Why is it impossible to find any information on the obvious relationship between the Semitic words haram & cherem?

This relationship exposes the now nearly forgotten reality of man’s natural fallen position in relation to God Who alone is Holy, qadosh.

Haram became synonymous with the meaning forbidden in Islam because these men, deceived by fallen angels, have been enslaved into a demonic system claiming to offer them a way to avoid impurity by staying away from things that are unclean.

In ancient Israel, things which were cherem were not to be touched because they were to be devoted to Yahweh. Such devoted things were either to be purified and used exclusively and precisely as prescribed or to be destroyed by fire exactly as commanded.

Whether for destruction or cleansing and exclusive use, things which were cherem were devoted things, forbidden for ordinary use. This was the case whether because they were unclean and would deem the user unclean or because they were made holy by being set apart from common use for special exclusive use, not to be used and thus defiled by ordinary use by unclean common people.

These are the things which were cherem, devoted and which became largely considered forbidden, haram. The devoted things became forbidden because man is unclean while God alone is Holy, qadosh.

“ ‘But nothing that a person owns and devotes [cherem] to YHVH—whether a human being or an animal or family land—may be sold [yimmaķer] or redeemed [yiggael]; everything so devoted [cherem] is *most holy* [qodesh qadashim] to YHVH. “ ‘No person *devoted to destruction* [cherem asher yachoram] may be ransomed [yippadeh]; they are to be put to death.
Leviticus 27:28‭-‬29

The city and all that is in it are to be devoted [cherem] to YHVH. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things [hacherem], so that you will not bring about your own destruction [tacharimu] by taking any of the devoted things [hacherem]. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction [lecherem] and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred [qodesh: consecrated, holy] to YHVH and must go into his treasury.” Joshua 6:17‭-‬19

Biblical Parentheticals

WTW 2021
9 September
Psalm 49

Wisdom Beyond Wisdom

“No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—so that they should live on forever and not see decay.” Psalm 49:7‭-‬9

Do not underestimate the value of life.

Do not underestimate it.

You cannot put a price tag on it.

No one can.

Life is not merely natural earthly life.

Natural earthly life is merely a breath.

True life is eternal.

And the Way, the Truth & the Life is beyond earthly valuation systems.

Try as mortal man may, he is confined to his own short years. And even those years are not his own. No man can choose his own years. He cannot choose the day or time of his arrival and he can do nothing about the day and time appointed for him to die.

However, just as Life itself, Life Himself is beyond earthly confines, so too is Wisdom herself.

There is Wisdom even beyond wisdom.

Wisdom understands far beyond the most arrogant atheist or wisest agnostic or noblest sage, humblest pundit or truly insightful guru, philosopher or guide. Few of these may understand the far surpassing value of Life and life eternal. (See Prov 30:1-4 & Job 19:25-26).

Psalm 49 is among the wisest and most profound of the psalms, indeed most insightful passages in all of scripture.

And still there is even much greater wisdom beyond it. We are still only scratching the surface.

Truly this psalm in focus here today is among the absolutely most profound insights of all time. Yet even the wisest psalmist, seer and prophet, wise beyond years though they may be, can even still fail to understand the grand fullness and all surpassing greatness of Wisdom beyond wisdom.

Though no man can redeem the life of another. There remains One with Wisdom beyond wisdom!

WTW 2021
8 September
Psalm 48

ZION Over Zaphon

“Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.” Psalm 48:2

Mount Zaphon momentarily captured my attention in today’s chapter.

But BEWARE because we are to keep our focus not on Zaphon but on ZION!

“You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.” Isaiah 14:13

MOUNT ZION

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly.” Hebrews 12:22

A good friend and brother shared this recent paper he wrote on The Power of Sin in the linked pdf. He welcomes your thoughtful feedback and discussion regarding this important spiritual matter. You are welcome to post any constructive feedback thoughts and comments right here on this thread.

WTW 2021
1 September
Psalm 41

There is a real life story here in this short psalm we can all relate to. Verses 5-9 tell the inside story of what this man David is hearing–or at least thinking–others are saying and thinking about him. There likely are at least a few–probably a great many–people saying and thinking these hateful and hurtful things. One of the things that stands out to me is that not only is the LORD (God, whose name is Yahweh) the One David turns to in prayer in response to these added burdens; God is the One David is trusting to and Who has shown Himself faithful to help and deliver David.

But also, even though there are likely many people talking about and essentially cursing David, I noticed something in verse 2. Even though David is going through this burdensome sickness and many people are against him, there is actually a bigger story of what really matters.

What really matters is that because of God’s faithfulness and David’s trust in Him rather than these present situations, ULTIMATELY what matters is being

“Counted among the blessed in the land.”

He was going through it and many others would kick him while he was down. He was certainly not perfect and it did affect him what others said about him in his struggle. However, even in this difficult situation, David prayed to the LORD and remembered that what matters is living in such a way so that he would in the big picture be counted among the blessed in the land. So that by God and those who love and fear God, he would be accepted and known to be faithful.

WTW 2021
29 August
Psalm 29

The Voice – The Original Voice

Ascribe to Yahweh, you heavenly beings, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength. Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due his name; worship Yahweh in the splendor of his holiness. The voice of Yahweh is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, Yahweh thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of Yahweh is powerful; the voice of Yahweh is majestic. The voice of Yahweh breaks the cedars; Yahweh breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of Yahweh strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of Yahweh shakes the desert; Yahweh shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of Yahweh twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” Yahweh sits enthroned over the flood; Yahweh is enthroned as King forever. Yahweh gives strength to his people; Yahweh blesses his people with peace.
Psalms 29:1‭-‬11

The Voice of Yahweh

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”
Revelation 10:1‭-‬4

_

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small—and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.
Revelation 11:15‭-‬19

At Calvary

At Calvary

El Shaddai

El Shaddai, El Shaddai
El Elyon na Adonia
Age to age You’re still the same
By the power of the Name
El Shaddai, El Shaddai
Erkamka na Adonai
We will praise and lift You high
El Shaddai

Through Your love and through the ram
You saved the son of Abraham
Through the power of Your hand
Turned the sea into dry land
To the outcast on her knees
You were the God who really sees
And by Your might
You set Your children free

El Shaddai, El Shaddai
El Elyon na Adonia
Age to age You’re still the same
By the power of the Name
El Shaddai, El Shaddai
Erkamka na Adonai
We will praise and lift You high
El Shaddai

Through the years You’ve made it clear
That the time of Christ was near
Though the people couldn’t see
What Messiah ought to be
Though Your word contained the plan
They just could not understand
Your most awesome work was done
Through the frailty of Your Son

El Shaddai, El Shaddai
El Elyon na Adonia
Age to age You’re still the same
By the power of the Name
El Shaddai, El Shaddai
Erkamka na Adonai
We will praise and lift You high
El Shaddai

Listening now

WTW 2021
25 August
Revelation 19

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” Revelation 19:1‭-‬2

The instant impression on reading this is that of the great culmination of the ages, the final victory. And so the instant surprise at this is that this is not speaking of that one we would associate with the final fall. Indeed, there remains more to come in this progressive final fall. That will be for another to lead out in tomorrow if that seems fitting. There is clearly still so much more in Revelation as we approach a close to this amazing journey this month.

Still, this is the unspoken surprise which strikes me right at the outset today as we begin today’s dive into this chapter at hand:

Babylon clearly seems to be most directly identifiable as Rome as Irenaeus himself clearly indicates in his Against Heresies around AD 180. Yet the shock is that this woman registers so significantly in the grand eternal scheme of all things so as to be so prominently featured in the grand closing scenes. This woman is not Satan.

The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” Revelation 17:18

Yet, the fall of this woman, yeah of Rome herself–which indeed wreaked such horrors for over 1000 years from 753 BC to at least AD 313–nevertheless, was not the fall of Satan. It is shocking that this city figures so prominently in Revelation. Clearly, we understand that Babylon is more than the earthly city of Rome. Rather, this city is the realm of Satan, more in the line of the city of all that is of the world in keeping with the worldly city in Augustine’s two cities in De Civitate Dei and the City of Destruction in Bunyan’s Progress.

As we begin our dive in to this chapter today, it is briefly shocking to see the city itself register as prominently with such a great fall as the old serpent itself.

¹Carmen