Proverbs 12:18
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword:
But the tongue of the wise is health.
This proverb gives us an awesome look into the fundamental culture of Hebraic writings: function. In the Hebraic mind, associations are made not by looks, but by functions. In this way, words are likened to either murderous weapons or healing balms.
This concept of comparison by function makes for beautiful poetry. For example the Bible, which is written with a Hebraic mind, compares anger to a ‘burning nose’, and calls the woman’s reproductive organ a ‘flower’. It calls God a ‘man of war’, compares Him to a hen who desires to gather her chicks under her wings, while at the same time calls His children made in His image ‘wild camels’ if they are rebellious and ‘sheep’ if they are docile. Yehoshua is the Good Shepherd but He is also the Lion of Judah, as well as the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world. Among other comparisons, Yehoshua is also ‘the Door, the Way and the Light of the world’. Not only He is the Oil of anointing as well as the High-Priest, but He is also the sacrifice, the Blood of atonement, the Altar and the Temple altogether.
These are the characteristics of our Master as compared with earthly elements. Here is a little game to play now. If God were to compare our lifestyle, define our virtues, character and speech with animals and objects, what would He use?
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword:
But the tongue of the wise is health.
This proverb gives us an awesome look into the fundamental culture of Hebraic writings: function. In the Hebraic mind, associations are made not by looks, but by functions. In this way, words are likened to either murderous weapons or healing balms.
This concept of comparison by function makes for beautiful poetry. For example the Bible, which is written with a Hebraic mind, compares anger to a ‘burning nose’, and calls the woman’s reproductive organ a ‘flower’. It calls God a ‘man of war’, compares Him to a hen who desires to gather her chicks under her wings, while at the same time calls His children made in His image ‘wild camels’ if they are rebellious and ‘sheep’ if they are docile. Yehoshua is the Good Shepherd but He is also the Lion of Judah, as well as the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world. Among other comparisons, Yehoshua is also ‘the Door, the Way and the Light of the world’. Not only He is the Oil of anointing as well as the High-Priest, but He is also the sacrifice, the Blood of atonement, the Altar and the Temple altogether.
These are the characteristics of our Master as compared with earthly elements. Here is a little game to play now. If God were to compare our lifestyle, define our virtues, character and speech with animals and objects, what would He use?
1 comment:
I enjoyed reading this devotional. It is a great blessing to me to see the Hebraic "mindset" expained and passed along to people, so they can have a better understanding of the scriptures.
Post a Comment