Far greater minds than mine grapple with the nature of God. In pondering profound matters it helps to embrace both understanding and mystery.
שִׁמְעוּ-נָא זֹאת
עַם סָכָל וְאֵין לֵב
עֵינַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִרְאוּ
אָזְנַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִשְׁמָעוּ
ירמיה ה:כא
"Hear now this,
O foolish people, and without heart;
who have eyes but will not see;
who have ears but will not hear."
Jeremiah 5:21
כִּי חָכְמַת הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה
טִפְּשׁוּת הִיא לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים
אגרת שאול הראשונה אל הקורינתים ג:יט
"For the wisdom of this world
is foolishness in the presence of God."
1 Corinthians 3:19
No case for the reality of God is made in the Bible. Assuming a Creator, the Torah introduces us to the nature, actions, and teachings of our Source. We depend on revelation from Beyond to understand the origin and purpose of this journey of our souls through life.
Jews and Christians agree that God created the universe and spoke everything into formation. Sin and separation from Source started when the first humans departed from knowing and following their Creator’s Word.
Connection with God through Word and Spirit transforms lives. Personal relationship with our Source and Sustainer transcends religion.
בְּטַ֣ח אֶל־יְ֭הֹוָה בְּכׇל־לִבֶּ֑ךָ
וְאֶל־בִּ֥֝ינָתְךָ֗ אַל־תִּשָּׁעֵֽן
בְּכׇל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ דָעֵ֑הוּ
וְ֝ה֗וּא יְיַשֵּׁ֥ר אֹֽרְחֹתֶֽיךָ
משלי ג:ה-ו
"Trust in HaShem with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways know Him; and He will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5-6
כִּי הוּא שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ
אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶת שְׁנֵיהֶם לְאֶחָד
וְהָרַס אֶת הַמְּחִצָּה שֶׁעָמְדָה בַּתָּוֶךְ
אגרת שאול אל האפסים ב:יד
"For he is our peace,
who made both groups into one,
and broke down the dividing wall standing in between."
Ephesians 2:14
When we live according to Divine design, any freedom we lose is like boarding a boat rather than trying to swim alone across the open sea. We need the Spirit of God filling our sails!
וָאֲמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים
בְּחָכְמָה
וּבִתְבוּנָה
וּבְדַעַת
וּבְכָל-מְלָאכָה
שמות לא:ג
"I have filled him with the Spirit of God
in wisdom,
in understanding,
in knowledge,
and in all kinds of craftsmanship"
Exodus 31:3
רוּחַ יְהוָה דִּבֶּר-בִּי
וּמִלָּתוֹ עַל-לְשׁוֹנִי
שמואל ב כג:ב
"The Spirit of HaShem spoke in me,
and His Word is on my tongue."
2 Samuel 23:2
הָרוּחַ נוֹשֶׁבֶת הֵיכָן שֶׁהִיא רוֹצָה
וְאֶת קוֹלָהּ אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ
אַךְ אֵין אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ מֵאַיִן הִיא בָּאָה וּלְאָן הִיא הוֹלֶכֶת
כָּךְ הוּא כָּל אָדָם שֶׁנּוֹלָד מִן הָרוּחַ
הכרזת יוחנן ג:ח
“The wind will blow where she wants,
and you hear her voice,
but you do not know from where she comes and to where she goes.
Like this is everyone who is born from the Spirit."
John 3:8
God is One limitless eternal essence radiating Word and Spirit. The Hebrew word
אחד
Echad
One
connotes uniqueness, integrity, and complex unity as well as the number one.
עַל-כֵּן יַעֲזָב-אִישׁ אֶת-אָבִיו וְאֶת-אִמּוֹ
וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ
וְהָיוּ לְבָשָׂר אֶחָד
בראשית ב:כד
"Therefore will a man leave his father and mother,
and will cleave unto his wife,
and they will become one flesh."
Genesis 2:24
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל
יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ
יְהוָה אֶחָד
דברים ו:ד
"Hear, O Israel:
HaShem is our God,
HaShem is One."
Deuteronomy 6:4
Early in Creation the Spirit of God hovers over the water
וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים
מְרַחֶפֶת עַל-פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם
בראשית א:ב
"and the Spirit of God
hovering over the face of the water"
Genesis 1:2
Then the Word of God speaks light into existence
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים
יְהִי אוֹר
וַיְהִי-אוֹר
בראשית א:ג
"and God said,
'Let there be light';
and there was light."
Genesis 1:3
Shekhinah שכינה glory of divine presence
fuels the flames of the burning bush
וַיַּ֗רְא
וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַסְּנֶה֙ בֹּעֵ֣ר בָּאֵ֔שׁ
וְהַסְּנֶ֖ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ אֻכָּֽל
שמות ג:ב
"and he saw,
and behold the bush was all aflame,
and the bush was not consumed"
Exodus 3:2
descends in a fiery cloud upon Mount Sinai
וְהַ֤ר סִינַי֙ עָשַׁ֣ן כֻּלּ֔וֹ
מִ֠פְּנֵי אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרַ֥ד עָלָ֛יו יְהוָ֖ה בָּאֵ֑שׁ
שמות יט:יח
"And Mount Sinai was all in smoke,
because HaShem came down upon it in fire"
Exodus 19:18
fills the Mishkan
וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה
מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן
שמות מ:לד
"and the Glory of HaShem
filled the Tabernacle"
Exodus 40:34
speaks to Moshe and other prophets
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה
לֵּאמֹֽר׃
ויקרא ד:א
"HaShem spoke to Moses,
saying:"
Leviticus 4:1
הָיֹ֣ה הָיָ֣ה דְבַר־יְ֠הֹוָ֠ה אֶל־יְחֶזְקֵ֨אל...
יחזקאל א:ג
"The Word of HaShem came to Ezekiel..."
Ezekiel 1:3
What is Trinity? This term is not found in the Bible. God connects with man through Word and Spirit. The "arm" or "right hand" of HaShem is not a separate person; this is Spirt/Word/Voice/Messiah of the One Almighty Eternal Creator reaching out to touch us.
כִּי בּוֹ
אָנוּ חַיִּים וּמִתְנוֹעֲעִים וְקַיָּמִים
מעשי השליחים יז:כח
"for in Him
we live and move and have our being"
Acts 17:28
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