Our Hearing
When looking through the Bible, the word hear, hearing, heareth, and hearken
are listed and there difference meanings for the words in the Hebrew and the
Greek, however in the English language they appear the same.
The Hebrew meaning of the words heareth and hearken is to hear intelligently,
and be obedient; as well as to hear and give heed, concordance numbers is
7181 and 8085. The Greek meaning of these words is to submit to authority,
and obey, the concordance number is 3980.
The Bible tells us in II Timothy 2:15 says “study to show yourself approved to
God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth”. Notice that if you can rightly divide the word, you can also wrongly divide
it.
Let us go back to when the word was originally used to see its real meaning.
God used this word in talking to Adam after the fall in Genesis 3:17 which says
“and to Adam, He said, because you have hearkened to the voice of your wife,
and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, saying, you shall not eat
of it, cursed is the ground for your sake, in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days
of your life”. Adam not only heard his wife’s voice, but he also did what she
asked him to do.
The Bible used this word in describing how Abram listened to Sarai his wife, in
Genesis 16:1-3 which says “now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children; and
she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to
Abram, behold now, the Lord Yahweh has restrained me from bearing; I pray
you, go in to my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram
hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid
the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave
her to her husband Abram to be his wife”. Again you see that Abram heard his
wife and then obeyed her voice (Genesis 16:4a) says “and he went in to Hagar,
and she conceived”.
The Bible describes this word as Leah being unloved by Jacob, and desiring to
bare him more children Genesis 30:17 says “and God hearkened to Leah, and
she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son”. Also how Rachel had been baren,
(Genesis 30:1,22-24) “and when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children,
Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, give me children, or else I die. And
God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God has taken away my
reproach. And she called his name Joseph; and said, the Lord Yahweh shall
add to me another son”.
Deuteronomy 28 gives us a chose of receiving the blessings or the curses
(Deuteronomy 28:1-2) says “and it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken
diligently to the voice of the Lord Yahweh your God, to observe, and to do all His
commandments which I command you this day, that the Lord Yahweh your God
will set you on high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall
come on you, and overtake you, if you shall hearken to the voice of the Lord
Yahweh your God”; and in verses 3-14 the blessings are listed; then in
(Deuteronomy 28:15) it says “but it shall come to pass if you will not hearken to
the voice of the Lord Yahweh your God, to observe to do all His commandments
and His statutes which I command you this; that all these curses shall come
upon you, and overtake you”, then verses 16-68 lists the curses.
God Himself used this word in describing the disobedience of Israel (Psalms 81:
11-14) “but My people would not hearken to My voice; and Israel would none of
Me. So I gave them up to their own hearts lust; and they walked in their own
counsels. Oh that My people had hearkened to <Me; and Israel had walked in
My ways. I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned My hand
against their adversaries”. Also the obedience of His angels (Psalms 103:20)
“bless the Lord Yahweh, you His angels, that excel in strength, that do His
commandments, hearkening to the voice of His word”.
One might say that these are all Old Testament, but each time this word was
used, it meant to hear and then do something. In Isaiah 1:19-20 God says “if
you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. But if you refuse
and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has
spoken it”. The Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today and forever”.
Proverbs 4:1-10 says “hear, you children the instruction of a father, and attend
to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake you not my law.
For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He
taught me also, and said to me, let your heart retain my words; keep my
commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding; forget it not; neither
decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve
you; love her, and she shall keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore
get wisdom; and with all your getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall
promote you; she shall bring you to honor, and when you do embrace her. She
shall give to your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory shall she deliver
to you. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall
be many”.
Proverbs 4:20-23 continues to tell us “my son, attend to my words; incline your
ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst
of your heart. For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their
flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”. This
sounds like what God told Joshua in Joshua 1:8 “this book of the law shall not
depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you
may observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then you shall
make your way prosperous and then you shall have good success”. You see we
have to hear and observe to do what is written, before we will have success.
Getting understanding is more than hearing a thing once (Romans 10:17) says
“so then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. It is
important that we continue in His words and Jesus says in John 8:31-32).
Remember that the devil can steal those things out of your heart that you don’t
understand. Jesus says in Mark 7:14 “and when He had called all the people to
Him, He said to them, hearken to Me every one of you, and understand”.
We follow this word through the Greek language in the New Testament. Jesus
Himself used this word to distinguish between the wise and the foolish (Matthew
7:21-27) “not every one that says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven. many will
say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? And
in Your name have cast out devils? And in Your name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you
that work iniquity. Therefore, whosoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does
them, I will liken him to a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the
rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew; and beat upon that
house, and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that hears
these sayings of Mine, and does them not; shall be likened to a foolish man,
which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended; and the floods
came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell; and great was
the fall of it”.
Peter and John after the healing of the lame man at the gate Beautiful, was
threatened by the priest and Sadducees and forbidden to speak in the name of
Jesus anymore (Acts 4:17-20) “but that it spread no further among the people,
let us strictly threaten them, that they speak hereafter to no man in this name.
And they called them, and commanded then not to speak at all nor teach in the
name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, whether it be
right in the sight of God to hearken to you more than to God, judge you. For we
cannot, but speak the things which we have seen and heard”. Being not afraid,
they returned to their own company and prayed that God would grant them
boldness to speak the word of God.
The Apostle Paul in his journey which ended up shipwrecked told those in
charged, “but after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and
said, sirs, you should have hearkened to me, and not have loosed from Crete,
and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good
cheer; for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship”.
James tells us “but be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
your own selves” (James 1:22).
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 11, 2011
When looking through the Bible, the word hear, hearing, heareth, and hearken
are listed and there difference meanings for the words in the Hebrew and the
Greek, however in the English language they appear the same.
The Hebrew meaning of the words heareth and hearken is to hear intelligently,
and be obedient; as well as to hear and give heed, concordance numbers is
7181 and 8085. The Greek meaning of these words is to submit to authority,
and obey, the concordance number is 3980.
The Bible tells us in II Timothy 2:15 says “study to show yourself approved to
God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth”. Notice that if you can rightly divide the word, you can also wrongly divide
it.
Let us go back to when the word was originally used to see its real meaning.
God used this word in talking to Adam after the fall in Genesis 3:17 which says
“and to Adam, He said, because you have hearkened to the voice of your wife,
and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, saying, you shall not eat
of it, cursed is the ground for your sake, in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days
of your life”. Adam not only heard his wife’s voice, but he also did what she
asked him to do.
The Bible used this word in describing how Abram listened to Sarai his wife, in
Genesis 16:1-3 which says “now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children; and
she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to
Abram, behold now, the Lord Yahweh has restrained me from bearing; I pray
you, go in to my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram
hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid
the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave
her to her husband Abram to be his wife”. Again you see that Abram heard his
wife and then obeyed her voice (Genesis 16:4a) says “and he went in to Hagar,
and she conceived”.
The Bible describes this word as Leah being unloved by Jacob, and desiring to
bare him more children Genesis 30:17 says “and God hearkened to Leah, and
she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son”. Also how Rachel had been baren,
(Genesis 30:1,22-24) “and when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children,
Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, give me children, or else I die. And
God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God has taken away my
reproach. And she called his name Joseph; and said, the Lord Yahweh shall
add to me another son”.
Deuteronomy 28 gives us a chose of receiving the blessings or the curses
(Deuteronomy 28:1-2) says “and it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken
diligently to the voice of the Lord Yahweh your God, to observe, and to do all His
commandments which I command you this day, that the Lord Yahweh your God
will set you on high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall
come on you, and overtake you, if you shall hearken to the voice of the Lord
Yahweh your God”; and in verses 3-14 the blessings are listed; then in
(Deuteronomy 28:15) it says “but it shall come to pass if you will not hearken to
the voice of the Lord Yahweh your God, to observe to do all His commandments
and His statutes which I command you this; that all these curses shall come
upon you, and overtake you”, then verses 16-68 lists the curses.
God Himself used this word in describing the disobedience of Israel (Psalms 81:
11-14) “but My people would not hearken to My voice; and Israel would none of
Me. So I gave them up to their own hearts lust; and they walked in their own
counsels. Oh that My people had hearkened to <Me; and Israel had walked in
My ways. I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned My hand
against their adversaries”. Also the obedience of His angels (Psalms 103:20)
“bless the Lord Yahweh, you His angels, that excel in strength, that do His
commandments, hearkening to the voice of His word”.
One might say that these are all Old Testament, but each time this word was
used, it meant to hear and then do something. In Isaiah 1:19-20 God says “if
you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. But if you refuse
and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has
spoken it”. The Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today and forever”.
Proverbs 4:1-10 says “hear, you children the instruction of a father, and attend
to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake you not my law.
For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He
taught me also, and said to me, let your heart retain my words; keep my
commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding; forget it not; neither
decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve
you; love her, and she shall keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore
get wisdom; and with all your getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall
promote you; she shall bring you to honor, and when you do embrace her. She
shall give to your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory shall she deliver
to you. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall
be many”.
Proverbs 4:20-23 continues to tell us “my son, attend to my words; incline your
ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst
of your heart. For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their
flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”. This
sounds like what God told Joshua in Joshua 1:8 “this book of the law shall not
depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you
may observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then you shall
make your way prosperous and then you shall have good success”. You see we
have to hear and observe to do what is written, before we will have success.
Getting understanding is more than hearing a thing once (Romans 10:17) says
“so then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. It is
important that we continue in His words and Jesus says in John 8:31-32).
Remember that the devil can steal those things out of your heart that you don’t
understand. Jesus says in Mark 7:14 “and when He had called all the people to
Him, He said to them, hearken to Me every one of you, and understand”.
We follow this word through the Greek language in the New Testament. Jesus
Himself used this word to distinguish between the wise and the foolish (Matthew
7:21-27) “not every one that says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven. many will
say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? And
in Your name have cast out devils? And in Your name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you
that work iniquity. Therefore, whosoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does
them, I will liken him to a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the
rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew; and beat upon that
house, and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that hears
these sayings of Mine, and does them not; shall be likened to a foolish man,
which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended; and the floods
came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell; and great was
the fall of it”.
Peter and John after the healing of the lame man at the gate Beautiful, was
threatened by the priest and Sadducees and forbidden to speak in the name of
Jesus anymore (Acts 4:17-20) “but that it spread no further among the people,
let us strictly threaten them, that they speak hereafter to no man in this name.
And they called them, and commanded then not to speak at all nor teach in the
name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, whether it be
right in the sight of God to hearken to you more than to God, judge you. For we
cannot, but speak the things which we have seen and heard”. Being not afraid,
they returned to their own company and prayed that God would grant them
boldness to speak the word of God.
The Apostle Paul in his journey which ended up shipwrecked told those in
charged, “but after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and
said, sirs, you should have hearkened to me, and not have loosed from Crete,
and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good
cheer; for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship”.
James tells us “but be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
your own selves” (James 1:22).
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 11, 2011
