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The Words In The Bible Are Wrong

Darryl and Skip transformed my life recently. How? By teaching me over the last 4 years that original Hebrew of the Bible doesn’t match what we read in English.

Yes, the words are always close to the same, but I’ve found the subtle differences to be astounding.

And the contextual difference between when the Bible was written and our post-modernistic societal mindset today is the difference between lightning and lightning bug.

All is not “meaningless”

Pastor Darryl DelHousaye, (now President DelHousaye) started planting the seeds that brought me back to Christianity in 2004. At a Bible study he was teaching about the book of Ecclesiastes, we looked at the phrase at the opening of the book, “Meaningless, meaningless, all is meaningless.” (Sometimes it’s “Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.”)

Doesn’t sound very uplifting, does it.

Well, the original Hebrew word there is “Hevel, hevel, all is hevel.” And the word hevel is more closely related to wind, or vapor. In context, the author’s point (most likely King Solomon) was that at the end of his life, here’s what he wanted to tell future generations: Chasing after possessions to make you happy is like chasing the wind.

BUT, there is a silver lining to all his depressive complaining about all his days “under the sun.” About 9 times, you see this:

[But I have seen] there is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good [because] it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?
(slightly reparaphrased from Ecc 2:24-25 NASB)

But wait, there’s more!

Darryl has a book about Ecclesiastes coming out later this year, and he’s been teaching this lesson at Wednesday Bible study. I’ve been Flip-videoing it and will be YouTubing it in the next few months. If you want to be notified when these are posted, leave a comment on this post and I’ll email you.

Skip Moen’s Contribution

Skip agrees with Darryl that historical context is important:

The first rule of proper interpretation of Scripture is the rule of historical context. If I don’t know what the words would have meant to the audience that first heard them, then I don’t know what they can possibly mean to me. That means that I must do all that I can to understand the words within the context of their historical setting. I simply cannot apply my post-modern Christianity to the text and declare its contemporary meaning as though it were written yesterday.

How is Life Working Out for You?

I’ve been reading Skip’s emails every morning since September 2007. For four months, he gained massive credibility with me. But I’ll be honest, I was a little terrified when I read the message on Dec 31, 2007:

So, how’s it working out for you? How’s your life been this last year? Can you look back on it and see God’s hand, guiding, directing, reproving and encouraging? Are you closer to Him now then you were on December 31,2006?

Please notice that I did not ask if your life is easier. That is irrelevant. The question is not about comfort or ease. It is about joy and satisfaction. Are you more in love with the Redeemer today? Have you made progress in understanding His character and making it the basis of your actions? Is that your goal of the next year?

Today, I offer a challenge. For five years we have looked at God’s words. We have teased out the deeper meanings, penetrated the surface applications and discovered the depths of His revelation. But these are only words. Until they become (remember hayah – to be manifest in me) statutes and ordinances that saturate our thinking and our actions, they are useless bits of trivia. The purpose of God’s words is never information. It is transformation. Moses made that abundantly clear when he said, “shemartem la’asotam” (“be on guard to do them”). The verbs are shamar (to guard, to watch over) and ‘asah (to do, to make, to accomplish). Shamar is a kind of coupling verb, that is, it describes an action that is directed toward another purpose. I watch over something in order to do something else. In this case, I am to guard God’s statutes and ordinances in order to accomplish them in practice. Just remembering them is not enough. Writing them down, memorizing them or analyzing them does not fulfill the intended purpose. I must do them. That is the only reason God gives them to us.

So, here’s the challenge. Beginning tomorrow, we will walk our way through the statutes and ordinances the God gave to Israel on the banks of the Jordan. We will look at every one, carefully, in order that we might do them. Every day we will add one more intended action to the catalogue of God’s commands. Every day, until we have completed all of them, you will be asked to carefully observe the statute or ordinance by putting it into action in your life. We will begin a journey of transformation together. The purpose of this journey is really simple. It is to be obedient to God precisely as He instructs us.

This is not legalism. We do not expect to gain credit with God for being obedient. We don’t expect life to become easier either. We accept this commitment because we know that God knows the best way to live in this world. He designed it – and we want to please Him by honoring Him in all that we do. This is a journey of thanksgiving and love, made possible by His rescue and redemption. We volunteer to submit because we love Who He is.

A year from now there will be no hesitation in answering the question, “How’s it working out for you?” A year from now, we will be transformed by the renewing of our minds – and the work of our hands and feet. Are you with me?

Why was I terrified? Because Skip had already blown my mind about how screwed up my post-modernist, Greek-based mind was.

I was nervous, because I knew if I kept reading, something would happen.

And after several emails about the first word, it did.

FAIR WARNING: Do NOT sign up for Skip’s email if for you, life is fair, there is justice, and you have peace. Because this sh*t is going to blow your F-ing mind.

Thanks Darryl and Skip!

You both know how much your mentoring has meant to me. And that’s what you are both my Good People of the Day.

(In the begining, I was born.)

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