Today a discussion of the deeper, knowable meaning of a few of the words used in several of our foundational statements. Let begin with the Greek word “blessing” appearing many times in Matthew 5 to tell us of the blessings that are the way into the kingdom (the mind where God reigns as LORD.) Then seeing it we are able to likewise understanding its use in our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.
It is translated from the Greek word makarios, definition given in the Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary is; supremely blest, fortunate or well off (having fared well.) The fuller understanding is found in its meaning well off, in the sense of it being something one transforms into by process (Acts.) A derivative of the word is makarizo, meaning to beatify, and to be pronounced fortunate, and in context validating a process by its end. Makarios is not only translated as blesses, but is also rendered happy. Makerizo is only used twice, once rendered blessed and once happy.
The one time makarizo appears as “blessed” it is telling of a process, and the one going through it knowing it would lead to all declaring her fortunate. It is the virgin speaking of the process of birthing the Christ into the world – after conceiving by the Holy Spirit and being unmarried (see 2 Corinthians 11:2 & 1 Corinthians 7:34 – 40.) It is written by Luke in Luke 1:48, where just prior in verse 40 makarios appears to tell of believing the report and in doing being blessed. It is telling of believing, and to those who will receive Him bringing forth the birth of the Son of man – in themselves and into the world.
Luke 1
45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
My examination leads to both words having an origin in the word mekos (meaning a length and to lengthen;) from the word megas, meaning increasingly great. Megas is the origin of the word megaluno, which is the word translated above in verse 46 as “magnify.”
It’s speaking of the same as we’ve been discussing in detail over recent days. It is telling of the Glory of the LORD being upon us, and of our rising with it as He rises upon us.
Isaiah 60
1 Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon you, and his glory shall be seen upon you.
3 And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to you: your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
5 Then you shall see [perceive,] and flow together, and thine heart shall fear [our reasoning mind in awe,] and be enlarged [magnified;] because the abundance of the sea [this is the river of pure waters coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb] shall be converted [return] unto you, the forces of the Gentiles [healing of the nations] shall come unto you.
The above is of course further interpreted to better see it from the perspective of Revelation 22.
At this point let’s look at a few sentences in our founding documents, first from the Declaration of Independence, and then from our Constitution. I will premise this portion with this statement of fact: the Constitution is constructed on the foundation of the Declaration’s ideas and its stated self-evident truth. As supportive evidence of this I give you Article VII, in which the signers give the date of its signing along with the Year of our LORD, both as the anchor points defining the time.
“Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Name…”
(It can only the counted as in the twelfth year if the time begins at the signing of the Declaration, just as with the Year of our LORD, both here as defining statement not merely giving time, but also the foundational basis of the period. The LORD they defines as “our” LORD in this their statement of “Unanimous Consent,” is irrefutably none other than Jesus Christ.)
The phrase of our focus in the Declaration tells of our God given rights, and among them, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Here again we see the founder’s understanding of happiness not being something given (endowed by God), but is rather something only found when diligently sought (pursued.)
Hebrew 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Knowing the founder knew the scriptures very well, and held them as the foundation of their wisdom, and our knowing as they did the meaning of the word “happy” in speaking of what is only gained by lawful pursued, we look at the next statement in the Constitution’s preamble.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
In order to better understand the “blessings” mentioned here, we must first understand the word welfare as the founders understood it. Their understanding aside most modern definition seem to all center on things provided by government. The truth is welfare is a compound word made up of well + fare. The word fare we know as the price paid for travel, this coming from its archaic (no longer used) meaning of the journey itself. We must understanding welfare as mentioned here is as the Constitution promoting (not giving) the general conditions for good in our pursuits – fare well (on their way, as in sea-faring or wayfarer – not provide, but rather to promote conditions as fertile ground for achieving success in the pursuit of all the people.)
The “Blessing of Liberty” is telling of all the things stated before as the fertile ground that is secured by what is specifically established, insured, provided and promoted. These secures the blessings (that which is achieved) as the fruit of our liberty, and our pursuit of happiness.
The only thing we are told the Constitution is intended to “provide” for is a common defense, meaning defending the whole.
Here is the definition of provide from Merriam-Webster.com: 1: to take precautionary measures <provide for the common defense — U.S. Constitution>
Here is the oath the President takes, as appears in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The President takes an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, And the Constitution says it’s established to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity. Among the means to achieve this security it mandates the common defense be provided, therefore is the President as Chief enforcement (executive) officer of these United States mandated to take precautionary measures to provide for common national defense? Absolutely!
Before going on we need to spend a moment discussing liberty. The same state of liberty that allows one to pursue happiness/blessing by moral and ethical means may by nature allow another to pursue it immorally and unethically. In this we understand there is no morality attached to liberty other than that of the person exercising it. For one it is freedom to do good and for the other license to use liberty as a cloak of maliciousness. On this liberty’s battle ground between good and evil we now stand.
Where does Constitutional legality stand on this same field? As we read in the preamble there are other condition it mandates as part of the security it intends: “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility.” Therefore, if the liberty exercised by one is against justice, and domestic tranquility, then it would be against the Law of the Land, in spirit even if not in letter.
Here all must, again as we have, look at the national tantrum now ongoing, and specifically what is at its essence. It is in fact part of long march of the communists and Marxists of the world who seek to destroy the Constitution by any means, and those means being every form of immoral and unethical advantage to first destroy the Judeo-Christian American culture, and then its blessings found in free and fair markets.
The means includes pitting one group of people against the other by false accusation, falsely claiming the achievers (the blessing in their fare) have victimized the victims. This is the way of the demagogue, stir and agitate the crowd with claims of injustice and the remedy is always to then victimize the accused. This becomes as now a never satisfied condition void of tranquility and filled with ever worsening severity and injustice. In the chaos the agitator is raised from demagogue to tyrants (Soros and His fellow cultural Marxists,) and they rule as the world burns in their fires.
The Word of God speaks in 2 Peter 3 of our final destination as a new heaven and new earth, wherein dwells righteousness (justice.) This is the same place Hebrews 12 speaks of as heavenly Jerusalem. In 2 Peter 3 it comes after the corrupted ways (elements) of the old earth melts away in the same fires they themselves have caused. In Hebrews 12 it comes after all these corrupted ways have been shaken out of the earth, and the eternal and lasting ideas are what remains.
Friends, we must understand this is a fight for not just our liberty, but also for the blessings and happiness only found in the truthful pursuit of tranquility (peace) and Justice. This is why it is called New Jerusalem, as we know the name tell of a place taught and founded on these ways of mutual security (peace – Salem,) where all are equally secure in their life, liberty and property. And we separate ourselves from any who refuse to live under these Laws of nature and Nature’s God.
Our being corrected in this way is what Hebrew 12 specifically speaks of, as does 2 Peter 3.
2 Peter 3
1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2 That you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the LORD and Savior:
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water [this word,] perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition [perishing] of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the LORD as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The LORD is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the LORD will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our LORD is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17 You therefore, beloved, seeing you know these things before, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen
Hebrews 12
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, My son, despise not you the disciplining of the LORD, nor faint when you are rebuked of him:
6 For whom the LORD loves he corrects, and disciplines (scourges) every son whom he receives.
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father corrects not?
8 But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you illegitimate, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they truly for a few days correct us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no discipline for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peace-able fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
18 For you are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard demanded that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
22 But you are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.
25 See that you refuse not him that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speak from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he has promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.
