The Conjunction

Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:18 NASB Yet – Perhaps the most important word in this verse is the tiny consonant vav attached to ani (“I”). The NASB translates this single letter as “yet,” but the vav plays a mighty role in Hebrew….

Reciprocity

You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. Matthew 10:22 NASB To the end – You made it! The end of the Roman year. You endured. There were lots of difficulties along the way. Crisis. Collapse. Catastrophes you…

Payback

The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. Psalm 18:20-21 NASB According to my righteousness – Who among us could make a claim like David’s? Who…

The Problem with Blood

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. Psalm 51:14 NASB Bloodguiltiness – Unfortunately this text doesn’t actually say “bloodguiltiness.” That is an interpolation of the actual word, dam. The text literally says, “Rescue me from blood.”   It could also be read, “Deliver…

Exclusive Savings

To those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them. Psalm 103:18 NASB To do them – Who will be saved? The striking difference between Christian and Jewish thinking on this question is incorporated in David’s declaration. If you are going to experience YHVH’s hesed, then you must be numbered among those…

That Day

for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— 2 Corinthians 6:2 NASB Now – When are you saved? Oh, sorry. Most of us would have expected the question, “When were…

Time Enough

Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. Romans 13:11 NASB To awaken – Today is my birthday. In just twelve more years I might be ready to lead people out of Egypt. But I…

Relation or Possession

You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3 NASB Shall have – In May of 2014 we looked at the important difference between Greek thought and Hebrew thought in this verse. Usually translated “you shall not have,” the Hebrew verb plus negative, lo-yihye’, reveals an important characteristic of Hebrew thought. The translation, “shall…

Safe and Secure

Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 1:5 NASB Did not believe – Most of the time we just skip over this one page letter in the…

Getting Saved

“By your perseverance you will win your souls.” Luke 21:19 NASB (1963) Souls – How do you acquire salvation? It’s a fair question, especially since the evangelical world provides a clear answer. “You get saved by confessing Jesus as your Savior and Lord.” There’s just one small problem. The idea of “getting saved” really doesn’t…