Today’s Old Testament chronological reading is in Job 31 and 32.
The Psalms/ Proverbs reading is in Psalm 22.
The New Testament reading is in Matthew 16.
Today’s notes.
Those the world despises as spoiled and of no value, He does not despise, but values. Those the world abhors as abominable, He cherishes. He does not hide from the afflicted, but when the afflicted cry out to Him, He hears them. He doesn’t just hear their cry and note it, then go on; but hearing their cry must include also responding to their cry. He responds as the good Shepherd, destroying their destroyer.
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 1 Cor 1:26-29
Hebrew root word parables.
For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from him; but when he cried to Him, He heard. Psa 22:24
TO DESPISE Strong’s H959 בזה bazah, a primitive root meaning, “to despise.”
bet ב = house, thus house, household, family, in, within
zayin ז = mattock, thus tool, food, cut, nourish
hey ה = man w/ raised arms, thus look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath
The cognate words will help us find the story. One is “spoil,” as that which an enemy takes after defeating a foe. So, when a house (bet) is attacked (zayin, in the sense of the weapon the enemy uses) and overcome, the enemy takes away as spoil whatever is revealed (hey) to be of value. In the verb’s negative spin, when something becomes spoiled, it loses its value and is despised.
TO ABHOR Strong’s H8262 שקץ shaqats, a primitive root meaning, “to detest, abhor.”
shin ש = two front teeth, thus sharp, press, eat, two, again
quph ק = on the horizon, thus condense, circle, time
tsadey צ ץ = trail, thus a man concealed, journey, chase, hunt
The story: To take in (shin, as the teeth are used to take in food) that which is an eternal (quph) snare (tsadey, as snares or traps are a common tool used by hunters) makes abominable. The sense I am seeing more accurately of tsadey, is of arrows being shot. Those arrows, meant to harm, are willfully taken in rather than deflected.
Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Eph 6:16
AFFLICTION Strong’s H6039 ענות enuwth, an abstract concept meaning, “affliction;” from Strong’s H6031 ענה anah, a primitive root meaning, “to afflict.”
AFFLICTED Strong’s H6041 עני aniy, an adjective meaning, “afflicted,” from Strong’s H6031 ענה anah, a primitive root meaning, “to afflict,” the same as above.
TO HIDE Strong’s H5641 סתר sathar, a primitive root meaning, “to hide or conceal.”
sin ס = the thorn, thus grab, hate, protect
tav ת = crossed sticks, thus mark, sign, signal, monument
resh ר = the head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
The story being told is of a hedge of thorns (sin) which surrounds the marked (tav) man (resh). The meaning comes from its first occurrence in Scripture:
And Cain said to YHVH: “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the land; and from Your face I shall be hid (sathar); and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whoever finds me will slay me.” And YHVH said to him: “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And YHVH set a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should strike him. Gen 4:13-15
Now instead of being visible to those who would slay him, he was hidden, camouflaged, behind a hedge of protection.
FACE Strong’s H6440 פנים paniym;
TO CRY Strong’s H7768 שוע shava; a primitive root; according to Strong’s, properly meaning, “to be free;” but used only causatively and reflexively, meaning “to cry aloud” (for help, i.e. freedom from some trouble).
shin ש = two front teeth, thus sharp, press, eat, two, again
vav ו = the tent peg, thus add, secure, hook
ayin ע = the eye, thus watch, know, shade
The cognate words will help us find the story. One is “to watch over;” another is “shepherd.” When that which destroys (shin, in the sense of the teeth which rends its food) comes, the sheep remain secure (vav) when they cry out, for the shepherd keeps watch (ayin) over them to destroy the destroyer.
TO HEAR Strong’s H8085 שמע shama;
Chiastic structures.
Links to previous studies.
Job 29:1-31:40, Chiastic structure
Psalm 22, And they pierced My hands and feet
Psalm 22, The prophecy of Messiah
Psalm 22, He has not abhorred our affliction
Matthew 16, Chiastic structure
Matthew 16, The message of the signs
Matthew 16, The leaven of the Pharisees
Matthew 16:13-19, And I also say to you
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