Beginnings!

After the brief series on "From Hebraic roots to Greek philosophy!", this is the first of an occasional series in which I hope, D.V., to look at some passages from the Tanakh (the Old Testament) from the Hebrew perspective from which they should be viewed – and also to see how their teaching may be relevant to the teaching of the Brit Chadashah (the New Covenant/Testament).

As this is the first in the series, where better to start than at the beginning, with the book of Genesis. The English language name comes from the Greek word γενεσις (genesis, “origin, source, beginning”). However, in Hebrew, the book is named by its opening word – Bereisheet (“In the beginning”).

“In the beginning [Bereisheet] God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). In as few as 31 verses and 469 words Moses, the inspired human author of Genesis, describes how God takes confusion and emptiness (tohu v’vohu) and creates a perfect, delicate balance of order and beauty.

“The earth was unformed and void [tohu v’vohu], darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the water.” (Genesis 1:2).

The Ruach Elohim (the Spirit of God) hovers over the waters [mayim] as God separates the light from the darkness and land from the water.  He creates vegetation and creatures – fish of the sea and birds of the air, as well as land animals. YHWH Elohim (the LORD God) looks at everything He has made and declares it good. However, He is not quite finished.

On the sixth and final day of creation, God brings forth the first human – Adam – out of the dust of the earth (adamah). “Then YHWH Elohim formed man [Adam] of the dust of the ground [adamah], and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”  (Genesis 2:7).

Notice that it takes the breath of God to transform Adam into a “living soul” – a being of flesh and blood with personality, emotions, and desires. Notice, too, that contained within the name of the first “man” on earth is the Hebrew root word dam (blood).  This is not a coincidence, since God tells us that life is in the blood (Genesis 9:4; Deuteronomy 12:23; Leviticus 17:11).

Notice as well that humankind – both male and female – are created in the very image and likeness of God. Hebrew uses the word b’tzelmo (in His image).  The Hebrew root word tzelem (image) is used in modern Hebrew to mean taking a photograph, or making a photocopy, and there is a very definite family resemblance between us and our Heavenly Abba (Daddy).

“And God created man [Adam] in His own image [b'tzelmo], in the image of God [b'tzelem Elohim] created He him; male [zachar] and female [nikeivah] He created them.” (Genesis 1:27).

While we don’t necessarily resemble God in our temporary vessels made out of dust, we do resemble Him in our souls and spirit. One of the ways we resemble God is our capacity for creativity. Just as God delighted in the creative process of earth and life, so is there an innate quality within each human being to also be creative, which can express itself not only as art, writing, or music but also strategic thinking, engineering, programming, etc.

But how did God create the universe?  The Bible says He spoke it into existence using words.  For that reason, each act of creation begins with the phrase “And God said ....”

“And God said: ‘Let there be light.’  And there was light.”  (Genesis 1:3).

Although you and I are not gods, as some in the New Age movement claim, we have been given creative power in our words.  Even the power of life and death is in the tongue!  (see, e.g., Proverbs 18:21). We see this principle at work when God tells the Children of Israel that He would give them that which they had declared with their own words.  They fostered unbelief and disobedience and spoke death over themselves.  The result of their faithless words was that the entire generation perished in the wilderness. “‘As I live,’ says YHWH, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; your corpses will fall in this wilderness.’”  (Numbers 14:28–29).

Keeping this in mind, let us carefully guard our mouths and watch our words – for they have the power to create good things in our lives, and in the lives of others; or to cause destruction.  (see Prov. 15:4; James 3:5-10; I Pet.3:10).

[I hadn't realised how much I had written for this post until I started on the "labels"! This is now only the first part of three on "Beginnings"! The others will follow quickly!]

It's a "Fall"!

It would be interesting to know how many of my readers would recognise a "pulpit fall"!  It is a piece of material, usually embroidered, that hangs over the lectern (the 'shelf' on which a Bible usually rests) in a pulpit in a traditional Christian church building.  Modern lectern falls can be extremely complex, and beautiful, but the one with which I was brought up (and that I do not recall ever having been changed) was a simple embroidery of three letters - 'I'. 'H', 'S'. 

There are two suggestions as to the meaning of the letters. The first is that they are the first three letters of the name of Jesus in the Greek language - the Greek letter 'e' looking like a Roman letter 'n'. This, of course, would mean that the letters were actually 'i', 'n', and 's'.

I have always accepted the alternative - that they stand for the Latin phrase "Iesus Hominum Salvator", meaning "Jesus, Saviour of men".  However, I like to play with letters and words and realised, a long time ago, that if I changed the order of those three letters, some useful thoughts were generated.

If I change the order to "HIS", I am reminded that I belong to Him!  It's good to "belong".  The need to do so appears to be part and parcel of our human nature. That's why there are so many organisations, societies, and groups. People want to belong; to be able to share with others of like mind.  However, belonging to Almighty God is of a different order altogether!  What a wonderful privilege to be able to come into the presence of the Creator of all that is - and address Him as "Abba" (Can be translated "Daddy".  It is the word that a Jewish child would use to address its natural father).

Reversing "HIS" leads me to "SIH".  This reminds me that I am Safe In Him. When I was a child, I always knew that as long as my dad was around, I was safe. He was the one to whom I looked if I had a problem; if there appeared to be danger. Of course, my dad was just another human being, with all of the natural limitations that are our human lot. My heavenly Father has no such limits (although there are certain things that Almighty God cannot do!!).  My natural father provided me with physical safety; my heavenly Father provides me with safety that goes beyond this mortal realm!

"HIS"; "SIH"; and then there is "IHS" - which takes us back to where we started! However, in this order, I think of being "In His Service".   I suppose that it is a kind of logical progression - if I am HIS, and I am Safe In Him, then the very attitude of gratitude on which I posted a couple of weeks (and posts!) ago will surely wish to be expressed in serving Him.  How do I do that?  Well, we all have different areas of service that depend on our natural talents, and spiritual giftings. To give a very simple example, my wife would be hard pressed to preach a series of sermons; while I would be equally hard pressed to lead worship with a guitar in the way that she does.  Yet each of us is serving Him, our Saviour and our Lord.

Of course, each of us who owns His Name is serving Him in one particular way that is common to us all.  That is the area of witnessing.  If I am known as a disciple of Jesus, then I am a witness - whether I wish to be or not.  The only question is: "Am I a good witness, or a bad one?"  When others look at me, do they see any difference between me and the rest of the people whom they know - and who make no Christian profession?  Do I ensure that I spend time with fellow-believers, discussing spiritual matters with them?  Whatever I am doing, reading, watching, am I comfortable in the knowledge that He is there with me - or would I be embarrassed and ashamed if He were to appear, physically, at my side?

Being a disciple of Jesus (as opposed to being a "church member", or even a "church office-bearer") is demanding.  He never promised anything else!  What He did promise is that if we deny Him, He will deny us!  That denial can take many forms.  It is as likely to be by my actions, as by my words!

Are you a disciple of Jesus?  Then you are HIS; you are Safe In Him; I trust that you are truly In His Service.