Sunday, September 1, 2013

-Dabar, Logos, The Word-






          There is a word, Dabar (Strong’s H1697), that is used 1439 times in the the Hebrew Scriptures alone. Its equivalent, Logos(Strong’s G3056), is used 330 times in the Greek Scriptures. For the most part our modern translation and understanding of this expression is “word” or maybe “speech” but that idea is very far from a complete comprehension of what the Ru’ach/Spirit is trying to express to us. It is of a great importance the we begin to understand the nature of what YHUH is trying to reveal about this subject.
          
        Lets start by looking at a Scripture where we can see “dabar” used twice, and in two different ways, in the same sentence.

          “After these events H1697 the Word H1697 of YHUH came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward.”
Bereshith/Genesis 15:1

         Dabar is translated as “events” or in the KJV “things” and then immediately is rendered again as “Word”. Just from this one Scripture, it begins to become clearer that this word is not simply something that is spoken from someone’s mouth but is connected to events that are taking place around us. So right from the start Dabar goes from being passive and inactive to lively and dynamic. It is not just spoken or written words but it is what is taking place around us at the same time. Lets clarify this a little more with another Scripture.

          “Is anything H1697 too hard for YHUH? At the time appointed I will return unto you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
Bereshith/Genesis 18:14
      
           I love this Scripture just because of the first sentence, “Is anything too hard for YHUH?” I always want to standup and shout NO! Once again, Dabar is used but it is not spoken or written words, instead it is energetic and on the move, it is a job being carried out, a “thing” being completed.

         Dabar is an act, something that is being done. You may have heard the saying in times past, “A man is only as good as his word.” What this saying meant was that if what a man said didn’t line up with what a man did in his actions that the word was no good. We see Dabar being translated 51 times in the KJV as the word “act” or “acts”. It is used to describe what a person is or what they have done, as in “And, behold, the acts H1697 of Asa, first and last…” This is the way we can know a person not only by what the person has spoken but by their actions, and are those actions in unity with the words that the person has spoken? If the two agree, then the word is good. We see dabar used in this manner in the following Scripture.

          “And she said to the sovereign, ‘It was a true report H1697 that I heard in mine own land of your acts H1697 and of your wisdom.’”
Melakim 1/1 Kings 10:6

            The sovereigness/queen of Sheba had just finished a tour of the country and city saw all that Shaluah (Salomon) had done and built and the ways of the people and servants of the kingdom. The Scriptures record these things as the Dabar of Shaluah (Salomon).

            One might conclude that this idea of the word being an action or an expression of what one is, would be lost if a jump is made from one language to another. However, this does not seem to be the case if the Hebrew and Greek scriptures are examined. The same idea is conveyed in each language.
           
           In the Greek the counterpart to Dabar is Logos, and the first time it is listed is not about the spoken or written word but about actions.

            “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause G3056 of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery.”
            MattithYAHU/Matthew 5:32

            Just as dabar is defined as an action as well as the spoken or written word, so also is logos defined in the same way. The Scriptures reveal these words used to define what someone is. We are ever one with our dabar or logos, whether for good or evil you and I can never escape the nature of this idea. The parables of YHUH Ha’ Mashach enforce this concept, and in one sentence conveys that dabar is indeed a tangible manifestation of what something is instead of an abstract theoretical  idea that can’t be touched.

            “The sower sows the word. G3056
Marqos/Mark 4:14
           
          Mat.8:16 displays the Word in action as we see it manifested by casting out unwanted spirits from those that have been oppressed by them. The word doesn’t do anything as long as it remains alone in the spoken or written form. Only went it becomes active and alive because of trust in YHUH does it finally become the completed form of Dabar. This is what is understood as authority; words in unity with the actions of  the one who speaks.

           The Word begins as a seed that then grows into the plant that was contained inside that seed. If the seed is good, then the plant will be good also. There is a mystery uncovered in the seed principle; you can’t really tell what kind of seed something is just by looking at it. The true nature of what it is can only be seen once the seed is manifested into the full grown plant. In this is understood the mystery of Alhym towards us. How can we know an Alhym that cannot be seen or touched?

            The answer is not complicated, you know Him in the same way you know me. We are known but what we do. You know who you call if you are in need, maybe a brother or friend, mother or father, there is someone you call on when you are hurting or afraid. You call them because their actions have demonstrated that they are on your side and will help you. Their dabar has proven helpful to you in times of need. So once again the question remains, what informs us of Alhym’s dabar towards us?

            “In the beginning was the Word (Dabar/Logos), and the Word (Dabar/Logos) was with Alhym, and the Word (Dabar/Logos) was Alhym. He was in the beginning with Alhym. All came to be through Him, and without Him not even one came to be that came to be.”
            Yahanan/John 1:1-2
 
            “And the Word (Dabar/Logos) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His esteem, esteem as the only brought-forth of the Father, complete in favor and truth.”
            Yahanan/John 1:14

            The Father manifest Himself by His only Son; whatever proceeds from the heart of the Father is the Son. We cannot know the Father, we cannot see the Father, we cannot comprehend who or what His is except by the manifestation of His DABAR, His WORD… His only SON. Any contact that we have with the Father comes by Him manifesting Himself by the presence of His Son. YHUH Ha’Mashach is One with the FATHER and fulfills the Scripture, “Hear O’Yahsra’Al, YHUH our Alhym is ONE YHUH.”

            “I and my FATHER are ONE.”
            Yahanan/John 10:30

            “YHUH said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes unto the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you should have known My Father also, and from henceforth you know Him, and have seen Him. Philippos/Philip, said to Him, Master, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. YHUH said to him, Have I been with you so long and you still have not known Me, Philippos? He who has seen Me has seen the Father, and how do you say, Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The Words/Dabar/Logos that I speak to you I do not speak from Myself. But the Father that stays in Me does His Works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me, otherwise believe Me for the very works' sake.”
            Yahanan 14:6-11

           The conclusion is that Dabar/Word/Logos is the display or expression of what one is. Only by one's actions and words can one be known by another. This is a wonderful and humbling thing to perceive; YHUH is truly ONE. In order to continue into His Kingdom you and I must become united in the body of His Dabar. We must follow the Head of this Body and defer from our own Dabar and enter into His will. We were created to do His will and not our own.
          

            HE HAS REVEALED HIMSELF TO US BY MANIFESTING HIS DABAR IN THE FLESH. HE IS THE WAY, NOT WALKING AFTER OUR SELF AND OUR WILL BUT AFTER THE WILL OF OUR FATHER IN THE SHAMYM.