It is Sabbath, July 11, 2015. Early morning in our little church a young lady comes to the pulpit to share her testimonies how God was using her in sharing the books about Jesus. When I heard her name, Debrah, I was wondering if she knows what it means. Inspired by hearing this name I decided to check the Bible with Strong’s Dictionary in my phone. What a special Sabbath blessing from our heavenly Father it turned out to be for me! He gave me a new revelation and it is so precious that I would like to share it with you.

For the first time I decided to look into John 1:1 in Hebrew. I knew that the word “Dabar” means “The Word” in Hebrew or “Logos” in Greek, so I was wondering how is it expressed in that verse. Here is what I have discovered:

בראשית היה הדבר והדבר היה את האלהים ואלהים היה הדבר

You would read it it somehow like this:

BeReshit Hayah HaDabar

VaHaDabar Hayah ALEPH-TAV HaElohim

VaElohim Hayah HaDabar.

At first glance you can recognize the familiar BeReshit – In the Beginning – exactly the same word, which starts the whole Bible in Genesis 1:1. As if John, inspired by Ruach Elohim is trying to say to us: I am going to give you little deeper insight of what Elohim was saying through Moses in Gen 1:1. Are you ready?

This is so exciting! Here is Gen 1:1 in Paleo-Hebrew. You can read more about it in this article:

Genesis 1:1 Rediscovered Through the Pictures

 

I put this two verses next to each other that you can enjoy the beauty of them and see how they relate together.

John, please, tell us: What is your insight, your contribution to better understanding of Gen 1:1?

Well, Moses wrote: In the beginning created Elohim ALEPH-TAV the Heavens and (Vav-ALEPH-TAV) the Earth. I wrote – that the Word that was in the beginning is ALEPH-TAV too. I am pointing your attention back to this verse and ask you to search for yourself – what does ALEPH-TAV mean. To give you a hint – this is how Jesus introduced Himself to me when I was longing for Him in prison at Patmos:

Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying, I AM ALEPH-TAV (Alpha and Omega), the First and the Last… Of course, He spoke to me in Hebrew.

As explained in the article about Gen 1:1 word “created” – ברא BARA has more meanings. Mr. Strong in his dictionary would tell you that, beside others, it means: “to dispatch“ and when you go to Paleo-Hebrew you see three pictures: TENT-HEAD-OX.

BaR means also SON. Based on this you can read these three pictures – Son coming from Father’s House to serve and thus to lead His wayward children home, to our Father’s land – Paradise Lost. Here is just the essence of the study of Gen 1:1 – what you can read in this verse as you read it through deeper meaning of each picture-letter. You might already know that each letter Moses used was a little simplified icon of a real things from life around him:

In the top summit of the GODHEAD (ELOHYM)

First&Last (Yashua or Jesus) was dispatched to Serve&Die

by being ultimately nailed between

the Heavens (revealing the ministering and self-sacrificing character of the GODHEAD through their Names)

and

the Earth (representing human clay tablets into which these Names – GOD’s character should be engraved, if we express the desire and willingness to happen so).

 

You can never exhaust the depth of this message, here is another poor-mortal attempt of mine to express the depth of this profound statement of Gen 1:1:

In the top summit of FIRE [Ps 40:7, Dan 7:9-10, Ps 119:139, John 2:17] ELOHYIM dispatched – sent out for a mission – Yahshua as the Servant [Mat 20:28] to be crucified at last [John 12:32, Phil 2:7-8], thus representing the character of HaShem [HaShamaim different Names of God represent different aspects of His character] by nailing Him to the cross between the Heavens and the Earth that the earthly tablet of clay – man in desperate need of Deliverer – can behold Him, follow His self-denial and thus be restored back into Christ-likeness and reflect same spirit on those around him in the same need. Thus he should return back to his Father’s home – Beith and renew the Covenant with Him. 1 Cor 4:9; 2 Cor 3:3; Lk 15:11-32, Jer 31:33

When we go now to John 1:1 and look at it in Paleo-Hebrew we see the same emphasis on ALEPH-TAV – Self-denying Servant.

Let’s try to read John 1:1 from Hebrew translation:

In the Beginning was the Word and that Word is ALEPH-TAV ELOHIM and ELOHIM is that Word.

Thanks to Paleo-Hebrew insight we can say: …and that Word is Self-Denying Servant, the Strength of the Covenant, our Deliverer, Jesus Christ!

What is HADABAR, the Word? ALEPH-TAV ELOHIM. As expressed in Gen 1:1 study, the root of the word ELOHIM is Aleph-Lamed, which can be read: The Almighty Leads but also: LEADING by His own Example. Because the Aleph means Ox and Lamed refers to Shepherd’s rod representing Authority, Leadership, Kingship, but also Teaching, Guiding. Jesus is our Shepherd. John 10:14. Ox represents not only the Strength of the Almighty but also the attitude of humble Servant, thus giving us constant Example. All our strength is given us to serve someone else within our reach, within the sphere of our influence.

John 13:13-15 Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I AM. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet –I AM YOUR ELOHIM – ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an Example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Suddenly this verse receives much deeper meaning, doesn’t it? It is just deeper explanation of Gen 1:1, because Jesus here in action shows the character of our Father and His own. You got to love the LORD like that! Would you like to have such President and King? If yes, vote for Him. How? By following His Example and thus you will become the candidate of Heavenly Kingdom!

Phil 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross

Mt 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many.

So when John says: In the Beginning was the Word, we see that he specifically says what that Word is: ALEPH-TAV ELOHIM – Self-denying Servant who leads us to Calvary experience by His Example. Paul says it this way:

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the church.

Thus in Gen 1:1 and John 1:1 you can find the essence of the gospel.

Why is it that the core of Gen 1:1 and John 1:1 is Aleph-Tav ELOHIM? We know ELOHIM is in plurality – FATHER and SON are ONE in this NAME. God gave His Son – sacrificed Him. He knew full well, that when He will send His Son to this planet Earth it will be the same as Lot offered his daughters to perverted Sodomites. Gen 19:6-8. We will murder Him because we cannot stand His purity, in His presence we feel guilty and cannot bear it too long. Either we will get rid of Him or we will have to die. If I don’t die to self Christ died in vain! His self-denying life and sacrifice has to melt my selfish heart, shutter this stony heart!

Here is something which impressed me very much. When I went to search what the word DABAR (LOGOS) means this is what I have found:

H1697 דָּבָר dabar

1. a word

2. (by implication) a matter (as spoken of) or thing

3. (adverbially) a cause

KJV: act, advice, affair, answer, X any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, + dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, + eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt, + iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, + please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that, X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings, what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.

Root: H1696

Obviously we need to dig deeper and search the roots:

H1696 דָּבַר dabar

1. perhaps properly, to arrange

2. but used figuratively (of words), to speak

3. rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

[a primitive root] KJV: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, X well, X work.

When you will go to Ancient Hebrew Lexicon by Jeff Banner you will find precious gems of truth:

Strong’s #1696: AHLB#2093 (V)

דָּבַר DBR ac: Order co: Word ab: ?: An arrangement or placement of something creating order. [from: דָּר – order]

Speak: A careful arrangement of words or commands. [freq. 1488] (vf: Paal, Niphal, Hiphil, Hitpael, Pual, Piel) |kjv: speak, say, talk, promise, tell, commune, pronounce, utter, command| {H1696}

Word: An arrangement of words. II. Thing: As something that is arranged. In Hebrew thought words contain substance just as physical objects do. III. Plague: The re-ordering of a population. [freq. 49] |kjv: word, thing, matter, act, chronicle, saying, commandment, pestilence, plague, murrain| {H1697, H1698}

דברה Word: An arrangement of words. [freq. 1] |kjv: word| {H1703}

דביר Sanctuary: A place of order. [ms: rbd] [freq. 16] |kjv: oracle| {H1687}

דבירה Bee: A colony of ordered insects. [ms: hrbd] [freq. 4] |kjv: bee| {H1682}

דיברה Order: [Hebrew and Aramaic] [ms: hrbd] [freq. 7] |kjv: cause, order, estate, end, regard, sake, intent| {H1700, H1701}

דיבר Wilderness: A place of order, a Sanctuary. [ms: rbd] II. Manner: The order which something is performed. [freq. 2] |kjv: manner, fold| {H1699}

מדבר Wilderness: A place of order, a sanctuary. II. Speech: An arrangement of words. [freq. 271] |kjv: wilderness, desert, south, speech| {H4057}

When I am thinking about the meaning of the word DABAR it’s almost overwhelming: The WORD was meant to bring order into chaos of this Universe, this World, my own life. And that’s what JESUS does! His Words are comfort to me or correction when I go astray, to save me from self-destruction. When I speak, how careful I have to be not to complain and just describe how bad things are and how this world is falling apart, but rather say something that can uplift, encourage and see how I can be part of solution.

When I came to Debrah that Sabbath morning, I asked her: do you know the meaning of your name? She said: it is Hebrew word and means BEE. So I asked her: and do you know how your name relates to JESUS? She said – tell me. So I shared with her what I just discovered from John 1:1 in Paleo-Hebrew. Then I painted on her paper her name in the Paleo-Hebrew and without previous thinking about it’s meaning I realized how profound and beautiful it is! Do you want to know? Look at these parallels:

Jesus – Church

Bridegroom – Bride

Dabar – Deborah

In closing: If JESUS is BRIDEGROOM and DABAR and Church is the BRIDE then her name is also DEBORAH – feminine version of the same word. This is how it looks in Hebrew and Paleo-Hebrew:

דבורה

Dalet means Door, Enter. Beth means Tent, Temple, Family. Vav means Tent Peg, Nail, to Connect two parties, Unite, Fasten. Resh means the Head, the Choicest, the Best. Hey means to Behold, Worship, Breath. With this little knowledge look how precious is the name of Jesus’ Bride: it sounds like an invitation:

BRIDE is the one who hears and responds to His call and: ENTERS THE DOOR OF THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY and as she sees THE ONE WHO IS ALTOGETHER LOVELY, THE CHIEFEST AMONG TEN THOUSANDS, HER BELOVED, SHE KNEELS DOWN TO WORSHIP HIM AND BEHOLD HIS BEAUTY. She unites with HIM and never more wants to be separated!

Song of Songs 5:8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my Beloved, that ye tell Him, that I am sick of love.

And what is the fruit of this intimate communion? She is purified and her own speech is refined and glorious. She becomes His spokesman better spokeswoman.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for her; 26 That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word – DABAR 27 That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that she should be holy and without blemish.

This intimate communion with our Saviour

will take away

the desire for earthly and sensual gratifications.

This is what it means to be DEBORAH, Christ’s BRIDE. The one who uses her words as He does – to bring order and peace into life around her. Are you one of them?

 

Growth in Grace

We can never see our Lord in peace, unless our souls are spotless. We must bear the perfect image of Christ. Every thought must be brought into subjection to the will of Christ. As expressed by the great apostle, we must “come into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” We shall never attain to this condition without earnest effort. We must strive daily against outward evil and inward sin, if we would reach the perfection of Christian character. {RH, May 30, 1882 par. 1}

Those who engage in this work will see so much to correct in themselves, and will devote so much time to prayer and to comparing their characters with God’s great standard, the divine law, that they will have no time to comment and gossip over the faults or dissect the characters of others. A sense of our own imperfections should lead us to humility and earnest solicitude lest we fail of everlasting life. The words of inspiration should come home to every soul: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” If the professed people of God would divest [desvestir, from des- (expressing removal) + Latin vestire (from vestis ‘garment’ )] themselves of their self-complacency and their false ideas of what constitutes a Christian, many who now think they are in the path to Heaven would find themselves in the way of perdition. Many a proud-hearted professor would tremble like an aspen leaf in the tempest, could his eyes be opened to see what spiritual life really is. Would that those now reposing in false security could be aroused to see the contradiction between their profession of faith and their every-day demeanor. {RH, May 30, 1882 par. 2}

To be living Christians, we must have a vital connection with Christ. The true believer can say, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.”

This intimate communion with our Saviour

will take away

the desire for earthly and sensual gratifications.

 

All our powers of body, soul, and spirit should be devoted to God. When the affections are sanctified, our obligations to God are made primary, everything else secondary. To have a steady and ever-growing love for God, and a clear perception of His character and attributes, we must keep the eye of faith fixed constantly on Him. Christ is the life of the soul. We must be in Him and He in us, else we are sapless branches. {RH, May 30, 1882 par. 3}