Saturday, November 4, 2017

Ps.119..BETH.."The Way Home"


~Section 2~

"BETH"...


"BETH"
in Hebrew
means
"Home"

To Find
   ... the Way Home
      ... Follow 
          ... the Pure Path


v.9
Wherewithal 
shall a young man  
cleanse his way
by
taking heed
thereto 
according to
thy word.

"young"
[H5288]
= boy .. lad .. youth
= retainer

[H5287]
= showing emptiness
= empty vessel

[H5286]
= growl .. yell
   .. (ref. to lion
      (Lion = God)
= arouse .. shake .. alert

Anyone can be a "youngperson:

•"young" in years

•"young vessel"
   .."empty
       .. of knowledge 
       .. of wisdom

"young"
    .. easily "roused"
    .. from spiritual
       slumber
     .. by the "Voice
        of the Lion"
     .. by the Word of God

"Way"
[H734]
= way of living
= path of life
= narrow road

"heed"
[H8104]
= keep on guard .. watch
= retain treasure
= keep in memory
= preserve
= restrain
= keep worthy boundry

"cleanse"
[H2135]
= be justified

[H2141]
= shine
= walk in Spirit of God

Cleansing ... purifying one's way ... path of life

... takes place by watching  ... guarding the treasure of the Word kept in the memory

... which sets boundaries for personal direction and conduct in life.

The "Way Home" is only discovered ... as we walk "according" to

... submitted to the Authority of Jesus Christ ... and in harmony with the Spirit of the Word of God.

Better to seek God at a young age.

Nevertheless ... a "young" person can also describe anyone that realizes he is "empty"

... lacking ..."waiting to be filled"... with the knowledge and wisdom only God can provide ... through His Holy Word.

Anyone can find the right path to the Father's House, ... if he hears the Voice of God

... from the Word of God

... is roused ...wakes from his spiritual slumber to discover the valuable treasure

... message of eternal life ... contained therein

... then submits to

... harmonizes his heart and life with ... that precious Word ... and is thereby justified.

Seeking God 
   ... Investing
      ... the Whole Heart


v.10
With
my whole heart 
have I sought thee
O let me not 
wander from
thy commandments.

"whole heart"
[H3820]
= inner man
= mind .. heart
= soul emotion
= memory .. appetite
= seat of courage
= conscience
= reflection .. reasoning

Desiring to know God personally and intimately is going to take the totality of who we are

... the complete inner man ... mind ... heart ... soul ... emotion

... all of our desires ... involving everything we think and feel

... nothing reserved for self.

"sought"
[H1875]
= enquire .. consult
= investigate .. study
= dig for

Seeking God will also require diligent study ... dedication that calls for serious investigation and a lifetime of spiritual "digging"... (however long that "spiritual lifetime" happens to be).

To whom much time is given ... much time is required.

To whom little time is given ... little time is required. 

... keeping in mind ... as long as we are still here ... it is never too late to begin doing what is right.

See 
"Parable of the Talents"   
TIME Principle 
explained 
in the 
"Parable of the 10 Virgins"

"wander"
[H7686]
= go astray .. sin
= wrongful ignorance
= inadvertance

Committing one's self to the disciplined task of seeking everything we need to know about God

... is for the purpose of being prepared to avoid "wandering" off the narrow road into sin

... or failing to do what is right because of ignorance.

"commandments"
[H4687]
= precepts .. ordinances
= laws .. judgments .. rules

God has assured us in this tenth verse of Psalm 119

... that He has provided everything we need in His Holy Word to find the "Way Home"

... if we seek Him with our whole heart ... through the consistent study of His Word

... which will give us the power to overcome sin

... and follow His commandments.

v.11
Thy word 
have I hid 
in mine heart
that I might not 
sin against thee.

It is impossible for the works of the law to provide eternal life

... only Christ's death on the cross can pay the penalty for our sin.  

However ... the rules of God that govern all of life and conduct are still necessary.

They are not meant to be a burden ... but were designed by our Creator to bless with protection ... good health ... success ... and a happy life

... serving as a most powerful means ... to avoid the consequences of sin.

For this reason ... the psalmist prays that the Lord would help him continue to walk closely in harmony with His commandments.

Therefore ... he invests the time it takes to carefully hide the Word of God in his heart ... building a "pro-active" means of defense

... against any damage that could occur due to some powerful temptation ...  careless behavior ... or spiritual ignorance

... causing him to fall into sin ... that would bring undesirable consequences into his life.

Word of God
   ... Expert Instructor


v.12
Blessed art thou
O LORD: 
teach me
thy statutes.

"Blessed"
[H1288]
= praised .. congratulate

"Blessed ... art thou."

The Word "Blessed"... is not just a poetic filler

... or... a respectful salutation.

The Lord is getting praised and congratulated for something specific here.

"teach"
[H3925]
= instruct
    .. by diligent .. expert
       .. instructor

The Lord is the Teacher

... He is being praised ..."blessed" for being the only One qualified to instruct those He has created.

He is the only One who has the ability to teach

... according to the way we were designed to learn.

Our Creator ... is our Expert Instructor.

"statutes"
[H2706]
= prescribed law
= boundary (of conduct)
= portion .. tasks in life
= duties .. assignments

When God created us ... He did so with an agenda in mind.

Like a doctor prescribes medicine to heal and facilitate movement 

... our Father set forth ... prescribed ... provided direction regarding His specific will for our life

... and ordained the action He expected us to take.  

"That they should
seek the Lord
if haply
they might
feel after him, 
and 
find him, 
though he be not
far from
every one of us:

For in him
we live, and move
and
have our being
as certain also 
of 
your own poets
have said, 
For we are also
his offspring."
-Acts 17:27-28

He desires that we discover His will

... by submitting to His instruction:

Therefore ... we must pray with the psalmist and request that He teach us everything we need to know about our assignment in life

... understanding that He is the Preeminent Expert Instructor

... the only One qualified to correctly interpret His Word.

Thus ... the Word interprets the Word ... by the power of the Holy Spirit that resides in the Word

... as well as in the heart of a genuine born-again ... Holy Spirit-filled believer.

For this reason ... He alone is worthy of all praise

... because He is the One who has provided everything we need to fulfill the specific mission assigned to us.

... And ... He is the only One who can show us the "Way Home."

v.13
With my lips 
have I declared 
all the judgments 
of thy mouth.

The psalmist does not hesitate to declare what God has already spoken in His Word

... But at the same time ... God is also (literally) saying in this verse:

"Read my lips"..."Look at my mouth"

... directing us to understand that the judgments

... commandments He has declared (out of His mouth)

... are the Source of the power we are going to need to complete the journey Home

... the same power we find coming out of His mouth in Genesis Chapter 1

... the power that brought all things into existence.

Through the Word of God ... He is declaring ... communicating ... enumerating ... emphasizing ... what He requires

... and providing all that is necessary to avoid distractions ...  pitfalls ... derailments ... so we can successfully find the "Way Home" ... to the Father's House

... if we pay attention ... listen ... and heed what He is saying.

His Testimonies
   ... ARE
       ..."thee" Treasure


v.14
I have rejoiced 
in the way 
of thy testimonies
as much as 
in all riches.

"rejoiced"
[H7797]
= displayed joy .. shown
= great happiness

The psalmist has already "rejoiced"... he has already experienced the benefits and joy of following the Way God has set before him.

... Now he desires to encourage us to follow his blessed example.

"way"
[H1870]
= road .. journey
= path .. direction
= habit .. manner
= course in life
= moral character

If we follow the "Way"

... not only will we experience great joy

... but we will reap many rewards throughout the course of our life ... as a result of establishing
habits that will develop moral character

... actually transforming us into the person God wants us to be.

"testimonies"
[H5715]
= legal witness

[H5707]
= evidence recorded
= Word of God

"riches"
[H1952]
= wealth
= what is most valuable
= sufficient
= all that is needed

[H1951]
= be ready .. make ready

The Word of God is the recorded testimony of our Creator ... the Source of the only reliable information that can provide the direction and preparation required ... to get safely Home.

This "testimony" of the Word of God is the most valuable thing that exists

... It embodies all of the real riches in this life and supplies the faith required to embrace the ultimate treasures of eternal life

... found in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ

... and as "Living Water" continually flowing forth from the Holy Scriptures

... directs our path to the Father's House.

Meditate:
   ... on Treasures
       ... of Life
       ... From God's Word


v.15
I will meditate 
in thy precepts
and
have respect 
unto thy ways.

"meditate"
[H7878]
= put forth thoughts
= muse
= commune (pray)
= speak .. sing
= complain .. ponder

"precepts"
[H6490]
= statute .. commandment

[H6485]
= judgment
= recorded testimony
= Word of God

"respect"
[H5027]
= having high regard
= pay attention

[H5029]
= as a prophet

[H5012]
= as speaking from God
= as from the Holy Spirit

Meditating can involve engaging our heart and mind in many different ways.

... The one thing it does not require is to "empty our mind."

... In fact doing this can actually be spiritually detrimental ... when we understand that the spiritual realm consists of both good and evil forces.

For this reason ... it is imperative to stay safely within the protective boundaries set forth in the Word of God established in the Holy Bible

... in order to avoid carelessly opening our mind to something evil that can cause much deception ... pain ... and ultimately become very difficult to remove.

The above definitions provide an excellent understanding regarding the proper way to meditate according to the instruction God designed right within this one Word, "meditate."

Interesting ... the way these definitions are presented ... actually providing a pattern we can follow when meditating on the Word of God:

..1..think ... bring the          
      Word into the mind

..2..muse .. deeply
      consider

..3..commune ... pray
      about ... ask God to 
      teach details

..4..speak ...verbalize to
      self and/or others
      sing ... verbalize
      through songs hymns
      ... Word-filled music

..5..complain ... be honest
      ... face things that are
      troubling

..6..ponder ... take time
       ... weigh ... balance
       ... harmonize with the
       Scriptures

. . .Then. . .


 ... Jump for Joy
     ... over God's Word
         
... Don't Forget
     ... His Word!

v.16
I will delight myself 
in thy statutes
I will 
not forget
thy word.

"delight"
[H8173]
= shout for joy
= joyful emotion

"statutes"
[H2708]
= ordinance

[H2706]
= prescribed boundaries
= limits .. conditions

[H2710]
= according to
    .. God's written Word

"forget"
[H7911]
= ignore .. get careless
= not remember

The bad news:
... We are lost in this dark world.

The "Good News":
... Rejoice over God's Word.

... Express joyful emotion over the Word of God.

Remember:
To find the Way Home
... follow His Word.     

"In
my Father's house 
are
many mansions: 
if
it were not so, 
I would have
told you. 
I go
to prepare a place
for you.

And if I go 
and
prepare a place
for you, 
I will come again, 
and
receive you
unto myself; 
that
where I am, 
there
ye may be also."
-John 14:2-3



***To find assurance***
of
eternal life
Scroll to the top
of
this page
and
Click on the gift
wrapped in gold
in the left column.
♡♡♡

No comments: