INSANITY

Time with Jesus - Saturday, 21 January 2012

Hi all,

Most of us fail to remember that the Bible was not originally written in English. Those who, like me, have an ardour for the Authorised (King James) version with its archaic wording, like to refer to it with a passion that is usually only experienced by a honeymoon couple. For those of us who were born prior to the 1960’s, the only version available was the “King Jimmy” as it was affectionately called. For those fast diminishing few, the Scriptures we remember best are from the KJV.

That old archaic language brought to us words that didn’t mean what we thought. For example I could never quite get a handle on the word “charity” in 1^st Corinthians 13. In the UK we were surrounded by charitable organisations such as Oxfam. So what it meant was decidedly unclear. It became even foggier when people spoke of making donations to charity. It was at times like that, I felt like changing my name to “Charity” so I could receive such donations legitimately.

Then in the 1960’s along came a few new translations. The first I came across was the JB Phillips translation of the New Testament. It was and still is, magnificent. Suddenly the mysteries of seventeenth century English became a bit clearer. Since then a plethora of translations and paraphrase versions of the Bible have swamped us. Some are excellent. Others are highly questionable. Which is which? To quote my late father; he would say, “If I told you that you’d be as clever as me.” In better words, find out for yourself.

Even today, some words have no clear meaning. The word “hate” is such a word. So when it says God hated someone, it left me feeling uncomfortable. For me, love has always been the opposite of hate. So it was difficult to relate a loving God with a hating God. It struck me as somewhat incongruent. There was obviously something I’d missed. So after puzzling through things I got hold of a copy of Strong’s Hebrew and Greek dictionary. Lo and behold, all was revealed. Well, sort of! Not knowing Hebrew or Greek meant and still means, I’m stuck with that which Dr. James Strong in his Dictionary states. Nevertheless, when combined with Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of New Testament and Old Testament Words, I’ve got more or less the best available understanding available to a septuagenarian.

For today’s meditation, I’ve consulted these two sources and come up with a “neat” meaning and understanding of the word “hate” contained in e-sword. So I’ve weaved them into a devotional I’ve called “Insanity”. The meaning and understanding are in the poem. Happy reading!

Jim & Phyllida Strickland.

Insanity

We know about the love of God. So, where does “hate” fit in? The love of God is righteous, but hate may not mean sin. The concept we are used to, is hate in its extreme. The very opposite of love, that’s dirty and unclean. But there are shades of meaning we seldom see today. The origin in Hebrew is a word pronounced “Saw-Nay”. The spelling seen in English, about which we complain, Is not too difficult to see and looks like the word “sane”. So if our love is sanity, then hatred has to be, Some form of mad insanity that keeps on driving me. The other simpler meaning; “unloved” describes it best. Is all about a person who somehow failed the test. The Lord said He loved Jacob;” it’s Esau whom I hate”. – (Rom 9:13) Esau sold his birthright, for some stew upon a plate. The Lord saw this as hateful; what Esau did was wrong. But he was not abandoned. God’s love was far too strong. So Esau wasn’t hated the way we seem to think. In God he had no interest. So God just let him sink, Into a vague obscurity and establish Edom-land. It’s sad that Isaac’s first born son was not at God’s right hand. So when we read, “God hated” We really aught to pause, And see the situation. Perhaps it’s just like yours? Perhaps you’ve lost your birthright, to fix an appetite? Have you let the Son of God just vanish out of site? Have you left for Edom through a choice which you have made? Has He commanded something and you have disobeyed? Then now’s the time to change your ways and come back to the fold. Perhaps you’re still a youngster? Perhaps you’re growing old? Perhaps you’ve just lost contact, by running on ahead? Perhaps you think it’s something you’ve done or you have said? Do not keep on running. The Lord will let you go, If you insist upon a path that you should never know. My brother or my sister, please do not be insane. The Lord desires to love you. So let His “hatred” wane! Bow your knee to Jesus and say you want to be, Established in His Kingdom for all eternity. Tell Him that you love Him, with all your heart and soul. The moment you’ve repented, Our Lord will make you whole. Jim Strickland – Written Saturday 1st January 2012.