Panteth - Psalm 42:1

The psalmist in a time of personal trial did what every believer should do - He completely sought after God

God's inspired word here in verse 1 gives you and I a great picture of the intensity with which we should seek after God.

Psalm 42:1  As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

The word panteth is translated from the Hebrew word gr;[ The only other time this word is used in the Bible is in  the book of Joel where it is translated as the word cry.

"The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness." - Joel 1:20

The child of God should thirst for God as the hart desires waters in the time of drought not just in the bad times but all the time.

God gave his people a promise while they were in captivity that shows his heart and agrees with his works toward his people in all ages. Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Another - John 14:16

A word study emphasizing the person of the Holy Spirit

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Many today are seeking to find ways to deny the authority of God. One way that they try to accomplish this is by rejecting the doctrine of the person of the Holy Spirit.  The person of the Holy Spirit is important because a person has elements that require personal response. Three elements of a person are 1) the mind, 2) the will, 3) the emotions. If a person can come to believe that the Holy Spirit is nothing more than a force, or energy, then they can find reason to reject His will. They can avoid the reality that HE can be grieved and injured, and emotionally effected by their behavior. Unfortunately for them, their belief does not change the truth.

The language of John 14:16 supports the doctrine of the person of the Holy Spirit, in a unique way. 

The word another is the greek word  a;lloj   This word is a word that is specific of being another of the same kind. This word then lets the reader know that the Holy Spirit would be the same as the Lord Jesus Christ. The word then specifies that just as Jesus is a person the the godhead, so is the Holy Spirit.

The greek language is very specific, and if there was to be another of a different kind, the greek word would have been e[teroj This word is demonstrated in Galatians 1:6 where another gospel is mentioned.

 

Dividing 2Timothy 2:15

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

This word is found only one time in the Greek New Testament. That time is found in 2Tim 2:15.

The word dividing is the Greek word ovrqotome,w which is to cut straight, proceed on a straight path, to hold true to course, or in this case to handle truth correctly without deviation.

This word is a compound word of two Greek words:

1) ovrqo,j orthos {or-thos'} 1) straight, erect 1a) upright 1b) straight, not crooked

ovrqo,j is found in Acts 14:10 “Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

ovrqo,j is also found in Hebrews 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

2) the base of tomw,teroj ¿tomo,jÀ tomoteros {tom-o'-ter-os} Meaning: 1) sharper Origin: comparative of a derivative of the primary temno (to cut, more comprehensive or decisive than ,ko,ptw as if by a single stroke, whereas ko,ptw implies repeated blows, like hacking)

^KJV

This word is found in Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The phrase "dividing assunder" in this verse is a different word that the word dividing on 2Tim 2:15.

Hebrews 4:12 teaches that the word of God is able to do a great work in meeting the spiritual need of man. It will divide and discern, but we must rightly divide it for it to be effectual in our lives!

2Tim 2:15 declares that God's word can be and must be interpreted in a manner that is consistent and accurate to truth. It is to be received uprightly without deviating from the word of God. The next verse shows the context in which verse 15 is being declared.

2 Tim 2:16 “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”

The private interpretations (2Peter 1:20) of today are no different from those of Timothy's day. We are not to follow the ways of those who do not value the Word of God by straying from a proper interpretation but rather strive to be approved of God. The result of wayward and inappropriate interpretation is manifested by ungodliness!

Offend - Psalm 119:165

A word study that demonstrates the benefit and value of loving the law of God.

Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

The word translated offend here in Psalm 119:165 is the hebrew word lAvk.mi

This word is found 14 times in the Old Testament

Leviticus 19:14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.

This verse is a valuable resource in pictorially demonstrating the idea of the result of not loving the law of God! God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, but when we do not love God's law, we stumble as the blindman over a stumbling block!

1 Samuel 25:31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.
Abigail's request of David concerning the mal-treatment of her husband toward him demonstrates how this idea of stumbling includes more than the physical obstacle of Lev. 19:14.
Isaiah 8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Here we find the LORD a sanctuary for the righteous and a stumbling stone for the ungodly.

This verse demonstrates how the a study of the original languages can be of help to the believer.

The word stumbling is the hebrew word @g<n< which means 1) blow, striking, plague 1a) blow, plague (fatal) 1b) striking, while the word offense is the word we are considering lAvk.mi a stumbling, means or occasion of stumbling, stumbling- block

Isaiah 57:14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
Here the LORD himself will take away the offense from the way of the humble! See vs 13-15
Jeremiah 6:21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.

          Contrasting Is 57:14 is this verse! Where the call to the old paths (vs 16) is made.

The Book of Ezekiel finds this word to be a theme which declares:
1. the responsibility of people to do righteousness.
2. the reality of sin as a stumbling block to people.
3. the ruin of an people who fail to do righteousness.
Ezekiel 3:20  Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Ezekiel 7:19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.
Ezekiel 14:3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
Ezekiel 14:4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
Ezekiel 14:7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:
Ezekiel 18:30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Ezekiel 21:15 I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter.

Ezekiel 44:12 Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity.

We find then in the study of this word, the full scope of the offense to an individual who does not love God's law.

strange - Psalm 137:4

Psalm 137:4 How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?

An Old Testament word study that illustrates separation and discernment.

     strange - rk'nE nekar {nay-kawr'}'

This word and words from it's root is found several times in our Bible .

1) The first mention of this word is in Gen 17:12

Genesis 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

Here God gives us understanding through the sign of circumcision in the Abrahamic covenant that there was to be a distinction made between God's people and the people of the world.

God mentioned this himself in Ex 12:43 “And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:”

See also (Dut 31:16)(Ruth 2:10)(Ruth 3:14)(Neh 13:30)(Ps18:44, 46)(Ps 144:7,11)(Is 56:3,6)(Is 60:10)

(Is 61:5)(Is 62:8)(Ezk 44:7,9)

2) The biblical account of Jacob stealing Esau's birthright by deceiving his father sheds some light on this word as well.

Genesis 27:23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.

This indicates the aspect of distinction.

This is also seen in (Gen 31:32)(1Kings 20:41)(Ezra 3:13)(Job 4:16)

3) Jacob declared that his house was to put away the strange gods that were among them (Gen 35:2-4), showing the need of distinction between the God of heaven and the gods of this world.

See (Dut 32:12)(Josh 24:20, 23)(Judges 10:16)(1Sam 7:3)(2Chor 14:3)(2Chor 35:15)(Ps 81:9)(Jer 5:19)(Dan 11:39)(Mal 2:11)

4) We find this word mentioned as the word know in (Gen 37:32-33).

Genesis 37:32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.

This is demonstrated again in the account of Joseph in Gen 42:7-8 where the word is seen four times.

See know, knew, knoweth, known (Judges 18:3)(1Sam 26:17)(1Kings 18:7)(Job 2:12)(Job 7:10)(Job 21:29)(Job 24:13, 17)(Job 34:25)(Ps 103:16)(Ps 142:4)(Pro 20:11)(Lam. 4:8)

5) God reveals this word to us in (Gen 38:25-26) in a way that demonstrates personal accountability by giving the Hebrew word in two different English words: discern and acknowledged.

Genesis 38:25-26 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

For acknowlege see (Dut 21:17)(Dut 33:9)(Is 61:9)(Is 63:16)(Jer 24:5)(Dan 11:39)

For take knowledge (Ruth 2:19)

6) This word is seen as the word respect in (Dut 1:17).

Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it. See also (Dut 16:19)(Pro 24:23)(Pro 28:21)

A similar word that carries the same idea is the word regard in (Job 34:19)

7) We find an interesting presentation of this word in 1Sam 23:7 in the English word delivered.

1 Samuel 23:7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

8) In (2Sam 3:36) it is described as all the people who took notice.

9) The LORD's words are recorded as him using this word as the word another.

1 Kings 14:5 And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman.

10) Nehemiah is recorded in the Bible as using this word in the sense of perception.

Nehemiah 6:12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

11) It is used in (Proverbs 26:24) as he that hateth dissembleth with his lips

12) Jeremiah speaks the Lord's message to his people about them provoking Him with strange vanities in (Jer 8:19)

13) Here the Children of Israel have been accused of estranging the house of God by their wickedness. (Jer 19:4)

14) Obadiah rebuked Edom for rejoicing in the day that Judah became a stranger. (Ob 1:12)

This word then by it's very context sets forth the reality of the ability to discern between that which belongs to God and that which does not. The People of God in captivity for their sin of not discerning between the holy and the profane were placed by God into a place that daily reminded them of the result of not being separate!

Will the Christians of America find themselves in a strange land because they did not discern what was strange in the sight of God? They are even now. The song is gone.

A good example of the lack of discernment between the things holy and profane was illustrated to me the other day in a post I received on face book.  Some christian posted a video of  “christian music” . What was revealed in the video by the Gather crowd, was a long haired hippy (Guy Penrod) singing Jesus music. It is a tragedy that we have come to a place where God's people will praise the performance of music based upon personal pleasure rather than holy significance.

When personal satisfaction becomes more important than pure doctrine and practical holiness, the strange land is never far away.

Shepherd - Isaiah 44:28

Isaiah 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

A word study that demonstrates the value of appreciating our Good Shepherd.

In this verse we find an unusual use of the word shepherd. This is the only place where a Gentile king is given the title of being a shepherd of God's people. Why is this significant? Why did God speak of Cyrus in this way?

1. The LORD has always viewed his people as sheep.(Num 27:17) (Ezk 34) (John 10)
2. The LORD was to be Israel's only King Shepherd. (Psalm 100:3)
3. The LORD was rejected by his sheep wanting to have a king like the other nations. (1Sam 8) (Hos 13:11)
4. The LORD exercised his longsuffering toward his people by giving them king David who was a man after his own heart. (Psalm 23)
5. The LORD demonstrated his faithfulness by sending his people shepherds to warn them and lead them in the ways of righteousness but they were not heeded (Isaiah 53)(Mt 23:37)
6. The failure of wicked shepherds lead to the scattering of His flock. (Jer 50:6)(Ezk 34)(Zech 11)
7. The LORD performed righteous judgment on his people by sending them into captivity.
8. The LORD presented his sovereignty and power by making Cyrus his shepherd to help his people. (Isaiah 44:28) (Is 45:1-4) (2Chor 36:22-23) (Ezra 1:1-4)
9. Israel should have been humbled by this expression of God's gentle rebuke of showing a proud people his ability to shepherd them with a Gentile king, but they remained prideful as a nation thus they were scattered again (Mt 24:1-2)
10. The Lord will one day be recognized as the King Shepherd of His People (Zeph 3:13-20)(Ezk 34:11-31)

Are you one of his Sheep? If not what will be your end? (Rev 20:11-15)

If you are one of his sheep, do you recognize his authority and submit to his leadership as the king of your life? If not do you expect Him to look past your rebellion? He will not. (Heb 12:1-15)

Sin - Psalm 32:1

Psalm 32:1 - Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

A word study that illustrates the beauty of true confession of sin.

The word sin in this verse is the Hebrew word  ha'j'x] pronounced - chata'ah {khat-aw-aw'}

This word is found 10 times in the Old Testament.

This word is seen several times chiefly in the phrase hl'dog> ha'j'x] meaning great sin.

1. Genesis 20:9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

2. Exodus 32:21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

3. Exodus 32:30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.

4. Exodus 32:31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

5. 2 Kings 17:21 For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.

This word is also seen in the following passages concerning God's judgment against sin.

1. Exodus 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

2. Isaiah 5:18 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:

This word is used to describe the prayer of the wicked man!

Psalm 109:7 When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.

This verse describes the attitude with which God views the prayers of a wicked man. See Isaiah 59:1-2 and Isaiah 66:18.

This word is translated as sin offering.

Psalm 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

This verse brings to remembrance 2Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.  Jesus is the sin offering for the world.

Do you know the blessedness that is mentioned in Psalm 32:1? It can only be yours when you have the forgiveness of God for your sin.