HEBREW WORD STUDY –  A SIGH OR RELIEF – NACHAM  נחם  Nun Cheth Mem 

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL ROYALTIES TO MY BOOK ON RACHAM ARE SENT TO A CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION WHICH PRESENTS  THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST TO WOMEN WHO WOULD SEEK AN ABORTION

Exodus 32:14: “And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.”

Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

Those of you who have been following my blog will recognize this little study. God constantly brings me back to Exodus 32 with a new message..

God and Moses are sitting on the mountain top and God is giving out all his rules and regulations when all of a sudden, He is aware of the fact that the people in the valley have built a golden calf and were worshipping it. Well, that was all God could take.  After taking the people out of slavery, parting the Red Sea, giving them a victory over the Amalekites, water from a rock, and manna from heaven, they turn around and start worshipping an idol and God is just beside himself with anger. Well, wouldn’t you be?  He tells Moses to stand back because he is going to destroy these good for nothing stiff-necked people and Moses has to jump into the fray and cool down this irrational God who has gone totally out of control.  “God, God, stop a moment, now calm down, count to ten, Aleph Beth Gimmel, think what you are about to do. This is exactly what Pharaoh predicted would happen, that you would take the people out to the desert and destroy them. You want to play into his hands? Now let’s just think about this, cool down, here have a piece of my bagel, you’ll feel better.”  Well, good old Moses was fortunately able to calm God down enough where God repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.  “Oh, Moses, when you’re right your right, I don’t know what came over me. No I shant destroy these people.”  

I mean I dare you, read Exodus 32 in any modern English translation and tell me if it does not depict an angry, irrational out of control God who needs a mortal human to talk sense into Him. Look closely, however, in the Hebrew, God’s declaration of destroying the people is really in a Hiphal form.. God is causing their destruction. He was the one who brought them out of Egypt, they were very immature spiritually, they did not realize how Holy God is and that His Holiness prevents him from protecting the people.  He does not need to destroy them they will die out without Him, literally.  There were a couple hundred thousand people in a desert, no food, no water, facing the harsh elements of a desert, without God, they would last as long a snowman in summertime Florida.  God didn’t need to destroy them, all He had to do was sit back and do nothing and they would all quickly die off.  God was saying that He could not violate the free will of man and thus He could into intervene.  Moses pleads with God and when he does God repents. Wait a minute, does God change His mind?  Does He repent?  

Ah, look at that word repent. It is nacham which in its very Semitic root means to breathe in and/or let out air. In other words, it means to give a sigh. Why do you sigh, it is usually an expression to show resignation, frustration, disappointment, regret or relief. Nacham could mean any of these and it is up to the context to determine which English word you will apply.  In the context that I present this story it would be a sigh of relief. God was grieving over the fact that because of His holiness he could not protect the people who would surely die without His protective hand and provision.  However, Moses is righteous and God can build a nation from Him as he declares in verse 10.  But Moses would have none of it.  He loves the people just as God loves them and He pleads or intercedes on their behalf and when he does God gives a sigh of relief.  Because Moses was willing to stand in the gap before God for his land and nation God was able to prevent their destruction.  We have in Exodus 32, not a picture of an angry, irrational God ready to potty train his people with lightning bolts but a grieving God looking for someone to stand in the gap so He can save and protect His people.

I thought of this the other day when I read that our President and the majority in Congress were supporting legislation to not only make abortion legal but to allow our tax dollars to fund it.  I know it makes me just a sick to my stomach as it does yours, but I am not blaming the President nor Congress. I blame myself as all Christians should.   

We have thrown ourselves at the altar of the Golden Calf of social acceptance, political gain, compromise, fighting among ourselves while the rest of the nation is dying lost, without the Savior.  Had we stopping fighting among ourselves, stopped seeking our own honor, political power and prosperity and performed the task that God called each one of us to do, the government would not have to legislate on abortion.  The simply Gospel message of Jesus Christ will stop abortion in it’s tracks. When we expect a secular government that does not honor God to do our job, well you can see now what happens. 

I am not saying we need to stop our protest or our marches for life.  But’s let’s focus on our primary message, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The God who created that life that a couple wants to destroy can also change the heart of that couple and believe me a changed heart can end abortion more effectively that earthly laws. 

So, what does the above Bible story have to do with abortion?  God will judge this nation. Or to put it more in context, God will not be able to keep His hand of protection. Ok, I don’t believe God’s judgement will fall on this nation. It is worse, God cannot protect us, His holiness, like with Israel, could not allow him to protect our nation. We can pray like Moses but Moses did something else.

So, what protected Israel?  One man, named Moses.  He stood in the gap for Israel. He acknowledge to God: “Ok, God, you gave your people a free will and they have sinned and you cannot violate that will.  But for my sake, I am righteous and you promised to hear my prayer. My prayer is preserve this nation.”  God responded with a nacham a sigh and said: “Moses, I cannot protect these people because of their sin, but I can answer your prayer and the only way to answer your prayer is to protect them.”  So one man, standing in the gap, saved an entire nation.

Believers across this land have been fasting and praying.  God has heard our prayers, He will protect this nation for our sake. However, Moses did not say up on the mountain.  He came down and delivered a powerful message. God will save this nation because of our prayers, but He expects us to do our part and present His message.  It is now time for revival, reformation or bust.

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