Healing and Facing your GIANT - 2 of 4

The children of Israel were delivered from the hands of PHARAOH:

PHARAOH

EVIL

HEI............... AYIN...............REISH............... PEH

.....................................h................... (.....................r...................... p
...................................................................MOUTH

Pharaoh is the ruler of EGYPT, Egypt is synonymous with DISTRESS

EGYPT

ROCK

...................................................................rc
.................................. ey................................................................m

WATER


Israel was delivered by the hand of MOSES

MOSES

..................................... h...........................#......................................m

.....................BEHOLD the LAMB...............FIRE................................WATER

When Israel was being delivered from Egypt, they were embarking on a journey of deliverance from 'the evil mouth of distress.' Egypt's 'water from the rock' was 'worldly wisdom'. The wilderness journey would be God's wisdom. When Israel went through the Red Sea they were overwhelmed with water, a type of baptism, as they crossed on dry ground. But for their disobedience, at the waters of Meribah (bitterness) they would be facing 40 [MEM / WATER] years of 'discipline' in the wilderness [rbdm...m.. water.. rbd..of the Word] which would prove their discipleship. Only two - Joshua [Jesus] and Caleb [dog-like / fleet-footed, able to overtake the deer] emerged from the wilderness wandering to enter the promised land. How much of a distraction will we allow the world and its giants to be - when, in Noah's flood 8 were spared, and in the wilderness 2 survived to enter the promised land? 8 is ' chet' consummate life and 2 also alludes to the consummate relationship of a wife. 'Narrow is the way, and few that find it'. The Word, Ephesians 5:26 tells us that we must be washed in the 'water of the Word', a continual overwhelming baptism. Reading the account of Jesus, in the gospels, after he was baptized in water, He [Luke 4] went 40 days into the wilderness. He entered filled with the Spirit. The devil met Him with Scripture, as an enticement - a temptation to do evil. He rebuked the devil and emerged from the wilderness in the 'power of the Spirit'.

WILDERNESS

rbdm

.........................................rbd ................................................. m
............................................WORD............................................WATER

Water, in Hebrew is wisdom, as a flowing stream, a fountain'. The Jew / Christian is only to consider the wisdom of God - and not the wisdom of the world in his pursuit of 'life'. Jesus, the living Word is 'the way, the truth, and the life'. When we read of the incident for which Moses was not able to 'enter the promised land' - striking the rock 'twice'. Rabbi Yitzach Ginsburgh has this thought for consideration regarding 'wisdom'. When we come to the place of truth, the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world must be the same wisdom, the same Word:

"When you come to the place of pure marble stone, do not say 'water-water,' for it is said, 'He who speaks lies shall not stand before my eyes.'" The Ari z"l explains that the place of "pure marble stone" is where the higher and the lower waters unite. Here one must not call out 'water-water,' as if to divide the higher and lower waters. "The place of pure marble stone" is the place of truth--the Divine power to bear two opposites simultaneously; in the words of Rabbi Shalom ben Adret: "the paradox of paradoxes." Here "the exaltation of God" and His "closeness" to man unite with the "lowliness of man" and his "distance" from God.

Deuteronomy 30:14 But the word is very near you,
in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

Job 22:22 Receive, please, instruction from His mouth,
and lay up His words in our heart.

Proverbs 15:14
The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous studies how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

Proverbs 16:23
The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
and adds learning to his lips.

Ecclesiastes 5:2
Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily be-
fore God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few.

God freely heals - with no strings attached, but the devil does not give up on us so easily. He goes about as a 'roaring lion' seeking whom he may devour, placing subtle doubts in our heart, 'did God really say?'. If we open our mouth with the Word that is hidden in our heart, we defeat the devil. If we open it in distress, we not only unleash giants, but we're enroute back to Egypt. We must fill ourselves with the Word and walk in the power of that Word. God 'sends His Word' and HEALS . When Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, the first battle in taking the 'promised land, it was the 'battle of the moon'. Jericho means 'its moon, its month'. The moon has no light, no wisdom of its own, but reflects the light of the sun. Proverbs calls the moon the 'faithful witness in the sky'. In Revelation 12 the woman with 12 stars on her head is seen with the 'moon under her feet', her feet shod with the gospel light of peace. We also will fight the 'battle of Jericho', and become victorious, as the moon, as a faithful witness. It is then that the 'walls come tumblin' down.

To be continued
HEALING and Facing your Giant - 3

SHALOM