Continuing: In the previous post we looked at wisdom and finding Godly wisdom is as a man in darkness finding light. We discussed Solomon and his writings in Ecclesiastes telling us of all the seemingly meaningless experiences in life, and when these are seen through the eyes of wisdom, understood as being the LORD’s stirring our spirit. The end of this process of deep consideration, with a rational mind, is what brings wisdom from behind the shadow created by men at war with the entire concept and person of God. We saw Ecclesiastes ending by telling us the word of the wise, speaking of Godly centered rationale, are goads of a master shepherd feeding his flock, and ultimately gathering them together to himself.
In yesterday’s post we saw the Hebrew words translated “vexation of spirit,” rather than telling of meaningless pursuit, actually speaking of the experience as if the breath of God blowing on us, and as wind to a fire, igniting our curiosity into deeper investigation. In seeing this we understand it is our being as if a smoking flax, a wick being smothered, being trimmed to full flame as if our being born again.
I am going to paste John 3 but before doing so we must look at the deeper meaning conveyed in the Greek words used in some of the now clichéd phrase.
The words translated “born again” gennao anothen. Gennao superficially means to procreate, and regenerate. The deeper meaning is first found in the LORD’s mention of what is translated as wind. The Greek word translated “wind” is the same word translated “Spirit.” The passage tells of the Sprit blowing (breathing) where every He will and this as Him carrying us along during and to our reproduction [in His/God’s image and likeness]. The word nao is the Greek word ship, and is used with gen (cause to become) to explain it is the Spirit of God carrying us to new creation of reproducing His Spirit in us.
The Greek word anothen means born from above, and the deeper meaning is in it also meaning born first. In this last aspect we understand the origin of the LORD’s saying, “Seek you first the kingdom of God and all these other things shall be added.” This is why here in John He tell us we must be regenerated from above or we cannot enter the kingdom of God.
This is the light spoken of that reproduces light in those that will receive it. It also tells of those that condemn themselves because they reject the light and choose to remain in darkness.
The water, as we know, is the Word of God and what brings us to this regeneration.
John 3
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Truly, truly, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born again.
8 The wind blows where it lists, and you hear the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Are you a master of Israel, and knows not these things?
11 Truly, truly, I say unto you, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and you receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that does evil hates the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that does truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
24 For John was not yet cast into prison.
25 Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.
26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with you beyond Jordan, to whom you barest witness, behold, the same baptizes, and all men come to him.
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29 He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
32 And what he has seen and heard, that he testifies; and no man receives his testimony.
33 He that has received his testimony has set to his seal that God is true.
34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God: for God gives not the Spirit by measure unto him.
35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.
36 He that believeth on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.
The word regeneration only appears twice in the word of God and both times from the Greek word paliggenesia. The Greek word is also only used these two times. It is comprised of two words, palin, meaning again; and genesis, meaning nativity, and nature. The deeper meanings are again found in a more in depth exploration of the words’ meanings. Palin gets meaning through the idea of oscillatory repetition from the word pale, meaning to vibrate (from pallo) and is translated as wrestle, from the origin ballo meaning to throw [as in the swing of an oscillation]. Genesis is from the word genea, meaning a generation or an age.
Paliggenesia is defining a natural cycle of an age from beginning to end, and back to beginning again. And I saw the earth and it had become without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, as the shadow of what man had created covered the light. And the Spirit of God moved upon the waters, and God said let there be light, and the wind removed the cloud and the light appeared. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Matthew 19
13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if you will enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, You shall do no murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,
19 Honor your father and your mother: and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
20 The young man said unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If you will be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Truly I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed you; what shall we have therefore?
28 And Jesus said unto them, Truly I say unto you, That you which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one that has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
When the LORD speaks to the young man and tells him to sell everything and follow Him it isn’t to make a point about having to sell all. It is rather to make a point about ridding self of things that keep us from joining ourselves to the LORD, which is also the point of the LORD speaking about marriage in the chapter’s early verses. It speaks of what causes us to swing away from Him, and His personifying the Word and Ways of God.
When the LORD says, “a rich man shall hardly enter the kingdom of heaven,” he is saying it will be hard for a rich man because there are so many things that may cause him to think himself sufficient without the LORD. The word translated “hardly” is the Greek word duskolos, dus meaning hard, and kallao, meaning glue, and translated cleave, join (self), and keep company.
The reasons a rich man will find it hard to join himself to the LORD are written in Revelation 3:
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you wert cold or hot.
16 So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.
17 Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye-salve, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.
Zechariah 10
1 Ask you of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.
3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts has visited his flock the house of Judah, and has made them as his goodly horse in the battle.
4 Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.
5 And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.
6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.
7 And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.
8 I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.
9 And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.
10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.
11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart away.
12 And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, says the LORD.
Zechariah 11
1 Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars.
2 Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O you oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.
3 There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.
4 Thus says the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;
5 Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.
6 For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, says the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbor’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.
7 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
8 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
9 Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dies, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.
10 And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.
11 And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.
12 And I said unto them, If you think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was priced at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.
14 Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
15 And the LORD said unto me, Take unto you yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.
16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that stands still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.
17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaves the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
