Introduction

To Hear and Obey

In this day and age there are many voices clamoring to be heard. Everyone has an answer and an opinion. But what if there were only one voice to be heard? Only one opinion? I along with other like minded people have been seeking, knocking and asking. For a surety there are two voices speaking in the world today. One voice is saying "take your life in your own hands as you see your own needs". The other voice is saying "give up your life, follow me, give me control of your life". The first voice mentioned here seems to be the most popular. So the obvious decision here is to hear the second voice "give up your life" and go with the minority. For with this voice if we follow will lead to a very narrow road. This road is not the scenic route either. Most maps will tell you that it doesn't even exist. In fact if you travel this path everyone around you will do everything in their power to get you off of it. I sincerely hope you have already made a decision to take this road, and since so few choose it may we see each other often in the fellowship on it. If you have not made this decision I pray that you would follow this journey. Shalom, Chris

Friday, February 4, 2011

wisdom/chokmah

              For those who have looked at the previous studies I have posted; (grace/beauty, simchah/joy, chesed/mercy) my purpose has been to better understand the writings in the new testament. Not just to understand them in their current translations but to see them from an Hebraic perspective. Believing that YHWH would have us rightly divide His Word of truth. Therefore it is impossible to understand abstract words that have multiple meanings or to know exactly when to use them. There has been an awakening amongst YHWH'S people to return to the old paths and to a language (hebrew) which until the last century was considered a dead language. Hence the topic for this study "wisdom".
              Many people would say that to get wisdom you would go to your grandparents because they've been around for so long. Often quoted to me were the things my parents told me because they had "already been there". As always I would ask that everyone study out for themselves the things I put here. So to begin.
              The earliest dates I can find are very vague as to the first usage of this word "wisdom". Most popular among my searches were references to what we call our "wisdom teeth", others were esoteric in their definitions of the word.

Σοφíα/sophia

Greek for “wisdom” is a central term in such things as “helenistic philosophy, Platonism, Gnosticism, orthodox Christianity, esoteric Christianity and Christian mysticism.
Sophiology is a philosophical concept regarding wisdom, and they would tell us it is an theological concept regarding “the wisdom of god”. If you were to type in the word "sophia" you might be amazed at the dark and creepy things that pop up.

So know we know what "wisdom" in the scriptures is not. So we will see what it is.
Exo 28:3 “And you, speak to all the wise of heart, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, and they shall make the garments of Aharon, to set him apart, for him to serve as priest to Me.
Chakam Strongs #2450
1) to be wise
a) (Qal) to be or become wise, act wisely
b) (Piel) to make wise, teach wisdom, instruct
c) (Pual) to be made wise
d) (Hiphil) to make wise
e) (Hithpael) to show oneself wise, deceive, show one's wisdom

Chokmah Strongs#2451
1) wisdom
a) skill (in war)
b) wisdom (in administration)
c) shrewdness, wisdom
d) wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs)
e) wisdom (ethical and religious)

These two definitions don't really give any meaning to the word. The question still remains, what does it mean to be wise or have wisdom?
The first word which is a root word "Chakam" is comprised of the hebrew letters (chet, kaf, mem).
The second word "Chokmah" comes from the first with one letter added the (chet, kaf, mem, hey).

When I first began to look at this I didn't have a clue. So as always we should look for more witnesses

Exo 31:6 “And I, look I have appointed with him Oholiaḇ son of Aḥisamaḵ, of the tribe of Dan. And I have put wisdom in the hearts of everyone who is wise-hearted, and they shall make all that I have commanded you:
Exo 35:26 And all the women whose hearts lifted them up in wisdom spun the goatsʼ hair.
Exo 35:31 and He has filled him with the Spirit of Elohim, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all work,
Exo 35:35 “He has filled them with skill to do all work of the engraver and the designer and embroiderer, in blue and in purple, in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and a weaver, doing any work, and makers of designs.
Exo 36:1  “And Betsalʼĕl and Oholiaḇ, and every wise-hearted man in whom יהוה has given wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all work for the service of the set-apart place, shall do according to all that יהוה has commanded.”
Exo 36:2 And Mosheh called Betsalʼĕl and Oholiaḇ, and every wise-hearted man in whose heart יהוה had given wisdom, everyone whose heart lifted him up, to come and do the work.
Deu 34:9 And Yehoshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Mosheh had laid his hands on him. And the children of Yisraʼĕl listened to him, and did as יהוה had commanded Mosheh.
Job 28:28 And He said to man, ‘See, the fear of יהוה, that is wisdom, and to turn from evil is understanding.ʼ ”
I have skipped over many other places where these words appear to a particular one in the book of Job.
Job 32:3 And against his three friends his wrath burned, because they had found no answer, and pronounced Elohim wrong.
Job 32:4 And because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Iyoḇ.
Job 32:5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath burned.
Job 32:6 And Elihu, son of Baraḵʼĕl the Buzite, responded and said, “I am young in years, and you are aged. Therefore I was afraid to let you know my opinion.
Job 32:7 I said, ‘Days should speak, and many years should teach wisdom.ʼ
Job 32:8 But truly it is the spirit in man and the breath of the Almighty that gives him understanding.
Job 32:9 The multitude are not wise, nor do the aged understand right-ruling.
Job 32:10 Therefore I have said, ‘Listen to me, let me also make my opinion known to you.ʼ
Job 32:11 Look, I waited for your words, I listened to your reasonings, while you searched out what to say.
Job 32:12 And I paid close attention to you. But look, not one of you proved Iyoḇ wrong, nor answered his words.
Job 32:13 Lest you say, ‘We have found wisdomʼ – it is Ěl that drives him away, not man.

Psa 51:6 See, You have desired truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You make me know wisdom.
Psa 90:12 Teach us to number our days, And let us bring the heart to wisdom.
Psa 111:10 The fear of יהוה is the beginning of wisdom, All those doing them have a good understanding. His praise is standing forever.
Psa 136:5 To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, For His kindness is everlasting;

I could put all the places where it appears in the first and second chapters of the book of proverbs, but I think those are better read in context.
As always my purpose for these studies is that I believe the writers of the "new testament" had great understanding in The Torah. They also have seen The Messiah in the flesh and walked with Him. That said, I cannot comprehend the usage of these abstract words, or believe the would have used such words to illustrate anything! It has taken two months of study, always trying to keep in context these passages of scripture. I believe we must be painstakingly careful to keep from creating doctrines or empty philosophies.
So about three weeks ago as we sat together on shabbat studying His Word, we something very interesting unfold as we read more about this "chokmah"(wisdom). Many times it is closely tied to the word "chakam"(wise). The word "chakam"(wise) is many times also tied to the "heart" of the person in the verse. It would seem that those who are of a "right heart" are "chakam(wise)" and they are the ones who receive "Chokmah(wisdom). I think the scriptures clearly show that to be old does not mean we are wise, nor that we have this "wisdom"; rather it is something that comes from YHWH Elohim.
He clearly blesses those who? Have a right heart!
Now for the finale. When you look at the word "chakam/chet, kaf, mem" we see "divide, water, hand".
When you look at "chakam/chet, kaf, mem, hey" we see "divide, water, hand, breath"

If you have a hundred men standing in a line there is nothing that sets one above all the others. Each one has different skills and gifts but nothing that "sets them apart" so as to be the best one. With YHWH we know that He is no respecter of persons. Does He set one apart just to be better than another? No. He does set a man or woman apart because why? They are a person after His own heart. As King David for example, or Ruth who is named in the lineage of The Messiah. YHWH gave the spirit of "chokmah" to ordinary everyday men in order to build His Tabernacle in the wilderness. Those men were set apart not because they went to a trade school, but because YHWH Elohim gave them something. I would say it is this.

YHWH Elohim gave them the ability to "divide by hand the water". There is no way to comprehend someone being able to divide water with their hand, it is an impossibility. But with YHWH nothing is impossible. As always study for yourself. Shalom

2Ti 2:15 Do your utmost to present yourself approved to Elohim, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.
Heb 4:12 For the Word of Elohim is living, and working, and sharper than any two-edged sword, cutting through even to the dividing of being and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Eph 6:17 Take also the helmet of deliverance, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of Elohim,

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks, great study, great Scriptures

Michele said...

thank you as a busy mother with a continual yearning to know Him as He is, these studies have helped so much. Your many hours of study have increased their value - keep your humble spirit above all. It is quickly set aside, it seems.
Michele