HEBREW WORD STUDY – BRIDEGROOM – KATAN חתנ Cheth Taw Nun
Isaiah 62:5b: “And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.”
The word bridegroom here is katan which is another word for marriage. This word for marriage has the idea of joining together in complete truth and honesty. When God as the bridegroom is married to us He is joined to us in complete truth. They that worship God must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24.
Ok, that is God’s side of the deal, he is the bridegroom, but what are we as the bride or kallah. In its Semitic root, the word kallah has a double lamed which means destruction and completion. In marriage your life as a single person is destroyed, no longer is it “my things” It is now “our things.” Yet, being joined with another person in a marriage is really a completion of the way God designed us. I know this sort of flies in the face of our modern thinking as we live a world where you look out for number one. As God said, “the two shall become one flesh” Genesis 2:24. Looking out for number one involves two people, but hey, I’m just the messenger.
I was recently reading in the Zohar and ran across a rather interesting thought. The sages teach that there are three types of prayer. There is the prayer of a child to a parent. That seems to fit the majority of us. “O God, please give me…”
Then there is a more mature prayer the wife to the husband. How can I help you serve you? There is much more on this but you have heard the sermons and read the books on what it means to be the bride of Christ. So will not rehash something you are familiar with.
Perhaps we have matured beyond a child always asking for things and advanced to that of a bride, seeking to serve God but maybe it is time to be the katan, the bridegroom, and seek to protect the tender heart of God.
Would you like Chaim Bentorah as your personal Hebrew teacher?
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However, there is a third way to pray to God and that is we as a husband and God as the wife. I know that sounds a bit creepy but consider. A husband wishes to protect his wife’s feelings, her heart. He does not want to offend her or wound her heart. God not only made Himself vulnerable coming to earth in human flesh to experience our suffering in the flesh, but He has also made Himself vulnerable by giving us His heart when we give Him ours.
Just as we can give our hearts to someone and if that person betrays us, ignores us, does not consider our feelings, only uses our love to get what they want they can deeply wound us, hurt us, and break our hearts. God has made Himself just as vulnerable to us, we can deeply wound Him, hurt Him, and break His heart if we just demand things from Him without considering His desires, His pleasure. We can break His heart if we seek other gods to meet our needs.
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Thanks & Blessings, it means a lot to me!
I so agree with Melissa’s comment this certainly is one of your best! I feel at times as if my heart is still crying out beyond Christ and what he s in my life. I know I fall short of God’s ineffable glory but at the same time I know my weaknesses and limitations and at times remain there as my love seems to dim and then I feel those old familiar feelings of shame and guilt. I know scripturally that my sins were forever exchanged at the cross for Christ’s perfect righteousness and therein is this conundrum for me; my wretchedness and Christ who is holy and in pristine purity and my sinful state though I know I am bound for a glorious eternity only because of his finished work at Calvary and his abounding grace and mercy for one like me.
Wow,that is interesting, it puts everything in a whole new light.
Thank you
Too often we seek a god that justifies our bad actions and ideals. Doing this we, mostly unknowingly, try to define God and put Him in the genie’s oil lamp to rub and make 3 or more wishes. Like you inferred several lessons ago we treat God like a prostitute by a promise to pay when and if we are satisfied by the outcome.
If He is the bride, then the Church needs to at like it as a corporate entity and through individual members of the Church.
Hear this most every Sunday morning.
Yes! This is one of your best! Wonderful words and so true!!
Two Become One.
The truth is so beautiful and I agree with your writing here immensely and hope for all to protect the hearts of all in Christ each day!!