The Hebrew letter Vav

The Hebrew letter vav is a pictograph of a tent peg. It kept the sometimes wind filled tent firmly attached to the earth. A firm attachment, often between heavenly concepts and earthly living, is still the idea of vav. In Hebrew, spirit and wind are the same word, "ruwach" (roo-akh'). Both are difficult to tie down to the earth. A tent peg firmly planted into the earth usually keeps a wind filled tent from flying off in the breeze.

The classic block print associated with Hebrew scripture, apparently looks like a "hook" used to connect the panels of the Tabernacle.

Vav is still considered a strong connector. When it is used as a prefix it is translated "and" before the word it is prefixed to. As a prefix it is (and I quote) "non-past tense (apparently not the same as present tense).

As a suffix it makes the noun it is added to "3rd person, masculine" For instance, if the noun is "hand" it would become "his hand" Verbs become masculine plural. Stand becomes "they stand" since there is no masculine plural in English. (Jeff A. Bennar).

From "Ten Lost Tribes" web page.

Vav represents the number six which is the number of man. He has been given six days to labor, Man was created on the sixth day. Interestingly, the serpent was also created on the sixth day. The sixth commandment is, "Do not kill" and the sixth clause of the Lord's Prayer is, "...forgive us our sins"

Vav is used to connect whatever came before to the word that comes after. In Psalm 119 the Vav section is immediately tied to the hey section by the vav the prefix on the first word of Psalm 119:41. The last word of verse 40 is CHAYAH (khaw-yaw) meaning "to live" (translated "revive" in NAS and "quicken" in KJ) is "hooked" or connected to the first word (in Hebrew) of verse 41, He has been given six days to labor BOW (bo) meaning "to enter" Bow is written with the letters bet-aleph picturing "house of the father" Our life is connected to the Almighty's house. This is clear in Hebrew because of the vav prefix. It is not very clear in English because of the poetic licence of the translators. I hold them no ill-will, I imagine translation is an incredibly difficult job that in our day seems to involve lawyers.

This week we are looking at Proverbs 31:15, the VAV verse of the Valiant Warrior passage, The word chosen for us is QUWM (koom) meaning "arise" or "take a stand".  We are going to see how that stand is intimately connected to being filled with the Ruwach and the bread of life for her household and "Taking a stand against the darkness."
Mrs. Hagerty, December 20, 2015
Originally taught as part of the Valiant Warrior series (Proverbs 31 Woman) on October 20, 2014

Morning Devotions: Joshua 4:19 - 5:12

Joshua 4:19-5:12 nasu Monday, October 26

^Joshua 4:19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth[1] of the first[2] month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho. 20 Those twelve[3] stones[4] which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 He said to the sons of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' 22 then you shall inform your children, saying, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.' 23 "For YHVH your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as YHVH your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of YHVH is mighty, so that you may fear YHVH your God forever."

^Joshua 5:1 Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how YHVH had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.

^Joshua 5:2 At that time[5] YHVH said to Joshua, "Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel[6] the second[7] time." 3 So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth[8]. 4 This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them[9]: all the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, died in the wilderness along The Way after they came out of Egypt. 5 For all the people who came out were circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised. 6 For the sons of Israel walked forty[10] years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished because they did not listen to YHVH, to whom YHVH had sworn that He would not let them see the land which YHVH had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 Their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along The Way.

^Joshua 5:8 Now when they had finished circumcising all the nation, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed[11]. 9 Then YHVH said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

The morning Devotion connected with this passage can be found
here Morning Devotions: Joshua 4:19 - 5:12

^Joshua 5:10 While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal they observed the Passover[12] on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. 11 On the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain.  12 The manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.

---

[1] Ten or tenth is one of the perfect numbers, and signifies the perfection of Divine order, commencing, as it does, an altogether new series of numbers. It pictures completion.

[2] One or first As a cardinal number it denotes unity; as an ordinal it denotes primacy. Unity being indivisible, and not made up of other numbers, is therefore independent of all others, and is the source of all others. So with the Deity. The great First Cause is independent of all. All stand in need of Him, and He needs no assistance from any. (Bullinger)

[3] Twelve is the number of perfection in government.

[4] Stones /ta ‘eben the word for stone is a compound word from ‘av (or abba) which is Hebrew for Father; and  ben which is Hebrew for son. ‘Av is the house of the mighty God. Ben is the house of the righteous seed. What they have in common is the letter bet picturing a house. The stone is the house of The Almighty’s righteous Son.  1Peter 2:4-8

[5] Magnificent Grace had been shown to Israel (the Jordan dry). It was after that awesome event that Israel was asked to do something difficult. Circumcision.

[6] The Almighty first demonstrated  his power is supernatural, then he asked the nation to enter the covenant of Torah via circumcision. Our faith is in the Almighty

[7] The second time The number 2 communicates “a difference” (there is no difference with one or first) 2^nd , though different in character, yet one as to testimony and friendship. The Second that comes in may be for help and deliverance. But, alas! where man is concerned, this number testifies of his fall, for it more often denotes that difference which implies opposition, enmity, and oppression (bullinger)

[8] Means “the hill of foreskins”

[9] Obedience to Torah commanded by YHVH Josh 1:7-9 "Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the Torah which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of Torah shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for YHVH your God is with you wherever you go."

[10] Fourty …association with a period of probation, trial, and chastisement— (not judgment, like the number 9, which stands in connection with the punishment of enemies, but the chastisement of sons, and of a covenant people). (bullinger)

[11] There was no fear of attack because of the fear of the Canaanites and Amorites who heard that Israel cross on dry land.

[12] Without circumcision they could not have kept the Passover.

The Stone

Psalm 118:22-23

The Stone 

which the builders rejected has become the chief corner Stone.  

This is YHVH's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 

Matthew 21:42-46  Y'shua said to them,

 "Did you never read in the Scriptures, 

'THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,
THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER Stone;
THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD,
AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES'?

"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of the Almighty will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it.  And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust."

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. When they sought to seize Him, they feared the people, because they considered Him to be the prophet.

Isaiah 28:15-17 For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception."
Therefore thus says the Lord YHVH, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a Stone, a tested Stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed. "I will make justice the measuring line  and righteousness the level; Then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies  and the waters will overflow the secret place. 

Zechariah 3:8-10 'Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you--indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch. 'For behold, the Stone that I have set before Joshua; on one Stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,' declares YHVH of hosts, 'and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. 'In that day,' declares YHVH of hosts, 'every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his  vine and under his fig tree.'"

Acts 4:10-12 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Y'shua ha Mashiach (Jesus who is the Christ) the Branch (Nazarene), whom you crucified, whom the Almighty raised from the dead-- by this name this man stands here before you in good health. "He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER Stone.  "And there is Salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." 

1 Peter 2:7-8 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

"THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,
THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER Stone,"
 and,
" A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE";
 for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

Courage

Be strong and of good courage...

Joshua 1:9 and 2:11

Chazak v'amats!

Believers in The Way do not need to commit violence and scream that our God is greater. YHVH does not ask that of us. Instead, he asks us to be strong, Chazak, which means we are to cling to him, to stand firm on His Word.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the Wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6:10-13 nkj

To be strong Chazak, is to cling to YHVH through Y'shua. He is our strength, not our physical body. To have courage, 'amats is to stand our ground when the ground we stand on is the Word of God. Stand firm! That is the meaning of Amen. But be ye steadfast, that is the war cry of the believer,
Mrs. Hagerty's devotions class, October 5, 2015

Jericho

Joshua 2:1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there. nasu

In Hebrew, Jericho means "fragrant"

2 Corinthians 2:14-17

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.  For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;  to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? 

Ephesians 5:1-2

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;  and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. 

Philippians 4:18

But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 

Mrs. Hagerty's devotions class, October 5, 2015

Isaiah 53: can I get an Amen?

Can I get an Amen?

Isaiah 53

Who has ¹believed what we have heard?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,

and like a root out of dry ground;

he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him,

and no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men;

a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

1. Who “can say amen” (believed)

How many of you know that the Hebrew word “amen” in not meant to be a way of signing off from prayer? Amen means to trust or believe. It is to be certain about something. In this passage, the word “believed” has been translated from the Hebrew word “amen.”

“What we have heard” is from the Hebrew word “shemuw’ah” (shem-oo-aw’). By itself, it just means, something heard, like an announcement. In this passage, Isaiah put a “lamed” prefix on the word. Lamed is a Hebrew letter that is a pictograph for a “shepherd’s staff” used to guide cattle toward something. Jesus (Y’shu-ah in Hebrew) is the shepherd of the souls of we who believe in Him. When a word has a lamed prefix it will be translated as “to” or “for” (but not always, as in this passage). The last letter of “shemuw’ah” is the Hebrew letter “hey” which communicates that God has made it fruitful (think, fruit of the spirit). Strangely enough, Isaiah has removed the letter hey and replaced it with the combination letters, tav-nun (tav pictures a sign from God and was originally written with a picture of a cross, and nun (pronounced noon) is generally said to be a sprouting seed, but some teachers have told me that it is a picture of a path with a goal that we are walking toward.

The “arm” is symbolic of strength. It is YHVH’s (the LORD’s) strength that is being reported. The English passage asks, "to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?" However the Hebrew word “revealed” is prefixed with the letter nun which communicates “we will.” As a sprout, nun tells us “this is not yet mature”, We cannot yet see the goal but we will trust the great shepherds arm to guide us to the goal, the kingdom of Heaven and Jesus our king.

4 Surely he has borne our grief (sickness, Deuteronomy 7:15)

 and carried our sorrows (pain, as in childbirth);

yet we esteemed him stricken, (stricken is to hit in the face, smitten is a slap)

smitten by God, and afflicted (afflicted is to be humbled with words-nagged or brow-beaten, “by God” because the people who claim this do not know the LORD well enough to call him by name, only by position).

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions (rebellion),

he was bruised for our iniquities (perversion-immoral evil);

upon him was the chastisement that made us whole,

and with his stripes (welts, bruises, cuts) we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray (we are not walking in “the way”);

we have turned everyone to his own way;

and the LORD has laid on him (the alaph-tav or alpha and omega) the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter (loving the hand that holds the knife),

and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb (silent, no begging for understanding),

so he opened not his mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;

and as for his generation, who considered

that he was cut off (Daniel 9:26) out of the land of the living,

stricken for the transgression (rebellion) of my people?

9 And they made his grave with the wicked

and with a rich man in his death,

although he had done no violence (nothing wrong),

and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him;

he has put him to grief;

when he makes himself an offering (gives his life) for (my) sin,

he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his (my-the offspring-believers) days;

the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand;

11           he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied;

by his knowledge (Hebrews 12:2) shall the righteous one, my servant,

make many to be accounted righteous;

and he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great,

and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;

because he poured out his soul to death,

and was numbered with the transgressors;

yet he bore the sin of many,

and made intercession (Hebrews 7:25) for the transgressors (those who go their own way).

On Isaiah 53:8 he carried our grief and sickness.

Deuteronomy 7:15 And the LORD will take away from you all sickness; and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you knew, will he inflict upon you, but he will lay them upon all who hate you. 

From Isaiah 53:8 On being "cut off" from the land of the living.

Daniel 9:26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off, and shall have nothing; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war; desolations are decreed. 

From Isaiah 53:11 The "knowledge" of Y'shu-ah was the joy that was before him as he faced and endured the cross.

Hebrews 12:2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 

From Isaiah 53:12, Y'shu-ah makes intercession (an action verb, someone who settles disputes by pleading for someone. He can do this because his blood paid the penalty for my sin. Sometimes I hear people who believe "Jesus" pleads to God on our behalf, but I suspect that Y'shu-ah, who knows what my sin cost him, pleads to me to stay the course, The Way of righteousness. 

Hebrews 7:25 Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 

RSV+

Isaiah 12:2

Is Jesus in the Old Testament? (1st in a series)

Y'shu-ah, translated "salvation," is Jesus. In this, my first word study, of Y'shu-ah in the Hebrew Scriptures, I want to look at how the word is used. I will start with the Prophet Isaiah, chapter 12, verse 2.

 "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation."  Isaiah 12:2 RSV

Behold: is a flag word, it alerts us that we are about to get a peek into heaven, with understanding from Elohiym-God's point of view.

El Y'shu-ah the God Salvation. "is my" was added to English. Y'shu-ah is in the first person singular so "my" should be "I" but that does not work in English, "I God -Salvation" Actually the I should be connected to salvation, not God. I do tip my hat to the tough job translators have.

I will trust batach: this is my refuge, not as a fortress, it is more like a safe place to fall, or better, to rest safely. I first came across this word while studying Proverbs 31:11. It is significant that the phrase, "and will not be afraid," is connected to batach. This is the trust that will walk with Jesus, our Y'shu-ah through the "valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23), and not be afraid. Does the shadow of death become less frightening because we batach-trust Jesus? Absolutely! It has to do with the focus of the eyes of our heart (Ephesians 1:18). If I am looking at the circumstances, then yes, it is very frightening. What I see in the shadow of death overwhelms me with dread. But if I choose to keep my eyes on my Salvation, my Jesus, then the safety found in his arms, in his yoke, defines my walk through the  valley instead of the circumstances I am walking through.

strength 'oz or 'owz is a fortification. 'Oz is often connected to the word "tower" as in strong tower. We are not strong because we work out or have endurance. We have strength in YHVH our God because we are "in him and he in us" (John 14:20). There is none stronger. In fact, we are reminded that the Spirit within us is strong-'oz but our flesh is weak. This is not something to despise about ourselves, but rather something to accept. (Matthew 26:41 as well as Mark 14:38) Why should you accept your weakness instead of feeling shame because of it? Because, it is probably the reason YHVH-God chose you. (1 Corinthians 1:27). If I am powerful in myself, then what need do I have for the grace of YHVH? (2 Corinthians 12:10).

and my song is speaking of praise. Who do I praise in my life? Who is the hero I sing of if not Y'shu-ah the Messiah? To recognize his strength in the darkness is to praise him. To praise him is to feel his 'oz-strength empowering you (exactly the opposite of a vicious circle!)

he has become -hayah This word does not communicate "become" but "is." In Hebrews 11:6 does a good job explaining hayah ...whoever would draw near to God must believe that he is and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith we believe that Y'shu-ah (Jesus) IS our Salvation, that he is our El-our God of salvation, he is YHVH. Hayah was the word of the week in Lesson 5 of the Valiant Warrior, part of the Proverbs 31 women series for my Junior High girls.

Look up! Look in. The God of heaven, El Y'shu-ah is your strength in the valley of the shadow of death. He sees you, He has conquered your circumstances, He will walk you through them, never leaving you, never forsaking you. He is your strength in your times of weakness, He loves you enough to be the safe place to get real and speak up about (confess) your fear. Run to him beloved! Run into his arms and let Y'shu-ah be your strength!