Shelter From the Storm by Jennifer Ross

In our last article we looked at one of the Hebrew root words translated as ‘trust’ in English, galal, which means ‘to roll’.  Together we saw that galal is rolling everything onto HaShem.  This condition is shown by submitting to HIS instructions, plans, commands and wisdom in relevance to our lives.  From the most ‘trivial’ to the most momentous….we are to roll it all onto Him.

The next root word we will look at… translated as trust in our English Bibles… is khasa (chet-samech-hey).

Deut. 32:37

And he shall say, “Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted?”

Judges 9:15

And the bramble said unto the trees, “If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.”

The English text reads “trust”….but khasa literally means “to seek refuge.”

If we can embrace this reality…..and live it…..

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust (seek refuge) in thee before the sons of men! Psalms 31

What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the*poor of his people shall trust (seek refuge) in it. Isaiah 14

*Remember our study of “anav”….humble?  The word for “poor” in this verse in Isaiah is from the same Hebrew root.  The LORD has founded Zion, and the humble of his people shall seek refuge in it….

And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust (seek refuge) in him.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shall thou trust (seek refuge): his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust (seek refuge); my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
You would think that it gets more complicated as His Word reveals itself to you.  But what I have found is the more I learn….the simpler it all seems.  The same concepts are revealed and interwoven over and over again.  Especially if you return to His language.

And despite man’s prideful attempts to complicate Scripture….to transform it into a scholarly piece of work…..it’s not academic.  It’s basic.  Just stop…and be quiet….and be humble….and earnestly seek His Truth.

Because…The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knows them that trust (seek refuge) in him.

We can read all of these verses above and feel inspired.  They speak to the vulnerable side of us.  They speak to that side that cries out and feels helpless.  But in this world…vulnerable, tearful and helpless…are classified as weak.

Khasa is recognizing that we are to seek refuge…seek security…in HIM…and HIM only!  It is recognizing that He is our strength and comfort…  He is our Shield!  And we are nothing without Him.

Do you see the subtlety and deception?  Everything we are taught by the world promotes, encourages and almost seems to demand…. strength.  And the world tells us this strength is to be found within us.  It tells us that if we can tap into it we will find success, health and happiness.  As Believers, however, we answer to a Higher Authority and He tells us through David (Psalm 118)….

It is better to trust (seek refuge) in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

This brings us to the next, and most often used, Hebrew word translated as trust.  But before we get to it…we need to follow the progression.  So far we have been instructed to roll it all onto HaShem (galal)….and to seek refuge in Him (khasa).

We are all familiar with the analogy of a piece of pottery, yes?  Being broken down and remolded?  And the symbolism of being refined in His fire?  Well, this pattern is all encompassing.  Because once we reach the point of rolling it ALL onto Him and just being along for the ride….and once we reach the point of recognizing HIM as our shield and fearing no evil….well…. then the boldness comes.

Batach (bet-tet-chet)

Translated over 100 times as trust in the Hebrew Scriptures… batach means to be bold…to be secure…to be confident.

In the verse above where it reads ‘to put confidence,’ we find the root word batach.

Let’s say that in Israel someone is offering you something to eat.  As they hold it out to you, they might say “batach!, batach!” They are telling you “Trust me, it’s good, I’m confident that you will like it….”  Simple.

Deut. 28:
And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trusted (put confidence in) throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

In this very first verse, we see that not only were they (read it and you’ll see who they are) putting confidence in and feeling bold behind the walls and fences…..they weren’t even humble enough for it to be considered “khasa”.  They skipped the whole concept of seeking refuge behind the high walls and went right to feeling bold because of them.  Boldness without G-d is pride.  And to quote a song by Johnny Cash…”sooner or later God’ll cut you down.”

High walls and fences aren’t always in the literal sense……

What makes you feel bold?  In what do you put your confidence and security?  Your house?  Car?  Bank Account? Job? Education?  Peers?  Special talent?  Ethnicity?  Parents? Children?  Spouse?  Titles?  Memberships?  Accomplishments?

How about our ‘church’ involvement?  Surely it’s okay to be bold in that, right?  Or maybe you are a shepherd and are bold in your ability to lead?  Ezekiel 33 offers a sober warning:

Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live; if he trusts (is confident; bold) in his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

Our boldness should be in, of and through our God.  And if we are not humble servants, especially when working for the Kingdom, G-d notes it.

He trusted (was bold) in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. 2 Kings

And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust (confidence) in him. 1Chron

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust (be bold; be confident) also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Psalms 37

Remember this verse from our look at galal?  Now that we know what both galal and batach mean…we can see what the text really says: Roll thy way unto the LORD; be bold also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass……

The world sees galal and khasa as weak.  They assume that someone must be afraid or insecure if they leave everything up to ‘an invisible god’.  And it is our fault that they have been allowed to think this for so long.  It is our fault that the world can even question the power of our G-d, because we don’t reveal His power in our lives.

If we embodied galal which leads to khasa which leads to batach….there would be no room for the stereotypes that are all too typical of ‘Christians’ today. There would be no room for the world around us to even question the existence of HaShem or to marginalize His might if we lived it.  As King Solomon put it in Proverbs 28:

The wicked flee when no man pursues; 
but the righteous are bold (batach) as a lion.

Here are two action plans:

Plan A: Submit to the Lord.  Roll your ways onto the Lord.  Roll your works onto the Lord.  Seek refuge in the Lord. Stand firm in the Lord. Be bold in the Lord.  Be confident in the Lord.  Be secure in the Lord.

Or

Plan B: Believe in the Lord. Have faith in the Lord. Trust in the Lord.

Which plan better equips you to face the world?  Which plan defines belief, faith, and trust?  I’m going with Plan A.

Blessings!

Author: Jennifer Ross

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