PHRASE OF PROMISE

Last week I wrote about the unusual Hebrew phrase found in Isaiah 22:5. The English text says, “For [it is] a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity By the Lord GOD of hosts In the Valley of Vision . . .” In Hebrew the phrase is:

Mehumah

Mehbusah

Mehbukah

As mentioned last week, the rabbis have known for centuries, if not millennia, that Hebrew letters have meaning. The letters of the word mehumah, spelled mem, hay, vav, mem, hay (mem = water, or concealed and revealed, hay = the breath of God or the grace of God, vav = completion and redemption) could mean God concealed (mem) His Grace (hay) from Israel, but He will redeem them (vav) and then He will reveal (mem) His Grace (hay).

The remaining two words of the phrase also tell a story.

“Treading down”, or mehbusah, is spelled mem, beit, vav, samech, hay. I am told that beit = house and samech = support and Divine provision. The vav is also a conjunction, or “and.” Therefore, the letters of this word would mean (Living) ¹ water from the House of God and Divine provision through the Grace of God.

Likewise, “perplexity”, or mehbukah, is spelled mem, beit, vav, kaf, hay. Again, I am told that kaf = crowning accomplishment. Therefore, the letters of this word would mean (Living) water ¹ from the House of God and crowning accomplishment through the Grace of God.

Altogether, these three Hebrew word tell the story of God’s Plan for the Jews. He has concealed, but will (soon?) reveal His Grace and redeem Israel. Living water from the House of God will show Israel the Lord’s Divine provision and His crowning accomplishment will be complete. This all is a wonderful, yet future, promise to Israel. ²

I look forward to the Lord’s coming Kingdom, where we will all see His wonderful Grace.

Endnotes:

1 - Ezekiel 47:1 & 9

Joel 3:18

2 - Amos 9:15

Zephaniah 3:15

Zechariah 9:8

Zechariah 14:11