Posts Tagged With: Wisdom

Masters

Posted on December 15, 2013 by K. Gallagher

   

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 “No gods, no masters.” ― Margaret Sanger

In my last post, A Parable, we investigated the Hebrew word mashal found in Genesis 3:16 and 4:7 translated as rule and master. We discovered that mashal is also the Hebrew word for a parable or proverb and how maxims actually do have dominion and power for those that have ears to hear. In today’s post, I hope to take us a little deeper into this correlation.

In Chavah’s encounter with the serpent, she found the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil to be three things:

  1. Good for food.
  2. A delight to her eyes.
  3. Desirable to make one wise.

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. (Gen. 3:6)

Why did Chavah consider something that Adonai said not to eat, “good for food?” Does she believe He  is withholding something from her? Apparently, Adonai isn’t completely trustworthy in the eyes of Eve after her encounter with the serpent.

So, why did Chavah trust a walking[1], talking snake? Isn’t a serpent a created beast? As a beast, the serpent knows only what an animal is created to do. His dialogue with Chavah reveals the spirit of a beast, not a man. Anything an animal desires to do is a God given instinct. By pursuing these urges, the beast is actually being obedient to the Creator.

What are these desires? Beasts are “ruled” by the impulse to eat, sleep, procreate, and expand their territory.[2] These inborn urges drive the soul of an animal. If they see something they “desire,” they are never in disobedience by working to fulfill this want. These appetites ensure that these creatures are fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. Therefore, an animal’s teshukah[3] (desire) is its master by the design of the Creator.

Humans and animals both have a nephesh, or a soul. Therefore, we also have appetites corresponding to an animal or beast. This part of our human nature is not evil in and of itself. The Creator made mankind this way and called it very good! Without these appetites and passions, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish our primary mandate as humans: to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.

However, unlike the beasts, we are NOT to allow ourselves to be ruled by these appetites and desires. Instead, with Adonai’s help, we are meant to master them. A human created in the image of Elohim masters his flesh or nephesh. This can only be accomplished by living by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of Elohim (God).[4] Why? Because without the Word, we are ruled by the appetites of our nephesh and are no different than a beast of the field.

If our nephesh controls our actions, are we not our own masters? Isn’t that the real temptation the serpent presents to Chavah (Eve)? By allowing the nephesh to rule, one becomes like Elohim knowing good and evil and doing what is right in their own eyes. This is pure idolatry; with self being the idol.

This is the precise problem with the second and third observations Eve had of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.(Gen. 3:6 KJV)

The Hebrew word for pleasant is ta’avah; it means to long for, desire, lust, or delight. Its root word, avah, is defined as to wish for, desire, and covet. This is the same word used in the second set of the Ten Commandments for “You shall not covet…”[5] This is not surprising; since, it is usually one’s eyes that first longs for (covets) something that isn’t his to have. This is the purpose of Adonai commanding one to wear visual reminders of His commandments.[6] One cannot trust their eyes to remain faithful.

Not by coincidence, the Hebrew word for “desired” above is chamad. While it does mean delight, desirable, and even beloved; it also means to covet. It is the Hebrew word used in the first set of the Ten Commandments where it says, “You shall not covet…”[7] What exactly was it that Chavah coveted?

“For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:5)

Chavah could be her own master. She would decide what was good and evil in her own eyes and, in effect, be a better ezer kenegdo to Adam. Margaret Sanger[8] captured this human dilemma in parabolic form with her infamous words, “No gods, no masters.” She was certain that the only “master” of a woman’s body was the woman herself. In other words, Margaret’s desire was to do what seemed right in her own eyes. She was her own master or god knowing good and evil. Sadly, this is the battle of all men and women. Who shall rule us?

By listening to the walking, talking serpent or nephesh, Chavah began to have more trust not necessarily in the serpent, but in herself. This is the ultimate deception of the serpent. He is a beast perfectly designed to be ruled by instinct or nephesh. Chavah is meant to be ruled by the Word of God. So, what happened with Adam in this story?

Unlike Chavah, Adam was NOT deceived.

…and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. (Gen. 3:16b)

The Hebrew word for with is eem. It can mean with, by, or beside. The Hebrew allows one interpretation: Adam watched this whole debacle unfold and never protested the obvious (to him) deception of his wife. Why was Adam silent? Did he trust his ezer kenegdo to a fault? Or did he realize, as Dr. Moen suggests,[9] that he had an impossible choice to make:

  1. Eve, the only perfect one; made just for me. Bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh.
  2. Elohim. LORD. Creator of Heaven and Earth.

Regardless of why Adam remained silent, his sin was exactly the same as Chavah’s. He chose his own desires and passions instead of Adonai. In other words, Adam was mastered by his nephesh just as Eve was. The difference, I believe, is that Chavah didn’t realize (at first) what was happening, but Adam did. He was not deceived. He chose Chavah, the very delight to his eyes.

Essentially, both Chavah and Adam became their own masters. Their sin was idolatry. I don’t think we realize that this is what we are doing when choose to do what we want to do or not do. We usurp the highest authority in the Universe when we decide what is good and evil. Only YHWH has the right and authority to make these distinctions. We don’t have to understand his sovereign commandments. We simply are to obey them.

The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!” (Gen. 3:4)

When we become our own god, we bring curses and death upon ourselves. Sure, the consequence may not be immediate. Adam and Chavah didn’t die… right away. This delay can only be the mercy and grace of YHWH. Sadly, when we are disobedient and nothing “bad” seems to happen, we believe the lie of the serpent and smugly think to ourselves that our DESIRE doesn’t lead to death or destruction either.

Ironically, the very thing a person ruled by their nephesh desires, to be their own master, is the very thing that enslaves them to sin and death. Meditate on that for a while…

So, what’s the parable or moral found in this story? How does this connect the two accounts in Genesis 3:16 and 4:7? What is the Creator teaching with the teshukah and mashal in Chavah and Cain’s predicaments? I hope to answer that in my next post, Slaves.

[1] I’m assuming he could walk since his curse after deceiving Chavah (Eve) would be that he would have to crawl on the ground from that point forward. Naturally, the inference is that before this encounter, he did not crawl on his belly.

[2] Dr. Hollisa Alewine, in her workbook The Scarlet Harlot, speaks to this dichotomy between the nephesh and the man made in the image of Adonai.

[3] Please see a more in-depth treatment of the Hebrew word teshukah in my series on the Biblical Role of Women.

[4] Dt. 8:3

[5] Dt. 5:21

[6] And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. (Num. 15:39-40)

[7] “You shall not covet (chamad) your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Ex. 20:17) 

[8] Margaret Sanger is the “mother” of Planned Parenthood. I believe she is a prime example of a woman ruled by her nephesh rather than by the Spirit of YHWH.

[9] Audio file: The Scriptural Role of the ‘Ezer by Dr. Skip Moen. You can purchase it here: http://skipmoen.com/products/ezer/

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A Parable

Posted on December 12, 2013 by K. Gallagher

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Proverbs 1:1-7  The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;  (2)  To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;  (3)  To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;  (4)  To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.  (5)  A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:  (6)  To understand a proverb (mashal), and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.  (7)  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (NASB)

Back to the Beginning

In The Biblical Role of Women posts, we explored and compared Bereshit (Genesis) 3:16 and 4:7. These two verses are about Chavah’s (Eve’s) curse after the serpent deceived her and YHWH’s remarks to Cain before he killed Abel. If you will recall, YHWH’s statements in these verses contain some striking similarities, especially in Hebrew.

To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.” (Gen. 3:16 NASB)

“If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” (Gen. 4:7 NASB)

In this post, instead looking at the word for desire, teshukah, as we did in the Biblical Role of Women, I want to explore the Hebrew word translated as rule and master. In each of the verses above, the same Hebrew word is used: moshal (משׁל). This is the verb form of the word mashal, which means proverb or parable. This Hebrew word is very interesting.

Strong’s defines the verb moshal as to rule: (have, make to have) dominion, governor, and reign. And defines the noun mashal as a sense of superiority in mental action; properly a pithy maxim, usually of a metaphorical nature; hence a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse): – byword, like, parable, proverb.

The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible defines both words together since they are cognates. Rule, dominion: The dominion one rules over. Also the comparison of things as a rule of measurement. Compare: To compare one thing to another in the sense of a rule of measurement, often a proverb or parable.

Thus, the Hebrew word for rule and dominion is also the word for a proverb or parable. Think about that for moment. How are these words related in the Hebraic mindset? Rabbi David Fohrman, in his book The Beast that Crouches at the Door,[1] suggests that the reason people tell parables is to interpret reality. In our day-to-day experiences of life, things can happen that are hard to make sense of or understand. We need something to “compare it to.” This is how a story, parable, or proverb “rules” over our experience. They point out what is important in our circumstance so that we can understand and grow. Is this not what a (good) ruler does for us? He sorts out our circumstances and directs our paths.

Proverbs 1:1-7 is quoted at the beginning of this post. Look at the words that Solomon used to describe the function of a proverb or parable (mashal) in these verses: to know, to understand, to perceive, to receive, to attain, and to increase in knowledge, wisdom, understanding, judgment, and equity. A parable opens the door for us to perceive or understand something that to us, is hidden. By relating a message in story form, the moral or lesson is left up to the hearer to discern or interpret. Is this not why Yeshua concludes many parables[2] with: “He that has ears to hear, let him hear?”

Whether a particular connection or comparison is understood also depends on what or who controls the heart of a person. At least, this is the conclusion of King Solomon in verse 7. What Solomon points out is that a person that fears Adonai can “hear” what the proverb or parable is teaching. Conversely, those without YHWH as their Master and Elohim (God), have no real wisdom or knowledge. A life devoid of the governing Word of the Creator is nothing more than the unbridled desire, passion, and appetites of a fool. In other words, what rules or controls the person is their own nephesh or soul. Are you starting to see the pattern of mashal’s integrated uses of to rule and a parable?

Solomon wants to teach his children with the authority of a proverb. This is the purpose of a parable. They contain the power (rule; dominion) to change a person’s perception of life, circumstances, and even their worldview. That’s pretty powerful! They are the lighthouses that reveal the shoreline on a dark and foggy night. Do you ever find that your “vision” is blurred by your situation? Have you ever felt that you are at a crossroads? I know I have on numerous occasions. We all need a mashal that will shift our lenses so that Adonai’s purpose and will come into our focus.

If we listen (shema) carefully, Adonai gives these mashalim (proverbs/parables) to us all the time. They definitely are found in Scripture, but they also occur in our day-to-day lives. For example, the other day I was correcting my son for the umpteenth time for something we’ve covered again and again. I was frustrated by his lack of compliance and apathetic attitude. I vocalized my disappointment by saying that all he had to do was simply obey what I said. “Why can’t you do that?” I asked.

Immediately, I felt the LORD say to me, “That’s how I feel. You do the same thing to me all the time. Why can’t you also simply obey me?” Wow, talk about feeling like a hypocrite! My loving Father used my son as a living parable to teach or direct my focus to a problem I couldn’t “hear” without this powerful comparison. If I change my actions because of this mashal, then I have increased or attained wisdom as the verses quoted above in Proverbs attest.

In the account with Eve and Cain, is there more to the proverbial story than we’ve previously conceived? Isn’t there always? We find the exact same Hebrew structure in Genesis 3:16 and 4:7. Teshukah and Mashal. Passion, desire, and appetites compared with dominion, rule, and mastering. Is YHWH highlighting something for us here in the beginning? Is there a parable that will direct us further? I hope to explore this in my next post called Masters.

[1] I have a digital version, so page numbers do not correlate properly. You can find his musings of moshal/mashal in chapter 12. The hard copy can be purchased at http://www.amazon.com/The-Beast-That-Crouches-Door/dp/0983269041/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386891475&sr=8-1&keywords=the+beast+that+crouches+at+the+door

[2] Mt. 11:15, 13:9, 13:43; Mk. 4:9; Lk. 8:8; 14:35, and other places phrased slightly different.

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The Biblical Role of Women Part V

Posted on May 24, 2013 by K. Gallagher

Role of Women Main Page

Please view Part I, II, III, and IV for context.

Proverbs 31

In Judaism, the Proverbs 31 woman is often taught as an allegory for the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh), Wisdom, Torah, the Shekinah (Divine Presence), Shabbat, and/or the soul. At first glance this might seem odd, but most Jewish scholars and teachers read, write, and speak Hebrew. This knowledge opens the Biblical text in ways that English cannot. We will focus on two of these allegories in particular: Wisdom and the Holy Spirit.

 

Wisdom

“Wisdom” is the primary character in the Book of Proverbs, and she is personified as a woman. If this is a foreign concept to you, take some time to read through this book.  Proverbs  depicts two women, one righteous and one wicked, to contrast two types of people (or ways of thinking and behaving). These two “ways” are within every human being. Sometimes they are referred to as the good and evil inclinations[1] or spiritual battle between the spirit and the flesh. King Solomon personifies good and evil in order to teach his son (and us) discernment. Adonai and Solomon instruct one to choose to follow their good inclination (or one’s spirit [in Messiah], rather than the flesh).

In Hebrew, the Spirit of God and other spirits are written in the feminine form.[2] At first, it may seem strange or even blasphemous to refer to God in the feminine. But your Bible does so over and over again in reference to His Spirit in the Hebrew language. This is not goddess worship; rather, this is simply how the Hebrew language works. God is neither a man nor a woman, yet He has attributes of both genders. This is why it takes a male and a female to properly display His image.[3]

The Holy Spirit displays the feminine attributes of Adonai. Isaiah describes the Spirit of God like a tree with seven branches or characteristics (Isaiah 11:1-2).  This is not to be confused with the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit is the result of or what comes forth from this seven branched tree. In other words, fruit results from the tree; it is the goal – what secures the future.  We can use a biblical motif to describe these seven facets. In the Tabernacle in the wilderness, Adonai told

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Moses to construct a menorah (lamp stand) with seven branches. The menorah was to be made of ONE piece of beaten gold.[4] The menorah would illuminate the Holy Place that leads one into the Holy of Holies. There is only ONE central branch with three branches on either side. The six outer branches are out-workings of the main, central branch. The Bible often uses the symbolism of this magnificent menorah to describe God’s Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh), and for those who operate in or who are filled with His Spirit.

Like the seven branches on the ONE golden Menorah, Isaiah, Zechariah, Yeshua (Jesus), and John all write about the Holy Spirit having seven attributes (branches). If you wish to learn about the seven spirits of God in depth, I can pair you with a Creation Gospel[5] trainer who can guide through Dr. Alewine’s thematic workbook. Here are some of the verses that attest to the seven.

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. (Is. 11:2)

He said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it…Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts…”For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel–these are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth.” (Zec. 4:2, 6, 10)

Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; (Rev 4:5 see also Rev. 1:4; 3:1; 5:6)

Wisdom is not only the first of the seven manifestations of God’s Spirit, but is also personified as a woman in the Bible. It is for this reason that the Jewish Sages reading the Proverbs 31 text see the eshet chayil (Woman of Valor, Strength, Might) as a metaphor for the Holy Spirit. This may come as a relief to many women. Thank goodness! I was feeling pretty inadequate compared to this “perfect” woman.

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit shows one the way of wisdom which leads into the fullness of all seven Spirits of God (Is. 11:2). It teaches one not only the proper role of women, but also the strength (chayil) of her role. If we allow God’s Spirit to have reign in our hearts and lives, we will naturally produce the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22. Do you remember how the woman is designed to be an ezer, a helper? Do you know of another “helper” in scripture?

Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul. (Ps. 54:4)

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. (Jn. 14:26)

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The Holy Spirit operates as a type of helper in the life of a believer. Sometimes He is our aid, but sometimes He opposes us in order to turn us in a different direction. This is the same function the woman often plays (on a much smaller scale) in the life of her husband. Think about the following roles that the Holy Spirit plays in our lives and compare them to the role of woman. (Note: these are generalities. Some women will function strongly in one of these roles and struggle in others. Conversely, there are men who can and do function well in some of these aspects – especially when they are filled with the Spirit of God. The point of looking at this comparison is to realize that God, who is neither a man or woman, has both masculine and feminine attributes.)

Actions

  • The Holy Spirit comforts and nurtures; so does a woman.
  • He teaches and instructs; so does woman.
  • He displays mercy and grace; so does a woman.
  • He encourages; so does a woman.
  • He leads and speaks; so does a woman.
  • He’s the unseen One; so often this is also true of the woman (she’s behind the scenes working).
  • He prepares and empowers; so does a woman.
  • He intercedes, testifies, and reproofs; so does a woman.

If you want to know what your duties are as a woman, all you have to do is consider the feminine attributes of God; for you were created as a female image bearer of the Creator of the Universe. This is also true for men. They are a male image bearer of the Creator. Men should consider masculine attributes of Adonai and mirror them in the earth. BUT, both sexes must always remember that both sides, both genders, both masculine and feminine attributes working together and in unison is required for the actual image of God to be reflected in the earth. All masculinity or all femininity will result in a lopsided, perverted understanding of the Creator.

We never find YHWH in a control battle with His Spirit; they are ONE. Therefore, male and female image bearers should work together in harmony, each displaying a facet of the image of our perfect Elohim (God). One does not dominate the other. There is no power struggle because there is no need for one. Power struggles are a sure sign of the flesh ruling and reigning, which is a false image. To break this down into easier to digest parts, we might say that males better image the Father, and females better image the Holy Spirit. And when they become one, they figure the Son, Yeshua, the last Adam (Rom. 8:29, 2 Cor. 3:18).

Atmosphere & Eshet Chayil

Like the Ruach HaKodesh, women often set the tone for the atmosphere of the home, fellowship, workplace, school, etc. When women are ruled by their emotions, mood, or fleshy desires it affects everyone around them in a negative sense. One is a true warrior of God, an eshet chayil, when she chooses to crucify her flesh and walk according to Word and the example of the Holy Spirit, instead of how their flesh feels or thinks. Any time a woman is present, she will influence the spiritual climate of that space. Thus, the fruit of self-control is something vital for women to learn (this is true for men as well, but our focus here is on the role of women).

The lower, sinful nature of men and women (especially if they are immature in physical age or spiritual maturity) often manifests as a desire turned into a demand to have their way. They will use their God given strengths, such as strong emotions and intuition, in an unhealthy and destructive way. For example, women often can intuit through their feelings, but they do not know how to express their concerns in a helpful and healthy way. Rather than being a help to their opposite, they can become a hindrance or stumbling block. Generally, whether male or female, the lower nature rises up and tries to dominate through some type of force, including manipulation, passive aggressive words or actions, outright aggression, emotional meltdowns (tantrums), etc. If fear driven or frustrated, inflamed, or offended flesh speaks, the result will be destruction.

Pro 10:11-14 (NASB) The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions. 13  On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding. 14 Wise men store up knowledge, But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

Pro 11:9-12 (NASB) With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. 10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting. 11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down. 12 He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding keeps silent.

James 3:13-18 (NASB) Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.  17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

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Your everyday walk requires you to be a warrior. Suite up in the armor of God, for your battle is most often with yourself! Examine your fruit: your actions and words. Also consider your surroundings. Are you fostering shalom and growth, or are you contributing to the chaos and drama? Are you deeply wounded and unable to deal with others in a healthy way? Seek godly counseling. Is there a repeated pattern of fractured relationships in your life? This is a red flag that you need some healing to function as a healthy ezer. Begin by using your tongue in a healthy way – cry out to Adonai in confession and repentance, then seek counselors or mentors who can model healthy, godly fruit as a woman or man of God. Often we can’t “do” better until we “learn” better, and sadly too many were only modeled the false image, so that is what they reflect to the world. But, there is hope for real change! That is Good News. We are BEING conformed into the image of the last Adam, Yeshua, and Adonai promises to bring us to completion.

An excellent wife (eshet chayil) is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones. (Pr. 12:4)

Many daughters have done virtuously (chayil, valiantly, mightily), but thou excellest them all. (Pr. 31:29)

Learning more about the Biblical role of women (and men) helps one to overcome so that relationships can thrive. We will consider some Biblical examples of an ezer kenegdo next in Part VI.

[1] Christians might refer to this as the battle between the spirit and the flesh.

[2] In Hebrew, all things have either a masculine or feminine gender. There is no neuter or neutral gender like there is in English.

[3] Gen 1:27,  God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

[4] Read Exodus 25

[5] Please refer to Dr. Hollisa Alewine’s website: thecreationgospel.com

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