The Mystery Found in the Hebrew Word Meditate

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Do you know what meditation is according to the ancient prophetic text?  Does the word meditate point to a connection to be found with the Messiah?  Let’s find out.  

The dictionary tells us that to meditate is to focus one's mind for a period of time for spiritual or relaxation purposes and it often involves chanting in an effort to reach a higher state of awareness.  But is that what the Scriptures teach us?

In the ancient Scriptures we see that Joshua, who is the newly appointed leader of the nation of Israel, is met by the LORD. In Chapter 1 verse 8 of the book of Joshua the LORD tells him:

 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

 Let's look at the letters of the Hebrew word HEY GIMEL HEY that is translated meditation and see what we may discover hidden there. 

 

5

 Hey

Hey means to pay attention to what follows, to reveal or to behold, or the Holy Spirit as the Revelator.  

 

     3

 Gimel   

Gimel is the picture of the camel and means to lift up or to lift up the name of the Lord.

5

  Hey

Hey again means to pay attention to what follows, to reveal or to behold, or the Holy Spirit as the Revelator.

Let’s begin with the letter in the middle, the gimel, the picture of the camel. We rightly think of the camel as a beast willing to lift up and carry its burden, but what is it famous for?  It stores water in its hump and why is that significant?  In the Gospel of John chapter 4 verse 10 Yeshua is talking to the Samaritan woman at the well and tells her:

 If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee Give Me a drink, thou wouldest have asked Him and He would have given thee living water.

In gimel, we discover the idea that Yeshua Ha-Mashiach, the living water, is to be “lifted up.”

The letter “hey” carries with it the thought that we are to behold, to pay attention to what follows, or to look on the Holy Spirit as the Revelator.  So let us piece this mystery together. The act of meditation involves beholding and lifting up the person of Jeshua Ha-Mashiach who is the living water and who is revealed to us through the work of the Holy Spirit. 

The first three verses of Psalm 1 give us a wonderful picture of what meditation should look like in our lives: 

Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also does not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 

Further, the first verse in the Gospel of John tells us that:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

So we see again the focus of our meditation is to be on the word of God, and Yeshua Ha-Mashiach is that living word of God! 

But there is even more to be discovered in the word meditate. Each Hebrew letter is also a number. Hey is the number 5 and gimel is the number 3.  Wherever we find these numbers in scripture we find them associated with events that give us instruction as to their meaning. 

Hey is the number 5 and stands for unmerited favor, God’s goodness, and His Grace. 

Gimel is the number 3 and stands for divine perfection, lifting up the name of God, or God the Holy Spirit. 

Beginning again in the middle with gimel, the 3, we discover that meditation involves lifting up the name of God.  His work on our behalf begins with and ends with hey, the 5, the grace or the unmerited favor of God. In His letter to the church at Ephesus Chapter 2 verse 8 and 9 the Rabbi Paul writes:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. 

The word used here for gift doesn’t just mean a present but is the word used for a sacrifice.  God has in the blood sacrifice of His son Yeshua Ha-Mashiach given us the gift of salvation which we didn’t deserve and couldn’t possibly ever earn. 

Both Joshua and the Psalmist instruct us that we are to meditate day and night. There should never be a time that we forget to lift up the name of the Lord and remember the work done by Yeshua on our behalf. Both passages of Scripture give us even more reason to do so. Joshua tells us that meditation will make our way prosperous and lead to success. The Psalmist tells us that we will bear fruit in season, and that we will prosper in whatever things we determine to do. 

Has there ever been a time in your life that you felt ineffective or unproductive?  Do you seem to lack purpose and direction?  Follow the path just discovered in the word meditate: behold and lift up the name of the One who by grace has offered you the opportunity to spend time with Him not only now, but for all eternity.  Not only will He bless you with Himself, but in your life you will see the wonderful fruit that He produces through us when we are in Him. 

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  1. Janie Curtis says:

    An observation: you state that Gimmel being #3 stands for divine perfection, lifting up the Name of God or God The Holy Spirit. These are only two. Is there a reason for leaving Yeshua HaMashiach out? Personally , I would say God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost 0r Holy Spirit.
    I cannot thank you enough for your studies. You have opened a whole new world to me. Lord Willing i will start buying your books soon. Thank you and God bless you.

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