"If you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God."
-Proverbs 2:4-5
My name is Tasha, and I am a book addict.
I can't put them down, especially ones that talk about Jesus.
I tend to say that every book is the best book ever and that you should read them all (and you should).
However, this time I really mean it.
Next to the Bible, In His Own Words: Messianic Insights into the Hebrew Alphabet by L. Grant Luton really is the BEST BOOK EVER! It has my mind blown. I know, without a doubt, that I will revisit this one repeatedly. I also know that every time I pick it up, I will find another treasure I missed the first time I read it. It is just so rich. Kind of like a decadent chocolate cake that you want to devour but can only truly handle one (maybe two) bites at a time.
Having a basic knowledge of the Hebrew aleph-bet is a bonus but not a prerequisite for reading this book. The introduction explains the basics if you are willing to take the time to chew on it for a while. Which is a small price to pay for the valuable insights into the secrets of Hebrew Scriptures you are about to receive within the contents of these pages.
The Hebrew language is rich and complex, and each letter has a deeper symbolic meaning. When you consider that, it becomes mind-blowing how letter by letter, God created a love letter to us through His Scriptures. A love letter that we can study our entire lives and never comprehend the full depth. Our limited knowledge is comparable to a tiny drop in a large ocean.
For example, one of my favorite epiphanies in this book relates to God's name for Himself (הוהי). Luton states, "The Torah states, "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created Him... Though the letters of God's name - הוהי can be arranged in depending order to produce the form of a man (see illustration), this does not mean that God looks like a man, complete with arms, legs and head. The word translated 'image' is םלצ (tzelem), a word which refers to the essence of a thing and not just it's outward appearance. God has made man in essence like Himself. He created us with emotions because He has emotions. He created us with a sense of humor because He has a sense of humor. And He created us with the ability to love because He is love." Pg 13
I don't know how many times I have read God's name הוהי and never even thought about stacking the letters on top of one another. Here is the image that is used in the book:
MIND. BLOWN.
God came to earth as a man.
That man is Christ, and He wants you to know He loves you.
Enough to die for you so He can be with you for all eternity.
Another example was the word תחת (tachat) which means 'instead.' Luton shows us that it is made of two tavs with a chet in the middle. Chet (ח) represents life, and tav (ת) is a 'cross.' We see two 'crosses' with the letter of life in the middle. He reminds us that "He died instead of you. He was wounded instead of you. He was bruised instead of you. His hands and feet were nailed to the cross instead of yours. He paid the price of your sin instead of you." Pg. 256.
There are hundreds of examples in this book about how the original Hebrew demonstrates the message of the Gospel on a whole other level through the names, shapes, and order of the letters of the aleph-bet. It is inspiring and encouraging and makes me want to dig deeper into my studies.
We are told in Proverbs 2: 4-5 that if we seek God's wisdom like silver and search for it like hidden treasures, then we will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. I feel the closest to God when I search for Him in the Scriptures, which are alive because He (Christ) is the Word (John 1:14). Reading my Bible daily is essential for my survival. I need God's wisdom to make it through the day. I have to store His word in my heart so that it is His Word that springs forth instead of my own desires when faced with trials and temptations.
I want to desire Christ with all my heart and soul and mind.
I want to have faith that can move mountains.
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17
This book isn't for "milk-drinking baby Christians" as Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 3:2. There is nothing wrong with milk; it does a body good. We couldn't survive without it as an infant. However, we shouldn't spend the rest of our lives solely dependent on it either. We need solid food with more substance as we grow on our walk with Christ. Then there is time for dessert. This book is for those who want to eat cake in all its decadence.
So grab a copy today. Let us eat cake.
But most importantly, read your Bible. That's where the real treasures are found.
Shalom.
