HEBREW WORD STUDY – PASS-THROUGH – ‘AVAR עבר Ayin Beth Resh
Exodus 12:23: “For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.”
I had a simple dream last night, it was a bright light that “passed over” me. But I remember feeling such comfort and peace in the presence of the light such that I actually overslept for 1 ½ hours as I laid in bed in the semi-conscious state pleading with God to send that light again. I tried to imagine the light, I tried to picture the light, I try every way to bring the light back, but it “passed over” me and I couldn’t bring it back. Most of the time when I wake from such a dream and start my routine, the whole thing seems ridiculous, but even now as I write this I feel such a longing for the comfort of that light.
I kept thinking of Exodus 12:23. I wondered if the Israelites knew when God passed over their home. What was that experience like. Was it a light that passed by? Did they sit in terror, hoping upon hope they put the blood on the doorpost right? Did the father begin wondering if he used a proper lamb? Maybe there was a blemish on the lamb? Was there a great sigh of relief when God passed by and nothing happened? Is it possible for God to pass by and for nothing to happen? Does God pass by today, perhaps every day in our lives?
Exodus 12:23 tells us that the Lord “will pass” by the Egyptians. The word for Lord is YHWH in the Hebrew or Jehovah as we like to say in English. The name Jehovah is in a feminine form used to express the mercy, love, nurturing and caring of God where the word Elohim which is in a masculine form and is used to express God as a judge. Thus, when God passed over, he was not passing as a judge but as a protector. Further, in verse 23 we see that He is preventing the “destroyer” from entering. The word “destroyer” is “shachath” which is found here in a verbal form as a Hiphal. Hence it should be rendered “the one who is causing destruction.” Yet, there are a number of words applied to “shachath.” Thus, this is one who is not only destroying but perverting, corrupting, spoiling, and putrefying. Who does that sound like? It sounds like the prince of darkness to me. But the identity is of much debate.
But here is something I never saw before. I discovered in studying verse 23: “And the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians,” That the word pass here is ‘avar which means to pass through something. It is used for a raft crossing river. In modern Hebrew, it is the word used for a ferry boat. Yet, when the Lord sees the blood he will pass over the door, and the word here is pesach the Hebrew word for the celebration of Passover. The difference between ‘avar and pesach is ‘avar is crossing through something where pesach is skipping over it. Both words mean to pass over. You have to look at the word esoterically to understand the difference between the two “pass overs.” The word avar which is used for passing through without the blood is spelled Ayin, Beth, Resh. The Kabbalah teaches that the Ayin in this word is a picture of moving toward “the light” but there is a shadow behind that you can not see. The abuses of power and sex found in many religious communities is evidence of this tendency for seekers of the light to become blind to their own darker natures or to avert their eyes from seeing the faults of their spiritual leaders. The Talmud teaches “The greater the sage, the greater the evil inclination.” Thus when God ‘avar those without the blood, they averted the light and hid in their sin such that the destroyer was permitted to have his evil way with them. Yet when he came to the doors with the blood he passed or skipped over pesach. There was no shadow left. In other words, God’s light of protection was over everyone so the destroyer could not touch anyone. But where the blood was not found God crossed over casting a shadow where those in sin could hide. But where there was blood, there was no hiding in the shadows because the sin was cleansed by the blood. So God skipped over that is cast his light down on them and the destroyed could not enter the light of God.
“Sometimes we can do the most spiritual things and in doing that we prevent God from having his perfect will in our lives.” I think the teachings of the sages have hit the nail on the head. We are so desperate to move toward the Light, Jesus that we study the Bible, witness, minister to get closer to Jesus, yet there is a shadow behind us, the shadow of our sins. No matter how hard we try, how many hours of study in the Word of God, when The Light comes it ‘avar will just pass through leaving only a shadow of sin and the enemy will have his way with us. Only through the blood of Jesus and nothing else, not years of study in the Word, ministry, or good deeds, but only the blood of Jesus will cover our sins so that he will turn to the destroyer who wants to have his way with us and He will say pesach: “No, my light is on this one, there is no shadow.”
Your Friend
Clyde
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