Monday, June 30, 2025

Musing – What goes on Forever?

 Hebraic Musing – What goes on Forever?

Words meaning "Forever" or “Everlasting” are mentioned in the Bible over 1,000 times.  There is no mystery to the meaning.  Forever means everlasting, infinite, perpetual, and continuous existence, and never ending!!!  Here are just few of the many things our beloved Bible tells us that are “forever” or “everlasting”.

First mention - Man will live forever!  Our trinitarian God said - “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.” Genesis 3:22 NKJV   BTW, we will live forever!

His Covenants are forever.  And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.” Genesis 17:7   That would include covenants made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David; and the salt covenant of fellowship. 

The land belongs to Israel forever.  It does not belong to the Palestinians or the Arabs, but the people of Israel. The LORD told Abram - “for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.” Genesis 13:15   And the land the LORD showed Abram was a lot more than today’s maps designate as Israel.

About Passover – “And you shall observe this thing (Passover) as an ordinance for you and your sons forever.” Exodus 12:24   Hmm…How does the Church celebrate Passover nowadays?

When Moses sang “The LORD shall reign forever and ever” in Exodus 15:18, then Miriam sang of the Horse and rider thrown into the sea”!

Psalm 136 tells us 26 times that “His love endures forever.” NIV   

Psalm 19:9 reminds us that “The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.” 

Babylon will be desolate forever.  “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down and shall not be found anymore.” Revelation18:21

Jesus told us that Hell is forever!  “’Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:45-46 NKJV   Does everlasting also mean forever? 

And here are a few more “forevers” to think about:

  • Seventh day Sabbath, as established at creation.  In fact, all His appointed times (feasts) are forever.  
  • Grain, drink and wave offerings are all forms of praise and are forever.  
  • Yom Kippur the day of atonement is forever.
  • Torah, instructions, commands are forever; curses for not obeying commands are forever.  
  • Kingdom of David, with Yeshua as his heir.  
  • The fear of YHVH is forever. (Respect or awe)

And this has only been of sampling of ways the Kingdom of God is forever everlasting

Points to Ponder

Q – How long will Jesus be our LORD?    A - __________

Whether they are saved saints, or condemned sinners, how long will they/we live?

   Forever God is faithful, Forever God is strong, Forever God is with us, Forever. 

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          July 1, 2025            
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings

Note – Inspired by “What goes on forever” by Johanna Hocker.

Monday, June 23, 2025

Musings – Why are some Psalms done in Acrostics?

 

Hebraic Musings – Why are some Psalms done in Acrostics?

Q - What’s an acrostic? A - When each section begins with a specific letter of the (Hebrew) aleph-bet. 

There are several reasons why some Psalms are done in acrostics:

(1) It may be an artistic device used to add a certain beauty to the psalm, as rhyme does in our poetry.

(2) It is a way to explore the nature and value of the written Word of God exhaustively, as we might say – the subject is being covered from A to Z.

(3–my favorite) The acrostic was a way to assist the children in learning the psalms.  That is probably why many Old Testament passages are poetry rather than prose. Poetry is easier than prose to memorize!

Psalm 119 is the most complete acrostic psalm. It is the longest chapter of the Bible. It is divided into 22 sections, each section is titled by one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  Here’s the Hebrew Letter and it’s related verses in Psalm 119.  Aleph (1-8), Beth (9-16) Gimel (17-24) Daleth (25-32) He (33-40) Heth (57-64) Waw (41-48) Zayin (49-56) Teth (65-72) Yodh (73-80) Kaph (81-88) Lamedh (89-96) Mem (97-104) Nun (105-112) Samekh (113-120) Ayin (121-128) Pe (129-136) Tsadhe (137-144) Qoph  (145-152) Resh (153-160) Sin / Shin (161-168) Taw (169-176) = 22 Hebrew Aleph-Bet letters. 
You might enjoy noting in your Bible the Hebrew symbolic definition(s) or meanings as headers for each section in Psalm 119 in your Bible!?!?  (See chart below)

Psalm 9 is another acrostic.  However, it has an interesting problem; where there should be the fourth letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet, there is nothing.  The Hebrew letter “Dalet” is missing!  If you are reading your Bible in English, you won’t notice the missing “Dalet.”  What does the Hebrew word for missing “Dalet” symbolize?  The answer is “door.”  For centuries Israeli children kept pestering their parents, “Where is the Dalet (door)? Where is the Dalet (door)?”  Of course, the parents had no answer . . . until Jesus arrived.

It is interesting that in John 10:1-2 Jesus said Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  And Jesus continues in vs.9,  I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved,

 I wonder if Jesus was also referring to the missing Dalet in Psalm 9 when He said  Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.  Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.'” Luke 13:24-25 NIV  

And if you want to learn a little Hebrew, let’s start with the aleph-bet chart below; and notice that every letter in Hebrew represents both a number and a symbol and a meaning.

Points to Ponder
What are we missing by not reading the Bible in Hebrew?

How much gets lost when translating languages?  Especially when translating the Bible?

Appreciate and enjoy the symbolism in the Hebrew language!

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                            June 24, 2025            
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings

 

 

    Aleph - Bet

Q W E R T Y

Sound

Value

PCBS Hebrew Outline

Hebrew

     Picture                                  

Meaning

Symbol Represents or Best Word

a

(silent)

1 & 1000

a

Aleph

Ox Head; Bull                          UNITY

Strong; Leader; Power    FATHER   Invisible God

Strong Leader  - FATHER God's Nature or Character

  B          -        b

B  (w/Dot) Bed                  V          Very

2

B  b

    Beit         Bet           -     Veth

Tent Floorplan;    House       WITNESS

Family; HOUSE; In        SON-YESHUA-Housed in Flesh

House   SON-YESHUA-Housed in Flesh

  G        -        g

G     go         or         GH GHana

3

G  g

   Gimel       -      Ghimel

Foot;  Camel          PERFECTION

Pride; Walk; Carry; Lift Up

Benefactor;      Lift Up;     HELPer  -     HOLY SPIRIT

  D          -         d

D        Dog            -          TH     THis

4

D  d

   Dalet        -        Daleth

Tent Door     CREATION

Pathway; Hang;  Enter

DOOR (closed to God); so Needs Help

h

H        Hat   (Breath)

5

h

    Hei        He     Heh

Window; Raised arms of man; God's GRACE

Look; Reveal; Breath of God; Indwelling of the Holy Spirit=New Creation

Breath of God        (As prefix = "THE"; suffix = "FEMININE")

w

 W  Windmill   v, u      Very 

6

w

   Vav       or   Waw

Hook; Nail; Tent Peg     MAN

Add; Secure; Hook

Hook   (and)  (Soul?)

z

 Z       Zeal

7

z

Zayin

Weapon;  Sword or Mattock  COMPLETE

Food; Cut; Nourish; Weapon

Completion                   or           Nurishment

j

CH       baCH

8

j

Chet   CHeth

Fence;    Tent Wall                NEW BEGINNING

Private; Outside; Divide; Separate

       Life;                       Wall;                    Divide

f

T          Ten

9

f

 Tet    Teth

Snake (Head & tail); Twist; FRUIT Basket

Surround; Contain; Mud

DEATH, GOOD or EVIL; Surround; Contain

y

Y         Yet

10

y

Yod     Yodh    Yud

Closed Hand; Arm   LAW

Work; Throw; Make; Worship; "The Hand of GOD"

HOLY SPIRIT; Work;  Worship

  K       -      k

K        King     or        CH      LoCH

20

K  k

  KAF        -       Khaph

Open PALM of  Hand

Cover; Bend; Open; Allow; Tame

PALM

  I         -       i

K        King     or        CH      LoCH

500

Ii

KAF   Khaph (sofeit)

Open PALM of  Hand

Cover; Bend; Open; Allow; Tame

PALM

l

L      Long

30

l

Lamed Lamedh

Ox-goad; Shepherd's Staff

Teach; Prod; Yoke; Toward; Bind

Prod; Teach

 

m

M      Men

40

m

Mem  (open)

Water

Massive; Mighty; Chaos; Blood - REVEALED

Living Truth Revealed

< 

M      Men

600

< 

Mem (Sofeit- Closed)

Water

Massive; Mighty; Chaos; Blood - CONCEALED

Living Truth Concealed

n

N     New

50

n

Nun

Fish;      Seed

Activity; Continue; Activity; Life; Heir; Son

Life

/

N     New

700

/

Nun (Sofeit)

Fish;      Seed

Activity; Continue; Activity; Life; Heir; Son

Life

s

S      Sign

60

s

Samech  Samek

Prop;     Thorn

Support; Grab; Hate; Protect; Turn

Support            or                Protect

u

(silent)

70

u

Ayin

Eye

See; Know; Shade; Experience

See & Know

  P        -       p

P     Pond         -           PH   Fish

80

Pp

Pe    w/Dot     -        Phe 

Mouth

Speak; Open Mouth; Blow; Word; Scatter

Speak

  (?)         -      [  

P     Pond         -           PH   Fish

800

[[

  Pe     w/Dot     -        Phe (sofeit)

Mouth

Speak; Open Mouth; Blow; Word; Scatter

Speak

x

TZ    caTS

90

x

Tzaddi  Tsadhe Tsade

Fish-hook; Man on his side (Kneeling)

Catch; Wait; Chase; Snare; Hunt; Desire; Need

Righteous-ness

J

TZ    caTS

900

J

Tzaddi (Sofeit)

Fish-hook (hanging)

Catch; Wait; Chase; Snare; Hunt; Desire; Need

Righteous-ness

q

K   or  Q  uniQue   or C Candle

100

q

KOF   KUF   Qoph

BACK of the HEAD;  Sun on Horizon

Behind; Least; Last; Condense; Circle; Time 

HOLINESS -   Holy

r

R        Run

200

r

Resh

Head           of man

First; Top; Head; Highest; Beginning

Head; Highest

  c           -    v

S        So         -             SH       Ship

300

cv

    Sin          -         Shin

Two Front TEETH

Consume; Sharp; Press; Destroy, Protector; Two

PEACE

  T           -    t

T         Toe        -          TH      PaTH

400

Tt

  Tav     Taw   (w/Dot)        -       Thav   Thaw

Crossed Sticks

Covenant; Sign; Mark; Seal

Covenant