Language

Have you ever been around a group of non-English speakers and taken the time to listen to them.  It feels rather like you've eavesdropped on them, but really didn't understand what they were saying.  Sometimes the words being exchanged have the most beautiful tones and nuances.  One might say their language is absolutely beautiful.  Other times the language of other countries sound angry and terse.  Regardless of how it sounds, deep down inside you just want to understand for a minute what they are saying. 

Maybe you have studied another language in high school.  You may have been around other non-English speakers and been able to understand some of what the people were saying.  I personally studied Spanish for 4 years.  I am far from fluent, but I understand enough to be slightly dangerous. I kid.  But if I were immersed in a country that spoke only Spanish, I would likely be able to survive and revive my own ability to speak and understand.  It would be absolutely clear however, that I am not a native speaker.   One of the things I remember most about learning Spanish is that the placement of adjectives and nouns was much different than in English.  

Another language that I studied briefly in order to speak with one of my students was sign language.  I did not take 4 years to study sign language and thus I am the equivalent of a non-native English speaker.  I have a friend with whom I speak when we run.  My sign is so bad that I often make errors when I am trying to communicate.  I think he is amused by my errors.  But in the event I say the wrong thing I could really mess up the meaning. 

Language is such an awesome thing to study.  Even the language of the bible.  To date many of the things we read in the bible are completely non-translatable from the original language.  Pastor Joyce has chosen a word that is very much confused.  She discusses the word "violent" as we see it in scripture.  

Let’s get Violent

Matthew 11:12 “From the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” This talks about the kingdom of heaven suffering violence and then says the violent take it by force.  Violence actually is not an accurate meaning in the context of original text.  Words spoken in Hebrew, written in Greek, translated to Elizabethan English and read in American tend to lose their intended impact.  Thank God who by the Spirit can reveal, to the seeking mind, what was meant in His words and sayings! 

Perhaps for such a time as this God allowed those things written in His Word to be so easily be miss read and miss interpreted.  It certainly makes us search for meaning from the only one that can give it to us straight.  Deuteronomy 29:29 states, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed to us and to our children forever…”

In deep search and study then, the possible meaning of Matthew 11:12 (don’t take my word for it, seek it for yourself also) may be; in the days leading up to the arrival of John the Baptist the Kingdom of Heaven was overpowered by the soul (man’s will and self-appointed explanation).  But NOW the alive, energetic and enthusiastic ones move in stealthily to take back all power, authority and dominion.

We cannot passively sit back and allow the enemy to deceive us into thinking there is not some action required to march into possession.  All the promises of scripture are ours to possess but they are not automatically laid upon us, we have to put on the full armor of God and develop a powerful offense in order to take back and restore what the enemy has stolen from us.