Series: Flowers in the Desert
Isaiah 41:10 ESV
Genesis 15:1 ESV
When I began studying Biblical Hebrew in Seminary I was overwhelmed. It wasn’t a feeling of being overwhelmed like we think of being overwhelmed. I came to realize that ancient language has an overarching concept to it that differs from some languages today.
Words were not just words.
When I studied Spanish or even French there was a word that had meaning and we could look up that word and know what it means. Tambien in Spanish means ‘also’ or ‘as well’. In French the word is aussi and it can mean ‘as, to, so, as well, or such’.
It’s interesting to note that languages aren’t invented…they evolve. Some experts believe that French is older than Spanish.
Ancient Hebrew text or Biblical Hebrew was preserved (well preserved) by the Hebrew people.
In Ancient Hebrew the translation to English can depend on the context and the word ‘also’ can mean: be known as, called, add to, to grant or allow something to happen, to bestow upon (to give) or also-ran.
Do you see the level of complexity?
Isaiah 41:10 we read, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
In Spanish Isaiah 41:10 says,
“No temas porque yo estoy contigo; no desmayes, porque yo soy tu Dios que fortalezco; siempre te ayudaré; siempre te sustentaré con la diestra de mi justicia.
A woody translation from Spanish to English would be ‘no fear for I am with, no dismay for I am God that strengthens, always your help, always sustain, with right hand justice’.
So, is there a purpose somewhere in this rhetoric?
Yes, I hope so…the intent in this exercise is to remind the English speaking folks out there that we really are the ‘newbys’ on the block. We see English as being cut and dried. A word means a word. But for an ancient (or even an older language) a word can and probably does mean more than a word. Ancient languages contain depth and breadth that English does not usually contain.
Ancient or Biblical Hebrew is deep and wide.
A second component to translating is the culture.
Ancient Hebrew culture was well grounded in tribal and family traditions. The patriarch Jacob had twelve sons and they became the 12 tribes of Israel. In Genesis 49 Jacob names each tribe after a son and gave each characteristics. The main point of interest about ancient Israel is their origin, the nature and characteristic of the land, and their stories.
As we look closer at today’s ‘fear not’ in scripture as early as Genesis 15:1 God told Abram, “the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
Words and word patterns are important. The words ‘Fear not’ or ‘do not be afraid’ are found 365 times in scripture. It’s a theme.
I am not convinced that the people of God in Genesis are much different than us today. What’s strange is that we have a history of different cultures that they did not have.
We have the written word of God.
We have online tools that can tell us anything we want to know if we know the right question to ask.
In my family my people as far back as I can remember (which would be my great grandparents) were people of God. They were Christian. They had a family Bible they could read.
Yet, at various times when I’ve come to the end of a road and I do not know what will happen next, I have found myself asking God to show me or tell me there is a way forward. I needed to hear God say, “fear not.”
God has not failed me, and I know God will not fail to direct me.
These days God’s direction is not so much about a change of circumstances but it focuses on daily prayer and listening.
When I sit down to write the next lesson, I sit in silence with God. I may not directly ask what I need to write about, or what illustration to draw but when I quiet my mind and center in on God, the writing and the drawing always come to view in my mind.
The illustrations are a little more difficult for me because I did not pursue art in high school or college. I just draw the picture I see in my mind. The artwork has turned our to be a blessing because drawing and painting (digital painting) is therapeutic. I know from studying how our brains process information in counseling coursework in Seminary that art uses a different part of the brain than writing.
Plus, it makes this ole grandma feel young again and I am so very appreciative of the online tools that are now available. I’m old enough to remember NOT having the internet so that makes me grateful every day. It’s amazing to me that I can even HAVE a website!
My grandchildren will not have that in the future. They will never know what it like to hand write stories and pound them out on a typewriter.
With new technology just around the corner, I wonder what God will do in the future?
I am reminded…”fear not” God has been to the future and has it all covered!
Spiritual Practice: Name Your Fear
Now…give it to God.
In God, Deborah
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