HEBREW WORD STUDY – A NEW RELATIONSHIP – CHADESH חדש Cheth Daleth Shin

Isaiah 52:4: “Behold the former things have come to pass and new things do I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

In the literal meaning, Isaiah is saying that now that his prophecies of the past have been fulfilled, then what God is about to say should also come to pass. This is God speaking through Isaiah and He is saying something a little odd, that He will declare the new things, but before they actually come to pass he will tell us about them. They may sound a little contradictory. If he is going to declare the new things isn’t that the same as telling us of the new things.?

The word declare is negad and means to tell or speak out in clear and straightforward terms, to even make a demonstration so as to make it crystal clear. The word is in a Hiphil participle form, so he is presently declaring a new thing and he is making it very clear as to what this new thing will be. The term new thing in Hebrew is chadesh which means to restore, renew or to create a new thing. The fact that it is in a Hiphil form suggests an excitement or anticipation on the part of God. In other words, it is God’s sense of anticipation that is declaring this new thing or this new relationship with Him. He is so excited about it, that He is going to declare it before it even comes to pass. We are made in the image of God so is it too difficult to imagine that God gets excited and filled with anticipation such that He just can’t contain His enthusiasm? He actually looks forward to our wedding day with Him as much as a bridegroom looks forward to his wedding day with his bride.

But even before it springs forth he will announce it. The word spring forth is tsamek which has the idea of a plant sprouting. Thus, this new thing has already been planted and taken root, it is preparing to sprout. So even before this new thing begins to sprout, he will tell or announce it. The word for tell shama’ and is really hearing rather than speaking. It is also in a Hiphil form.

So even while this new thing begins to take root and grow, he will be hearing or listening for it. The whole idea of the Hiphil form for negad and shama’ is to draw a picture as mentioned earlier of the fulfillment of a bridegroom in consummating his relationship with his bride. The bridegroom proposes or accepts the arrangement of marriage. Once the deal is made the bridegroom goes out among his friends and family and declares or negads: “I am taking for myself a bride.” He makes it clear and plan to everyone. Everyone celebrates and preparations for the wedding begin.

The remaining chapter goes into detail about this new thing that God is going to do which is really a picture of a wedding or the plans and events that will unfold before the wedding actually takes place. Yet, it can all be summarized into the idea of God creating a new chadesh relationship with those who wed themselves to Him. All the joy, anticipation and excitement that a bridegroom feels is a picture of the joy, anticipation, and excitement that God feels as He looks forward to his time of marriage with us where we become one with Him.

The thing that stands out in this is that it is not a picture of God pushing buttons and pulling levers to bring everything to a conclusion. It is more a picture of a wonderful play, a story that God has set up, with a beautiful storyline about the preparation for a wedding. There are a lot of villains with twists and turns in the plot. Yet all the time there is this growing anticipation for the final moment when the groom finally comes for his bride and their marriage is consummated. A perfect fairy tale ending only it is not a fairy tale, it is an actual even, we are the main characters and we do live happily forever.

God is being pictured here as a wonderful storyteller who is anxiously awaiting the final act and scene when he can establish Himself as the true hero of the story. We tend to forget that he is the bridegroom. The bridegroom looks forward to his wedding day just as much as the bride. He is just as anxious as we are to bring this all to a conclusion, to reach that final consummation with Him. Even before it springs forth or begins to bud He is anticipating, listening as a bridegroom anticipates and listens for his bride. He is enjoying that period before the wedding when he sees and hears his bride in happy anticipation of that day and rejoices in knowing that He is the reason for her happiness and anticipation.

Our time on earth is merely a time of preparation for the wedding. As with any preparation for a wedding, there are many difficulties and trials. As the day of the wedding grows closer, there are many exchanges between the bride and groom in the growing realization that their relationship will soon be consummated. This is that time for us and God as He is anticipating this new thing: chadesh.

I remember as a child I had a cousin who was a few years older than me and was planning her wedding. We were visiting her parents and as we were in the car getting ready to leave she arrived home from an errand and came to the car window to say hi. My mother asked her how much longer before the wedding and with a big smile she said: “Two more weeks and I can’t wait.”

How much longer before our marriage with Jesus is consummated, I don’t know but I can’t wait and by the way, neither can Jesus.