Introduction
The old Testament was written the Hebrew script. Hebrew was the language of the Jewish people before Jesus and at the time of Jesus. In Acts 21:37-40- Paul spoke to the Jews in Hebrew and not Aramaic. At that time Alexander the great conquered the then known world and instituted the Greek culture and language which is the reason we have the New Testament delivered to us in Greek. We know from history that after the events of Acts 21, the Jewish people staged a revolt against the Romans between 66 and 73 AD. And they were defeated. The Romans put the revolt down and destroyed the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. About 60 years after that date (AD 132 and 135) the Jewish people staged a second revolt against the Romans and they were crushed. Those who remained or were remnants were thrust out of the land and scattered over the then known world. Wherever they went they settled down and learned the language.
The Hebrew language then became a liturgic language for religious purposes. It remained that way for some 1800 years before. In 1881 when the Jews began to return to the promised land from Eastern Europe to what was rename Palestine. A man by the name- Eliezer ben Yehuda began to research into the Hebrew language and restoration. Hebrew moved from being a liturgic religious use to becoming an everyday language. It is spoken today by millions. Thus, the Hebrew language became the only sacred language in history that became a national language.
The alphabets a read from left to right from Alef to Tav. In English we would say from A-Z and in Greek we would say from Alpa to Omega. All letters are in capitals. There no vowels. They are consonants. In modern Hebrew however, in other to read in the religious circles certain vowel points were developed. It is good to suggest that serious minded believers obtain the Strong Exhaustive Concordance as a basic minimum bible study tool either in hard copy or soft copy form.
There are two letters that stand out -the 10th and the 13th letters. There are 22 letters -a very interesting number.
| Hebrew Letters = 22 | Books of the Bible = 66 Or 3x 22 | |
| Chapters in the Book of Isaiah = 66 Or 3×22 | Chapters in Revelation = 22 | |
| Verse in Psalms 119 = 176 Or 8x 22 | ||
In Ps 119 for example (which is an acrostic) every 8th verse begins with a successive verse of the Hebrew alphabet from Alef to Tav. The first 8 verses, the first verse starts with a alef and the next 8 verses, the first verse starts with a Bet….etc. More detailed studies are available on the internet.
- A special note must be made at this point. If we put the first letter; middle letter, and last letter together as a word we have ( \’owth, oth) which means a SIGN–
a signal (literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument, symbol, evidence, etc.:–mark, miracle, (en-)sign, token.
- A SIGN IN THE HEAVENS
Ge 1:14 ¶ And God <\’elohiym> said <\’amar>, Let there be lights <ma\’owr> in the firmament <raqiya`> of the heaven <shamayim> to divide <badal> the day <yowm> from the night <layil>; and let them be for signs <\’owth>, and for seasons <mow`ed>, and for days <yowm>, and years <shaneh (in pl. only),>: {the day…: Heb. between the day and between the night}
- A MARK ON CAIN
Ge 4:15 And the LORD <Y@hovah> said <\’amar> unto him, Therefore <ken> whosoever slayeth <harag> Cain <Qayin>, vengeance shall be taken <naqam> on him sevenfold <shib`athayim>. And the LORD <Y@hovah> set <suwm> a mark <\’owth> upon Cain <Qayin>, lest <biltiy> any finding <matsa\’> him should kill <nakah> him.
- A TOKEN FOR A PERPETUAL GENRATION
Ge 9:17 And God <\’elohiym> said <\’amar> unto Noah <Noach>, This is the token <\’owth> of the covenant <b@riyth>, which I have established <quwm> between me and all flesh <basar> that is upon the earth <\’erets>.
- A SIGN IS SENT WITH A VOICE
Ex 4:8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe <\’aman> thee, neither hearken <shama`> to the voice <qowl> of the first <ri\’shown> sign <\’owth>, that they will believe <\’aman> the voice <qowl> of the latter <\’acharown> sign <\’owth>
- A ROD WAS GIVEN TO MOSES TO DO SIGNS
Ex 4:17 And thou shalt take <laqach> this rod <matteh> in thine hand <yad>, wherewith thou shalt do <`asah> signs <\’owth>.
- THE BLOOD WAS A TOKEN
Ex 12:13 And the blood <dam> shall be to you for a token <\’owth> upon the houses <bayith> where ye are: and when I see <ra\’ah> the blood <dam>, I will pass <pacach> over you, and the plague <negeph> shall not be upon you to destroy <mashchiyth> you, when I smite <nakah> the land <\’erets> of Egypt <Mitsrayim>.
- THE FLAG OF EACH TRIBE WAS A ENSIGN
Nu 2:2 Every man <\’iysh> of the children <ben> of Israel <Yisra\’el> shall pitch <chanah> by his own standard <degel>, with the ensign <\’owth> of their father\’s <\’ab> house <bayith>: far off <neged> about <cabiyb> the tabernacle <\’ohel> of the congregation <mow`ed> shall they pitch <chanah>.
- AARONS ROD THAT BUDDED WAS TOKEN
Nu 17:10 And the LORD <Y@hovah> said <\’amar> unto Moses <Mosheh>, Bring <shuwb> Aaron\’s <\’Aharown> rod <matteh> again <shuwb> before <paniym> the testimony <`eduwth>, to be kept <mishmereth> for a token <\’owth> against the rebels <m@riy> <ben>; and thou shalt quite take away <kalah> their murmurings <t@luwnah> from me, that they die <muwth> not. {rebels: Heb. children of rebellion}
So a miraculous sign from God is an “ <owth or oth>”
Mark 16:17 “ And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;’
Lu 10:17; A Lu 10:17; Ac 2:4; 5:16; 8:7; 10:46; 16:18; 19:6,12; 1Co 12:10; 16:24 :-these are our own signs for believability.
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Lu 10:19; Ac 5:15-16; 9:17; 28:5,8
- THE WORD FOR A HEBREW LETTER IS ALSO AN
“OWTH OR OTH”!
We observe that each Hebrew letter is a sign from God pointing to the Messiah-Jesus Christ. This is a miracl
- God wrote with His own finger on the mount for Moses.
THE MONTH OF CHESVAN
The 11th letter of the Hebrew alphabet “Kaph” is associated with Chesvan (Back cover of this journal) which is October/November. The numeric value of “Kaph” is 20. The picture or symbol/image behind the letter is a COVER. A cover is to protect what is under that cover.
The name of this letter is called “Kaph Heh”. The word “Kaph” means a hand. The palm of a hand and the word “Kaph Heh” has a numeric value of 100.
100 = 10 x 10
Or (3 x 7) + (3+7) + (3 x 7) + 37 = 100
Or 21 + 21 + 21+37 = 100.
Please note recurring prime number 3 and 7 and 37. The prime number 37 points to Jesus as the LIVING WORD.
The letter “Kaph” ends the first sequence of 11 letters, that means 11 on both sides if you put the 22 letters on a line. The first sequence means our RESCUE
- Jesus rescued us out of the world.
The second set of 11 letters speaks of our RACE.
- That is, we need to persevere to the end in our faith in Jesus. The word also speaks of the righteousness Jesus imparts to us through His atonement on the cross through faith.
RESCUE
We have an illustration in Moses whom God told to return to Egypt to rescue the Jews from bondage of Pharaoh. This is where we have the first reference of “a hand” (“Kaph”) (Exodus 4:1-4).
Moses was fearful that he would not be received or believed so “God gave Moses a sign to carry” out his assignment. God gave him a rod (staff) but this only becomes effective as a symbol when God imparts power. This rod was a symbol authority but can only be effective when imparts power.
- In Exodus 4;3… Moses was commanded to “cast the rod on the ground and he cast on the ground and it became a serpent and Moses fled from before it “when Moses laid down authority it became a serpent! Selah! In Exodus 4:4, the Lord said “Put forth your hand and caught it and it became a rod in his hand
The word “hand” occur 3 times. The first 2 times it is “YAD” and one more time as “ KAPH”
Ex 4:4 And the LORD <Y@hovah> said <\’amar> unto Moses, <Mosheh> Put forth <shalach> thine hand, <yad> and take <\’achaz> it by the tail. <zanab> And he put forth <shalach> his hand, <yad> and caught <chazaq> it, and it became a rod <matteh> in his hand: <kaph>
The last time it is the Hebrew word “Kaph” As Moses obey God his authority was empowered by God. This was the sign given to Moses. Many of us have never taken our signs serious in the church.
So, it was no longer the strength of Moses hand “Yad” but the supernatural power of God imparted through his “open hands”.
In Exodus 33:12- 14; 22-23, Moses intercedes for Israel and pleads to :-
- Know God’s ways
- See God’s face
- Know God
- Find grace in God’s sight.
In verse 18. Moses says show me your glory and the Lord says no one can see me and live. God says he will put Moses in the clefts of a rock until He has passed by (Verse 22-23) Note that God would COVER Moses with His hand (Kaph) – This is the hand of God revealing blessing (something). Hence this right hand revealing blessing speaks of :-
- Atonement
- The covering
- Imparted righteousness
- The authority of God.
LAYING OF HANDS
The idea of the laying of hands is found in the OT. The same idea is carried into the new Testament as one of the signs of the believer even as rudimentary!
- In Exodus 29:10 – Ex 29:10 And thou shalt cause a bullock <par> to be brought <qarab> before <paniym> the tabernacle <\’ohel> of the congregation: <mow`ed> and Aaron <\’Aharown> and his sons <ben> shall put <camak> their hands <yad> upon the head <ro\’sh> of the bullock. <par>. Aaron sons laid hands on the heads of innocent animals before it was sacrificed. Symbolically, they were imparting their sin to an “innocent other”. By the blood of that innocent other they were then set apart (consecrated to God) for the service of God. In the New Testament when a believer lays hand you, he transfers the “ ZOE”-the life of God- in you to the other by an act of your will.
- Exodus 29:15;19
- Ex 29:15 Thou shalt also take <laqach> one <\’echad> ram; <\’ayil> and Aaron <\’Aharown> and his sons <ben> shall put <camak> their hands <yad> upon the head <ro\’sh> of the ram. <\’ayil (Yad). Notice that in the process of laying on of hands the YAD had become the KAPH in verse 19 Ex 29:19 And thou shalt take <laqach> the other <sheniy> ram; <\’ayil> and Aaron <\’Aharown> and his sons <ben> shall put <camak> their hands <yad> upon the head <ro\’sh> of the ram. <\’ayil>.
When we have gone through a process of consecration God allows His power and glory to move through us.
- Jesus laying Hands on children
Jesus laid hands on children to pray for them in the New Testament – Matthew 19:13,15.
- Jesus laid hands on people to heal them – Mark 5:23; 8:23; 10:16
- The apostle and disciples laid hands on people as they prayed. This acts brought the power of God to
- Receive the Holy Spirit
- Have sight restored
- To impart spiritual gifts.
ELEMENTARY TEACHING
In Hebrews 6:1-2 we learnt that laying of hands was elementary teaching in the life of faith in God. The picture and symbol behind the letter “Kaph”
It is a COVER
- An open cover
- A turned cover
- It is bowl-shaped
There will be water baptism for those who have been saved, who have not been baptized to break every curse.
In Ezra 1:6,10, – holy vessels were returned to Jerusalem and among these were silver bowls – these used in collecting the blood of the sacrifices. This Hebrew letter indicates that when it is turned on its side – it is speaking that the blood is poured out for you. This averts God’s anger on sin when they believe and receive. When the blood of Jesus was poured out all who put their faith in him, receive forgiveness of their sins.
In Genesis 6:14. Noah was to “pitch” (“Kaphar”) the ark within and “pitch” (“Kophar”) without. That Noah was to COVER the ark within and without with “pitch”.
In Hebrews 11:7 we are told that the ark was a vessel of salvation for his house and this ark became an heir of righteousness by faith. By this ark he also condemned the world. When people bye-pass a building of worship, if he refuses to repent that building is his condemnation.
The long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being built and only 8 souls were saved! This was a hint of salvation in Jesus. By faith we are hidden in Him. We are completely forgiven through His blood – we are safe from judgement for those whose abide in Him.
The Mercy Seat is a COVER
“And then shall make a mercy seat (“Kapporeth”) of pure gold (Exodus 25:17).
This is available for us today that we can go boldly to the presence of God without shame. The door is wide open. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice once for all.
We grant Him free passage of the way into our life. In 5778 we have a doorway opened for us. We are invited to new things. The major pictogram for the year 5778 is the letter “Cheh” – meaning a doorway Jesus said” I AM the DOOR for the sheep” John 10:9. God is opening the doorway to new life, is restoring backsliders and taking away our sins from us. This doorway is formed with a marriage with a king. The king is the one holding the scepter of your life. Follow Him.
I.D. Lawon
October 23, 2017