Love Thy Neighbor
(Who, exactly is my neighbor?)
By MBPSTB
Saturday, 4 February, 2017
Sabbath, 19thD, 11thM
Much ado about immigration in America and the vetting process are headline news in recent days. President Donald Trump has put a halt on immigration until a more stable system can be put into place. It is his job as the leader of this nation, to have our national security as his main priority. We ALL, no matter your political flavor, should be standing behind him and supporting him.
If we thought division in this nation couldn’t get any worse than it was under the previous administration, it has hit an all-time new high and shows no signs of stopping as I write this. It has not only increased, it has become disturbingly perverse, profane and if nothing else and certainly more alarming, treasonous.
Freedom of speech is the first amendment. This is what these groups use as their misdirected and misunderstanding of this right,. What is meant by that? Freedom of speech is for the right to protest peacefully and make public your views on any given subject that is up for debate legally in the land. Protesting should be for things to bring knowledge of either side or what might legally stand in the way and to present either evidence or statements that support a given topic. It is NOT a platform to threaten our way of life, to threaten individuals or religious groups or even worse, to threaten our president. This is however what is happening. The entertainment industry and their members are also using their fame and notoriety to further incite the public getting them whipped up into a frenzy to hateful behavior. Never before in my life have I seen anything like it and I know, it’s going to get worse unless others who are as likeminded as me, those in Judaism, Christianity and church leaders and pastors come together in prayer to do battle against these powers of darkness.
Now, at this point of reading, you might be asking yourself: “What does this have to do with love thy neighbor”? It has everything to do with it. Many of these groups and even individuals who support them are saying we must “love our neighbors”, that this tantamount to not fulfilling the words of Jesus. Well, is it time to really dig into what it means? What did Jesus mean when He said “love they neighbor”?
We will look at both the Hebrew and the Greek words used for “neighbor”. We will look at all the various different Hebrew words used for this English word “neighbor”. We will consider each as they occur in accordance with the “Law of first mention” as establishing the context in which it is found. Each verse of course will be examined by itself but it is highly encouraged that the reader or student go to their bibles and read all the verse surrounding each verse in order to establish the correct context in which these words are used and what they mean.
Exo 3:22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.
Exo 3:22 But every womanH802 shall borrowH7592 of her neighbour,H4480 H7934 and of her that sojournethH4480 H1481 in her house,H1004 jewelsH3627 of silver,H3701 and jewelsH3627 of gold,H2091 and raiment:H8071 and ye shall putH7760 them uponH5921 your sons,H1121 and uponH5921 your daughters;H1323 and ye shall spoilH5337 (H853) the Egyptians.H4714
H7934 neighbour,H4480 H7934
שׁכן
shâkên
shaw-kane'
From H7931; a resident; by extension a fellow citizen: - inhabitant, neighbour, nigh.
This is the first use of the term and in it’s context and definition we find this:
a resident; by extension a fellow citizen: - inhabitant
In all of the above underlined and bolded words, the implication is one of already established in the land and joined to the nation in which that land is. Even H7931
shows us:
H7931
שׁכן
shâkan
shaw-kan'
A primitive root (apparently akin (by transmutation) to H7901 through the idea of lodging; compare H5531 and H7925); to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively): - abide, continue, (cause to, make to) dwell (-er), have habitation, inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).
Nowhere in the above do we find the word immigrant as in having as of yet to come into the land from another place.
Exo 11:2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.
Exo 11:2 SpeakH1696 nowH4994 in the earsH241 of the people,H5971 and let every manH376 borrowH7592 ofH4480 H854 his neighbour,H7453 and every womanH802 ofH4480 H854 her neighbour,H7468 jewelsH3627 of silver,H3701 and jewelsH3627 of gold.H2091
H7453 neighbour,H7453
ריע רע
rêa‛ rêya‛
ray'-ah, ray'-ah
From H7462; an associate (more or less close): - brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, X (an-) other.
H7462
רעה
râ‛âh
raw-aw'
A primitive root; to tend a flock, that is, pasture it; intransitively to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension to associate with (as a friend): - X break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep [sheep] (-er), pastor, + shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.
Same verse, second occurrence:
Exo 11:2 SpeakH1696 nowH4994 in the earsH241 of the people,H5971 and let every manH376 borrowH7592 ofH4480 H854 his neighbour,H7453 and every womanH802 ofH4480 H854 her neighbour,H7468 jewelsH3627 of silver,H3701 and jewelsH3627 of gold.H2091
H7468 neighbour,H7468
רעוּת
re‛ûth
reh-ooth'
From H7462 in the sense of H7453; a female associate; generally an additional one: - + another, mate, neighbour.
So far, there has been no inference regarding immigrants, strangers, aliens, foreigners that are attempting to come into the land.
Exo 32:27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
Exo 32:27 And he saidH559 unto them, ThusH3541 saithH559 the LORDH3068 GodH430 of Israel,H3478 PutH7760 every manH376 his swordH2719 byH5921 his side,H3409 and go inH5674 and outH7725 from gateH4480 H8179 to gateH8179 throughout the camp,H4264 and slayH2026 every manH376 (H853) his brother,H251 and every manH376 (H853) his companion,H7453 and every manH376 (H853) his neighbour.H7138
H7138 his neighbour.H7138
קרב קרוב
qârôb qârôb
kaw-robe', kaw-robe'
From H7126; near (in place, kindred or time): - allied, approach, at hand, + any of kin, kinsfolk (-sman), (that is) near (of kin), neighbour, (that is) next, (them that come) nigh (at hand), more ready, short (-ly).
Lev 6:2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;
Lev 6:2 IfH3588 a soulH5315 sin,H2398 and commitH4603 a trespassH4604 against the LORD,H3068 and lieH3584 unto his neighbourH5997 in that which was delivered him to keep,H6487 orH176 in fellowship,H8667 H3027 orH176 in a thing taken away by violence,H1498 orH176 hath deceivedH6231 (H853) his neighbour;H5997
H5997 his neighbourH5997
עמית
‛âmı̂yth
aw-meeth'
From a primitive root meaning to associate; companionship; hence (concretely) a comrade or kindred man: - another, fellow, neighbour.
Mat 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 19:19 HonourG5091 thyG4675 fatherG3962 andG2532 thy mother: and,G3384 Thou shalt loveG25 thyG4675 neighbourG4139 asG5613 thyself.G4572
G4139 neighbourG4139
πλησίον
plēsion
play-see'-on
Neuter of a derivative of πέλας pelas (near); (adverb) close by; as noun, a neighbor, that is, fellow (as man, countryman, Christian or friend): - near, neighbour.
Are we beginning to get the idea yet?
The churches are doing a terrible disservice to the congregation when the pastors preach from one verse alone. Nothing is being taught about the true meaning of the words in scripture and until that changes, many will continue to walk in darkness and ignorance of what God really means by His Word.
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