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 1st
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
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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.
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