It is a Mystery so profound that it changes our understanding. It is so intense that our concept of grace is forever awakened. It redefines the very meaning and essence of humanity. It is a Mystery so great that it brings life where only death and despair once roamed. It is momentous, outrageous and ridiculously profound in its display.
It stands above all, everything and anybody …
It is the Mystery of the Aleph Tav.
Diving in and diving deeper
I guess to see the Mystery we’ll have to dive a little deeper than what we are presented with by secular translators of the Bible and we’ll have to read from the original text. To do so we are blessed to have the e-sword blue letter Bible with some Textus Receptus and Masoretic Text together with stacks of lexicons looking at the original words in Greek and Hebrew (you can access it here for free).
And with better perspective
Importantly, we shall also read with the added advantage of perspective and guidance given by the Spirit of Truth!
And before we get to our subject, I'll illustrate what I mean by referring to Genesis one verse one (can’t go earlier than that!).
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
With the insight of some Masoretic Texts from the original, coupled with some Strong’s Lexicon numbers and exposition, Genesis 1:1 is unravelled as follows:
In the beginningH7225 GodH430 createdH1254 (H853) the heavenH8064 and (H853) the earth.H776.
[I’ve highlighted the Mystery word in yellow]
The very first verse in the Bible in Hebrew, consists of seven Hebrew words. Interestingly, the number seven also points to perfection and completeness - God's number. However, only six are translated into English.
Analysis
רֵאשִׁית (rê'shı̂yth - In the beginning)
אֱלֹהִי ('ĕlôhı̂ym - God)
בָּרָא (bârâ' - created)
אֵת (Hebrew word not translated) (H853)
שָׁמֶה (shâmayim - the heavens)
אֵת (Hebrew word wrongly translated as "and") (H853)
אֶרֶץ ('erets - the earth)
Right from the start, we notice a prominent peculiarity that occurs in the Hebrew text. The word אֵת occurs in the Hebrew texts only (and is even sometimes omitted in the Masoretic text depending on the version you are reading).
There are five Hebrew words in the verse that can be translated into other languages to make sense and to be understandable to the reader. Note that the centre word (אֵת) is omitted in the translation of the KJV English to read:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
So, why is the word אֵת not translated?
What is אֵת?
... or rather …
Who is אֵת?
It is all about seeing what is there
Yes, throughout the translated versions of the Bible the word אֵת is mostly not translated or omitted. In other instances it is translated, but with poetic licence (wrongly).
It appears that this word can not be translated into another language in any sensible way.
Is there any reason?
Yes, there is!
Let's just remind ourselves that:
Nothing in the Bible is there just for the sake of being there.
The Bible reveals God's Word.
God's Word IS Jesus!
ALL OF THE BIBLE IS ABOUT JESUS.
Yet, all of Jesus is about you. His love-letter, love declaration, to you.
So, what is this mystery?
אֵת are the first and last letters of the Hebrew aleph-beth, just as a and z are first and last letters of the English alphabet.
אֵת occurs in numerous strategic places in sentences in the old testament and is carried forward into the Greek New Testament.
אֵת is Yah'shua, Jesus Christ.
אֵת is the Mystery hidden in plain sight.
Jesus revealed Himself as the Alpha and the Omega (Greek Rev 1:8 & 1:11 & 22:13), the Beginning and the End. In the Greek alphabet alpha is the first letter and omega is the last letter. Likewise, the first letter in the Hebrew aleph-beth is the Aleph or א and the last letter is the Tav or ת.
It starts with the start
So, where do we find the first mention of Yah’shua (Jesus) in the Bible?
In Genesis 1 verse one. He is scripted as אֵת.
The appearance of Yah’shua in the very first verse of Genesis is perfectly explained in John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Insight leads to clarity
Now we can start with our topic and the story of this post!
With the background discovered above, can we now scroll down further into history to witness God's great mercy and Grace as spoken of by Himself?
We’ll look at a verse that is prone to misinterpretation just because the אֵת was omitted in translation.
In Exodus 32 Moses and Joshua return from mount Sinai having received the law. They hear the festivities of the nation of Israel worshipping the golden calf they had just made for themselves. Realising that they had contravened the first commandment against God even before the law could be properly implemented, he instructed the Levites to slaughter their brothers, contravening yet another of the commandments as 3000 Israelites were slaughtered on that very same day.
The story of the golden calf is the ironic story of the chosen people of God that once more made a choice of not entering into a relationship with Him. Rather, they preferred to manufacture and follow the artificial lie presented to themselves by themselves.
Trespass corrected
However, Moses offers to make an atonement on behalf of the people with God. He pleads with God to forgive their sins and not to leave them. God agrees with Moses, but promises that He would visit the sins of those who sinned in the day.
What day?
A day and a Person.
At an appointed time.
The day refers to the awesome and terrible day of the Lord.
That day happened when Yah’shua (YAHWEH is the Saviour, אֵת) was nailed to the cross and where a final victory was achieved over death and dispair!
Getting back to the hidden truth
Even here in Exodus 32 God does not want us to guess!
He tells us in very very certain terms. Look at the very last verse again and see the Mystery:
Exo 32:35: And the LORDH3068 plaguedH5062 (H853) the people,H5971 becauseH5921 H834 they madeH6213 (H853) the calf,H5695 whichH834 AaronH175 made.H6213
Let's read the verse with the understanding that we have now gained, the insight guided by the Spirit of Truth and by virtue of our position in Christ. We know that we are positioned in the risen Christ on this side of the cross. We apply our revelation of the אֵת Himself:
It says: "And YHVH plagued [smite, struck, inflicted] the people ...
How?
The very next word (not translated) says exactly how and Who:
(H853) אֵת
He smote Jesus for the people!
The next word, because, is better translated "Who"
... upon Who they made (H853) אֵת [Jesus] the calf [the only true Offer - pictograph: see lifted up Shepherd]
The Mystery is fully revealed
When put together: "And God smote the people in Jesus upon Who they made the offer, the Light-bringer provided"
Oh, glory to God! Even back then God promised that He would be made sin for us so that we may become the righteousness of God - a God, a good Shepherd of mercy and grace, ... patient and full of goodness and truth!
The beginning and the end!
HalleluYAH!
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