We are able to search the internet using digital ‘search engines’ to find out details on whatever subject we want..
Many times all we ever hear is
“I looked it up using a search engine on our web browser..”
…and there are several well known names we use.
These AI (artificial intelligences) answers to our search, are so immediate that we have come to prefer this instant answer, instead of asking the Lord and waiting patiently for His Holy Spirit to tell us; or by taking the time to research for ourselves in the Bible and Dictionaries or Thesaurus. We need to be aware of not allowing a popular search engine and the internet to be our source of supply instead of or in preference to our Heavenly Father.
We are to Search/Zarah
or Seek
the Lord with all our hearts
….and He will direct our paths.
Prov.3:5,6 & Deut.4:29
We are to Seek for Him while He may be found.
6 Seek the LORD while He may be found;
call on Him while He is near Is 55:6
However there is a Psalm where David states that
the Lord
searches
out our path.
Psalm 139:3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.
Below are various translations where some say search, others say discern, comprehend, know and compassest.
ESV: You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:3,
Psalm 139 :3, NIV: You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Psalm 139:3,
KJV: Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
Berean Standard Bible You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways.
English Revised Version Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
King James Bible Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
A Hebrew word for SEARCH is ZARAH 2219
verb
זָרָה
zaw-raw
scrutinize, spread, scatter, winnow
Almost every modern English translation of the Bible will have a different rendering for the word search – zarah.
Some others are:
Living Bible: sees me
Aramaic Bible: know my ways
Holman Bible: observes me
International standard version: scrutinize my life.
King James version: compassest me
ESV: search me
Douay Reams Bible: understood me
New English translation: observes me
And NIV: discerns me
In all these different renderings, not one is wrong or better than another, and it could be that our Heavenly Father is showing us the rich meaning and depth of His Word. Through these words His Spirit reveals to us a greater understanding of the message He wants to impart to us. So in this case there is not a translation that is incorrect.
The Hebrew word comes from a primitive root:zuwr; to toss about; by implication, to diffuse, winnow — cast away, compass, disperse, fan, scatter (away), spread, strew, winnow.
Recall that every letter of a Hebrew word has its’ own meaning and pictograph. Each letter is a word and here the word zarah is spelled:
zayin resh hei.
זָרָה
The zayin זָ represents and looks like a sword which cut something open to expose the inner layers.
The resh רָ is bent over to the left some of the ancient Hebrew sages tell us that it is a sign of humility or shame.
The letter hei/hey ה is the third letter which represents the presence of God.
When God cuts through us and reveals what is inside of us it brings us to shame and humility in His presence…..However He does not leave us there…it’s a process.
Here the meanings: scrutinize, spread, scatter, winnow, carefully investigate; remind us of Messiahs words that were describing the divide and sift that was to come for His disciples in order to test their faith.
Just as Messiah Jesus/Yeshua said to Simon in Luke.
Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Luke 22:31-32 (NASB)
The Greek word which is translated as
demanded actually has the idea of a request.
satan has desired to sift you ALL…
WHY is this necessary?…
it is for us to see what is in us.
Messiah/Jesus said
the devil comes and finds nothing in me.
The key word in the phrase he has nothing in Me is nothing. The English word nothing is the correct translation of the Greek which is ou oudeis.
The word ou means not
and oudeis means no one, none or nothing.
When the Greek word ou is combined with oudeis,
nothing becomes emphatic.
The Greek phrase is a Hebrew idiom which has the legal sense of no claim.
Therefore, Messiah was simply saying that Satan had
no legal claim on Him.
In what sense does Satan have no legal claim on Messiah?
The answer is that Satan has no authority, claim or control over Messiah Jesus/Yeshua in any way, but he does have control over the world systems, kingdoms and non-believers.
There are two important points to help us understand what Satan controls.
The first point is that during the temptation of Messiah by the devil, he reveals that he has authority over the kingdoms of the world Luke 4:5-6. Notice that the devil states all of the kingdoms of the world were handed over to me.
And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.” Luke 4:5-6 (NASB)
These verses help us understand that the devil not only owns the kingdoms of the world, but he controls them as well. Luke 4:5-6.
The second point is that in John 8:43-44 we read that non-Christians, (those who do not accept and believe that Jesus/Yeshua was and is the only begotten Son of the Living God and died in our place;) are under the control of the devil and have the same desires as the devil.
Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. John 8:43-44 (NASB)
The Greek word translated as of in the phrase
of your father the devil is the Greek word ekin.
It means out.
This means the Pharisees were like the devil, out of, being of that seed.
1 John 3:10 also reveals that we belong to either Christ or the devil.
By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:10 (NASB)
The verse tells us every man and woman either belongs to God or belongs to the devil. Those who practice sin belong to the devil. The verses before and after verse 10 make this clear, non-Christians belong to Satan and he has control of them because they are not Christians. Scripture states that the devil is the god of this age, the ruler of this world, and the prince of the power of the air.
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 1 John 5:19 (NASB)
In contrast 1 John 5:18 tells us that Christians cannot be touched or controlled by Satan.
We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 1 John 5:18 (NASB)
Therefore, since Messiah/Christ was God and sinless, Satan could not control Him.
Satan had no legal claim on Him.
This is why Messiah said, . . . he has nothing in Me… and when satan tempted Him in the wilderness, he was not successful: Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13. Messiah/Christ was without sin Hebrews 4:15.
Can we say the same…
What will be exposed
when we are sifted and scrutinized
by His Spirit of Holiness?
Who will withstand the time of shaking?
What will the light expose in us?
Once our Heavenly Father has opened us up and revealed all the shameful things in our lives; He does not leave us in that state, He cleans up our lives so they are worthy to carry His indwelling presence. He is going to pursue us until we are willing to let Him open us and cleanse us, so that He can abide/live inside of us and we can become what He created us to be in the first place.
He will zarah/search us in our lying down.
The word for lying down is rava’ . רָבַע
raba: to lie stretched out, lie down
(recall the letters b and v are interchangeable.)
Original Word: רָבַע Part of Speech:Verb Transliteration:raba Phonetic Spelling:raw-bah’ Definition:to lie stretched out, lie down
In all modern ways of understanding today, our Heavenly Father is watching us even in our most private moments. He is there looking for anything that may hinder the fullness of His presence in our lives. When He finds it, He pursues us until we confess only pure motives and honest intentions of our hearts towards Him. He searches foranything that could prevent Him from being all He longs to be in our lives. He observes the fruit of our lives, our actions and what is reproduced, then He prunes us so that we will bear even more fruit.
Is He really that intrusive /interested in our lives, watching and observing our paths and even our most Intimate moments?
Original Word:סָכַן Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:cakan Phonetic Spelling:saw-kan’ …acquaint self, be advantage, ever, be, unprofitable, treasurer. A primitive root; to be familiar with; by implication, to minister to, be serviceable to, be customary — acquaint (self), be advantage, X ever, (be, (un-))profit(-able), treasurer, be wont.
have I ever shewn the habit of doing thus to thee? hence shew harmony with (עִם) one Job 22:21, be familiar with, know intimately (subject ׳י) Psalm 139:3 (with accusative דְּרָכַי).
The word katan seems to have its origins in an ancient Phoenician word developed from: examining a wound to determine how to care for it.
It is a diagnostic search or a familiarizing. When used in a hiphal form it gives the picture of: God is not observing all our ways to make notes and assign grades for our performance; but to determine and understand the best way to correct and heal whatever wounds have been left as He fills us with His presence.
Like David there are no doubt many things in our lives we are ashamed of. Even though God has forgiven us we still have scars that remind us of our past sins and even some open wounds still remain that must be healed.
Maybe David is saying here that our Heavenly Father searches usout, even in our most intimate moments, to clean us up and forgive every single sin, no matter how secret and hidden we think it is. This is so He can enter our lives and fill us with His presence, His Spirit of Holiness.
There is another Hebrew word for
search – chaqar
resh quph chet
which also means:
to investigate,
examine thoroughly in order to expose a weakness.
Weaknesses can be in the form of old unhealed wounds and spiritual scars.
It is not only that He will search us, but He will also closely examine all of our wounds to determine the best treatment to heal them; so we can rest totally in His presence without the hindrance of guilt and shame. When we are running from God, resisting His searching gaze, it is often because we really don’t want to be cleaned up. We like our secret sins and we are comfortable with our wounds, preferring to live and walk as a casualty, with a victim mentality.
However, because our Father loves us and does not want to lose us, He will keep chasing after us until we allow Him to catch up with us and until we surrender; then He can clean us up and heal all our wounds. There are those rooms in our ‘house’ that need a deep, spiritual spring-cleaning. Attics, basements, cupboards and closets full of memories and hurts; those corners of our hearts and minds that we have closed off for too long.
It is only when we truly surrender and stop running, that we will discover the freedom giving joy of His presence. A relationship that is unhindered by sin, guilt and shame is one that allows true loving intimacy, the spiritual connection with our Creator Father, that of katan with Him.
Today…it’s time to stop running and hiding from Him, we often stay too busy to take the time we need to be in His presence.
We need Him, and we must seek His face/presence and only then we will find Him. If we truly want to walk with Him, it is critical to lay down self. Nothing less than total submission, a repentant heart and allowing Him to search us, will bring true humility and openness spiritually; which precedes the personal revival, restoration, maturity and Holiness of His called-apart-ecclesia.
Today it’s is time to answer the question for our own life….
Who is Searching For Who?
Shalom shalom mishpachah/family
and cheverim/friends!
You are loved, appreciated and prayed for
… and…
it’s all about Life and Relationship,
NOT Religion.
You are 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
1 Peter 3:3-4. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. Learning evolves out of communion but we should be mindful not to mix the two.Many times we are over anxious to learn or speak or get answers to our prayer requests.We will see the Lord most clearly in the silent still pool,
where we can hear the still, calm, small voice. Kings 19:11-13Here in this place, words are as pebbleswhich when dropped into quiet water,send out ripples and distort the image.He wants to minister to us in the beauty of the silence.In ways He could never communicate by words alone. Psalm 62:5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him.He desires to look deep into our souls and as He searches us out and knows us,His blessings will come in ways yet unknown to us.He desires we also minister to Him. We need to be still and wait quietly for His salvation. Lamentations 3:26. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.Time spent in His presence is never wasted for only He can touch us the deep in our souls.Our modern, technology oriented lives, have become too busy and too noisy.And we are too eager to impatiently move, to get up and go on with our lives and are easily tempted to dispel the perfect, calm, place in His presence because we’re too busy and so we can do what we need to do to move forward Like a child with a short attention span we want answers and action NOW!We leave our ‘shopping list’ of needs and requirements at His feet, and rush out of His presence, without any semblance of real or meaningful communication and expect home delivery without delay!We are often uncomfortable in the silence.
It takes practice and discipline to remain quiet before Him for any prolonged length of time;Yet it is for us to minister to Him from our inner desire, asking Him to create in us a clean heart, and to renew a right spirit within us. Ps 51:10The still waters of Psalm 23 where the sheep must drink, are those same pure waters, where we too must take in His spirit.Sheep are not happiest when drinking from fast-moving waterNo doubt sheep are afraid of the rushing water and rightly so because if they fall in, their wool would become so saturated, that they would drown with the extra weight pulling them under.
Likewise for us to receive the full benefit of His life-giving waterin the form of His Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKodesh, we must be still and know that He is God. Psalm 46:10Because in the silence and stillness, that pool will reflect all that He is; and all that He will be in us; and all that we can become in Him.The more still that the water is, the more accurate the reflection, as with a mirror made of glass. Likewise the more we are still within, as well as externally, the better we reflect Our Father.We can only see our reflection in still waters otherwise what we see is distorted.Our cry should be, “search me and know me”. Psalm 139:1, 23Then after we are refreshed from the still waters of the pool and we touch that which has imbued us with life then,when the ripples go outward across the surface, it is symbolic of the giving out of ourselves.
But unless we first fill up; there will be no substance in our outward reach to the lost and hurting world around us.Jesus, lover of my soul
Jesus, I will never let You go
You’ve taken me from the miry clay
You’ve set my feet upon the rock
And now I know. I love you, I need you, Though my world may fall, I’ ll never let you go My Saviour, my closest friend, I will worship you until the very end…There is no salvation without purification, so the need to have God create in us a clean heart, is essential for maturity as a believer.
We have to have an inner cleanliness. For Jesus himself reminded us, the pure in heart shall see God. Matt 5:8Everyday we should take a mental mikveh/ a bath for our minds and determine to be honest with ourselves and then, to think on, whatsoever is pure, etc., as referenced in Scripture. Phil 4:8Our minds stray, our hearts wander, but let’s not lose our souls but instead discover the living Word Himself and plant Him deep within us, to purify our hearts as only He can (James 4:8); by the washing of the water of His Word . Eph 5:262 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.Because in the silence of His presence there is holiness and the fullness of His Shalom. When Jesus said My Peace I give to you. John 14:27He was talking about Shalom which cannot be translated into just a single word..
When there is Shalom there is tranquility,
there is an absence of disorder and violence,
there is justice, sufficient food, clothing and housing. Divine Health no sickness.
There is absence of conflict, lack, hatred, abuse, bribery, corruption, pain, suffering, immorality and all other negative forces.
That is what Jesus was meaning when He said, ‘My peace I give unto you.’ This place of Shalom, is being still and knowing He is God.Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.
Because there is beauty in the silence and in the stillness of His shalom.
~~~~~
Mikveh or mikvah (Hebrew: מִקְוֶה / מקווה is a bath used for the purpose of achieving purity
Learning evolves out of communion but we should be mindful not to mix the two.
He desires to look deep into our souls and as He searches us out and knows us,
And we are too eager to impatiently move, to get up and go on with our lives and are easily tempted to dispel the perfect, calm, place in His presence because we’re too busy and 
so we can do what we need to do to move forward 
We leave our ‘shopping list’ of needs and requirements at His feet, and rush out of His presence, without any semblance of real or meaningful communication and expect home delivery without delay!
Yet it is for us to minister to Him from our inner desire, asking Him to create in us a clean heart, and to renew a right spirit within us. Ps 51:10
Sheep are not happiest when drinking from fast-moving water
because if they fall in, their wool would become so saturated, that they would drown with the extra weight pulling them under.
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