The English translation gave us a pretty good idea that the place was not habitable, but when we study the Hebrew of it, we really get a vivid picture of a planet that this was a place I wouldn’t even think of visiting even if I had all the right gear. Moving on… Now to one of my most favorite Hebrew words – Ruach. Make sure you say it with a little flehm coming up from your throat. Roo – ahk. Your tongue needs to roll the r and then you cough up a loogie…lol. This word in our language is translated as ‘spirit’. Again, I find that our English language is lacking. In Hebrew this word means many awesome things. Ruach means: Yahweh’s essence. His power. It also means wind or mighty wind. It is also referred to as life. So, when we see the word spirit our modern mind drifts to our world view, does it not. You start thinking of Halloween, of ghosts or those behind the grave. We see how the people of this time envision this word as a psalmist writes in Psalms 104:29-30: “When you hide your face (he is speaking about Yahweh), they are dismayed; when you take away their breath (the word is ‘ruach’), they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Spirit (‘ruach’), they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.” The intended readers of this text knew very much what this word meant. It was the breath of life. Without it a living thing dies and with it was the power to bring forth life. It is God’s creative essence – a part of himself. His very personal sustaining power or energy. A breath, a wind, a moving animating force. Now imagine this – paint this picture in your mind. An awesome holy power… the most ethereal glowing form you can think of. The next word helps finish the image. In English the word is hover. In our modern world we might think of a helicopter or a floating ghost. But the word in Hebrew, ‘merahepet’ – means to tremble or flutter. The other times this word is used in the bible is to describe the flight of a bird. Cool. So, we have the most celestial glowing form slowly flapping Its wings over the dark, uninhabitable lump of rock that is covered by water. My mind sees a giant glowing phoenix hovering over the unformed earth. This is Yahweh’s creative power – a piece of Himself ready to act at the great King’s command. Let us re-translate what we have learned in verses one and two: “When Yahweh, the one true living creator God, began to create the heavens and earth (everything), the lump of rock was desolate and inhabitable by any creature. It was void of any light and covered with water. The essence of Yahweh, his creative power, hovered just above the dark waters, awaiting the King’s word to unleash his artistic force.” Well gang, we didn’t get far into the Word, but boy was there a lot to talk about. We have a long way to go, and I hope you y’all will keep with me on this incredible journey. We have a lot to learn together that just opens our mind to Yahweh’s will. Let me leave you with this. Read Genesis just like a novel. Just read it and let Yahweh’s Ruach fill you and expose what he wants you to see the first time around. Then follow along this journey and see why the bible is called the ‘living word’. Until next time.
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So last week we found a lot packed into those 4 verses and I believe there is more and hope you all join in and give your feelings and thoughts. We have David crying out loud to his God, our God. It even say's he uses his 'voice' - so there is action. Check out verse 5....
5. "I cry to you, O Lord; I say, "you are my refuge, my portion in he land of the living." So once more, we have a call to action. The writer, David, let's us know now he is yelling out. Look up the word 'cry'. He knows there is no one else to rely upon. The Lord is the only place he can go for sanctuary in a world that is bearing down upon him. Does this feel familiar to anyone? 6. "Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!" I love David, he brings it all to God. He is expectant of an answer from God. It might not be right that second, as we know he was in those caves for some time, but that did not deter him from asking for action. He is also a man that was not afraid to realize when he was not strong enough to face the dangers in front of him. This is something we all struggle with from time to time. It's okay not to be strong enough - God is! He want's us to call out for help and to lean on Him. 7. "Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me." Notice how he calls his situation 'prison'? We all get trapped in a prison now and then. The evil thoughts that cause fear and allow us not to act when we ought to, that is a form of prison. Cry to the Lord and ask for your release today! David want's to give this glory to God. He can't wait to spread the word of what his God has done for him. He is not looking for the credit, he want's to give the credit to God. There is so much more to unpack in this chapter, so let's start a conversation together. Click the blue comment and post your take on this. Happy Easter everyone! May God bless. A study of Psalm's 142. Right off, we see our Bible give us the introduction to the Psalm. The ESV says "A Maskil of David, when he was in the cave.. A prayer." So we know the setting now. The context of this scripture is given to us before we even read it. This was the time David was hiding from Saul as the King of Israel was trying to hunt him down and kill him because he knew that David was supposed to take ownership of the crown as per the Creator. He is scared. David's life is very much in the Fathers hands at this point. Everyone around him want's him dead. Put yourself in his shoes for a moment. Everyone in small town America has there eyes out for you as per the FBI. You are now enemy number one for no other reason than you will soon take the Presidency because the people love your campaign, but the current President wants to remove you because you will unseat him. What do you do? Who do you turn to? Your life is on the line gang. You are being hunted as an enemy of the state.
So we look at verse 1. " With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord." Let us dig in. Right away the writer is giving a call to action. He is using his 'voice' to 'cry' out. So we now know that David is using his vocal chords to actually talk aloud to God, not a mental thought. The Hebrew word used for 'cry' in this passage is defined as "cry out - call for help - an appeal - a wail." So David is using his God given abilities to literally speak out loud to the Lord. I bring this up because how do you pray? Is it always silent? David is wailing out with his voice to the Lord. Don't be afraid to call out with your speech. God want's to hear you. He want's us to speak to him in voice. Cry out to him with you request. There is power in vocalizing your thoughts to the big man. Verse 2: "I pour out my complaint before Him; I tell my trouble before Him." The Creator want's to hear your troubles. Yes, give Him thanksgivings, but when thing are going sideways, don't be afraid to yell and scream your needs. He is a very large God and can handle your pleas. You can not always express your emotions to another human, however God is always there and will gratefully listen to your screams and pleas. Again, the writer is expressing his very dramatic cry's to the Lord. David was the apple to the Lord's eye. If he can scream and yell to the big guy, so can we. He want's it. Verse 3: "When my spirit faints within me, you know the way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me." I love this. How often has our spirit fainted within us. We can not see the forest from the trees. The sky is falling. Your going to run out of money. Your going to be homeless... all these negative thoughts that can swarm our mind because we either forget the promises of the Lord or we just lack the faith that He will keep them. Matthew 26:26. "Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Amen gang.. keep this verse in the back of your mind when feeling down. The birds sing his praise every day and are well taken care of... your his treasured creation.. you think he is not going to take care of you... come on! Verse 4: "Look to the right and see: There is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul." David is vocalizing his dismay that none on the earth give a dang about him at this moment. He recognizes that God is the only one that cares. He is leaning into his Creator for that needful attachment that we all need. Knowing that we are loved. Sometimes, we just don't get it from the people around us.. that is the point. God gives us the love that we need and we need to learn to be okay with receiving that love from Him, and sometimes from Him only. Your not going to find your affirmation from other humans sometimes.. your joy comes from the creator and doing what he asks you to do. This can be a very hard truth sometimes. Thanks for joining us in this study. Please... post your thoughts, questions and comments. Let's make this a very interactive study were we can all learn from, What is the Spirit telling you about these 4 verses. What questions do you have? Let's make this a place of learning God's truth. |
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