Category Archives: Blessings

The Blessings of Having YHVH in Your Life—Meditations on Psalm 34

Posted on by
3

Psalm 34:7, The angel of YHVH encamps [or surrounds, encompasses]. Those who fear YHVH by worshipping and obeying him have the promise of divine protection. The angels are “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Heb 1:14), and YHVH “shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone” (Ps 91:11–12).

Psalm 34:9, Fear of YHVH…no want [or lack]. Elsewhere, Scripture reveals that the fear of YHVH is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. Why should people with these attributes have any worry of lack? When we not only fear YHVH reverentially, but dread the thought of sinning by going against his Torah-instructions in righteousness, which are there for our good and, if followed, bring nothing but blessings upon us, why should we experience any physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual lack of anything?

Psalm 34:15, The eyes of YHVH. What are the eyes of YHVH? We find this same phrase in Psalm 33:19. This phrase can mean “in the mind or opinion of YHVH” (e.g. Gen 6:8; Deut 13:8; 1 Sam 16:24; 2 Sam 15:25; et al). 

Now to expand on the meaning of this phrase, elsewhere in Scripture, “the eyes of YHVH” seems to have a deeper meaning, for we read in 2 Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of YHVH run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” Similarly, our verse under study, Psalm 34:15, would indicate that “the eyes of YHVH” refer to more than just his opinion. Perhaps YHVH’s are searching for information upon which to make an opinion about men whether it be a good (Ps 34:15) or bad opinion (2 Chr 29:6), for we read in Proverbs 15:3 that “The eyes of YHVH are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good,” and in Proverbs 5:21 that “the ways of man are before the eyes of YHVH, and He ponders all his paths.” What are the eyes of YHVH that search the earth and the heart of men? Revelation 5:6 gives us a clue: “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of Elohim sent out into all the earth.” Likely these seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of Elohim, relate to the seven Spirits of YHVH in Isaiah 11:1–2 which are:

  • The Spirit of YHVH
  • The Spirit of wisdom
  • The Spirit of understanding
  • The Spirit of counsel
  • The Spirit of might
  • The Spirit of knowledge
  • The Spirit of the fear of YHVH

Psalm 34:18, Broken heart. This could be understood to be a circumcised heart rather than a heart broken by grief. This calls to mind the words of Yeshua in the beatitudes: “blessed are the poor [or helpless and crippled] in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom,” and “blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt 5:3–4).

Psalm 34:19, Many are the afflictions. It is part of the human condition for both the righteous and the wicked to experience trials, afflictions and difficulties in life. This is, in part, is a result of the fall of man and the curse of sin that came on all humans as a result thereof. Some of our afflictions are a result of the bad choices that we make, or due to circumstances beyond our control. Other times, heaven allows afflictions to come upon us for our spiritual growth and development (e.g. Job; or Deut 8:2–5; Heb 12:3–11). But there is a difference between the afflictions that come on the wicked and the godly. The former, who either ignores or has rejected Elohim, is left to circumstantial fate. Maybe they will come out of the afflictions better off, maybe not. However, for the godly, the sovereign and all powerful hand of YHVH is on their lives, for he is guiding and directing all that happens to them for their ultimate good as a father toward his children (Heb 12:3–11), or as a potter working with a lump of clay to fashion from it something useful and beautiful (Isa 29:16; 45:9), and, because of this, we know that “all things work together for the good of those who are called according to his purpose…[that we may be] conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom 8:28–29).

 

Deuteronomy 2 and 3—How to Overcome YOUR Enemies Including That of Lack

Posted on by
2

Deuteronomy 2:7, Lacked nothing. A major lesson the Israelites had to learn while trekking across the wilderness for forty years en route to the Promised Land was to trust YHVH for their physical provision (food, clothing and water). Similarly, today redeemed believers or “the Israel of Elohim’ (Gal 6:16) are on a similar journey (although a spiritual one) through the wilderness of life en route to the Promised Land of their spiritual inheritance, which is eternal life in YHVH’s everlasting kingdom in the New Jerusalem, which will be on the new earth. What are some similarities between the journey of the physical Israelites our our spiritual one?

For forty years, YHVH instructed the Israelites in the laws of cause and effect. When they loved, obeyed and trusted him, they automatically received the blessings of his physical provision. When they were rebellious and stiffnecked and refused to love and obey him they received curses and judgment and suffered great lack. The same principles work for us today except that YHVH has added a spiritual dimension to this paradigm. To the degree that we love, serve and obey YHVH-Yeshua and keep his commandments we not only will be blessed and provided for in this physical life as were the children of Israel, but we have the blessing, through faith in Messiah Yeshua, of obtaining eternal life and becoming literal sons of Elohim (John 1:11; Rom 8:14–15, 23; 9:4; 2 Cor 6:18; Gal 4:5–6; Eph 1:5; 1 John 3:1–2; Rev 2:13–16). 

The saint becoming a son (and daughter) of Elohim is something the apostles taught about a lot, but a concept the Western church hardly mentions. It’s time this truth be rediscovered and taught again, for this is the ultimate spiritual blessing that comes from serving and obeying YHVH. 

Lack leads to death. Provision leads to life—and for the saint, this ultimately means eternal life.

Deuteronomy 3:1–11, On the offensive against the enemy. YHVH gave victory to the Israelites over King Og and the 60 cities of his kingdom. When YHVH gives us a mandate to encounter the spiritual forces of this world and the devil, nothing will stand in our way. 

What are the weapons of our warfare? (See 2 Cor 10:3–5; Eph 6:10–18; 1 John 5:4; Luke 9:1; 10:19.) Israel fought with swords and spears to possess a physical kingdom. We are taking possession of a spiritual kingdom. Our spiritual warfare is just as intense as the physical one that Israel faced, but our weapons are spiritual. 

Have you experienced spiritual victories in your life? Are you engaging the enemy, or are you in retreat? Those who are not moving forward spiritually will not encounter the enemy. Are you moving forward, or are you complacent and lukewarm and not growing spiritually? 

At the very least, one should be overcoming the flesh with its lusts, temptations and inclinations to sin by walking in accordance with the commandments of Elohim, which is called walking in the Spirit (Gal 5:16–25). This is the greatest battle of all—to put on the mind of Messiah and to be conformed into his image (Rom 8:28–29; 12:2). 

The final question is this: Are you just playing at “religion” or are you seriously engaged in possessing the promised land of your spiritual inheritance which is eternal life in Elohim’s kingdom and overcoming those forces that would hinder you from doing so?

Deuteronomy 3:22, Must fear them. Know Elohim, No Fear; No Elohim, Know Fear.The Scriptures reveal an interesting, and counter-intuitive spiritual principle that humans have a hard time wrapping their heads and hearts around. It is this: When we fear Elohim, we won’t fear our enemies. When we don’t fear Elohim, we will fear and be tormented by our enemies and be blessed (Ps 34:9; Acts 9:31). 

What is it to fear Elohim? It is to walk in the wisdom of his commandments or his loving instructions in righteousness (Deut 10:12). Rebellious humans have a hard time doing this, since their sin nature is opposed to submitting to YHVH legal instructions (Jer 17:9; Rom 8:7). 

Once, however, one gets their sin nature under control with the help of Yeshua, and one begins to love and fear Elohim by keeping his commandments, suddenly the physical things they once feared no longer have any hold on their hearts and minds. 

Having defeated the greatest enemy of all—one’s sin nature—with Elohim’s help effectively empowers and emboldens the saint. He no longer fears what other people think about him because, in the long run, all that matters is what Elohim thinks. He no longer is concerned about his future physical needs and well-being because Elohim promises to take care of us when we trust and obey him. He no longer fears those who attack and persecute him, because he knows that with Elohim’s help, he can overcome any enemy. 

So now what is there left to fear? Death, which is the mother of all fears? No, for at the end of one’s life, the overcoming saint has the ultimate victory in his possession—victory over death, which is eternal life!