Towards, unto, into and in Theos

Up to this point we have established a number of prerequisites. We have developed an incremental understanding that has, at its heart, the figure of the kaporeth. The ‘unto’, directional, and the ‘unto/unto’, reciprocal dialogue, relationships at the heart of the kaporeth and its journey to that final destination where Yahweh delights to set his name, is the basis for understanding that covenantal name. It is this bi-directional agreement, based on revelation and reciprocity, by virtue of obedience to the commandments, that lies at the heart of the meaning of ‘el (אל). The relationship of the kerubym one to another is, at first, antagonistic and antithetical. If the kerubic relationship develops into a reciprocal dialogue, then the transformation of one to the other begins. The two are seen as ‘other’ to each ‘other’. Being antitheses of one another they can, eventually, become one. However, at the outset of the journey they are opposing forces. This is alluded to in the homographic meaning of ‘el (אל) as the less common of the two words for the negative (‘no’, ‘not’, ‘nor’, ‘neither’) and as the inversion of the more common word for the negative – lo’ (לא). Thus, we have the sense of ‘not’ and ‘not/not’ (i.e. ‘yes’) being asserted in the same phenomenon.

In these posts we are going to look at the antithetical ‘great(er)’ and ‘less(er)’ in this light. They are opposites, but it is conceivable that one can become the other and that there can be a diminishing of their variance from a great(er) difference to an almost identical equivalence through the exchange of thoughts and words from one to the other.

And Mosheh said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. (Exodus 3.3)

Of course, this is a fundamentally important text dealing, as it does, with the revelation of the name of Yahweh and the beginning of the circular journey that will lead Mosheh to return to Horeb to receive the covenant that will create the beginning of Yahweh’s people. The language of ‘sight’, ‘see’ and ‘appear’ is abundant here, speaking of the manifestation of Yahweh to Mosheh. You will recall that the Greek word translated ‘appear’, especially when dealing with the appearance of an angel, is part of the family of words which has ‘manifestation’ in it. Here, that ‘appearance’ is seen in an unusual, unnatural, extraordinary phenomenon of a bush burning but not being consumed. This is the sense of ‘great’ being attributed to that sign. The bush should be consumed by fire as flesh is consumed by spirit but, as the bush and the fire emanating from it embodies the messenger of Yahweh, then it cannot be consumed by spirit as that which is manifested to Mosheh from it is spirit. The greatness of the appearance is that it is the manifestation of the great ‘el who is there, in representative form and unconsumed. The bush is ‘elohym and yet it is not, ‘elohym emanates from the bush. ‘elohym is Yahweh and yet it is Yahweh, the great ‘el, the ‘he’, who is in ‘elohym. This is the idea of appearance or manifestation, this is a foundational principle of the name, the representation of one by the other.

Wherefore say unto the children of Yisra’el, I am Yahweh, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of Mitsraym, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: (Exodus 6.6)

The outcome of Mosheh being sent into Mitsraym to bring the people out to make a covenant with Yahweh is the refusal of the Mitsraym to countenance such a departure and the ensuing ten plagues upon them. These plagues are characterised as judgments upon the Mitsraym and upon their ‘elohym. They are also characterised here as being ‘great’ because they are, as the burning bush, extraordinary, unnatural, beyond the normal scope of human experience and understanding. One sense of ‘great’ is also that of ‘high’, as in the ‘high’ priest, and they are signs and wonders that come from the great and high one, who is higher and greater than the ‘elohym of Mitsraym.

And Phar’oh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all Mitsraym; and there was a great cry in Mitsraym; for there was not a house where there was not one dead there. (Exodus 12.30)

The result of the great judgments, culminating in the death of the firstborn, is a great cry by those who have been subject to the judgments of Yahweh. There is a sense in which the judgments are ‘great’ because they are beyond, or above, human understanding and experience and there is a sense in which the plagues are overwhelming in their abundance; they are also ‘great’ and ‘high’ because they have been sent by the great and high ‘el, being inflicted downwards upon the Mitsraym. All the house of Mitsraym, including Phar’oh’s, were subject to the loss of the firstborn. The numbers lost and the resultant grief was ‘great’. The scale of visitation, tribulation, desolation and loss was ‘great’ throughout the plagues, in the sense that there were overwhelming numbers, and geographical persistence, of flies, lice, locusts, disease, darkness, blood etc. and the catastrophic devastation caused. In this sense ‘great’ can be seen as numerically, and consequentially, overwhelming. The Mitsraym response to the final devastation was a ‘great’ cry. In a sense they had met the greatness of the judgment with a greatness of sorrow before the children of Yisra’el were expelled from the land. We can see the sense in which ‘great’ can be a quantity and, as such, requiring a proportionate response.

And Yisra’el saw that great work which Yahweh did upon the Mitsraym: and the people feared Yahweh, and believed in Yahweh, and in Mosheh his servant. (Exodus 14.31)

The great work which Yahweh, the great ‘el, accomplished upon Phar’oh and his host was the salvation of the children of Yisra’el passing through the sea, which had heretofore been an undivided mass of water, and the closing over of this sea upon the Mitsraym army, destroying all of them while saving all of Yisra’el.

And Yethro said, Blessed be Yahweh, who has delivered you out of the hand of Mitsraym, and out of the hand of Phar’oh, who has delivered the people from under the hand of Mitsraym. Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all ‘elohym: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. (Exodus 18.11)

This passage describes Mosheh’s father-in-law coming to the camp at Horeb and communing with him. He hears Mosheh’s account of Yisra’el’s deliverance from Mitsraym at the hand of Yahweh. In this context Yahweh is greater than all ‘elohym, particularly those of Mitsraym, in that he was exalted above them in judgment, casting them down beneath him. Of course, we know that he had the victory over Phar’oh and his hosts, not over some supernatural creatures. These supernatural creatures do not truly live but their representatives do. ‘elohym is a manifestational/representative term, like angels in the new testament. Therefore the ‘elohym he was greater than, in the end, were those people, particularly the elevated ones (embodied in Phar’oh), who lifted themselves up against his people (and therefore him). Those people were ‘elohym in that they represented that which was not Yahweh, and which do not live. Yahweh, who does live, represented by his ‘elohym overcame the representatives of Mitsraym, and their ‘elohym, throughout the plagues and finally in the sea. His ability and willingness to do so sets him as higher, more powerful and overwhelming in his judgments over Mitsraym.

And he that is the high priest among his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes; neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his ‘elohym for the crown of the anointing oil of his ‘elohym is upon him: I am Yahweh. (Leviticus 21.10-12)

The chief of the priests, who at this point is ‘Aharon, is described as ‘high’ or ‘great’. His behaviour must also be qualified by a series of negative propositions, all using the more common negative form lo’ (לא). He is ‘great’ because he has been anointed from above and he is above his fellows. He is ‘great’ because he is the representation of the ‘great’ one. His uncontaminated behaviour clearly anticipates the undefiled behaviour of Iesous and of the age to come. As his behaviour is manifestational, the name of Yahweh is invoked.

And Bala’am answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Yahweh my ‘elohym, to do less or more. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry you also here this night, that I may know what Yahweh will say unto me more. (Nu. 22.18-19)

Here, Balak the king of Mo’ab is pleading, via intermediaries, with Bala’am to come and curse the children of Yisra’el who have come up out of Mitsraym and are overcoming their enemies on their way into the land. Bala’am has already asked Yahweh if he can go and curse the people and he has refused saying that they are blessed. This second time Bala’am says to the messengers that he cannot go beyond what Yahweh’s word is to him. The ‘more’ or ‘great’ here is on account of the fact that the word is Yahweh’s, the ‘great’ one, and therefore so is his word. The ‘more’ is juxtaposed with an antithetical ‘less’.

Thou shall not be affrighted at them: for Yahweh thy ‘elohym is among you, a mighty ‘el and terrible. And Yahweh thy ‘elohym will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou may not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee. (Deuteronomy 7.21-22)

The greatness of ‘el is seen in his judgments on the enemies of Yisra’el as he brings them into the land. The necessary response from Yisra’el to his might is that they do not fear their enemies. In contrast it is Yahweh who is ‘fearful’, that is he is to be feared. There is an interesting homographic relationship between ‘fear’ and ‘appear’. In Exodus 14.31 (above) the children of Yisra’el saw what Yahweh had done upon Mitsraym and they feared. The verb ‘to see’ is ra’ah (ראה), whereas the verb ‘to fear’ is yare’ (ירא). In the latter form (ירא) it is translated mostly as ‘he feared/fears’ but on a few occasions is also translated as ‘look’, or ‘see’. Prefixed by the Hebrew ‘w’ (ו) this form is repeatedly translated as ‘and he appeared’ and is used to describe Yahweh’s revelation in, for example, Exodus 3. There are also some occurrences where the two ideas. of ‘fearing’ and ‘seeing/appearing’ come together.

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear Yahweh, and depart from evil. (Prov.3.7)

Here, fearing Yahweh is antithetical to being wise in your own eyes. Sight, in the sense of man’s own perception precludes the sight which is of Yahweh which leads to subjection to, and acknowledgement of, him.

The children of Yisra’el saw the evidence of ‘elohym’s great works and so should have feared him and not been afraid of their enemies. In the run up to entering into the land this message was equally pertinent and was not observed as they looked upon the inhabitants of the land and feared them. Fearing is to show subjection to. It may include being literally frightened of them but, as in the case of Gide’on, he was fearful but still obeyed Yahweh’s voice:

Then Gide’on took ten men of his servants, and did as Yahweh had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. (Judges 6.27)

Gide’on, realising the attitude of his father’s house towards Ba’al, realises their ability to prevent him from doing what Yahweh has sent him to do is such that, in order to fear and obey Yahweh, he must accomplish that obedient act when they will not be aware of his actions. We can see and fear, that is understand and obey Yahweh or, contrariwise, obey the flesh.

Fearing, ultimately, is to see/perceive and to be in a position of subjection and respect to that revelation. The revelation is characterised by words like ‘appear’, which describes what happened between ‘elohym and Mosheh at Horeb. ‘Appear’ is a manifestational term in that context because it describes how Yahweh is revealed in an agent that represents him and, speaking under his direction, becomes him. In the creation we can see a circular and reciprocal appearance occurring. ‘elohym, enacting the commandments of the singular ‘he’ in Genesis 1.1, causes to appear the tangible outcomes of the impulse of the power of the spirit. These things which are his created works are the ‘appearances’ of his mind/spirit. Then, after the work has been accomplished on each day, they are ‘seen’ as ‘good’. With the declaration at the culmination of the sixth day that what was seen was ‘very good’. In the ultimate provision/appearance of the created man, he becomes the tangible evidence of Theos in flesh, seen by Theos himself and declared as ‘very good’, because he embodies the moral perfection of the spirit, and seen by men who can also perceive Theos in him as a means of striving toward becoming Theos themselves. These willing representatives of Yahweh can be said to truly ‘fear’ him.

This is evident in the reciprocal relationship that Yahweh has with ‘Abraham and the journey that he commands him to take to offer his son in an anticipatory act alluding to the offering of Iesous.

Then on the third day ‘Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. (Genesis 22.4)

As ‘Abraham and Yitshaq draw near to the place of sacrifice, Yitshaq asks his father where the lamb for the offering is:

And ‘Abraham said, My son, ‘elohym will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Genesis 22.8)

The highlighted text translates the verb ‘to see/appear’, so ‘elohym will see/appear/manifest to himself a lamb. Note here how the father and son are on a journey together to their final destination. This is like the kaporeth, a journey forwards to a set place while the two elements, the journeying partners, are becoming one through dialogue. This journey of the father and the son manifests the journey, together, of ‘Abraham and Yahweh to this point in their pilgrimage. It also, and highly significantly, manifests the journey together of the father, Theos, and the son, Iesous, to the point at which he was ready to be offered.

Of course, Yitshaq could only be offered to the point of being placed upon the altar, a place from which ‘Abraham received him back to life, figuratively. That taking of his son’s life was prevented by Yahweh:

And he said, Lay not thine hand unto the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fear ‘elohym, seeing thou has not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. (Genesis 22.12)

Apart from the use of the homographic אל to denote the direction of ‘Abraham’s hand toward his son and the two negatives used to direct him not to touch the lad, there is the use of the fear/appear homograph to describe the obedience that ‘Abraham has shown towards Yahweh against his natural instinct.

And ‘Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and ‘Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. (Genesis 22.13)

At the point of his obedience to the command to not lay his hand on his son he sees, or it appears to him, a ram caught in a thicket. The ram is a provision, or a creation, of Yahweh to allow him to offer a replacement sacrifice.

And ‘Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh-Yir’eh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of Yahweh it shall be seen. (Genesis 22.14)

In the context of these events and the progression of this understanding, and of the journeying towards a determined, or set, place, where sacrifice, and figurative resurrection appear, there is a naming of the place which is appended to Yahweh’s name. The ‘Yir’eh’ part of the name is the same verb we have seen throughout this chapter which has translated ‘fear’, ‘provide’, ‘see’ and ‘looked’. This journey of obedience is possible because there is a reciprocal relationship between ‘elohym and ‘Abraham which is evidenced by ‘Abraham’s obedience. ‘Abraham fears ‘elohym, which makes this journey possible. ‘Abraham sees the place afar off, just as he saw Iesous’ day afar off (Iohannes 8.56). ‘Abraham acknowledges to his son that Yahweh will provide/see a lamb unto himself. ‘Abraham sees the ram. He calls the name of the place in the light of this fear and sight. In this anticipatory naming, the appearance of the created lamb of Theos, set in this destination of the fulfilment of his name, looked upon by him and seen as very good is the prerequisite for the covenants of promise which ‘elohym goes on to pronounce.

Greatness can be seen in the revelation of that great and fearful ‘el who revealed himself to Mosheh in the great sign at Horeb. It is seen in the great wonders accompanying the salvation of Yisra’el out of Mitsraym and, clearly, it is seen in the revelation of himself in his utterances. This revelation requires a response, and that response is fear. That fear is subjection to his name, to the appearance of him in man and can be described as praise, when it is evidenced by confession:

Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name to/for ‘olam we’ad. Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable… Yahweh is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. Yahweh is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. (Psalm 145.2,3,8,9)

It is the created works of Yahweh that will praise his name. It is those manifestations of his creative impulse that alone can understand his greatness.

We come to greatness as defined by Iesous, when asked:

Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked, tempting him, and saying, Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Iesous said unto him, Thou shall love the Lord thy Theos with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself. (Maththaios 22.35-39)

Iesous clearly tells us which is the great and first commandment. It is first and it is great because it deals with the response required to the revelation of the great and mighty ‘el who has appeared among men and shown in a man his great wonders. Our response to that appearance needs to be to fear him. He is the great one. We reciprocate that great name and show it to others, our neighbour, by love.