Hebrew Word Study – Pure Faith – Bachar – בחר Beth Cheth Resh
Psalms 106:23: “Therefore he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them.”
Moses was chosen by God to stand before the breach. The word for “chosen” is bachar which can also be rendered as proven. I would also add another definition, pure faith. Thus, you could render this passage as: “Moses was proven in his faith.
For those who have been attending my classes on our All Access site or listening to the recordings you know I have really been harping on something called pure faith. This is something I have been reading about in Jewish literature and I realize we hear so little about pure faith. Most Christians have had a hard enough time just acquiring faith, let alone pure faith.
When we think of faith we think of never doubting God for a moment. When we pray for something we are told we must have faith. In our minds that is we must clench our fists and repeat over and over: “I believe, I believe.” Maybe, just maybe if we have enough of that “believe” business, God might just turn to an angel and say; “Ok angel, I think he has demonstrated enough faith give him what he wants.
It seems all the sermons I hear on faith is that it is something you must have and shame on you for not having it. I hear Hebrew 11:1 quoted over and over: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” No one bothers to explain that elephant in the room, if faith means having no doubt then if you are hoping for something, that indicates that you are not sure of the results, you doubt the results so you hope for the results you are seeking. As I explained in past studies, the word hope in Aramaic means a positive imagination. Faith begins with imagining, using that skill that God has endowed you and every human being with, an imagination. Faith is not stopping every time you doubt and telling yourself, “Nope, no way, I’m a-gonna believe.” Faith is when you start to doubt yourself just imagine God, how He loves you, cares for you and how He has carried you in the past and will carry you in the present and in the future.
Would you like Chaim Bentorah as your personal Hebrew teacher?
|
|
Moses was chosen, bachar but bachar is a special type of chosen, it is one who has proved himself worthy, pure in faith to be chosen. Moses proved himself worthy because he has pure faith. It seems whenever I run across pure faith in Jewish literature, I read the words mustard seed or grain. In Matthew, the disciple tried to cast out a demon and failed. Jesus came up and just simply “get out” and the demons left. The disciples asked why they could not do and Jesus said they had little faith. But they had whole bunches of faith, no one else tried to cast those demons out, but the disciples believed or had faith to do it. Then Jesus said if they just had the faith of a mustard seed they could move mountains. Do you mean to tell me that their faith was even smaller than a mustard seed? In the Aramaic, which is the language spoke these words in, He says the disciples could not cast out the demons because they had impure faith. Then Jesus used an expression they know quite well, a mustard grain. If you have the faith of a mustard grain or what they heard in their ears if you have pure faith.
So, what is pure faith as opposed to faith? Well, let me give you an example. You may have heard this story from me but we have many new readers so for their sake I will repeat this story. My life had (has?) been one of complete failure when it comes to ministry. I was ashamed to meet former classmates because I was living up to their expectations, that I would amount to nothing in the Christian world. However, I did self-publish a skinny little book; Hebrew Word Study – A Hebrew Teacher’s Search for the Heart of God. I put the ebook at .99 on Amazon to catch the impulsive buyer. It worked and after I sold 20,000 ebooks, I received a call for Harper Collins, one of the big five publishing houses. I had been praying, claiming, and believing for a book contract from a traditional publisher and here I signed a contract with one of the biggest publishers in the world. Boy, I could not wait until Moody Alumni week (my alma mater) came along. For the first time in 30 years, I was going to attend and I would look up former classmates. When these former classmates who were now senior pastors, directors of mission boards, themselves published authors would approach me and ask; “Why Chaim, I often wondered what happened to you. What are you up to?” I would tell them: “Oh, I just signed a contract with Harper Collins, one of the big five publishers you know and I am preparing the final draft of my book right now.” I could not wait to see the expression on their faces; “Why Chaim, we never dreamed you would accomplish such a thing.”
A week before Alumni week I got a call from Harper Collins, they said the Christian publishing house they owned that was going to publish my book did not want to do it because of some of the weird ideas I expressed. They withdraw the contract. I was devastated. I did not attend Alumni week. I knew what my former classmates would say: “Why that’s alright Chaim, we knew you were never going to be published by a traditional publisher let alone one of the big five. You probably made the whole thing up. But you did write a little book that you self-published and for that, you deserve a pat on the head.”
I fell before God and wept. “Why God, I had faith, ironclad faith, I did not doubt you, I named it, I claimed and I knew you would do it and you did, but then you pulled it away from me.” I then heard God whisper to me; “Why did you want to be published?” “I said; “Oh, Lord, I want to get the message of your heart out to the people.” Again, God asked me why I wanted that contract. I said: “Why that would open the doors to the ministry I prayed for countless years.” Again, the Lord asked why and I finally admitted, I wanted vindication, I wanted to prove to everyone I was not the loser they thought I was.
God then said: “I am the only one you need to please, just try to please me, you have enough faith for that, do you not?” I did have that faith, faith to just rest in Him, relax and let him decide what is a successful ministry and I had enough faith to know that when I stood before Him in that final day, He would say: “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”
That is the difference between regular faith and pure faith. Regular faith is a lot of me, what I want, give me, give me.” Pure faith is like Moses had. “Lord, I will stand in the gap for my people and your Kingdom.”
We love reading and appreciate all your comments! Please leave them in the comments section instead of emailing so that Chaim gets to read them too. Also, when you leave a comment here it helps our website. Other ways to support this ministry are by liking and sharing our FaceBook page, or by donating. We appreciate all that you do to help! Thank you, Chaim & Laura
Hi there! Thank you for reading this Daily Word Study. Can I ask a favor? Share this Daily Word Study with your friends on Facebook and Twitter by clicking one of the icons below.
Thanks & Blessings, it means a lot to me!
This is absolute pure Gold.
The understanding of this word strip the predestination theology of its power. This theology states that only some were chosen to receive faith.
To have tested pure faith puts an entire different perspective on this concept.
You helped me into deeper freedom from the lie of being selected and chosen by some dice in heaven to receive faith and entry into heaven.
Thank you for this precious truth
The Elephant in the room …Hebrew word for elephant is Peel. It means “the arm that is a mouth”.
To whom has the Arm of The Lord been revealed?
The Arm of the The Lord …
Yeshua, Jesus, was crucified for the sins of humanity. Again, the elephant……… Peel
El meaning God
Pe expressing Hebrew letter #17 meaning Speak.
From right to left…God Speak and left to right Speak God.
The Room ….you were asking about the elephant in the room, The Room is The Heart of the person. And the Elephant In The Room means God Speaks in the Heart of those who Open the Door. For He says, “I stand at the door and knock and who so ever hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and sup with him and he with me.
I had a thought about faith the other day and realized again that substance and evidence are tangible items. I thought about the many times I have prayed for others healing and nothing happened. Or prayed for a particular outcome and nothing happened. It was my thought that “well I don’t have faith because faith it something that appears in the natural realm and it didn’t appear.
My thoughts continued and realized I do have the promises of God. They are as if they already happened. So my thoughts convicted me that all faith “the something that appears in the natural” all belong to Christ not me.
So my struggle comes with the verse “without faith it is impossible to please Him.” I’m wondering if this verse is directed towards unbelievers because believers have the promise of Christ which is the whole of faith the purest faith. It’s already ours and because we believe God is pleased.
Just rambling thoughts…….so I don’t continue to beat myself up all the time about un-answered prayer and as Chaim points pure faith and do I have it.
I’m making a study folder with these! I love these so much! My heart is Jewish if not my little toe…Dad told me we have Jewish ancestors…and to study the real meaning of these words is precious to me. Thank You so much!
Thanks so much for this well-timed (for me) reminder. It’s not the faith that counts but the object of our faith. I truly believe that God has given everyone all the capacity we need to have faith. We can’t live a moment without faith. But oh we all struggle that God truly loves us and is the very best One to place our faith in through all of life’s ups and downs. A few years ago, in one of those sacred moments when I’ve heard God so clearly, it was the words – “John, you forget that I love you.” Pure faith! Thanks again for you inspired and insightful articles.
Thank you for clarifying a great mystery of faith that eludes almost all “teachers”.
It has opened a new way to live life in the service of our Savior Lord.
The one. The one who stood in the gap. That no gap would exist.
So glad you shared your “old story” for new subscribers (like me). It encourages me so much. The little trillium in the deep forest brings such joy to its Creator’s heart … tho’ no one else may see it. So many of us are little trilliums. Glowing for God our Creator. Thank you.
Wow! That is absolutely beautiful. Thanks for your willingness to be transparent and genuine. It made me tear up and want to ask the Lord to help me to have pure faith. Thank you.
Appreciate these!
Thank you for being so real Mr BenTorah. You inspire purity of heart with your honesty whilst providing an understanding of our Heavenly Fathers heart.
I so appreciate you sharing insights from jewish literature as my heart yearns for the restoration of the ‘One’ new man.
Shalom
Chaim thk U,as always Gods grace n Blessing in on these teachings, I testify for
The Father’s Glory in Yeshua’s name.
Thank you for sharing this and so much more! I haven’t been a regular in church for many, many years. Yet, I am in the word every day and spend hours and hours studying. After trying MANY denominations and “non” denominations, I’ve concluded I just don’t “fit” church. Your books, emails and Facebook have spoken deep to my heart and this message makes misfits
(like me) greatly comforted!
I checked Amazon to purchase the book you mention here ‘Hebrew Teacher’s Search for the Heart of God.’ It’s no longer listed on Kindle, only hardcopies… is it going to be available on Kindlr
The book was finally published by Whitaker House. It is titled Hebrew Word Study Revealing the Heart of God. It is the combination of three Hebrew Word Study books that I self published. Hope you purchase it.
I understand. I rarely attend church myself. I am on the autistic spectrum and I am very uncomfortable in crowds, especially around people who want to hug you. Them most churches have little light shows and loud fast music which is an Aspire’s nightmare. So I do church over the internet and hold my own church on the internet since I am an ordained Baptist minister. Don’t disregard the church totally, at least follow on the internet. There are a lot of Godly pastors sharing the Word of God.
Your study on faith is awesome! It is so needed in this time and atmosphere. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Therefore, we need to keep up with him as he walks through the earth. “Stay in step with the spirit of God”.
Thank you for your humanity and honesty, Chaim. Yes, a timely reminder that the accolades of men count for nothing compared to the richness of having God’s “thumbs up” of approval. I’ve recently bought your book, Racham and I’m really looking forward to reading it!
A friend introduced me to Chaimbentorah a few months ago…..and I love it. I have learned so much and just wanted to say thank you for sharing your knowledge. Those who read your blog will receive both a blessing and a nugget of information to help explain so many of those challenging passages of scripture. Toda Rabah. aw/tx goyim
Great insight as usual, there is nothing worse in a Christians life to try to please man when we are called to please the Lord. We ourselves are a man/woman and we are not to please ourselves but to please God through the messiah Jesus thee Christ.
Proceeding in endeavors for God’s glory, to please God – that is pure faith. Thank you for the message in this word study!
This was what I needed. Sometimes feels like I am not doing enough but I only need to please Him. Seek Him out for what His plan for me is.
A humble account is often the most inspiring. A loving way to teach others how to avoid stumbling blocks and get to the real point of pleasing the Almighty Creator. Thank you for this beautiful message.