What does this mean and does scripture give us any insight?
Is there anyone in scripture who was waxing strong?
The word waxing has several meanings :
In astronomical terms it refers to the ‘Waxing Gibbous’ phase of the moon and it is when the lit-up part of the Moon’s face grows from about 50% to 100%. It starts just after the First Quarter Moon and lasts until the Full Moon.
A waxing gibbous moon is more than half lit, but less than full.
The Sun’s light creates the eight phases of the Moon, including waxing crescent and waning crescent which is agradualdecreaseinmagnitudeorextent.
It more modern terms it can mean, a sound recording by a band and also describes the cosmetic process of applying wax: as in polishing, or filling, and also removing hair from skin. Waxing is used as a term to describe the maintenance of water and snow skis, snow boards and surf boards. As a hair treatment, and also in candle making with various types of wax: paraffin wax, soy wax, beeswax and coconut wax.
In our question:Are we waxing strong?
The meaning is:
Are we gradually increasing inmagnitudeor in the extent in our strength?
We would say that would refer to a person of courage, someonecourageous; and more importantly strong spiritually and mentally as well as physically.
In Hebrew the word Courage is
Chazak
חָזַק
Chazak v’ematz means
“be strong and of good courage”.
Without risk, there is no need for courage.
The corresponding Greek is G2901 Krataioo: to strengthen, to make strong. The Hebrew verb ‘chazaq’ conveys the idea of strength and power. It’s used to describe physical strength, emotional fortitude, and spiritual resilience.
The term can imply:
the act of strengthening oneself or others,
prevailing in battle or conflict,
and taking firm hold of something.
It is often used in contexts where encouragement, support, or reinforcement is needed. In the Hebrew cultural and historical background, the Israelites strength was a highly valued trait, both spiritually and physically. The concept of chazaq was integral to the their understanding of their relationship with God, Who was seen as the ultimate source of strength. This term is frequently used in the context of military endeavors, personal trials, and spiritual exhortations reflecting the importance of resilience and divine support in the face of adversity.
In Hebrew, one of the words for courage isamatz, אָמַץ.
Our Heavenly Father tells Joshua in the form of a commandment.
“Be strong and courageous – chazak v’amatz
kha-ZAHK
Hope in the Lord and “chazak!” – be strong!
The Septuagint translateschazak
as andridzou –
meaning: act like a man!.
That is, hope in the Lord, be stout hearted and decided in your convictions,
The term Septuagint, meaning “seventy,” actually refers to the seventy-two translators—six from each tribe of Israel—involved in translating the Torah/Pentateuch from Hebrew to Greek in the third century before Messiah was born. When Greek became the more popular language of the Roman Empire, assimilation became important for the Israelites. Many Jews, especially those further from Israel, grew up learning and speaking Greek, not ancient Hebrew. While the Law and the prophets remained tremendously important to the Jewish people, the Hebrew Bible became inscrutable to non-Hebrew-speaking Jews.
It’s no surprise that a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible emerged. The Septuagint isn’t even the only one. It’s just the translation that became most popular, and it’s the only Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible that has survived fully intact.
Strength, without courage, will only lead to brutality.
Courage, without strength, will only lead to futility.
Only genuine courage is commitment to our values, backed by the individuals will.
Strength is a great virtue, but when it stands alone it can be kept at a level of confinement only being used as a protective attribute.
2388 chazaq:
To be strong, to strengthen, to harden, to prevail,
to take hold of
Original Word: חָזַק Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: chazaq Pronunciation: khaw-zak’ Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-zak’) Definition: To be strong, to strengthen, to harden, to prevail, to take hold of Meaning: to fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer
Is there anyone in scripture who was waxing strong or courageous?
We have a saying, an idiom, about reaching the end of our strength, often saying ‘it was the final blow’; as in a fight when one of the contenders strikes the other with a blow that ends the contest.
We also sometimes say, ‘this is the last straw‘, meaning it’s the final negative thing that happens to us in our long list of harassing circumstances. And just when we think we cannot go one more step, or take, or handle one more thing going wrong; then there comes ‘that final blow” or ‘the last straw’, and we buckle under the load like the subject in the idiom: “the last straw that broke the camels back”.
The animal was so loaded down, that it was not able to move forward and just crumpled under the excessive weight; it was one too many to bear up under. It is also true when people receive bad news that their knees give way as strength drains from our bodies with the shock; and it is why people are encouraged to sit down before being told bad news and of tragic events. We are in frail human flesh bodies, which are not designed to receive continual punishment and will eventually stop functioning. However our spirits are not subject to decay and death and when fortified by our Heavenly Fathers Holy Spirit, an individual can become supernaturally strong in the face of adversity and impossible odds in the natural realm.
In Psalm 22:14David writes of how he feels:
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are are out of joint My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me.
This verse expresses the feeling of being weak, helpless and suffering, like water spilled on the ground. It is part of thePsalm of the Cross, which was prophetic of the crucifixion of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ. He describes that;My spirits are spent and gone likewater, which, once spilt, can never be recovered; my very flesh is melted within me, and I am become as weak as water.
Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:6 As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time has come for my departure. NCV. My life is being given as an offering to God, and the time has come for me to leave this life.
The ‘libation’ or “drink offering” refers to a cup of wine a Jewish priest poured out beside the altar following the offering of a ram, lamb, or bull in the temple (Numbers 15:1–10; 28:4–7).
Just as the drink offering symbolized the end of the offering, Paul’s life was about to come to an end.
Joshua 14:8: “Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God.”
Melting hearts lev mashahלבמה
masah: to melt, dissolve, be liquefied
Original Word: מָסָה Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: masah Phonetic Spelling: (maw-saw’) Definition: to melt, dissolve, be liquefied
Word Origin a prim. root Definition to melt, dissolve, be liquefied NASB Translation consume (1), dissolve (1), melt with fear (1), melts (1).
Joshua 14:8 HEB: עָל֣וּ עִמִּ֔י הִמְסִ֖יו אֶת־ לֵ֣ב NAS: of the people melt with fear; but I followed KJV: of the people melt: but I wholly INT: went with melt the heart of the people
make to consume away, make to melt, water
A primitive root; to dissolve — make to consume away, (make to) melt, water.
As with any liquid which always seeks the lowest point it always flows down.
Joshua 14:8: “Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God.”
We all know the story of the twelve spies sent out to scout out the Promised Land. Ten returned with a bad report and a recommendation that they not enter the land due to an overwhelming display of power. Only two spies, Joshua and Caleb said:“God gave us the land, let’s go get it.”
The report of the ten spies made
the heart of the people melt.
The Hebrew word for Heart is:
לֵב
leb: inner man, mind, will, heart
Original Word: לֵב Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Transliteration: leb Phonetic Spelling: (labe) Definition: inner man, mind, will, heart
which is used in a Hiphal form and literally means
to cause to flow down.
Some modern translators will insert the word fear in here
to indicate that the people were overcome with such fear, that their hearts melted.
That is a part but not all of it.
Another use of the word
masah
is melt
which is a picture of a candle with a bright flame being fueled by the wax. Once the wax has melted the flame has gone out.
It wasn’t simply fear, it was the final ‘melting of the wax’ that hope, that had kept alive the flame of all their expectations. This ‘candle of hope’ had been melting since the beginning of their journey because the wax of this candle was made of self-sufficiency, pride, and an expectation of comfort and security. Their journey had not been easy by any stretch of the imagination, they had faced fear in the forms of starvation, thirst, poisonous snakes, invading armies, disease, etc. Our Heavenly Father had always faithfully delivered them, however the travelers were becoming very tired and discouraged wondering when it would all end. In other words, ‘their wax was melting’. At this critical point in their journey, just when they were about to reach their final destination, and finally receive their reward for all their struggles in the wilderness, what do they find out?
As the 12 spies return they give a disturbing report! Yes, it’s a land of milk and honey, BUT, it is also a land filled with giants.
That report was ‘the final blow’, ‘the last straw’.
The children of Israel had reached their breaking point.
As a trial or test, in fact it wasn’t much different than all the previous challenges. Many times they had faced certain death due to starvation, thirst or even attacks from foreign armies. They had experienced many miracles, they had seen water come from a rock, angels food fall from heaven and the sea divide as an escape from Pharoah’s army. With this in mind, the report that there were giants in the land, should not have caused them to doubt the promises of their Heavenly Father and the covenant He had made with them.
The difference in their circumstances was that now they had a choice to move forward or not. Their candle wax was made of selfish desires and not filled with the desire for God. Previously, they’d had no other choice but to depend upon Him when they needed water, food or deliverance. Now when they had a choice, they could once again face the impossible odds and place their trust in their Heavenly Father, or they could just throw another piece of straw of comfort, safety, on the camel’s back. This time when they were faced with what they knew rather than the unknown, the camel was loaded beyond it capacity to move and the fear prevailed.
They were not waxing strong!
This idiom was taken from an old Arab proverb about how a camel wearing shoes is loaded beyond its capacity to move. It’s meant to express that there is a limit to every one’s endurance, everyone has a breaking point.
However, when Joshua relates this story he says:
I wholly followed the Lord my God.
The word followis not in the Hebrew, all you have is the word:mala’ti
which literally means:
to be completely filled.
mil·lê·ṯî — 3 Occurrences
Joshua 14:8 HEB: הָעָ֑ם וְאָנֹכִ֣י מִלֵּ֔אתִי אַחֲרֵ֖י יְהוָ֥ה NAS: the LORD my God fully. KJV: melt: but I wholly followed INT: of the people I fully followed the LORD
4390 male or mala: to be full, to fill
Original Word: מָלֵא Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: male or mala Phonetic Spelling: (maw-lay’) Definition: to be full, to fill
Definition to be full, to fill NASB Translation accomplished (1), aloud (1), armed (1), become full (1), been completed (1), come (1), complete (3), completed (9), completion (1), confirm (1), consecrate* (3), consecrated* (4), covered (1), dedicate (1), drenched (1), drew (1), ended (1), endowed (1), expired (1), fill (38), filled (78), filling (5), fills (1), finished (1), fulfill (6), fulfilled (10), full (37), fullness (1), fully (8), gave in full (1), given fully (1), gratified (1), live (1), massed (1), messengers (1), mount* (1), mounted (1), ordain* (4), ordained* (4), ordination* (1), overflowing* (1), overflows* (1), passed (1), presume* (1), refresh (1), required (2), satisfied (1), satisfy (2), set (1), settings (2), space (1).
Joshua 14:8 HEB: הָעָ֑ם וְאָנֹכִ֣י מִלֵּ֔אתִיאַחֲרֵ֖י יְהוָ֥ה NAS: the LORD my God fully. KJV: melt: but I wholly followed INT: of the people I fully followed the LORD
Joshua 14:9 HEB: עוֹלָ֑ם כִּ֣י מִלֵּ֔אתָאַחֲרֵ֖י יְהוָ֥ה NAS: the LORD my God fully.’ KJV: ever, because thou hast whollyfollowed INT: ever because wholly have followed the LORD
Joshua was saying: I was completely filled with God.
Unlike the rest of the people who let their flame of hope go out, Joshua’s flame only got stronger. His wax was not in the arm of the flesh but in
a heart which was completely filled with faith in the Lord His God;
and this kind of wax will never melt, the flame will only increase. To Joshua, this final test was not another hindrance to entering the Promised Land; it was another opportunity to see the power of God, and this time by his own choosing.
It’s doubtful there is anyone reading who has not experienced the last straw or final blow during their lives; and for many it will have been on more than one occasion. The enemy will assault our faith with situations that will test our resolve to the max. It all depends on our spiritual viewpoint because it hinges on how we see our Heavenly Father and how we see ourselves. If we are really and truly ‘in Christ/in Messiah’, then He is both our defense and protection because we are IN Him.
Their hearts melted and they gave up because they listened to the words the people were saying and their negative reaction to the report. It is critical in the days we are living that we live by faith not by sight; that is, we are not to make decisions or be influenced by what we see and hear in the natural realm, but on what we perceive and know by the guidance of the indwelling of our Heavenly Fathers Ruach haKodesh/Holy Spirit. 2Corinthians 5:7
We are to have faith in the King of the Universe Who created everything by the words He spoke. Nothing is a surprise to Him and He looks at how we respond to our circumstances in all the testings and trials we face.
Where is our trust?
On what and in Whom do we place our faith?
Our Heavenly Father is more than able, and ‘in Him‘ we are too.
2 Tim.1:7
We have NOT been given a heart of melting wax, of timidity and fear but one of chazaq/courage, a heart that is waxing strong. There are so many men and women in the scriptures who showed chazaq, among them: David, Abigail, Moses, Hannah, Daniel, Esther, Shadrach, Meshach Abednego, Rahab, the list goes on….
We have all the resources of the Almighty Everlasting King of the Universe at our disposal. Greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world. 1John 4:4
To have chazaq/courage, we must be ready for anything that comes our way, remembering that our Heavenly Father already knows about it because… it is a commandment NOT an option! We are to fully and completely follow the Lord as Joshua did, then our hearts will not melt like wax under the heat of the fiery trial. Instead in the Name and power of Yeshua haMaschiah/Messiah Jesus, we will be waxing strong.
Shalom mishpachah/family
and cheverim/friends!
It’s all about Life and Relationship,
NOT Religion.
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
NOT SURE?
YOU CAN BE..
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
What does this mean and does scripture give us any insight?
Original Word: לֵב
