“ Je vous ai compris!”
(“I did understand you!”).
Some of you will maybe remember this famous sentence pronounced by the French President, General De Gaulle in 1958.
He was probably the only one who understood himself!
But most of his listeners didn't understand him at all!
Most people on earth, including many believers are in the same situation of misunderstanding towards
the Lord Elohim and His son Yeshuah!
What about you? Could you tell to our Father:
"I understand you, Father? "
It is indeed very important to try to understand our Lord. By not understanding what our Father is telling us, we risk to slide easily on the path of error as Yeshuah si explaining in Matthew, chapter 22, verse 29:
" Yeshuah answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of Elohim. "
If we too are mistaken, it is because we do not understand our Father in heaven or His words.
It is therefore very important to know what the word understand means. What exactly do we understand, how do we understand and how do we use what we have understood?
These are questions to which we must find answers if we want to improve ourselves and become better believers.
What is the meaning of the word UNDERSTAND?
Another word for UNDERSTAND is COMPREHEND that comes from the Latin "cum prehendere" whose meaning is
TO TAKE WITH YOU
Understanding has therefore a sense of AN ENRICHMENT of our knowledge that we take with us: the more we take with us (in other words: we understand), the wealthier we become!
For believers, understanding must be a prerequisite before taking any action. Understanding should be used as a preparation and an education in view of actions we will undertake during our lifetime.
Our life as a believer is like a journey through many stages before reaching the ultimate goal of the new world being built by the Lord. Yehoah Elohim will give us access to a next step of understanding only if we have understood what was tought by Him during our previous part of our journey on earth! The understanding of the believer must grow throughout the journey, at the risk, otherwise, to be barred from the new world to come, a world so much hoped for by all the creatures still subjected today to the destructive power of the Devil and the human beings seduced by him.
Our Father acts with us as we should act with our children, if we have some, when we are teaching them step by step the things of life. How many times are we asking children if they understood before continuing their education? Likewise, our Father is repeating in the Bible a topic several times to be sure that we have understood. He does this to avoid the risk of getting lost along the way, due to a misunderstanding, and finding ourselves in a wrong direction rather than en route to the kingdom of the Lord. This is the same warning that was given to the Church of Ephesus in Revelation chapter 2, verse 5:
“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. "
Cultivate what is understood!
Whatever we are able to understand with the help of our Father, we must learn to cultivate it so that it becomes part of our daily andlife from now on. Remember that understanding means taking with you for life, if possible, for eternal life.
Understanding is therefore a series of discoveries which enriches us provided that we persevere in their use till the end. We must keep these goods with us, as the Yeshuah, the Savior, is encouraging us to do, in Revelation 3, verses 10 and 11:
" 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. "
What should we understand?
The western world spends a lot of time trying to understand its own behavior and it is q good job for many psychiatrists and other gurus! People are also trying to understand each other, to understand each other's reasoning. But unfortunately the number of wars is far from decreasing. Scientists try to understand the universe, its origin and its future. But all these attempts to understand things are based only on know-how produced by men and are centered on him.
Is this the only kind of understanding to which the believer should aspire? Let us listen to the response of our Creator in Ephesians, chapter 5 and verses 15 to 17:
“15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, BUT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WILL OF YEHOAH IS. "
The answer is therefore very clear: the believer must seek to understand all the will of his Father. By the way, let us already listen to the advice given by Paul that you have just read so that we will be able to understand this will:
• Watch your step and be always spiritually awaken
• Behave cautiously
• Redeem time and do not waste it, always keeping in mind that one day this time will run out!
Understanding the will of our Lord is not limited to a surface understanding, no, you have to learn in depth, down to the last detail. Nothing of Yehoah’s wishes should be misunderstood. We must not adopt a light attitude either and believe that some of the content of the Bible has become obsolete today or should not be applied to us simply because we do not understand them. On the contrary, we are invited to imitate Josiah’s exemplary attitude when he discovered his Lord’s book of the law. Let's read this in the second book of Kings, chapter 22, verses 11 to 13:
“11 Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. 12 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, 13 “Go, inquire of Yehoah for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of Yehoah that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according TO ALL THAT IS WRITTEN concerning us.”
Note the insistence of Josiah on the WHOLE of the law!
How should we try to understand?
To ensure a good and perfect understanding of Yehoah's will, there are three essential steps:
• Explore with the aim to make discoveries.
First of all, a research is needed to find something new that we have never seen before. This discovery is the source of our enrichment. But let us be on our guard as Paul is recommending to us because the discovery goes hand in hand with an attentive watch and observation. You have to look and search trying to find pearls like the pearl merchant given as an example given by Yeshuah in Matthew 13:
“45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. "
The Savior also promised us in advance that whoever seeks will find. So a word to the wise, hi! This means that whoever, like Josiah, seeks to do the will of the Lord, will find what is the will of the Lord, as Josias found the scrolls of the law. It also means that if we seek our Father's kingdom, we will find it.
• Have a good judgment in order to take the right decisions.
The second step in ensuring healthy understanding is the use of our judgment in all of our discoveries. We must use our judgment to know how to discern whether these discoveries are indeed those which our Lord wants us to find and take with us (“cum prehendere”). Not everything we seek and discover is good. Our judgment, if based on a comprehensive analysis, will allow us to reject what is bad and keep what is good. To make good choices, we will have to use our heart which is the seat of our understanding. Our heart is also the place where all our thoughts are born. Already at the time of his first appearance on earth, Yeshuah made clear that the degeneration of his contemporaries was such that their hearts could not understand him; let's read that in Matthew, chapter 13, verses 10 to 15:
" 10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’ "
Unfortunately, this attitude of incomprehension of people because of the hardening of their heart automatically puts them under the influence of the Devil, the prince of this world as we understand John, in chapter 8 of his gospel, verses 42 to 45:
“42 Yeshuah said to them, “If Elohim were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from Elohim; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. "
But what about you who, reader? You may claim that Yehsuah, the Christ, is your Lord, but are you sure? Remember that Satan can disguise himself in an angel of light! In any case, for the little number of believers who have received the Holy Spirit, although they did not deserve but it is received as a free-gift, these people are enabled to understand with their hearts. But remember that the heart is tortuous above all. It is for this reason that we must always judge with extreme caution. Otherwise we will be made like the shepherds of Israel that Isaiah describes in chapter 56, verses 10 to 12:
" 10 His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
11 Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds
Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his own territory.
12 “Come,” one says, “I will bring wine, And we will fill ourselves with intoxicating drink; Tomorrow will be as today, And much more abundant.”
All these shepherds are the religious leaders of our time who far from seeking to spread the knowledge of the will of Yehoah do on the contrary everything to hide it and they replace it by their flesh interest. In doing so, these religious leaders will cause the loss of their flocks and that is why the Lord will have to gather His people by Himself as we are told in verse 8 of the same chapter.
It should come as no surprise to see all these religious leaders understand nothing, since they do the complete opposite of what the Bible says. We must take for ourselves the serious warnings that Yeshuah gives us, in Mark, chapter 13, verses 32 to 37:
" 32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
Let us read yet another warning from the apostle Paul that the shepherds of Israel also do not understand, in Ephesians, chapter 5, verses 17-18:
“17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of Yehoah is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, "
Good judgment is therefore only possible by properly using the Holy Spirit and his power which is in us. You also have to behave like a wise man according to Paul's advice. We must also use our five physical senses of perception from the start so as not to miss any of the information that our Father makes available to us. This is well illustrated by Proverbs, chapter 2, verses 1 to 15:
" 1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of Yehoah,
And find the knowledge of Elohim.
6 For Yehoah gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
8 He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path.
10 When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things,
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths; "
• Treasure the commands of Yehoah Elohim within you!
And so we naturally come to the third step for a good understanding, which is stated at the beginning of chapter 2 of the book of Proverbs:
Treasure My commands within you!
We must keep preciously within us our discoveries which are a part of our Father's will. It is like living constantly with His will before our eyes. It is obvious that all new knowledge requires a break-in period during which we stumble and get up constantly. But with this repeated practice, we exercise our judgment.
Understanding without keeping within you the treasures acquired
from our Creator amounts to building on a foundation of sand.
This is what Paul wants us to understand in Hebrews, chapter 5 and in verses 11 to 14:
" 11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of Elohim; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. "
So let's go without any delay!
But do not believe that you are going to walk on a royal and spacious path, on the contrary, you are going to realize how much you are going to need to progress to fully understand our Lord. We will have to show a great humility and we must not believe that we already have all the knowledge in us. Let's go back to the example of Josiah and look at his behavior when he hears the words of the prophetess Hulda, in II Chronicles, chapter 34, verses 23 to 28:
" 23 Then she answered them, “Thus says Yehoah, Elohim of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me, 24 “Thus says Yehoah: ‘Behold, I will bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah, 25 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place, and not be quenched.’ ” ’ 26 But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yehoah, in this manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says Yehoah, Elohim of Israel: “Concerning the words which you have heard— 27 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Elohim when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says Yehoah.
28 “Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.” ’ ” So they brought back word to the king.”
Josiah's exemplary behaviour will bear fruist as all his people will follow him in the preparation and observance of one of the most exceptional feast of Passover in the history of the Children of Israel. Let us read this in II Chronicles, chapter 35, verses 1 and 16 to 18:
" 1 Now Josiah kept a Passover to Yehoah in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month…
16 So all the service of Yehoah was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of Yehoah, according to the command of King Josiah. 17 And the children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 18 There had been no Passover kept in Israel like that since the days of Samuel the prophet; and none of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as Josiah kept, with the priests and the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. "
Here is another example to encourage us to be humble: it is the one told to us in Nehemiah, in chapter 8, verses 1 to 3:
" 1 Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which Yehoah had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month. 3 Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. "
The people, thanks to their attentive listening, understood how heavy and numerous their sins were. They cried just like Josias!
Let's read Nehemiah, chapter 8, verses 7 to 14:
“7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites,
helped the people to understand the Law;
and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of Elohim; and
they gave the sense, and helped them
to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to Yehoah your Elohim; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.
10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Yehoah. Do not sorrow, for the joy of Yehoah is your strength.”
11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly,
because they understood the words
that were declared to them.
13 Now on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law. 14 And they found written in the Law, which Yehoah had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, …”
These people wanted to do only the will of their Elohim and the result of this admirable attitude is once again an exceptional feast of Tabernacles (called Sukkot in Hebrew), as was the case in Josiah's time for the feast of Passover. Let us read this in the rest of the book of Nehemiah, chapter 8, verses 17 and 18:
" 17 So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of Elohim. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner."
And during these festive days, we should also note by the way that these people had eyes, ears and deeds only for their Elohim Who agreed being in their midst as an outstanding privilege!
Now the question is for us: Are we ready to do the same? Are we ready to try to UNDERSTAND the word of our Father every day of the week? If this is the case, we will reach the Sabbath day with our entire mind imbued with what concerns the affairs of our Creator. On this subject, remember what Isaiah writes in chapter 58 and in verses 13 and 14:
" 13 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of Yehoah honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words,
14 Then you shall delight yourself in Yehoah; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of Yehoah has spoken.”
Thus by so doing, we will also be invited to the feast of Sukkot, in the seventh month of the sacred year, like the sons of captivity, if our Father agrees to join us. This celebration can be exceptional for us if when we present ourselves there, we can say to our Father:
MY FATHER, I UNDERSTOOD YOU!
With this behaviour, one day we might be among those who
WILL UNDERSTAND
very clearly the order that Yehoah is giving us in Isaiah, in chapter 48, verses 20 to 21:
" 20 Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing, Declare, proclaim this, utter it to the end of the earth;
Say, “Yehoah has redeemed His servant Jacob!”
21 And they did not thirst when He led them through the deserts; He caused the waters to flow from the rock for them; He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out... "
We will also be like the man who received seed in a good ground:
" But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”… ”(Matthew 13:23)
LET US BLESS OUR FATHER!