Formed by the dalet

Formed by the dalet []


Formation - Dalet family []


ד ה ח ך

The meaning of each letter in the Dalet ד or Commandment Family has something to do with the commandment. The dalet ד representing the commandment, is found in each letter. There is the commandment ד, the commandment which was heard but not understood ה, and the commandment which was understood ח. The vav (or lack of it) distinguishes between them.

Discussion

Dalet ד the commandment []


The dalet ד is the commandment. It is not the rosh ר revelation. See the difference between the right angle corner on the dalet and the rounded corner on the rosh.

A commandment [1] accomplishes something. When God commanded the light to be, the waters to part, and the dry land to appear... they did. [2] This demonstrated that he was God. [3] Likewise when he commanded men with two tablets of stone [4], it displayed the character of God, and confronted the universal sin of man. [5] This demonstrated that he alone is God.

A revelation [6] is a communication from God intended as a dialog; it contains personality. "Let there be light" has no one to dialog with. "Thou shalt not covet" is also not up for discussion. If the purpose of God was to free an enslaved people, he would have commanded that they be free, they would have been free. But the purpose was to make himself known. Moses was free to dialog about it. [7] [8] [9] [10] When presented with a command, observe how God is revealed.When presented with a revelation; dialog with God.

  1. Used as a techincal term
  2. ± Ge 1
  3. ± Ro 1:19,20 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them. [{in them: or, to them }] 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: [{so … : or, that they may be }]
  4. { ± Ex 24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
  5. Universal sin of man
  6. Used as a technical term
  7. ± Ex 3:10,11 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. 11 And Moses said unto God, Who [am] I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
  8. ± Ex 3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, [when] I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What [is] his name? what shall I say unto them?
  9. ± Ex 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
  10. ± Ex 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.

Discussion

He ה they did not understand []


He is pronounced hay

Discussion

Draw the he []


As you draw the he say "did not understand".

The he ה is drawn with a dalet ד as the commandment, then a vav returns halfway up the left side. The response is not a full response (not returning to the top) because the commandment is not understood. The Hebrews did not understand that the law was a schoolmaster [1] and the real meaning was a hidden prophecy of the death and resurrection of Jesus on the cross. [2] The response is like when sheep hear the shepherd's voice. [3] They are drawn to it, but they do not understand the words. }}

  1. ± Ga 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
  2. ± Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
  3. ± Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

He means 'aha!' It is the response of recognition but not of understanding. [v 1] [q 1] [a 1] [q 2] [a 2]

Discussion

Questions

  1. How much does a sheep have to understand of what the shepherd says, to be his sheep?
  2. When does a sheep decide which shepherd to follow?

Vocabulary

  1. he ה - aha, m. to be drawn to God but not understanding, m. hearing

Answers

  1. None.
  2. Sheep are born to the shepherd who owns the flock. They hear his voice from birth.

Discussion

Chet ח they understood []


Discussion

When you draw the vav of the chet say, "understood" or "saw".

The chet is drawn like a he ה but the vav on the left returns all the way to the top. This represents that the commandment was understood. The meaning of chet is 'dismay', because when you really understand God's command, you are dismayed. [v 1] [q 1] [a 1] [q 2] [a 2] [1] Dismay is terror. When people met the Holy God they fell on their faces. [2] [3] [4] [5]

  1. It is not being suggested that the Gospel of Thomas is scripture, only that the author was familiar with prophetic riddle.
  2. ± Ge 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
  3. ± Nu 22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
  4. ± Jos 5:14 And he said, Nay; but [as] captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
  5. ± Mt 17:6 And when the disciples heard [it], they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

The chet ח symbol represents life in many cultures. They may pronounce it chee. Understanding is represented by seeing. One cannot understand (see) the teaching of Christ (the kingdom) unless he has been born again. [1] Understanding is a sign of the beginning of life.

  1. ± Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Discussion

Questions

  1. Why does understanding the commandment cause dismay?
  2. The Gospel of Thomas (2) says, ... The one who seeks should not cease seeking until he finds. And when he finds, he will be dismayed... Could the chet be the source of Thomas's riddle?

Vocabulary

  1. chet ח or חת - dismay, m. understood, seeing

Answers

  1. The holiness of the law confronts your sin.
  2. It is a good exercise to read the Gospel of Thomas in the genre of prophetic riddle or sensus plenior, since he shares many of the same riddles which are mistakenly interpreted to be literal and so are mis-identified as Gnostic

Discussion

Final kof ך []


Discussion

As you draw the final kof say, "The Son of God died".

The final kof ך is the form used when a kof כ is at the end of a word. We examined the kof כ when we discussed the nun נ. The nun נ is the Son of Man, and the kof כ is the Son of God; fully God and fully man by nature, as indicated by the long horizontal vav's.

Kof כף means 'spoon' or 'palm of the hand' and the final form ך signifies the Son of God died according to the commandment (which is why it looks like a large dalet ד). [v 1] [q 1] [a 1] [1]

  1. ± Isa 49:16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me.

Discussion

Questions

  1. Consider in light of the final work of the Son of God: "Isa 49:16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me." How secure are you?

Vocabulary

  1. final kof ך - palm of the hand, m. last work, the Son of God died

Answers

  1. Graven into his works.

Discussion

חד sharpen []


chad חד

Discussion

Interpreting word formations is not as simple as merely replacing the letters with a meaning. Such replacement forms a riddle which is answered by scripture.

'Sharpen' chad חד is formed as 'understand ח the command ד'. It is not easy to see the connection between the two. But God says the same thing in different ways until we understand. He has given another clue to the connection in the verse:

± Pr 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Now we understand how to sharpen our friends better. To improve the countenance of the friend, we help them understand God's commands. 'Command' is used in a technical sense as that which God makes God known as he says and it happens... no discussion. We would remind our friend that God spoke and as a result of his command, the universe sprang into existence. We might also confront his sin and bring hope for a changed life based on God's mercy and power in overcoming sin.

Without the underlying meaning of chad we are left to guess as to how we sharpen one another.