Message #1518

[cizz]

Here is an article I found on (The Hebrew for "promise")

http://www.tidings.org/exhortations/exhort200002.htm

Excerpt:

The Hebrew for "promise"

The word promise is very distinct in English. It has a clear and defined meaning and I thought the Hebrew word translated "promise" would carry the same sense. So I was surprised when I searched for the word "promise" in the Old Testament, I discovered there is no exact Hebrew equivalent for "promise" in English. The ancient Hebrew word for promise is dabar. This is a word we still use in Israel today. Literally it is just the noun form of the verb "to speak." Or simply the word means, "word." For example, when we read in Psalm 105:42, "For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant." The literal translation is "For he remembered his holy word, and his servant Abraham."

As the hymn goes, Jesus has promised that all who follow him will share his glory. Or in the words of Genesis 22:16, 18: "By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thy only son...In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth by blessed, because thou has obeyed my voice." From here on in the inspired Bible, this is referred to as the "word" spoken to Abraham, or in our tongue, the "promise." What else is important is that Abraham is given this promise because he first had done a "thing." The word "thing" in the Hebrew is the same word translated word and promise -- dabar. Because Abraham had trust in God and had made a "promise" to God to do His will (even to sacrifice his son), God in turn made a promise to Abraham, swearing by Himself, that through his seed all nations would be blessed. Of course, it is through this that we also receive our promise by becoming part of Abraham’s seed.