The Shema‘
– the First Testament declaration of faith (6)
André H. Roosma
18 February 2015
(Dutch version: 12 Nov. 2014)
This is a sequel to an older series about the Shema‘ – the declaration of faith of Isra’el in Deuteronomy
6.
When I was reading this recently again, something struck me that I would
like to share with you. As a reminder the first sentence as I showed it in Part 1:
שְׁמַע
יִשְׂרָאֵל
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵינוּ
יְהוָה
אֶחָד
Or, in the older manuscripts:
שמע
ישראל
אלהינו
אחד
„Shema‘
Yisra’él, YaHUaH ’Eloheinu,
YaHUaH ’echad!”
„Hear, Isra’el, YaHUaH our God,
YaHUaH is One!”
It contains two occurrences of the glorious Name of God: YaHUaH. Following the first occurrence is the word
אֱלֹהֵינוּ - ’Eloheinu, following the second: אֶחָד - ’echad.
Now it is grammatically such, that ’Eloheinu - our God, is
actually the possessive form, first person plural, of ’Elohim.
And this word ’Elohim is the plural of ’Elah
or ’Eloha - God. The God of the Bible is described by a kind of
majestic plural. The singular form would simply be by far not enough
to describe Him in all His greatness. In fact every description will
come short, but a plural still is most appropriate. Additionally, we can
think here of God in all His Manifestations: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So
the first time His great Name is mentioned here, this aspect of His greatness
and the unfathomable splendor of all facets of His Person is in focus.
But that’s not all. The second time His glorious name is mentioned,
it is followed by ’echad - One.1 Because in all
this variation, multiplicity and variegation He also preserves an
unprecedented unity.
We see this reflected in all His works, in all His creation. On the one
hand an incredible variety and richness in color, shape, size2, taste, and you name it... And on the other, at the same time, a unity
and harmony that is so indescribably beautiful that I am almost out of
breath.
I am perplexed, and only the thoughts of it make me feel small and rich at
the same time (rich, that I may know that awesome great
God as my Father), and worship and praise Him as Supreme God...
Hallelu YaH !
Note
| 1 |
Because man in his two-colored nature as man and woman
is created in God’s image, the word אֶחָד - ’echad - one
is also the word used in the Bible for God’s purpose for man and woman
in marriage (a.o. Genesis 2: 4). There God literally says that their goal is
to become basar ’echad. This is usually translated as one flesh,
but basar is, according to the oldest written form: a home for
life from God. Indeed in the physical union of man and woman lies the seed of
God creating new life... Again I am awe-struck and nothing rests me but to
worship Him!
See also: ‘Biblical Hebrew אֶחָד - ’echad
revisited’  , Hallelu-YaH article, Oct.
2014. |
| 2 |
As regards the variation in size: the sun in our
galaxy, I consider to be quite large: 1.4 million kilometers in diameter. If
it might be possible in terms of radiation and temperature to walk
over its surface, and we would walk every day 40 to 50 kilometers (as in the
Four-Day March of Nijmegen), it would take about 100 000 days to walk around
it; that is almost 300 years; in an adult lifetime of about 70 years (after
the first 10-15 years) we could thus do a quarter of it only, if we would
really succeed to walk 40 km every day...
And there are stars
that are again about 2000 times larger in diameter... (At least, we assume
that they still exist; many are thousands of light years away - a staggering
distance, so they may have perished at the time of Moses, without us noticing
that now yet.) On the other hand, the smallest particles are still many times smaller than e.g. the hydrogen atom,
which is only 0.000 000 15 millimeters small. The difference is
intellectually absolutely stunning and totally unimaginable. And yet in
both cases relatively small spheres circle around larger ones, a unity in
structure design that is equally staggering.
Also highly surprising and dazzling is the gigantic richness in shapes and
colors and other variations, as well as the design parallels, unity and
harmony in the plant and animal world.
All this makes me realize how small I am in comparison to our great Creator,
and that it is not strange that the oceans of His wisdom do not fit into my
little bucket :-) ...
And it leads me to worship and praise Him: |
Hallelu YaHUaH !
|
