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Mount Gerizim by Fran Regan
08/15/2010
Mount Gerizim – 1630, from 1629, comp 1511, from 1507, same as 1506, from 1504 – mem sofit, yud, zayin, resh, gimel – to cut off, cut up, rocky, something cut off, to cut down or off, to destroy, divide, exclude, or decide, decree
Mount Ebal – 5858 – lamed, beit, yud, ayin – to be bald, bare Mt. Gerizim’s description seems to be an imposing, impressive, jagged, rocky, seeming impassable mountain, rising up against the sky. Mt. Ebal seems to be simply a bald, bare mountain anyone could very easily pass over [or slip over, as the case may be]. Smooth, easy, no obstacles The blessings are on Mt. Gerizim. “…the gate is narrow and the way is hard pressed (or the way is afflicted) which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matt. 7:14) Blessing – 1293 – berakah – beit, resh, kaph, hey – benediction, prosperity, from 1288 – barak, to kneel, to bless God as an act of adoration or in reverse, God blessing man as a benefit The curses are on Mt. Ebal. – “the gate is wide - the way is broad - that leads to destruction and many who enter in through it.” (Matt 7:13) Bald and bare, it is probably wide and broad with nothing to impede or get in the way Cursing – 7045 – qelalah - qof, lamed, lamed, hey – vilification, from 7043 – to make light, easy, trifling, bring into contempt, despise, easy, make something seem light, lightly esteem Do we appreciate Yah when the going is easy? Do we see His Hand in our lives when everything’s going our way and we’re seemingly doing it all in our own power and don’t even think we need His help? If something is too easily attained, we do not appreciate it. If anyone can do it, without giving it much thought – then, what’s the big deal? It’s despised, make light of. But if the way is practically impossible – or humanly speaking maybe impossible – that’s when we turn to Yah. That is when we see and appreciate Yah’s Hand in our lives. In Mt. Gerizim we can see narrow, dangerous, steep, rocky passages, with one portion cut off from another portion which is where we need to go – a great divide between where we are and where we need to be - dangerous outcrops, steep inclines. We know that without Yah, we cannot make it. Deu. 11:16-18 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: The blessing, when you obey the commands of Yah your Elohim which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey (8085) the commands (4687) of Yah your Elohim, but turn aside from the way (1870) which I command you today, to go after other mighty ones which you have not known.” Obey – 8085 – shama – shin, mem, ayin - hear and obey, listen with the intent to obey Most of what we call listening is just hearing the sound but not really taking in the meaning; hearing with no thought or intention of really doing anything – just hearing – for trivial purposes. This is not ‘shama’. Obedience is a critical, indepensible part of listening to Yah. Command – 4687 – mitzvah – mem, tsade, vav, hey – a command whether human or divine – collectively the law which was commanded, law, ordinance, precept Walk – 1870 – course of life, from 1869 – mode of action, string a bow, guide, lead forth - derek – dalet, resh, kaph sofit If we truly listen --- if we really hear and then obey Yah’s commands to us, then we will stay on the course that will lead to life --- and blessings. If we don’t -- and maybe we seem to be listening but Yah is not mocked - it will lead to destruction --- and cursings. It is not always easy. Just like the mountain portrays, it can be divisive. It can cut us off from others. It can divide us and destroy relationships with those who choose the easy path of Mt. Ebal. These are actually two roads. Who you are traveling with is a sign of which road you are traveling on – you cannot travel both. Yah is giving us a choice. This time in mountains rather than trees. Those who shama and those who do not, is also Yah’s way of dividing between His people and the rebellious ones – between His Word and the word of the serpent. Humanly speaking, Yah’s Way is not the safe way – yet ultimately, it is the only way! There are those who will take the easy path of Mt. Ebal and seem to practically glide through life with no problems – no tight places with no way out, no great leaps of faith, no narrow ledges with steep drops if we slip up - but Yah makes light of them and holds them in contempt. There’s not much to them actually. They are lightly esteemed and despised in Yah’s eyes. And in the end, this way, this road leads to affliction and cursing and destruction. And besides that – where is the excitement? Younger people especially hear all the time about how boring it is to follow Yah’s commands. You can’t do anything. Everything’s prohibited. Where’s the fun? Where’s the excitement? What others are calling fun and excitement is simply an allusion and a lie, which in the end will bring cursing and death. Stay on the narrow path, tighten your belts, cling to The Rock - the ride is just beginning! Prepare to be blessed!
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