~ SAMECH ~
~ Section Fifteen ~
SAMECH Means:
Circle ~ Surround
Protect ~ Shield ~ Sustain
Refuge ~ Security
#60
Introduction ...
The numeric value of SAMECH is "60" ... providing a picture of "surrounding protection" ... which is often referred to by students of the Word as it is found
... in Song of Songs 3:7-8:
"Behold his bed,
which is Solomon's;
threescore valiant men
are about it,
of the valiant of Israel.
They all hold swords,
being expert in war:
every man
hath his sword
upon his thigh
because of fear
in the night."
*Side Note*
... Here is another example of righteous fear
... we see "60 valiant men" ... armed ... because of "fear" in the night ... "surrounding to protect."
... Today there is a movement ... to condemn righteous fear ... labeling it "faithless ... fearful and unbelieving"
... attempting to justify indifference to the persecution of Christians in America
... by indoctrinating a spiritual carelessness ... and lack of discernment ... as a result of their own fear
... in an attempt to promote a
..."Hear no evil ... see no evil"
... "Don't know ... don't want to know"
... "Don't scare me"
... "Let me go back to sleep in the world"
... mentality.
... when those who are awake ... should actually be commended for caring enough to warn others regarding the spiritual and physical dangers in this world
... a world that has lost its moral compass.
[Also see:
"The Truth About Fear"
Link 'Articles'..left column.]
"The Truth About Fear"
Link 'Articles'..left column.]
* * *
The letter of "SAMECH" ... resembles the shape of a "shield" ... a type of "circle" that "surrounds" ... "protecting" from every side.
In this Fifteenth Section ... King David ... again ... reveals contrasts we can encounter in the Scriptures:
... things to "hate" ... and things to "love"
... a place to "hide" ... and a place to stand confidently "protected."
So he begins this Fifteenth Section addressing ... again ... the importance of guarding our heart ... by guarding our mind:
113
I hate
vain thoughts:
but thy law
do I love.
It's interesting to note ... that things we hardly notice today ... are the same things David considered spiritually "dangerous" enough to:
"hate"
[H8130]
= consider to be enemy
.. foe .. odious
= adversary
"Hate" ... is a strong Word we are shocked to hear today ... in a culture where it is "uncool" to express distain for anything wicked ... because it might suggest "lack of love" or "intolerance."
Nevertheless ... David issues a warning regarding one more thing ... to add to his list of things to "hate"
... considering "vain thoughts" to be an "enemy" ... to preempt and defend against ... since it is certain to cause instability during spiritual battle
... a warning ... James ... the brother of Jesus ... also emphasized when he wrote:
A double minded man
is unstable
in all his ways.
(James 1:8)
Through the events God brought into David's life ... he discovered the source of double-mindedness:
"vain thoughts"
[H5588]
= ambivalent .. contradictory
= doubtful .. uncertain
= double-minded
= divided .. half-hearted
= skeptic .. doubter
Victory in spiritual battle will never be achieved if one is "doubtful" and "uncertain" regarding his relationship to his Creator.
Jesus warned about "loving the world ... and things of this world" ... a sinful ... worldly life-style ... taking us down the broad road to destruction
... causing an uncertainty regarding eternal security ... a "divided" ... "half-hearted" loyalty between loving the world ... and one's assumed commitment to Christ
... which can morph into creating a "skeptic" ... then a full-fledged "doubter" ... unbeliever
... neglecting the "Word of God" ... not able to get clear "direction" from our "Commander in Chief" ... therefore without "protection" ... unable to experience victory.
David has found a way to avoid "vain thinking" that could threaten his spiritual ... as well as physical life ... something he can do to be "surrounded" with "protection."
He can "love" God's:
"law"
[H8451]
= direction .. instruction
= prophetic teaching
= Word of God
The "law" of God is designed to guide our decisions ... providing "direction" and "instruction" to plan out our days
... even supplying "prophetic teaching" ... and "instruction" ... making David aware of future events that could possibly put his position ... even his life ... at risk
... valuable advice ... all available to him through the "Word of God" ... because he has made "God's Word" preeminent
... something he has come to:
"love"
[H157]
= (great affection for all types
.. of relationships):
= God
= Word and Law of God
= one human for another
= family .. spouse .. friends
= righteousness
When we "love" ... "God's Law" ... and "Word" ... we are loving God Himself ... because Jesus Christ is the "Word of God"
... therefore can say:
114
Thou art
my hiding place
and
my shield:
I hope
in thy word.
Life can sometimes be dangerous and complex ... so there are times when David needed a:
"hiding place"
[H5643]
= covering .. shelter (refuge)
= secrecy .. protection
A "hiding place" ... provides safety ... by means of "a covering" ... a place of "refuge" while seeking God's will regarding the specifics needed ... to determine a course of action in warfare
... ironically ... even though confined in this place of "secrecy" and "protection"
... it ... at the same time ... also provided the privacy and freedom to prayerfully petition God to become his:
"shield"
[H4043]
= buckler .. armed
= defense .. protector
The battles we face are not our own ... God Himself is our "shield" ... the One who holds the type of power ... that can bring solutions into existence ... a God who can "defend" and "protect" circumspectly.
So the wisest thing we can do ... is to make Him ... and His "Word"
... our exclusive:
"hope"
[H3176]
[H3176]
= to wait .. expect
= tarry .. trust .. be patient
= painfully wait for
= cause to have hope
(encourage self
..to generate hope)
"Hope" involves time invested "to wait" ... while continuing to "expect"
... even if He seems to "tarry"
... to "trust" and "be patient" ... even if we must "painfully wait"
... because we are waiting for the fulfillment of God's all mighty ... all powerful
... all faithful:
"word"
[H1697][H565]
= speech .. utterance
= sayings
= chronicles
= commandments
= saying .. utterance
= Book .. communication
= counsel .. decree
= judgment .. message
= promise .. provision
= sentence .. thought spoken
Definitely ... the fulfillment of "God's Word" in our life ... is worth the "wait" ... and the relentless spiritual warfare required to boldly command the "wicked"
... telling them:
115
Depart from me,
ye evildoers:
for I will keep
the commandments
of my God.
To whom ... are we really speaking?
... when we demand:
"depart"
[H5493]
= turn aside .. avoid
= be removed .. end
= take away .. leave undone
= reject .. abolish
= rebel .. be without
To whom?
... The Apostle Paul tells us:
"Put on
the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able
to stand against
the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle
not against
flesh and blood,
but against principalities,
against powers,
against the rulers
of the darkness
of this world,
against
spiritual wickedness
in high places."
(Eph. 6:11-12)
Paul was constrained ... to warn us ... because "evildoers" look a lot like "flesh and blood" to you and me.
But ... of course Paul was right ... we get no where when we look at "evildoers" as human "enemies" ... and try to reason with them
... when they are not able to think straight ... but "know not what they do" ... because they are under the control of dark demonic powers ... spiritual wickedness ... driven by the devil ... the god of this world
... especially when worldlings have opened the door to the devil's control through drugs (legal or illegal) ... alcohol ... other intoxicants ... or witchcraft.
Therefore ... we are to resist the devil and respond to the "enemies" residing in the spiritual realm that are the ones influencing "evildoers"
... which forces us to become engaged in spiritual warfare.
"Spiritual warfare?
What ... spiritual warfare?"
These are common questions often asked by "church people today" ... who utter these responses out of confusion ... because of the lack of personal Bible study ... and erroneous teaching
... often having been taught that there isn't any literal "devil"
... or ... think because they are walking peacefully in unity with the world ... and being materially blessed in this life ... it is proof that they must be right with God
... thinking ... if they are right with God ... the devil cannot touch them
... when the real reason the devil is not bothering them ... may be because they are so worldly minded that they are no spiritually good
... and therefore no threat to the kingdom of darkness.
Yet in Paul's letter to Timothy ... he reminds us:
"Yea, and all
that will live godly
in Christ Jesus
shall
suffer persecution."
(2 Tim.3:12)
So ... if ALL that live godly WILL SUFFER persecution ... perhaps some should be asking:
... "Why am I not being persecuted?"
... "Could it be because I am not really living a godly life ... actually following Christ and His Word?"
Perhaps they should consider whether they are being influenced by dark forces ... and are themselves:
"evildoers"
[H7489]
= be bad .. be evil
= injure others
= be wicked
= hurtful .. do mischief
= afflict .. noise-makers
"evildoers"
[H7489]
= be bad .. be evil
= injure others
= be wicked
= hurtful .. do mischief
= afflict .. noise-makers
Paul also tells us that a time will come when Christians will be killed and those who commit the murders ... will think they are doing the work of God
... calling "good" .. "evil" ... and "evil" ... "good" ... providing another picture of how the world is able to lose its moral compass and sanity.
"They shall put you out
of the synagogues:
yea, the time cometh,
that whosoever
killeth you
will think that
he doeth God service."
(Jn.16:2)
(Jn.16:2)
However ... the power to experience victory through spiritual warfare is given to us as we:
"keep"
[H5341]
= watch .. guard .. preserve
= guard from dangers
= keep close .. observe
= subtle watcher
= watchman .. hidden things
Living the Christian life is not "a walk in the park" ... it involves challenging spiritual warfare that requires us to "watch" ... and "guard" our minds and hearts ... realizing that we are in a battle to "preserve" our physical and spiritual life
... therefore must even seek out the "hidden things" of the enemy ... able to discern good and evil ... as our Father defines it in His:
"commandments"
[H4687]
= law .. precept
= ordinances .. judgments
= rules .. code of wisdom
= best course in life
= God's direction and will
= totality of Word of God
God's "Commandments" are Truth ... and Truth holds the power of the Spirit of God to overcome the "evildoers" ... because Jesus IS the Truth ... the Way ... and the Life.
This is where the power resides to:
116
Uphold me according
unto thy word,
that I may live:
and let me not
be ashamed of my hope.
"uphold"
[H5564]
= support .. rest upon
= sustain .. refresh .. revive
= establish .. aid
It is impossible to stand against wicked forces alone ... we must be "surrounded" by the power and "protection" ... our Father has made available ... and like David ... request Almighty God
... to "uphold" us ... praying:
"according to thy Word"
[H565]
= utterance .. speech
= Word of God
= commandment
[H1697]
= in harmony with
= the totality
.. of the Word of God
Yes ... when outnumbered and faced with overwhelming challenges ... we must call on God to fulfill the promises He has made to us in His "Holy Word"
... because we understand that He alone holds our life in His hand ... and ultimately decides ... whether we will die
... or we will:
"live"
[H2421]
= have life .. remain alive
= sustain life .. live forever
= live prosperously
= be quickened
= restored to life .. health
= restored from:
.. fairness .. death
.. discouragement
= cause to grow .. be whole
= nourish up .. revive
However ... we must keep in mind
... the promises of God are conditional ... and depend on whether we actually have a viable relationship with Him.
Many "church people" today are full of spiritual bravado ... presumptuously bragging on their assumed "protection" ... invincibility ... and false "hope" ... which God is allowing them to flaunt for awhile
... but in the end they will be:
"ashamed"
[H954]
= disappointed in one's self
= regret .. embarrassed
= humiliated
[Lexicon]
= fail in hope
..and expectation
..and expectation
= troubled .. disturbed
= disgraced
Oh ... the wisdom God has given to King David !!
... to be able to see how it is possible to deceive ourselves by temporary ... external ... prosperity and position in this world
... into thinking we are being protected ... when we may not even have a real relationship with our Creator
... that actually qualifies us to claim any:
"hope"
[H7664..H7663]
= expectation
= wait upon
= examine .. inspect .. view
Sadly ... in the end our Creator will say:
"And
every one that heareth
these sayings of mine,
and
doeth them not,
shall be likened unto
a foolish man,
which built his house
upon the sand:
And
the rain descended,
and
the floods came,
and
the winds blew,
and
beat upon that house;
and
it fell:
and
great was the fall of it."
(Matt. 7:26 -27)
The Lord Jesus Christ is warning us against presumptuous false "hope" that can only lead to becoming "ashamed" in the end
... when it is possible for someone to be professing to know Him ... having "hope" to be protected ... expecting to escape the wrath to come
... but in the end will look into "God's Word" ... like a mirror ... and only see an "evildoer."
This is the reason ... they will be so surprised ... and disappointed ... that they will actually wail and gnash their teeth.
117
117
Hold thou me up,
and
I shall be safe:
and
I will have respect
unto thy statutes
continually.
Our Father has the power to "sustain" ... and "strengthen" His people
... to "safely":
"hold"
[H5582]
= support .. sustain .. stay
= establish .. strengthen
= comfort .. refresh
Regardless the circumstances ... the mighty hand of God is able to provide all the "support" needed
... equipping us to "establish" the work He has called us to
... while providing "comfort" through the spiritual storms that come against the plans and intentions ... that He has for us
... "comfort" which will ultimately "refresh" our spirit and:
"save"
[H3467]
= be delivered .. liberated
= victorious .. salvation
= help .. preserve
= avenge .. defend
= rescue .. keep safe
[Lexicon]
= deliverance from danger
= set free .. preserve
= to aid .. to help
= to conquer
Yes ... He is mighty to "save" ... "deliver" ... and "rescue" from "evildoers" ... making us "victorious" ... "delivered from danger" ... "avenged" ... and "set free" to go forth to "conquor" in His mighty Name
... and how do we lay hold of this "SAMECH" ... "surrounding protection"?
... by realizing the origin of its power and therefore responding with:
"respect"
[H8159]
= look to .. regard .. behold
= gaze .. bewilderment
= consider .. compassionate
The first step to "respect" takes place when we "look to" ... with "bewilderment" ... and "behold" ... "consider"
... the unexpected source of God's "compassionate" plan for our "protection" ... "rescue" and "deliverance"
... His:
"statutes"
[H2706]
= ordinances
= limit prescribed
= due .. task
= portion .. decree
= law .. conditions .. measure
= commandments .. set time
"Evildoers" make the eternally fatal mistake of having no "respect" for the "statutes" of God ... and no understanding of the power His "ordinances" actually carry.
They do not realize that God and His "Law" ARE the "highest power"
... and that there is a "limit" to the crimes against His "Law" that He is going to tolerate
... so when "evildoers" step out to violate "commandments" He has "prescribed"
... at that point ... our Father begins to "measure" a "set time" ... the "conditions" and "limit" ... regarding how long He will wait before moving against the "wicked"
... sometimes it is only a very short time ... and sometimes it is a longer time than we might expect
... but in any case ... He has promised to take action ... according to His established "Law"
... if we are faithful to "respect" His "statues":
"continually"
[H8548]
= daily .. perpetually
= constantly .. engaged in
= stretch .. expand
= make room for
= always growing
"Continually" ... means "daily" ... "perpetually" ... "constantly"
... so to fulfill the meaning of this "Word" ... we would have to make it ... a preeminent part of our life
... to "respect" ... "consider" ... "God's Word" and "Law" in everything we do.
Yes ... a time will come when God Almighty will take action against "evildoers" ... just as He has done in the past
... proof of which can be found carefully engraved in detail ... in the history of mankind upon the earth
... so David reminds himself and us ... by using the past tense when He tells God:
118
Thou hast trodden down
all them that err
from thy statutes:
for their deceit
is falsehood.
Wow!! ... When God finally moves ... it is a super dynamic ... event ... that requires strong language to describe
... "Words" like:
"trodden down"
[H5541]
= make light of .. reject
= tread down (under foot)
= not valued .. despise
"Trodden" ... as in "trample" ... "tread down under foot" ... seriously "reject" and "dispise"
... becomes God's response to those who:
"err"
[H7686]..[H8582]
= cause to wander
= cause to go astray
= intoxication (drugged)
= mislead .. seduce
= deceive .. (trick)
= cause to err mentally
.. morally
It is one thing to go astray oneself ... but even more accountability is required when the "err" affects ... even "causes others to be deceived" ... and "led astray"
... as they violate God's:
"statutes"
[H2706]
= ordinance
= limit prescribed
= due .. task
= portion .. decree
= conditions .. measure
= commandments .. set time
[H2708]
= ordinance
= prescribed boundaries
= limits .. conditions
= according to God's
.. written Word
Yes ... personally sinning is one thing ... but a much worse sin
.. is to cause others to sin
... or
... cause them to be damaged by using:
"deceit"
[H8649]
= treachery .. fraud
= deceitfulness
.. (secrecy .. trickery)
The mistakes ... "err" of "evildoers" that brings about their own eternal destruction ... is grounded in "secrecy" ... "treachery"
... total disreguard for "truth and life"
... which is birthed in:
"falsehood"
[H8267]
= lie .. deceive
= sham .. (set up to fall)
= disappointment
= untruth
Those who use "lies" and "deceit" ... are identifying with the "Father of Lies" ... and therefore destined to reside in Hell for eternity
... if they refuse to receive a new life in Christ
... (see instructions at the end of this post).
On the other hand ... those who identify with Our heavenly Father ... can therefore find assurance ... embracing His "statutes"
... rejoicing and thanking Him because:
119
Thou puttest away
all the wicked
of the earth
like dross:
therefore
I love thy testimonies.
Our heavenly Father holds the power to:
"puttest away"
[H7673]
= cease .. desist .. rest
= put end to .. destroy
= exterminate .. remove
= cause to fail
= take away .. be lacking
[Lexicon]
= day of rest .. sit still
= interrupt .. restrain
A closer look at ... the above ... list of actions with which God has the power to respond against the "wicked"
... reveals a wide variety of circumstances that can be addressed with the words ... "put away."
He has the power to:
(1).. cause attacks to "cease" .. "rest" ... for a period of time
...or...
(2).. put a complete "end to it" in a variety of ways.
(3).. "exterminate" ... bring about the death of a "wicked" one.
(4).. "remove" a "wicked" one by taking away his health so he becomes bed-ridden ... or arrange circumstances whereby he is caught in a crime and imprisoned.
(5).. cause him to lose his mind ... and/or ... mess with his life ... simply "fail" in everything he tries to do.
(6).. "take away" his income ... so he doesn't have the means to go anywhere or do anything.
God never runs out of ways to "interrupt" and "restrain"
... "evildoers" ... and the:
"wicked"
[H7563]
= criminal .. guilty of crime
= hostile to God or man
= guilty of sin
= ungodly .. morally wrong
= condemned .. bad person
[Lexicon]
= having unrighteous cause
= oppressor .. guilty of death
Even the worst ... of the worst sort ... of "criminal" ... can think that he really is a "pretty good" person ... even when he may actually be a "wicked" "oppressor" ... "guilty of death"
... his sins going unnoticed without the Light of the Holy Spirit ... shining forth from the "Word of God" in his life.
"earth"
[H776]
= land .. country
= whole earth
(as opposed to Heaven)
= territory .. district
= land of the living .. world
= nations .. wilderness
But the "wicked" are of the "earth" ... "earthlings" ... "worldlings" ... "as opposed to Heaven."
Their god is the world ... and the things of this world ... having compromised ... becoming sincerely devoted to pursuing this self-centered priority in life.
However ... God sees this type of person as one that has become worthless
... like:
"dross"
[H5509]
= refuse .. of no value
[Lexicon]
= not refined .. not pure
= not separate
Our Father uses a picture of the refining process to describe what it means to "separate" that which is "worthless" ... "impure refuse" ... from that which is valuable.
No matter how prosperous in this world ... when a human being becomes "wicked"
... God considers him to be like "dross"
... "of no value" ... someone to "separate" from ... someone as worthless as "dross."
In contrast ... it is the "Word of God" ... "statutes" of God ... that make our life valuable
... therefore it is God's "statutes" in which David expresses
... his great:
"love"
[H157]
(great affection for all types
.. of relationships):
= God
= Word and Law of God
= one human for another
= family .. spouse .. friends
= righteousness
[Lexicon]
= germinate
(fruit from the heart)
= shoot forth .. desire
= pursue
Again we are reminded that David is "a man after God's own heart" ... for when we speak of "love" ... we are also speaking of an issue of the heart
... as David speaks of "loving" God's:
"testimonies"
[H5713 .. H5715]
= legal witness
.. (ref. divine law)
= precepts .. Laws of God
= revelation .. by Holy Spirit
[H5707]
= evidence recorded
= Word of God
[H5749]
= repeat .. affirm .. exhort
... David's
... Righteous
... Fear
If we are going to be afraid ... the Lord Jesus tells us of whom ... to really be afraid:
And I say unto you
my friends
Be not afraid of them
that kill the body,
and after that
have no more
that they can do.
But I will forewarn you
whom ye shall fear:
Fear him,
which after he hath killed
hath power
to cast into hell;
yea, I say unto you,
Fear him.
(Luke 12:4-5)
[See link in left column under "Articles": "The Truth about Fear"]
The devil is playing a lying game about "fear" today accusing those who obediently "watch and warn" as God instructs ... calling them "fearful and unbelieving" ... which according to the Book of Revelation would condemn them to Hell
... when the real "fearful and unbelieving" are the ones in the end ... who will be required to give a reason why they did not "fear" God and His "testimonies"
... but were fearful of losing their worldly possessions and comforts ... so willingly violated God's Laws.
Not so with King David ... he "feared" the "judgments" of God and losing his valuable relationship with His Creator.
This was a very real ... very deep ... "fear" that he admits experiencing when he says:
120
My flesh trembleth
for fear of thee;
and I am afraid
of thy judgments.
Yes ... it's the worldly ... fleshly desires that can draw us away from the most important thing in life ... our eternal life.
So it is fitting to see how David's "flesh trembles" at the thought of God's "judgments" ... realizing the risk involved
... when he comes under the destructive power of the:
"flesh"
[H1320]
= of the body .. mankind
= person .. self
[Lexicon]
= all living creatures
= mortals
= not gods .. not spirit
"trembleth"
[H5568]
= shiver .. bristle .. terror
= stand up .. stand on end
(hair)
This type of involuntary "shiver" that cannot be controlled
... because it is brought on by a Godly:
"fear"
[H6343]
= terror .. dread
= sudden alarm .. reverence
"afraid"
[H3372]
= fear .. awe .. reverence
= honor .. respect
= terrify .. dreadful
= to shoot .. pour
= terrible thing .. frighten
= morally revere
[Lexicon]
= tremble (for joy or fear)
= stupendous .. admirable
= wonderful .. illustrious
This type of "trembling" can only happen when we realize that we are standing in the presence of God
... and our eternal future depends upon
... our willingness to admit we are sinners ... desire to submit to the authority of Christ
... and actively respond with obedience to His Word ... during our lifetime
... for the purpose of maintaining a viable relationship with the one who died ... so we might enjoy eternal life with Him forever
... and actively respond with obedience to His Word ... during our lifetime
... for the purpose of maintaining a viable relationship with the one who died ... so we might enjoy eternal life with Him forever
... loving Him and His righteous:
"judgments"
[H4941]
= judgment .. justice
= ordinance
= established law
= accord with Word of God
= act of deciding a case
= place .. court
= seat of judgment
= process .. procedure
= case .. cause
= sentence .. decision
= time (of judgment)
= justice .. right .. rectitude
(Attributes of God or man)
= decision .. decree
= right .. privilege .. proper
= fitting measure .. plan
(Application)
= crime .. penalty .. justice
= adversary .. charge .. crime
= just desert .. determination
= measure .. sentence
= worthy .. wrong
*****
To have assurance
of eternal life ...
To have assurance
of eternal life ...
▪ Scroll to the top
of this page
of this page
▪ Click on the gift
wrapped in gold
on the left side
of the page.
wrapped in gold
on the left side
of the page.
♡♡♡
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