Genesis 1:1 Rediscovered Through the Pictures

Dear Children,

Why do I write to adults while greeting you as children? First, we are all children of GOD. In one of our character building lessons you can read, “Jesus doesn’t have grandchildren. He only has sons and daughters.” Second, we need to have the attitude of a teachable child (Matthew 18:3). Children enjoy hearing their favorite stories over and over again and they remember them easily when they can see also some pictures—don’t you?

A wise man said, “A picture paints a thousand words.” Ask your mom and dad to help you to learn the 22 picture-letters from which the original Scriptures were painted so that you can read the Picture Bible yourself. You can do it just like me. I’m a simple boy like you-perhaps a bit older. But when I discovered that God’s servant Moses wrote the Torah with picture-letters, I felt like a little boy who discovered treasure. In fact, this treasure is the greatest discovery I’ve ever found!

I would like to dedicate this work to my son Filip who was born on July first when I wrote this, and to my second son Adam. My boys are very dear to my heart.

Come with me to this exciting journey to discover the beauty of our Saviour Jesus, in Hebrew called Yashua, through these lovely pictures:

.

Uncle Ludo’s Genesis 1:1

(still developing…)

“Reading the Bible in translation is like kissing your new bride through a veil.” Haim Nachman Bialik (Jewish Poet, 1873-1934)

CONTENT – You can click on any of these seven words of Gen 1:1 and it will jump to their exposition:

Introduction – 1 Bereshyt – 2 Bara – 3 Elohym – 4 ET – 5 Hashamaym – 6 VeET – 7 Haaretz – Summary

INTRODUCTION

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door [or: behind the door, outside, left out, the last place I want to be…], and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.

How could someone translate Genesis 1:1 and leave out the central Person of it all “behind the door”? The Author & Finisher of our faith, First & Last, Alpha & Omega – Aleph-Tav – right in the middle of the verse is left out – not translated!!! Hmm, truly we can confirm the validity of this verse:

2 Corinthians 3:14 But their minds were blinded [mine too]: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [vail] is done away in Christ [the Messiah].

When we allow Christ to be seen as He ought to be, suddenly this very first verse of the Bible will get a new and very profound meaning. Actually, it has the potential to become the pivotal point of your life. Can you believe that? Recently I came across this statement:

We are living in the last days, when error of a most deceptive character is accepted and believed, while truth is discarded. The Lord will hold both ministers and people responsible for the light which shines in our day. God calls upon all who claim to believe present truth, to work diligently in gathering up they may dispel the multitude of errors. This is the Christian’s work. {RH, November 15, 1892 par. 5}

I dare to state that Genesis 1:1 is the core or the framework of the gospel and the rest of the Bible is just its commentary. It just repeats and enlarges upon the basic principles revealed in these seven precious beautiful and profound picture-words… If you learn just them you can go anywhere and they will be there with you, you will see their import behind each daily transaction. It’s so rich!

Let’s see how would it look if we invite Jesus in (Revelation 3:20) – to be SEEN in these first seven picture-letters. He is there for thousands of years and the same amount of time He is simply overlooked:

When God’s servant א Moses wrote the original text, he was inspired by our loving Heavenly Father to use the pictures. There are 22 picture-letters in Hebrew and each represents something tangible from the life around us. These pictures can have a positive or negative accent. Let me give you a little feel of it:

Letter “Shin” is a picture of your and mine two front teeth: which can mean either to consummate – in a very positive, deep intimate sense, spend time together with a person who is dear to us, but also to devour, crush… With our teeth we can enjoy a good healthy meal and thus keep the body in good shape or break down and destroy the “temple of GOD” (1 Cor 3:16-17), as someone said, “we dig our graves with our own forks and knives”.

Let me refer you to the Aleph-Beith where you can learn the meaning of each picture-letter. OK, let me start with the end: Here is how we can read the Genesis 1:1 from the Paleo-Hebrew letter-pictures and below will be the explanation of how I discovered it:

be’rey’shit ba’ra e’lo’him eyt ha’sha’ma’yim we’eyt ha’a’rets

In the top summit of the GODHEAD (ELOHYM)

First&Last (Yashua or Jesus) was dispatched to Serve&Die

by being ultimately nailed between

the Heavens (revealing the ministering and self-sacrificing character of the GODHEAD through their Names)

and

the Earth (representing human clay tablets into which these Names – GOD’s character should be engraved, if we express the desire and willingness to happen so).

Now, GODHEAD (FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT) has many names, which one is the choicest? See my little study – when it will be ready – I will make a link. Let me reveal at least: it is based on Psalm 138:2. “You have exalted

We have to BEHOLD GOD’S CHARACTER – have His NAME written upon our foreheads (Rev 14:1) – because by BEHOLDING Him – His Names (different aspects of His character), we will become like Him. Just like Mary:

Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

What is happening here? Angel Gabriel came down to this Earth – to Mary – and proposed to her a great thing! You can read about it in Lk 1:26-37. Key verse:

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name <JESUS.

< At this point the angel Gabriel and all Heaven with tension are waiting for Mary’s answer. Will she accept the offer? Or she will be afraid and disbelieving? Oh, what a joy in heaven it had to be: she said YES – be it unto me according to thy word. Now the angel flies with great speed back to Heaven and while people in this Earth are sleeping in gross darkness in Mary’s womb silently starts to grow a New Life… The Earth represents us, creatures made out of the dust, soil. GOD wondrously and curiously created us from this earth (Ps 139:15) and on the top, He endowed us with a free will. That’s why He stands outside, knocks and waits for our RESPONSE. So it was with Adam, Abraham, Moses or Mary and so it is with us!

Will you say YES to JESUS? He has a plan also for you! He knocks even now at the door of your heart. How will you respond?

And this also answers how Genesis 1:1 relates to our web site with the main purpose of helping people in their character development. GOD wants to deliver us from the slavery of sin, blindness, and hopelessness of this life, bring us from the Earth to the Heavens, but He needs our active intelligent cooperation from the very day one. Do you see how it links and fits neatly together?

………………………………

I think, now is the time to explain how to read Genesis 1:1 through the pictures of God’s servant א Moses as GOD Himself gave them to him. There are 7 words in this verse, we will go through them one by one:

1: BeRESHYT

(in the beginning) cross arm teeth ox head tent

Introduction – 1 Bereshyt – 2 Bara – 3 Elohym – 4 ET – 5 Hashamaym – 6 VeET – 7 Haaretz – Summary

What pictures do we see here? We read from the left towards the right: TENT, HEAD, OX, TEETH, ARM and CROSS.

Since one picture is worth of thousand words – the message is so deep, that we would need at least a thousand words to express each. There are certain basic rules we need to respect (you might want to Google them out), but there are always more ways to read the message our loving Father hid in these pictures.

Beith is a TENT or FAMILY. When it is at the beginning of some words then it usually means preposition phrase, in this case: “in”.

Resh is the HEAD, but also CHOICEST, THE BEST. In our case I use the term “TOP SUMMIT” based on Strong numbers for this word:

From the Blue Letter Bible:

Strong’s H7225 – re’shiyth רֵאשִׁית

1) first, beginning, best, chief, a) beginning, b) first, c) chief, d) choice part

Root Word (Etymology): From the same as רֹאשׁ (H7218)

Strong’s H7218 – ro’sh רֹאשׁ

1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning

a) head (of man, animals), b) top, tip (of mountain), c) height (of stars), d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest), e) head, front, beginning, f) chief, choicest, best, g) head, division, company, band, h) sum

New Oxford American Dictionary: summit
1 the highest point of a hill or mountain
• figurative the highest attainable level of achievement
2 a meeting between heads [GODHEAD – ELOHYM] of government

Later on, I will show you one of the most tender parables Jesus ever shared with people – the story of the Prodigal Son – how it is seen right in this very first PICTURE-WORD of the BIBLE. Are you curious? Jump straight there: The Prodigal Son.

2: BaRA (created)

When you check the meaning of the word dispatch in English dictionary, you will get profound insight:

dispatch
1. send off to a destination or for a purpose
2. deal with (a task, problem, or opponent) quickly and efficiently: they dispatched the opposition.
3. kill

All three aspects of this word fit the mission of Jesus

1. He was sent down to this planet Earth with a unique purpose: to REVEAL and to RESTORE God’s image in us. He is the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8). I refer you to Lesson #7 “From Glory to Glory”, page 4, 3rd paragraph. Here is just a main thought:

… The plan of salvation was implemented in fullness of time by the sending of the Son of God, on a two-fold mission. What was that two-fold mission?

Number one: He was sent to reveal God’s glory to man.

Number two: He was sent to restore God’s glory in man.

…But my dear friends, He revealed God’s glory to us, that He might restore God’s glory in us. Do I hear an “amen”? Please, understand the purpose of the revelation, was to make possible the restoration; and indeed, the restoration was dependent upon the revelation. Why? Well, only in beholding can we be changed. He had to reveal God’s glory to us so that we could behold it, and thereby, be changed from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18) into the likeness of what we are beholding. Do you see that? If there had not been the revelation , there could be no restoration.

2. Jesus had to deal with a big task – we call it the Great Controversy between Him and Satan. More about it later on. There are six thousand years to deal with all Satan’s accusations and we are at the grand finale – you and I have a privilege to form a Bride (19:7-9) which will represent Jesus in the most critical, most crucial part of this controversy! The dictionary says: “deal with (a task, problem, or opponent) quickly and efficiently” – yes, many wonder: Why does it take so long time? At this place I can refer you to a special chapter dealing with this subject: Why was Sin Permitted? Read especially the closing paragraphs – here is just the essence:

… Had he been immediately blotted out of existence, some would have served God from fear rather than from love. The influence of the deceiver would not have been fully destroyed, nor would the spirit of rebellion have been utterly eradicated. … {PP 42.3}

3. And yes, Jesus was sent to our Earth to be killed and to die for our sins and more than that.

These are the issues the GODHEAD – ELOHYM discussed in their top summit prior to creating this Earth. Listen to this eye-opening insight:

All the heavenly host were summoned [after the private summit of the GODHEAD] to appear before the Father, to have each case determined. Satan unblushingly made known his dissatisfaction that Christ should be preferred before him. He stood up proudly and urged that he should be equal with God, and should be taken into conference [ראשית – re’shiyth – top summit] with the Father and understand His purposes. God informed Satan that to His Son alone He would reveal His secret purposes, and He required all the family in Heaven, even Satan, to yield Him implicit, unquestioned obedience; but that he (Satan) had proved himself unworthy a place in Heaven. Then Satan exultingly pointed to his sympathizers, comprising nearly one half of all the angels, and exclaimed, These are with me! Will you expel these also, and make such a void [תוהו  ובוהו – tohu vavohu Gen 1:2] in Heaven? He then declared that he was prepared to resist the authority of Christ, and to defend his place in Heaven by force of might, strength against strength. {1SP 22.2}

Good angels wept to hear the words of Satan, and his exulting boasts. God declared [ברא – bara’ – cut out] that the rebellious should remain in Heaven no longer. Their high and happy state had been held upon condition of obedience to the law which God had given to govern the high order of intelligences. But no provision had been made to save those who should venture to transgress His law. Satan grew bold in his rebellion, and expressed his contempt of the Creator’s law. This Satan could not bear. He claimed that angels needed no law; but should be left free to follow their own will, which would ever guide them right; that law was a restriction of their liberty, and that to abolish law was one great object of his standing as he did. The condition of the angels he thought needed improvement. Not so the mind of God, who had made laws and exalted them equal to Himself. The happiness of the angelic host consisted in their perfect obedience to law. Each had his special work assigned him; and until Satan rebelled, there had been perfect order and harmonious action in Heaven. Then there was war in Heaven. [Rev 12:7-8] The Son of God, the Prince of Heaven, and His loyal angels, engaged in conflict with the arch rebel and those who united with him. The Son of God and true, loyal angels prevailed; and Satan and his sympathizers were expelled from Heaven. All the heavenly host acknowledged and adored the God of justice. Not a taint of rebellion was left in Heaven. All was again peaceful and harmonious as before. {1SP 22.3}

Angels in Heaven mourned the fate of those who had been their companions in happiness and bliss. Their loss was felt in Heaven. The Father consulted [ראשית – re’shiyth – top summit] Jesus in regard to at once carrying out their purpose to make man to inhabit the earth. He would place man upon probation to test his loyalty [Gen 2:16-17], before he could be rendered eternally secure. If he endured the test wherewith God saw fit to prove him, he should eventually be equal with the angels. He was to have the favor of God, and he was to converse with angels, and they with him. He did not see fit to place them beyond the power of disobedience. {1SP 23.1}

 

Interesting, isn’t it? Right after the fall of Satan, and him being cast out of heaven – “at once” – the GODHEAD is carrying out their purpose, which they decided in their private top summit – the creation of man! But what happened soon after that? Adam & Eve fell into sin. What is Jesus going to do now? Is this catching GODHEAD by surprise or they anticipate such a possibility?

… The instant Adam yielded to Satan’s temptation, and did the very thing which God had said he should not do, Christ, the Son of God, stood between the living and the dead (Num 16:48), saying, “Let the punishment fall on Me. I will stand in man’s place. Give him another trial.” Transgression placed the whole world under the death-sentence. But in heaven there was heard a voice saying, “I have found a ransom.” (Job 33:24) He who knew no sin was made sin for fallen man. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” (Jn 3:16) Christ laid off His royal robe and kingly crown, and gave up His command over all heaven. He clothed His divinity with humanity, that He might bear all the infirmities and endure all the temptations of humanity. He was a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief. He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed. (Is 53:1-12) For our sake He became poor, that through His poverty we might be made rich. (2 Cor 8:9) For us He left the adoration of the angels for the insults and execrations of a mob lashed to madness by the priests and rulers. {BEcho, May 21, 1900 par. 6}

Of course, ELOHYM – GODHEAD is smarter than us. They expected such a possibility, but this was never Their plan or desire to happen. Just like our immune system or our fire departments – they are the best when we don’t need to use them. But when the emergency arises – all of them are ready and take the painstaking action to save us!!! Before the need of salvation would arise, ELOHYM GODHEAD already prepared the solution by dispatching First-Last or Servant-to-be-crucified to be our Saviour who had to be willing to sacrifice Himself for us, His children.

3: ELOHYM (GODHEAD)

Introduction – 1 Bereshyt – 2 Bara – 3 Elohym – 4 ET – 5 Hashamaym – 6 VeET – 7 Haaretz – Summary

EL אל- stands for a strong leader which refers usually to GOD. Suffix “YM” ים would be like like English suffix “s,” which represents plural form. In our case it would be GODS, rather GODHEAD, which we believe is GOD FATHER, GOD SON JESUS and GOD HOLY SPIRIT.

Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

4: ET 

(never translated!)

Here comes the KING! And His position is in what someone would call “Central Axis” in the chiastic structure and you can be more than sure that Genesis 1:1 is in such structure. Later more about that too. I like to picture it as the seven-lamps menorah where the middle one is outstanding. Everything revolves around it! And rightly so!

This is the description of JESUS in the two-picture form: OX and the CROSS . But as you can see in our Aleph-Beith both pictures are very rich and mean much more than that. To make it relevant to the Bible, you read many times about “The First & the Last” (Rev 22:13) or “The Alpha & Omega” (Rev 1:11), “The Author & Finisher” of our faith… (Heb 12:2), Declaring the end from the beginning (Is 46:10). But since the ox is usually very despised, used for ridiculing and used for the hard work with hardly any appreciation – “it just did its duty” – it is a fitting representation of a Servant:

Serve & Die

There is a picture representing a bullock standing between a plow and an altar, [between the heavens & the earth] with the inscription, “Ready for either,” ready to toil in the furrow or to be offered on the altar of sacrifice. This is the position of the true child of God–willing to go where duty calls, to deny self, to sacrifice for the Redeemer’s cause. {MH 502.5}

Jesus was an earnest, constant worker. Never lived there among men another so weighted with responsibilities. Never another carried so heavy a burden of the world’s sorrow and sin. Never another toiled with such self-consuming zeal  for the good of men. Yet His was a life of health. Physically as well as spiritually He was represented by the sacrificial lamb, “without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:19. In body as in soul He was an example of what God designed all humanity to be through obedience to His laws. {MH 51.2}

Nov 23, 2011: Let me add another inside to this precious name:

Here is a mystery we will study throughout the whole eternity:

By coming to dwell with us, Jesus was to revealGod both to men and to angels. He was the Word of God,–God’s thought made audible. In His prayer for His disciples He says, “I have declared unto them Thy name [Thy character – HaShem – ],”–“merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,”–“that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” But not alone for His earthborn children was this revelation given. Our little world is the lesson book of the universe. God’s wonderful purpose of grace, the mystery of redeeming love, is the theme into which “angels desire to look,” and it will be their study throughout endless ages. Both the redeemed and the unfallen beings will find in the cross of Christ their science and their song.

It will be seen that the glory shining in the face of Jesus is the glory of SELF-SACRIFICING LOVE.

In the light from Calvary it will be seen that the Law of self-renouncing Love is the Law of Life for earth and heaven; that the love which “seeketh not her own” has its source in the heart of God; and that in the meek and lowly One is manifested the character of Him who dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto. {DA 19.2}

Now, how significant it is already today for us? I came across a very sobering thought:

When Christ came to our world, Satan was on the ground and disputed every inch of advance in His path from the manger to Calvary. Satan had accused God of requiring self-denial of the angels, when He knew nothing of what it meant Himself, and when He would not Himself make any self-sacrifice for others. This was the accusation that Satan made against God in heaven; and after the evil one was expelled from heaven, he continually charged the Lord with exacting service which He would not render Himself. Christ came to the world to meet these false accusations and to revealthe Father. We cannot conceive of the humiliation He endured in taking our nature upon Himself. Not that in itself it was a disgrace to belong to the human race, but He was the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, and He humbled Himself to become a babe and suffer the wants and woes of mortals. He humbled Himself not to the highest position, to be a man of riches and power, but though He was rich, yet for our sake, He became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. He took step after step in humiliation. He was driven from city to city; for men would not receive the Light of the world. They were perfectly satisfied with their position. {1SM 406.2}

Why did Christ come to this world? My selfish I says: to save me and bring me back to heaven. Certainly, this is true, except that when I will be there, it’s not because I deserve it any way! But much deeper issues are involved beside our salvation from the hurting sinfulness of others, my own selfishness and demonic Satan. As you read the statement above it appears that SELF-DENIAL and SELF-SACRIFICE was required and expected also from angels and even before the sin entered into Satan’s heart. Do you see that?! What is unique to realize: when you love someone and he/she is asking you for a favor or some service, it doesn’t even come upon your mind that you are self-denying yourself. You do it with love even if it costs you something. Better say, because you love that person you give your best, not only some leftovers! (Lk 21:1-4) If this is the way we would love our spouses and people around there would be no divorces and children without parents!

What’s the point? Self-denial and self-sacrifice are the foundation of life eternal!!! Do you like sunny days? Of course, we like pleasant weather. Did you realize that it costs our hot Sun self-consummation? Yes, it burns itself that we can have light, heat, and energy!!!

Back to our JESUS in Gen 1:1 – we miss Him in His rightful position or in the middle of this first message. How can we rightly understand this verse, when we overlook Him? His name ALEPH-TAV – (Alpha & Omega, First & Last, Author & Finisher) actually means: “SERVANT TO BE CRUCIFIED” or “CRUCIFIED SERVANT”. But when you go one step closer to this picture language: ALEPH is OX. And what is OX? OX is castrated BULL.

But is JESUS castrated? No way! He is the Omnipotent “Bull” acting like castrated “Ox”! The Eunuch who has made Himself Eunuch for the kingdom of heaven’s sake! (Mt 19:12)
And why so? He voluntarily gave up His divine powers – even at any moment He is fully capable to use them (like turning the stones into bread: Mt 4:3) – and He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil 2:8) that He can secure my redemption and the restoration of God’s image in me!!! You’ve got to love the LORD like that!
That’s the deepest self-denial we are ever going to see. This is what we will study throughout eternity because here is the inspiration and motivation for our own self-denial. That’s why we need each day to spend a thoughtful hour contemplating about JESUS on the cross!

It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross. {DA 83.4}

John 13:12 So after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I AM. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an EXAMPLE, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Do you see the significance of it? Right in the very first verse of the Bible, you have our “EUNUCH NAILED TO THE CROSS.” This is eternal principle – GOD is constantly giving out of Himself His best and it is only through SELF-CONSUMMATION – just like SUN is self-consummating itself in order to release so much light, heat, and energy. This is the reason why we will study the cross throughout the eternity!

I shared the idea with Pastor Wallace and he wrote me: “When you really understand this truth it appears everywhere in the Bible.”

 

Wow, yes, I start to grasp it. Do you?

If Christ became and is ALEPH – “self-denying Bull” for my sake, is it too much in these last days of Earth’s history to do the same for His sake?

Look at our own Sun, it’s constantly in a fire, self-consuming fire! Thanks to that you can live and feel warm, plants can grow, water circulate…

Actually this morning I was thinking: How close can JESUS come to our planet Earth without consuming it by His glory? I thought: not closer than Sun because if our Sun would come a little closer than the proper distance is we would be burned instantly! Can you imagine how much JESUS had to veil His divinity that people could withstand just His holy Presence while walking on this Earth? By the way, this picture of burning Sun, with the fire all over its surface is a foreshadow of how our Earth will be purified from all residues of sin… Malachi 4:1.

“I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance,” said John; “but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with

< of God’s presence. But wherever men came before God while willfully cherishing evil, they were destroyed. At the second advent of Christ the wicked shall be consumed “with the Spirit of His mouth,” and destroyed “with the brightness of His coming.” 2 Thessalonians 2:8. The light of the glory of God, which imparts life to the righteous, will slay the wicked. {DA 107.4}

Isn’t that a paradox or what? Highly scrupulous religious people, yet hypocritical in their inner being hate JESUS while the sinners which are aware of their misery love to be in the presence of JESUS???

The Pharisees to whom Jesus spoke this warning did not themselves believe the charge they brought against Him. There was not one of those dignitaries but had felt It is not God that blinds the eyes of men or hardens their hearts. He sends them light to correct their errors, and to lead them in safe paths; it is by the rejection of this light that the eyes are blinded and the heart hardened. Often the process is gradual and almost imperceptible.

How sad, how sad! JESUS so loving and caring and yet rejected by most of the people… My heart is broken with His whenever I witness it!

 

Let me add a very special word here: The SABBATH. In Paleo-Hebrew it looks like this:

Now when you know that Shinmeans: teeth, to consummate; Beithrepresents the Father’s Tent – His dwelling place (Ex 25:8, Jn 1:14), His family and the Tavthe sign on the road (as two crossed sticks), cross, memorial or covenant and even seal, how are you going to read the meaning of this word which is used almost in all the languages of the world? How about this?:

After six days of meaningful hard labor (or 6,000 years?), we come back to our Father’s House to sup with Him (Rev 3:20), surrounded by all what the Heaven stands for, to spent the precious time with Him (weekly 24 hours or even the whole millennium – the 7th one-thousand year), with undivided attention to listen to His loving instructions as revealed in Torah and share the blessings He poured upon you in the passing week – remember them all and come to renew our covenant with Him through JESUS whose love is unsurpassable and without parallel! It’s a family circle with all members around the good and healthy meal, no one missing! And we remember the price paid for it! (please read: Lk 22:15-16) Please listen to this song as the Sun comes down Friday evening:

 

………..

Today is May 2, 2012: A new thought came to me:

The Name of our beloved Saviour – Aleph-Tav can be translated also as Self-Giver.

A farmer after the harvest has to divide his grains into two portions: one for his family to be consummated and the second one to “sacrifice” – this is the portion he will have to cast into the ground and let this grain die. But in reality, this only appears to be sacrifice since this “lost” grain is the very one, which will yield fruits in the next harvest. Isn’t that amazing? What we would consider a sacrifice, denying self is in most cases the very same thing, which will preserve us in the long run! This “self-giving” is actually long term self-preservation or the secret of eternal happiness.

One Bible portion comes to mind:

Ecclesiastes 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Self-Giver is not giving some gift but HIMSELF! Always. He is the Bread, He is the Vine, He is the Seed, He is the Word, He is everything for us. You got to love the LORD like that 😉

Often we can see at the Christmas season or birthday children’s eyes light up and fully occupied in unwrapping the gifts their parents prepared for them. These little ones are so immersed into enjoying the gift that many times they forget about the givers themselves. Next time you want to TRAIN UP YOUR CHILD – teach him to learn to have joy from preparing a gift to someone instead of expecting something from others. This way he can become a candidate of heaven where only such attitudes will be allowed to enter.

………..

5: HaSHaMaYM (the Heavens)

Introduction – 1 Bereshyt – 2 Bara – 3 Elohym – 4 ET – 5 Hashamaym – 6 VeET – 7 Haaretz – Summary

First picture-letter in this word is Hey I love very much – see my note in Aleph-Beith at the bottom. At least just one thought from there:

Let the soul be drawn out and upward, that God may grant us a breath of the heavenly atmosphere. We may keep so near to God that in every unexpected trial our thoughts will turn to Him as naturally as the flower turns to the sun. {SC 99.4}

Hey means to breathe and also to behold in order that something can be REVEALED to me or to us! Isn’t this the reason why we look into our Bibles and read GOD’s Word? That something, better say, Somebody, namely JESUS – YASHUA – should be in our own thoughts. Our Bible reading should be always CHRIST centered! Just as we discovered that even the first verse of the Bible is all about JESUS. 😉

Luke says:

Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up , and lift up your heads ; for your redemption draweth nigh.

By beholding the problems (they are surely coming to pass, actually, there are all around us) we become the part of these problems. The only remedy is to obey JESUS’ Words – LIFT UP YOUR HEADS AND LOOK TO HIM FOR SOLUTION.

What is so lovely about this picture is that even today you can see in it a kneeling person with lifted hands towards the heavens, towards the GODHEAD. Next time when you pray (if you feel uncomfortable to do it public, try it when alone with JESUS) lift up your hands, stretch them towards Him like a sunflower! What do you express by that? My hands are empty, in fact, my hands nailed You to the cross… yet only You can help me and I can praise you already now. I don’t know how are You going to solve my problem, but I trust You and believe You and thanks to this I can preserve Your peace in my heart. (Jn 14:27)

This was just the first letter-picture, the suffix “YM” represents the plural – instead of “heaven” it speaks about “heavens”, but now look for the profound surprise: the root of this word is and that’s very important. Why? Enter with me into the depth of it:

What was the name of Noah’s son through whom the Messiah should be born? Yes, SHEM !!!

You might wonder: And what is so special about that? Let me try to answer: you already know that the names are important in the Bible. And why? Because they represent CHARACTER!!! And thus we got back to our main seminar “From Glory to Glory” which is about character building. What is GOD’s character in one word? LOVE – AHAVAH (Pr 17:9; Song 2:4-5; Song 5:8; Song 8:6). How would you characterize us in one word? Selfish! (Rom 3:23)

Next time when you lift up your head and look up towards heaven as a little sunflower – you can realize and ponder upon the thought that all heavens represent GOD who is LOVE. Take a deep breath and be in-spirited – be inspired by what you behold:

The Law of Ministry

All things both in heaven and in earth declare that the great law of life is a law of service.

– The infinite Father ministers to the life of every living thing.

– Christ came to the earth “as He that serveth.” Luke 22:27.

– The angels are “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” Hebrews 1:14.

– The same law of service is written upon all things in nature . The birds of the air, the beasts of the field, the trees of the forest, the leaves, the grass, and the flowers, the sun in the heavens and the stars of light–all have their ministry. Lake and ocean, river and water spring–each takes to give. {Ed 103.2}

As each thing in nature ministers thus to the world’s life, it also secures its own. “Give , and it shall be given unto you” (Luke 6:38), is the lesson written no less surely in nature than in the pages of Holy Writ. {Ed 103.3}

As the hillsides and the plains open a channel for the mountain stream to reach the sea, that which they give is repaid a hundredfold. The stream that goes singing on its way leaves behind its gift of beauty and fruitfulness. Through the fields, bare and brown under the summer’s heat, a line of verdure marks the river’s course; every noble tree, every bud, every blossom, a witness to the recompense God’s grace decrees to all who become its channels to the world. {Ed 103.4}

H8034: – shem

A primitive word an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character: base, [in-] fame [-ous], name (-d), renown, report

Behold the NAMES – Behold the CHARACTER OF GOD – that’s how we can read the term “the heavens”

Look what I have found in the Blue Letter Bible:

The Names of God in the Old Testament

“Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory [is] above the earth and heaven.” Ps 148:13

In the Old Testament times, a name was not only identification but an identity as well. Many times a special meaning was attached to the name. Names had, among other purposes, an explanatory purpose (e.g., Nabal, whose name means “fool,” is the target of Abigail’s explanation to David: “For as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him:” – 1 Sa 25:25). Throughout Scripture, God reveals Himself to us through His names. When we study these names that He reveals to us in the Bible, we will better understand who God really is. The meanings behind God’s names reveal the central personality and nature of the One who bears them. You can read the rest of the article directly on their site.

You can’t fit GOD into one name – that’s why we are encouraged to “BEHOLD the NAMES” as would be the meaning of the word “The Heavens” .

 

And here is the essential cooperative role we are to play and no one can do it in our stead!: Why should we “behold the NAMES” – “behold the character of GOD”, namely the self-sacrificing character of JESUS? The answer can save you from hell and a lot of misery already on this earth: Let me answer by the illustration: classical cameras have a little diaphragm or aperture, which opens just for a fragment of a seconds in order to expose the film by the light… that causes the seen picture to be impressed upon the film and people could enjoy the nice picture thus created.

Definition of the “film”: a thin flexible strip of plastic or other material coated with light-sensitive emulsion for exposure in a camera, used to produce photographs or motion pictures.

GOD is ready to impress upon us His Names – His character, but He will never push Himself in – He knocks (Rev 3:20) and waits until we will be willing to open the door of our heart. Do you see your part in this process? More about that in the seminar “From Glory to Glory” Lesson 2, page 4, par. 3.

One more insight. I was told that this verse:

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD

שמע . יסראל . יהוה . אלהינו . יהוה . אחד

is red each Sabbath in Israel until these days. The word “HEAR” is very important. How does it look in our picture-letters?: Do you see our root there? And what does it mean?

Strong’s H8085 – shama` שָׁמַע

A primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively to tell, etc.): attentively, call (gather) together, carefully, certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear (-ken, tell), indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim (-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, surely, tell, understand, whosoever [heareth], witness.

Ayin – EYE – see, watch, know, experience, shade

From my perspective, these three picture-letters are telling us that we are invited to experience the name – even the glory, which is the character of GOD – in our own lives. But as someone said: you can’t know the beauty of the Sabbath unless you do it yourself. You can read about its rest, it’s benefits, but unless you decide to OBEY and DO what the WORD says it’s only theory. But once you taste and see how good is our LORD (Psalms 34:8) you want more and more of Him.

By the way, the word Sabbath looks like this:

itself means to gather, like in the time of harvest. “Press to the tent.” A place of dwelling as the place returned to. A turning back or away from someone or something. Very meaningful, isn’t it? Each one of us can relate to it – we all need to turn away from the weekly rush and, from all sorts of disturbances, gather together to JESUS, rest for a while. (Mark 6:31) and listen to Him (Luke 10:41-42)

– Like our teeth are gathering to our stomach the food we worked for and prepared it and now enjoy it in loving restful family atmosphere (at least it should be so – maybe you remember from your childhood how our fathers were very picky on us to come to the table with washed hands and in time that we can be as a family together. Those who have such memories value them very much…).

– Like the family is harvesting the fields and gathers the fruits into their barns and houses.

means a sign, cross, covenant, to seal, memorial, monument, mark, signal. In this case, we can read the expression as the time when we come together around the table, enjoy simple Friday evening meal as the sun slowly sets down, recall and share GOD’s blessing throughout the passing week and praise Him for all His goodness. The climax of these recollections should be of course the remembrance of JESUS dying on the cross in our behalf. The heart of the as you can see is the home .

If you wish you can watch and listen to one of Friday songs as the family opens the Sabbath.

6: VeET (and)

Introduction – 1 Bereshyt – 2 Bara – 3 Elohym – 4 ET – 5 Hashamaym – 6 VeET – 7 Haaretz – Summary

Oh, we already know what is – serve and die or Crucified Servant but now we have a new picture in Vav . Vav means a peg, which was used for fixing the tent to the ground, out of it comes the meaning – to secure, to add, “and” which in Hebrew appears as a prefix since it is attached to the word. Like “Ludo andSylvia” 😉
ButVav is not only a peg but also a NAIL and when we see the Servant between the nail and the cross only thing, which can come to our mind is JESUS CRUCIFIED!!!

Bible says:

Matthew 27:26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

Mark 15:32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with Him reviled him.

Luke 24:7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

 

In my Slovak language we have a song:

“Klince nedržali na kríži Ťa viem, ani ľudská zloba, môj Ťa držal hriech…”

“I know it wasn’t the nails that hold You on the cross, neither human malice. What kept You there was my own sin…”

What holds my Saviour at the cross? Now you know. It used to be that whenever people build a village or the city on the highest hill they built a church and on the top of it was placed the cross that the eyes of all living around could see this constant reminder of GOD’s self-sacrificial love and our selfishness which caused JESUS so much pain. To be more clear, whenever we sin we are causing JESUS to suffer again, even now!

When we come back to the idea of “AND” being a “our CONNECTOR to the Heavens”, where “the Earth” represents us, sinful, needy as we are and “the Heavens” represent GODHEAD, order, beauty, eternity and never-ending goodness and bliss we might think about Jesus as the stepping stone back to heavenly home. What we might not like yet it is unavoidable is the concept that in order to be acceptable in heaven we need to experience a miracle of daily re-birth – becoming like Jesus in our spirit. And what is the way? Look at Him and think how does it apply to you and me:

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a SERVANT , and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the CROSS.

For some reason, this term “AND” from the picture-letters becomes very dear to us. From now on whenever you see the word “and” immediately you can think – aha, a gentle reminder about me being connected to my Father through the cruel pain I caused to my Saviour. Here is – worthy to our attention – one more important point: Did Jesus suffered only on the cross for my sins?

It has been shown me that every church among us needs the deep movings of the Spirit of God*. O, we would point men to the cross of Calvary. We would bid them look upon Him whom their sins have pierced. We would bid them to behold the Redeemer of the world suffering the penalty of their transgression of the law of God. The verdict is that “the soul that sinneth it shall die.” [Ezekiel 18:4.] But on the cross the sinner sees the only begotten of the Father, dying in his stead, and giving the transgressor life. All the intelligences in earth and heaven are called upon to what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. (1 Jn 3:1) Every sinner may look and live. Do not survey that scene of Calvary with careless, thoughtless mind. Can it be that angels shall look down upon us, the recipients of God’s love, and see us cold, indifferent, unimpressible, when heaven in amazement beholds the stupendous work of redemption to save a fallen world, and desires to look into the mystery of Calvary’s love and woe? Angels in wonder and amazement look upon those for whom so great salvation has been provided, and marvel that the love of God does not awaken them, and lead them to pour forth melodious strains of gratitude and adoration. But the result which all heaven looks to behold is not seen among those who profess to be followers of Christ. How readily do we speak in endearing words of our friends and relatives, and yet how slow we are to speak of Him whose love has no parallel, set forth in Christ crucified among you. {CE 95.3}
The love of our heavenly Father in the gift of His only begotten Son to the world, is enough to inspire every soul, to melt every hard, loveless heart into contrition and tenderness; and yet shall heavenly intelligences see in those for whom Christ died, insensibility to His love, hardness of heart, and no response of gratitude and affection to the Giver of all good things? Shall affairs of minor importance absorb the whole power of the being, and the love of God meet no return? Shall the Sun of Righteousness shine in vain? In view of what God has done, could His claims be less upon you? {CE 96.1}

“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” The image of His love may be so stamped upon the mind that it can never be effaced. Then Jesus Christ will be so evidently set forth crucified before you that you will be a partaker of the dignity of His suffering. I have such an intense longing that you may look into the heart of this great mystery and find that its interpretation is Love. [1 John 2:24-29, quoted.] {18MR 80.3}

Some have limited views of the atonement. They think that Christ suffered only a small portion of the penalty of the law of God, and that while the wrath of God was felt by his dear Son, they suppose that he had, through all his painful sufferings, the evidence of his Father’s love and acceptance, and that the portals of the tomb before him were illuminated with bright hope. Here is a great mistake. Christ’s keenest anguish was a sense of his Father’s displeasure. His mental agony because of this was of such intensity that man can have but faint conception of it. {ST, August 28, 1879 par. 10}

With many the history of the humiliation and sacrifice of our divine Lord does not stir the soul and affect the life any more, nor awaken deeper interest, than to read of the death of the martyrs of Jesus. Many have suffered death by slow tortures. Others have suffered death by crucifixion. In what does the death of God’s dear Son differ from these? It is true he died upon the cross a most cruel death; yet others for his dear sake have suffered equally, as far as bodily torture is concerned. Why, then, was the suffering of Christ more dreadful than that of other persons who have yielded their lives for his sake? If the sufferings of Christ consisted in physical pain alone, then his death was no more painful than that of some of the martyrs. {ST, August 28, 1879 par. 11}
But bodily pain was only a small part of the agony of God’s dear Son. The sins of the world were upon him, and also the sense of his Father’s wrath as he suffered the penalty of the law. It was these that crushed his divine soul. It was the hiding of his Father’s face, a sense that his own dear Father had forsaken him, which brought despair. The separation that sin makes between God and man was fully realized and keenly felt by the innocent, suffering Man of Calvary. He was oppressed by the powers of darkness. He had not one ray of light to brighten the future. And he was struggling with the power of Satan, who was declaring that Christ was in his hands, and that he was superior in strength to the Son of God, that God had disowned his Son, and that he was no longer in the favor of God any more than himself. If he was indeed still in favor with God, why need he die? God could save him from death. {ST, August 28, 1879 par. 12}
Christ yielded not in the least degree to the torturing foe, even in his bitterest anguish. Legions of evil angels were all about the Son of God, yet the holy angels were bidden not to break their ranks and engage in conflict with the taunting, reviling foe. Heavenly angels were not permitted to minister unto the anguished spirit of the Son of God. It was in this terrible hour of darkness, the face of his Father hidden, legions of evil angels enshrouding him, the sins of the world upon him, that the words were wrenched from his lips, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” {ST, August 28, 1879 par. 13}

The theme of redemption has but just begun to be understood. With our finite comprehension we may consider most earnestly the shame and the glory, the life and the death, the justice and the mercy, that meet in the cross; yet with the utmost stretch of our mental powers we fail to grasp its full significance. The length and the breadth, the depth and the height of redeeming love are but dimly comprehended. The plan of redemption will not be fully understood, even when the ransomed see as they are seen and know as they are known; but through the eternal ages, The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity. In Christ glorified they will behold Christ crucified. Never will it be forgotten that He who could command all the powers of nature, who by a word could summon mighty angels to do his will and execute vengeance upon his enemies,–the beloved of God, the Majesty of Heaven,–submitted to insult, torture, and death, that sinners might be redeemed. That the Maker of all worlds, the Arbiter of all destinies, should lay aside his glory, and humiliate himself from love to man, will ever excite the wonder and admiration of the universe. As the nations of the saved look upon their Redeemer, and behold the eternal glory of the Father shining in his countenance; as they behold his throne, which is from everlasting to everlasting, and know that his kingdom is to have no end, they break forth in rapturous song, “Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by his own most precious blood!” {4SP 468.2}
The mystery of the cross explains all other mysteries. In the light that streams from Calvary, the attributes of God which had filled us with fear and awe appear beautiful and attractive. Mercy, tenderness, and parental love are seen to blend with holiness, justice, and power. While we behold the majesty of his throne, high and lifted up, we see his character in its gracious manifestations, and comprehend, as never before, the significance of that endearing title, our Father. {4SP 469.1}
It will be seen that He who is infinite in wisdom could devise no plan for our salvation except the sacrifice of his Son. The compensation for this sacrifice is the joy of peopling the earth with ransomed beings, holy, happy, and immortal. The result of the Saviour’s conflict with the powers of darkness is joy to the redeemed, redounding to the glory of God, throughout eternity. And such is the value of the soul that the Father is satisfied with the price paid; and Christ himself, beholding the fruits of his great sacrifice, is satisfied. {4SP 469.2}

 

* This term “every church among us needs the deep movings of the Spirit of God” is nothing else than Gen 1:2 “… And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” Where the waters represent the church, the people (Rev 17:15) and as related to the verse 1 – also the Earth. I like to emphasize that this is more than the symbol, it’s a rather very literal description. How come? Aren’t at least by 60-70% just simple water? And when you look at the brain it is about 80% water! Depends on age, younger ones have more, older ones less. Dying is actually nothing else, but drying up. Drink plenty of water and never alcohol or coffee!

7: HaAReTZ (the Earth)

Introduction – 1 Bereshyt – 2 Bara – 3 Elohym – 4 ET – 5 Hashamaym – 6 VeET – 7 Haaretz – Summary

You would think we reached finally the last word, the most important is already expressed in the previous ones. Wait a minute, here the story just starts to be interesting and very related to us. As said above we are water, but the Scripture also says:

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

וייצר . יהוה . אלהים . את . האדם . עפר . מין . האדמה . ויפח . באפיו . נישמת . חיים . ויהי . האדם . לנפש . חיה

 

Let me help you to find yourself – ADAM = האדם And the dust = האדמה

Do you see that these two words are almost the same?

There are many facets or precious messages you can read only when you take the time to read the picture-letters. Here is the first message:

Strong’s #: 7518

רצ רץ (rats) Crush or Potsherd
Definition: Broken pieces of pottery were commonly used as writing tablets as they were inexpensive and durable. These potsherds were commonly used to send messages from one
person to another, usually carried by runners.

Do you start to see the import and inexpressible value of the message expressed in these picture-letters?? We are not only clay but we are ‘fired clay’ or ‘burned pottery’ and what for? To be used for writing. Who is writing and for whom? Oh, that’s the question! Here comes the drama to its climax. Listen to these powerful insights:

2 Corinthians 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

What has the Potsherd to do with the Heavens – השמים?

Behold the NAMES – that’s how we can read the term “the heavens” השמים

This is the nicest part of the whole Genesis 1:1 – the restoration of our characters into GOD’s image by beholding Him especially on the cross and thus engrave the same image into our fleshly hearts.

The Saviour gathered His disciples about Him, and said to them, “If any man desire to be FIRST , the same shall be LASTof all, and servant of all.” There was in these words a solemnity and impressiveness which the disciples were far from comprehending. That which Christ discerned they could not see. They did not understand the nature of Christ’s kingdom, and this ignorance was the apparent cause of their contention. But the real cause lay deeper. By explaining the nature of the kingdom, Christ might for the time have quelled their strife; but this would not have touched the underlying cause. Even after they had received the fullest knowledge, any question of precedence might have renewed the trouble. Thus, disaster would have been brought to the church after Christ’s departure. The strife for the highest place was the outworking of that same spirit which was the beginning of the great controversy in the worlds above, and which had brought Christ from heaven to die . There rose up before Him a vision of Lucifer, the “son of the morning,” in glory surpassing all the angels that surround the throne, and united in closest ties to the Son of God. Lucifer had said, “I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:12, 14); and the desire for self-exaltation had brought strife into the heavenly courts, and had banished a multitude of the hosts of God. Had Lucifer really desired to be like the Most High, he would never have deserted his appointed place in heaven; for the spirit of the Most High is manifested in unselfish ministry . Lucifer desired God’s power, but not His character . He sought for himself the highest place, and every being who is actuated by his spirit will do the same. Thus alienation, discord, and strife will be inevitable. Dominion becomes the prize of the strongest. The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of force; every individual regards every other as an obstacle in the way of his own advancement or a stepping stone on which he himself may climb to a higher place. {DA 435.2}

Here we go – we are born with this terrible satanic desire for self-exaltation, dominion, highest place and this is what was a driving force in the heart of prodigal son which caused him to drift away from his Father’s home. The very last picture-letter of Genesis 1:1 seems to be the expression of the core of our problem – our DESIRES hooked to the wrong goals. Do you see it? Here is the meaning of that picture:

Tzadi – FISH-HOOK – harvest, trail, hunt, need, desire (our desires can be used as a fish-hook against us by the tempter, but we can have purified desires for holiness and being with Jesus)

 

HAARETZ . VEET . HASHAMAYM . ET . ELOHYM . BARA . BERESHYT

בראשית . ברא . אלהים . . השים . . הארץ

Tzadi Resh ………………………………………….. Resh Beith

…………………………………..

First two picture-letters of Genesis 1:1 start with the picture of the Father’s head in front of the house

and the last two picture-letters of this verse end with the picture of the prodigal son’s head full of desires and great need

The prodigal son has many names, mine and yours is one of them. Listen how the story of the prodigal son is played out in the like of Saul later known as Paul:

Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

For three days Saul was “without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.” These days of soul agony were to him as years. Again and again he recalled, with anguish of spirit, the part he had taken in the martyrdom of Stephen. With horror he thought of his guilt in allowing himself to be controlled by the malice and prejudice of the priests and rulers, even when the face of Stephen had been lighted up with the radiance of heaven. In sadness and brokenness of spirit he recounted the many times he had closed his eyes and ears against the most striking evidences and had relentlessly urged on the persecution of the believers in Jesus of Nazareth. {AA 118.2}
These days of close self-examination and of heart humiliation were spent in lonely seclusion. The believers, having been given warning of the purpose of Saul in coming to Damascus, feared that he might be acting a part, in order the more readily to deceive them; and they held themselves aloof, refusing him their sympathy. He had no desire to appeal to the unconverted Jews, with whom he had planned to unite in persecuting the believers; for he knew that they would not even listen to his story. Thus he seemed to be shut away from all human sympathy. His only hope of help was in a merciful God, and to Him he appealed in brokenness of heart. {AA 118.3}
During the long hours when Saul was shut in with God alone, he recalled many of the passages of Scripture referring to the first advent of Christ. Carefully he traced down the prophecies, with a memory sharpened by the conviction that had taken possession of his mind. As he reflected on the meaning of these prophecies (Gen 3:15, Gen 3:21, Gen 4:4, Gen 22, As Saul yielded himself fully to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, he saw the mistakes of his life and recognized the far-reaching claims of the law of God (Rom 7). He who had been a proud Pharisee, confident that he was justified by his good works, now bowed before God with the humility and simplicity of a little child, confessing his own unworthiness and pleading the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Saul longed to come into full harmony and communion with the Father and the Son; and in the intensity of his desire for pardon and acceptance he offered up fervent supplications to the throne of grace. {AA 119.2}

Saul longed to come into full harmony and communion with the Father and the Son; and in the intensity of his desire for pardon and acceptance… Do you see the refined desire? Instead of proud boasting Saul now we have humble Paul. Same person, but what was changed? His desires, his purposes, his understanding of who GODHEAD really is! Now he is ready to start his journey back to his and our heavenly Father, who is waiting for us in front of His and our lost home:

 ……

The philosopher turns aside from the light of salvation because it puts his proud theories to shame; the worldling refuses to receive it because it would separate him from his earthly idols. Paul saw that the character of Christ must be understood before men could love Him or view the cross with the eye of faith. Here must begin that study which shall be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity. In light of the cross alone can the true value of the human soul be estimated. {AA 273.1}

The spotless Son of God hung upon the cross , His flesh lacerated with stripes; those hands י so often reached out in blessing, nailed ו to the wooden bars; those feet so tireless on ministries of love, spiked to the tree; that royal head pierced by the crown of thorns; those quivering lips פ shaped to the cry of woe. And all that He endured–the blood drops that flowed from His head, His hands, His feet, the agony that racked His frame, and the unutterable anguish that filled His soul at the hiding of His Father’s face–speaks to each child of humanity, declaring, It is for thee that the Son of God consents to bear this burden of guilt; for thee He spoils the domain of death and opens the gates of Paradise. He who stilled the angry waves and walked the foam-capped billows, who made devils tremble and disease flee, who opened blind eyes and called forth the dead to life,–offers Himself upon the cross as a sacrifice, and this from love to thee. He, the Sin Bearer, endures the wrath of divine justice, and for thy sake becomes sin itself. {DA 755.1}

In silence the beholders watched for the end of the fearful scene. The sun shone forth; but the cross was still enveloped in darkness. Priests and rulers looked toward Jerusalem ירושלם; and lo, the dense cloud had settled over the city and the plains of Judea. The Sun of Righteousness, the Light of the world, was withdrawing His beams from the once favored city of Jerusalem. The fierce lightnings of God’s wrath were directed against the fated city. {DA 756.1}

SUMMARY

Introduction – 1 Bereshyt – 2 Bara – 3 Elohym – 4 ET – 5 Hashamaym – 6 VeET – 7 Haaretz – Summary

Wow! This was a long journey through 7 words. Did you enjoy it? Of course, there is much more related to it – as mentioned above, the whole Bible is just a commentary of these 7 words. Let’s try to summarize:

What is so special about this “all-life” discovery of uncle Ludo? Personally – I take it as a gift from GOD to me and if anybody can relate to it, I am very glad. I share it as I received it and I inserted the commentary from my perspective. I will appreciate your input, I can add some thoughts to enrich this study by your insights.

But besides my personal involvement and joy in discovering the deep meaning of the verse in the Bible, I believe also in the significant impact and import of this discovery. Maybe there is someone else who came to similar conclusions, I just didn’t find so far anybody bring this to our attention. Here is what I see in it:

1) The first point is that it seems to be pretty offensive to translate the heading of the Bible without the MAIN PERSON – OUR SAVIOUR.

2) This will be little harder to explain, but I hope I will get my point across: Do you know to whom we can be thankful for the elementary schools and that the most people can read & write? To Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon. Prior to them there was a big illiteracy, people lived UNINFORMED, ignorant (Prov 29:18, Hosea 4:6) and mislead by those who tried to have monopoly to the religious information (Matthew 15:2-3, Matthew 23:2, Daniel 7:25) – what a contrast to today’s internet society! Luther initiated the establishment of elementary schools (boys and girls were sitting separately) across the country and thanks to that little children could learn to read & write. What was the motive behind? To give the BIBLE to the hands of common people!!! It was providential, orchestrated by GOD Himself. Right at the time of reformation, the printing was discovered. Do you see how those two elements needed each other and how they perfectly clicked together? Luther is creating his “www” – world-wide-web of elementary schools and GOD enlightens Johannes Gutenberg to invent the printing press, which allowed to make the Bible available for thousands and thousands – today millions across the world. This was the past about which we can read this commentary:

But a few years had passed since the monk of Wittenberg stood alone at Worms before the national council. Now in his stead were the noblest and most powerful princes of the empire. Luther had been forbidden to appear at Augsburg, but he had been present by his words and prayers. “I am overjoyed,” he wrote, “that I have lived until this hour, in which Christ has been publicly exalted by such illustrious confessors, and in so glorious an assembly.”–Ibid., b. 14, ch. 7. Thus was fulfilled what the Scripture says: “I will speak of Thy testimonies . . . before kings.” Psalm 119:46. {GC 207.2}
In the days of Paul the gospel for which he was imprisoned was thus brought before the princes and nobles of the imperial city. So on this occasion, that which the emperor had forbidden to be preached from the pulpit was proclaimed from the palace; what many had regarded as unfit even for servants to listen to was heard with wonder by the masters and lords of the empire. Kings and great men were the auditory, crowned princes were the preachers, and the sermon was the royal truth of God. “Since the apostolic age,” says a writer, “there has never been a greater work or a more magnificent confession.”–D’Aubigne, b. 14, ch. 7. {GC 208.1}

Now, as never before, we need to understand the true science of education. If we fail to understand this, we shall never have a place in the kingdom of God. “This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” If this is the price of heaven, shall not our education be conducted on these lines? Christ must be everything to us. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” What a foundation is here laid for the faith of those who shall live in all ages. When Christ ascended to heaven, he ascended as our advocate. We always have a friend at court. And from on high Christ sends his representative to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. The Holy Spirit gives the divine anointing to all who receive Christ. {Christian Educator, August 1, 1897 par. 4}

Since the time of apostles, there wasn’t such a great revival. Thanks to what? Thanks to “continual Christian education” started by the reformers!!! Here you can download an excellent book about the subject (right-click on the title and click on “Save link as…”): Studies in Christian Education by E. A. Sutherland.

How does it relate to us and this Genesis 1:1 discovery through the picture-letters? Very much. Just like the Reformers inspired by GOD had to create a web of elementary schools, we can see GOD inspired increase of interest in the Hebrew language. What is it good for? GOD has still some important things to tell us, but the time wasn’t ripe as yet, better say we were not ready! (John 16:12). But now the time is urgent and:

“Deny self; ye must step fast.” Some of us have had time to get the truth and to advance step by step, and every step we have taken has given us strength to take the next. But now time is almost finished, and what we have been years learning, they will have to learn in a few months. They will also have MUCH TO UNLEARN and MUCH TO LEARN again. Those who would not receive the mark of the beast and his image when the decree goes forth, must have decision now to say, Nay, we will not regard the institution of the beast. {EW 67.2}

People will have to give attention to the “most important things,” which is the character building and come back to the original messages of the Bible. One of them is this:

The great sin of the Jews was their rejection of Christ; the great sin of the Christian world would be their rejection of the law [TORAH] of God, the foundation of His government in heaven and earth. The precepts of Jehovah would be despised and set at nought. Millions in bondage to sin, slaves of Satan, doomed to suffer the second death, would refuse to listen to the words of truth in their day of visitation. Terrible blindness! strange infatuation! {GC 22.2}

See? Christians are mostly condemning the Jews not realizing that they themselves might be the main reason why they can’t accept Jesus! Christian “Jesus” can drink alcohol or eat unclean meat? Yashua gave them and us in the TORAH a lot of practical instructions in different areas of life:

Precepts Given to Guard Decalogue.–In consequence of continual transgression, the moral law was repeated in awful grandeur from Sinai. Christ gave to Moses religious precepts which were to govern everyday life. These statutes were explicitly given to guard the ten commandments. They were not shadowy types to pass away with the death of Christ. They were to be binding upon men in every age as long as time should last. These commands were enforced by the power of the moral law, and they clearly and definitely explained that law (Ibid., April 15, 1875 [Reprinted in RH May 6, 1875]). {1BC 1104.6}

So today many Christian are rediscovering the Old Testament, especially the Torah and are trying to find Biblical Jesus which would fit the prophecies concerning Him. In this search they are turning back to our “older brother” from the parable about the prodigal son:

The Jews in Many Lands.–It has been a strange thing to me that there were so few who felt a burden to labor for the Jewish people, who are scattered throughout so many lands. Christ will be with you as you strive to strengthen your perceptive faculties, that you may more clearly behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29). The slumbering faculties of the Jewish people are to be aroused. The Old Testament Scriptures, blending with the New, will be to them as the dawning of a new creation, or as the resurrection of the soul. Memory will be awakened as Christ is seen portrayed in the pages of the Old Testament. Souls will be saved, from the Jewish nation, as the doors of the New Testament are unlocked with the key of the Old Testament. Christ will be recognized as the Saviour of the world, as it is seen how clearly the New Testament explains the Old. Many of the Jewish people will by faith receive Christ as their Redeemer.–Letter 47, 1903. {Ev 578.2}
Converted Jews in the Closing Work.–There will be many converted from among the Jews, and these converts will aid in preparing the way of the Lord, and making straight in the desert a highway for our God. Converted Jews are to have an important part to act in the great preparations to be made in the future to receive Christ, our Prince. A nation shall be born in a day (Isaiah 66:8). How? By men whom God has appointed being converted to the truth. There will be seen “first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.” (Mark 4:28) The predictions of prophecy will be fulfilled.–Manuscript 75, 1905. {Ev 579.1}

This is a wonderful prophecy: Christians are called to turn back to the Jews and present to them Messiah first as a center of their sacrificial system – of their Sanctuary and in turn, Jews will teach them the eternal principles of the TORAH – the LAW exemplified by the statutes and ordinances:

Genesis 26:4 And I will make thy seed [that’s all children of GOD – converted Jews and converted Gentiles alike!] to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed ן all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations [that’s the ‘pool’ from where still more children can be converted] of the earth be blessed; 5 Because that Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.

verse 5 in Paleo-Hebrew:

עקב . אשר . שמע . אברהם . בקולי . וישמור . מישמרתי . מיצוֹתי . חוקותי . ותורותי

Guess what word is used stating that Abraham OBEYED GOD’s voice? Yes, you’ve got it! It’s Shama – שמע

He was impressed by GOD’s Voice vibrating in his ears just like the waters in Genesis 1:2 when the Spirit of GOD – RUACH ELOHYM – ורוח אלהים – was hovering (vibrating, breeding, shaking, fluttering – H7363) over the waters המיים.

to grow soft, to hover, shake, move, flutter, to brood; by implication, to be relaxed.

New Oxford American Dictionary:

brood
(of a bird) sit on (eggs) to hatch them
• (of a fish, frog, or invertebrate) hold (developing eggs) within the body.
(of silence, a storm, etc.) hang or hover closely

breed
cause (an animal) to produce offspring ן typically in a controlled and organized way
• develop (a kind of animal or plant) for a particular purpose or quality
• rear and train (someone) to behave in a particular way or have certain qualities
• cause (something) to happen or occur, typically over a period of time: success breeds confidence.
• Physics create (fissile material) by nuclear reaction.

………….

Back to our summary: do you see what an amazing time we live in? While most of the world is speedily heading towards perdition (2 Pet 3:1-9; Gen 6:5-6) there are still a lot of precious people still responding to GOD’s Voice and call:

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Matthew 11:28 Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

While the world is in the business of self-destruction there are those who are learning intensively how to become more and more like Him who is our Creator, Saviour, and Intercessor. He is constantly ministering to our needs, His first name in the Bible is

Servant ready to be even crucified

May GOD bless you as you are seeking His loving and holy presence!

uncle Ludo

 

PS:

FATHER – AV:

LOVE – AHAVAH:

Meaning: in order to know what LOVE really is you need to BEHOLD the FATHER (1 John 3:1)

GOD is LOVE:

Meaning of the YHVH: “Hand revealed, Nail Revealed” or “Behold the Hand, Behold the Nail”

And how is this HAND revealed? There are many ways. For example, you might think about the Babylonian king:

Daniel 5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5 In the same hour came forth [appeared or revealed] fingers of a man’s hand and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

To most of the people when the HAND of GOD will be finally REVEALED, but there are still many to whom His loving HAND will be REVEALED in the very last hour (Mat 20:6) of this earth’s history:

As He spoke the words of promise, the dark cloud that seemed to enshroud the cross was pierced by a bright and living light. To the penitent thief came the perfect peace of acceptance with God. Christ in His humiliation was glorified. He who in all other eyes appeared to be conquered was a Conqueror. He was acknowledged as the Sin Bearer. Men may exercise power over His human body. They may pierce the holy temples with the crown of thorns [and NAILED His HANDS to the cross ]. They may strip from Him His raiment, and quarrel over its division. But they cannot rob Him of His power to forgive sins. In dying He bears testimony to His own divinity and to the glory of the Father. His ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, neither His arm shortened that it cannot save (Is 59:1-2). It is His royal right to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by Him. {DA 751.2}

In that thick darkness, God’s presence was hidden. He makes darkness His pavilion and conceals His glory from human eyes. God and His holy angels were beside the cross. The Father was with His Son. Yet His presence was not revealed. Had His glory flashed forth from the cloud, every human beholder would have been destroyed. And in that dreadful hour, Christ was not to be comforted with the Father’s presence. He trod the wine press alone, and of the people, there was none with Him. {DA 753.4}
In the thick darkness, God veiled the last human agony of His Son. All who had seen Christ in His suffering had been convicted of His divinity. That face, once beheld by humanity, was never forgotten. As the face of Cain expressed his guilt as a murderer, so the face of Christ revealed innocence, serenity, benevolence,–the image of God. But His accusers would not give heed to the signet of heaven. Through long hours of agony, Christ had been gazed upon by the jeering multitude. Now He was mercifully hidden by the mantle of God. {DA 754.1}

Amid the awful darkness, apparently forsaken of God, Christ had drained the last dregs in the cup of human woe. In those dreadful hours, He had relied upon the evidence of His Father’s acceptance heretofore given Him. He was acquainted with the character of His Father; He understood His justice, His mercy, and His great love. By faith He rested in Him whom it had ever been His joy to obey. And as in submission, He committed Himself to God, the sense of the loss of His Father’s favor was withdrawn. By faith, Christ was victor. {DA 756.3}

Let me close with the last thought related to my discovery of Crucified-Servant from Genesis 1:1

The philosopher turns aside from the light of salvation, because it puts his proud theories to shame; the worldling refuses to receive it, because it would separate him from his earthly idols. Paul saw that the character of Christ must be understood before men could love Him or view the cross with the eye of faith. Here must begin that study which shall be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity. In the light of the cross alone can the true value of the human soul be estimated. {AA 273.1}

SHALOM

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#1 – Aleph – OX, BULL – strong, strength, power, leader, first

#2 – Beith – TENT FLOOR PLAN, HOUSE – household, family, “in”, “into”

#3 – Gimel – CAMEL – pride, to lift up, foot, gather, walk

#4 – Dalet – TENT DOOR – pathway, to enter, entrance, move, hang,

#5 – Hey – WINDOW – fence, to reveal, behold, lo, breath, “the”, it’s a picture of a kneeling man with lifted hands, just like sunflower constantly turns it’s face towards sun, so do we in our prayers lift up our empty hands and expect GOD to reveal something to us

#6 – Waw – TENT PEG, NAIL – “and”, add, secure, hook

#7 – Zayin – WEAPON, MATTOCK – cut, to cut off, plow, food, nourish

#8 – Chet – TENT WALL, FENCE, HEDGE, CHAMBER – private, to separate, separation, outside, divide, half

#9 – Tet – BASKET – to twist, surround, basket, mud, contain, snake

#10 – Yod – CLOSED HAND, ARM & HAND – deed, work, to make, throw, worship

#20 – Kaph – OPEN PALM, WING – to cover, allow, strength, palm, open, tame

#30 – Lamed – CATTLE GOAD, STAFF – prod, go toward, bind, tongue, teach, yoke, “to”

#40 – Mem – WATER – massive, mighty, overpower, chaos, blood, “out of”

#50 – Nun – FISH, SEED – activity, life, continue, continuity, heir, son

#60 – Samech – A PROP – support, protect, turn, grab, hate

#70 – Ayin – EYE – see, watch, know, experience, shade

#80 – Pe/Fe – MOUTH – speak, open, word, blow, scatter, edge

#90 – Tzadi – FISH-HOOK – harvest, trail, hunt, need, desire (our desires can be used as a fish-hook against us by the tempter, but we can have purified desires for holiness and being with Jesus)

#100 – Kof – BACK OF THE HEAD – behind, the last, least, condense, circle, time

#200 – Resh – HEAD – person, highest, choicest, first, top, beginning

#300 – Shin – TEETH – eat, consume, destroy, sharp, press, two

#400 – Tav – SIGN, CROSS – covenant, to seal, memorial, monument, mark, signal

Introduction – 1 Bereshyt – 2 Bara – 3 Elohym – 4 ET – 5 Hashamaym – 6 VeET – 7 Haaretz – Summary