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Emmanuel (God with us) I have always loved one of Jesus names, Emmanuel, God with us, a name used most often at Christmas time with the verse, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” In Webster’s New World Dictionary the word “with” means 1. in opposition, against 2. alongside of , close to, near. However, in both the Greek and Hebrew meanings the word with has stronger connotations. The Greek (found in the NT) word for with is sun (pronounced soon, 4862 in Strong’s) meaning in union with or together and denotes completeness. Emmanuel is spelled with an e in the New Testament but is spelled Immanuel in the Old. The Hebrew word is Immanuwel and is made up of two words: im and el. Im (5973)- with, equally with, like, in conjunction with Root Word - aman (6004)- associate, overshadow (by huddling together), become dim or hide (Compare this to Col. 3:3 “For ye are dead (to sin) and your life is hid with Christ in God.”) The Gesenius also has another meaning for aman-to gather together, to collect, to join together, to be in common. The second meaning in the Gesenius is to shut, conceal,to close, to hide, to be hidden, become dim. El (410)- God, mighty one, strength, power From ayil- (352)- strength, chief, ram for its strength, pilaster as strong support, oak tree for its strength Root Word- uwl- (193)- twist, by implication to be strong Deuteronomy 6:4 is the foundational scripture in the Old Testament and called by the Jews the “Shema” “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.” One is from the Hebrew word echad meaning one of many parts, unite, join together, bound together as a rope. (Yachid is the Hebrew word used for the number 1). Gen. 2:23-24 Adam and Eve were one (echad) flesh. John 17:21 “That they may be one (the Hebraic equivalent is echad) as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us.” Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait (qavah- twist or bind like rope, be strong and robust from the idea of binding fast) upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Psalm 84:5 “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the way of them (highways to Zion).” Strength- chayil (2428)- force, resources, army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength, company, riches From Root Word- chiyl or chuwl-(2342)- twist or whirl in circular or spiral manner, to dance, writhe in pain, to wait, bear (like childbearing), bring forth, travail, trust, dance in a circle, be strong by implication of binding and twisting.(Gesenius) Proverb 31:10 Virtuous woman is from the words chayil and chiyl. This passage tells not only of an excellent wife but is a type of the bride of Christ who is strong in the Lord.
What does this binding and twisting mean? The secret is in the tzitzit- the fringes of the prayer shawls worn by Jews. The tzitzit were in the corners of the prayer shawls and were also called “wings”. The tzitzit was a reminder to remember and do all the commandments. These fringes number 613 corresponding to the 613 oral laws they believe were given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. Could these commandments be done alone? In the construction of the tzitzit is revealed the answer. Four strands are twisted together to make a strand. Then these four strands are inserted through the hole on each corner which makes eight strands. After the two knots are made, the longest strand called the shamesh (the helper strand) is used to do the wrapping. The number four is important. The number three represents God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The remaining strand represents your life. As you twist, bind, and wrap your life with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit you become “echad” at one with him.* (The Echad of God by Douglas Wheeler) The prayer shawl was used by the Jews as a prayer closet. They would put it over their heads to be in that secret place alone with God in prayer. The “wings” or fringes reminded them of the Word. The way they were twisted together reminded them that as they twisted and bond their life with God, they would be strong as a rope is strong. So, like a giant braid, we are entwined with Him by a personal trusting relationship. We are hid In Him. Our strength comes from this vital union. The word "in" in the Greek (1722- en means fixed position in place, time, or state, end, instrumentality- medially or constructively, i.e. a relation of rest, give oneself wholly to) The hebrew letter "bet" symbolizes a physical house or building, 2. a body of someone or something 3. family or household 4. inside, within or amid. The letter was originally the shape of a tent. Son (bar) literally means house man or man within the house. This letter attached to the beginning of words is translated sometimes as with and sometimes "in". What is interesting is that the blood covenant was originally offered before the threshold of the tent or dwelling of the family.
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