Come to Understanding

Come to Understanding

They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,

and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. — Isaiah 29:24

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,

and caused them to understand the reading. — Nehemiah 8:8

December 14, 2009
Volume 8 Number 24

His Name is Called The Word of God

We can never underestimate the Word of God:

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. -Hebrews 4

The Greek word zaw (zao), which is translated here as "quick," means "to live, breathe, be among the living" (See Online Bible Greek Lexicon). Therefore, like other living things, the Word grows. The more it grows, the more powerful it becomes. Its power is capable of acting like a sharp two-edged sword upon our soul and spirit. It cuts to the quick of our hearts, discerning inner thoughts and intents that may not have even reached our consciousness.

When Yahweh sent His Word to earth through His Spirit to the prophets, He told them to write it down:

8 Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come forever and ever: -Isaiah 30

2 Thus speaks Yahweh God of Israel, saying, Write you all the words that I have spoken to you in a book. -Jeremiah 30

When prophets, such as Daniel, knew they had heard from Yahweh, they wrote it down:

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. -Daniel 7

Even though Daniel wrote down God’s word, he didn’t understand all that he had written. Sometimes, God’s Word is sealed until we are ready to understand it. Yahweh told him that these things would be sealed and were to be understood later, at the "time of the end:"

4 But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

9 And he said, Go your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. -Daniel 12

Yahweh closes eyes and opens them for His purpose and His glory and in His timing:

10 For Yahweh has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers has he covered.

11 And the vision of all has become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he says, I cannot; for it is sealed:

12 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray you: and he says, I am not learned. -Isaiah 29

Those who can’t (or won’t) understand God’s Word are content to accept the teachings of men instead of the Word of God:

13 Therefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: -Isaiah 29

That is how we get deceived into believing all sorts of traditions and doctrines that are contrary to the Word of God. Many have either knowingly or unknowingly replaced the truth of God’s word with the "tradition of men." Yahshua (Jesus) says:

7 However in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. -Mark 7

Even when it makes us uncomfortable and (often) unpopular, we need to reject the traditions that are in conflict with the total Word of God. Paul warns:

8 Beware lest any man spoils you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after the Messiah. -Colossians 2

It was after Yahshua’s death and resurrection that He opened His disciples’ eyes to understand the Scriptures:

45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, -Luke 24

Many of us ask, "How can we understand the Scriptures? How can we know the Word of God?"

Before we can understand, Yahweh must give us eyes to see and ears to hear. Through the power of His Holy Spirit, He will "guide us into all truth:"

13 However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. -John 16

The Word of God is truth:

17 Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth. -John 17

Yahshua the Messiah is the truth and He is the life:

6 Yahshua said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me. -John 14

He was born into the world to bear witness to the truth:

37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Are you a king then? Yahshua answered, You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice. -John 18

As strange as it sounds to many, the Word of God is God:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. -John 1

When God opens our spiritual eyes by the power of His Spirit, He reveals Himself to us as the Word of God:

10 But God has revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

11 For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God. -1 Corinthians 2

Once our spiritual eyes are opened by the Spirit of God, we need to diligently study His Word by "rightly dividing" it:

15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. -2 Timothy 2

This requires more than casual reading. The entire Bible is connected by common threads that lead us to the truth. Therefore, His Word will interpret itself as we study and discern connected Scriptures. Furthermore, we cannot "rightly divide" His word unless we try to understand the meanings of the words that He gave to us.

We often think we understand the Word of God, when He is trying to show us much more than is readily obvious. For example, such a simple word as "rib" may require further study. While its meaning seems obvious as we read it in English, its use in Genesis 2 and Daniel 7 may have meanings beyond our immediate understanding:

22 And the rib, which Yahweh God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her to the man. -Genesis 2

5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus to it, Arise, devour much flesh. -Daniel 7

In Genesis 2:22, the word rib is translated from the Hebrew word is elu (tsela), which also means "side" or "chamber." In the Greek Septuagint, the word is translated as pleuran (pleuran). The "pleura" is the membrane surrounding the lungs, through which the breath enters our bodies. The Greek word for breath (pneuma) also means "spirit."

In Daniel 7:5, the word "ribs" is translated from the Aramaic word, ele (ala), pronounced "al-ah." These are no ordinary "ribs." Dwelling between the "teeth" of the prophetic bear-like beast, they command it to, "Arise, devour much flesh." What are these "three ribs" that they have power to give orders to the "bear?" Soon, perhaps, we will be able to understand what Yahweh is really telling us.

When Yahweh revealed the birth of a Child who would be the Son, the Counselor, the Father, the Prince of Peace, Wonderful, and God, who could understand?

6 For 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. -Isaiah 9

Then the Child was born:

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is the Messiah the Lord. -Luke 2

Now, He reveals that the One who was this promised Child, will come again. This time, however, He will come as a mighty conquering Warrior King, whose Word proceeds out of His mouth as a sharp sword, because He is the "Word of God:"

13 And he was clothed with a coat dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

15 And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. -Revelation 19

Yahweh says that when His people sanctify His name, they that "erred in spirit shall come to understanding:"

23 But when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.

24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. -Isaiah 29

When we know Yahweh, He unseals His Word for us, revealing that it is sharp, alive, and powerful!

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Scriptures are taken from the Proper Name Version of the King James Bible.