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UNDERSTANDING the HEBREW WORD, "zera זרע" - [Sermon Note]

Pastor Deborah




GENESIS 1:11 NKJV

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so.


H2233 seed

Original: זרע

Transliteration: zera‛

Phonetic: zeh'-rah

BDB Definition:

seed, sowing, offspring

semen virile

offspring, descendants, posterity, children

of moral quality

a practitioner of righteousness


Strong's Definition: From H2232; seed; figuratively fruit, plant, sowing time, posterity:- X carnally, child, fruitful, seed (-time), sowing-time.


H2232

Original: זרע

Transliteration: zâra‛

Phonetic: zaw-rah’

BDB Definition:

to sow, scatter seed

producing, yielding seed

to be sown

to become pregnant, be made pregnant

to produce seed, yield seed


Strong's Definition: to sow; to disseminate, plant, fructify:- bear, conceive seed, set with, sow (-er), yield.


The first letter of Zera is Zayin.


Zayin is the seventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet

Numerical value: 7

Sound: "Z"



Meaning of Zayin:

1. Crown

2. weapon

3. sustain



The zayin has a small T-like roof on top, slanting left.

Squint and the Hebrew zayin looks like an ax, or similar armament.


Which explains the meaning of its name, in Hebrew: in the Bible “zayin” means “weapon."


Hence sages and kabbalists see zayin as signifying power: It's seventh and is shaped like a weapon.



The name zayin means “crown.”

There are actually crowns, called zayenin, 12 on many of the letters of the alef-beis.



The word zayin also means “weapons”—as in the phrase k’lei zayin (and as mentioned, the zayin looks like a sword).


In addition, zayin means zun, “to sustain.”


In essence, these three definitions are interrelated. Shabbos, the crown of Creation, is also the day that blesses and therefore sustains the following week.



Either kill the enemy with it, or kill the weeds to grow plants to bring more sustenance.


Refresh themselves in the presence of God

Able to have the ability to prosper and live in the next 7 days.


By observing Shabbos, one accesses these blessings, which then gives us the weapon to overcome all negativity, especially the yetzer hara, the evil inclination.



"Zayin" as the weapon.

"Resh" can mean head or authority.

"Ayin" means eye.


Take out the letter "Zayin", and left with "Ayin" and "Resh", it means Evil.


When we add "Zayin" in front, it become seed or sown.

When we have the weapon, we can destroy evil.


When we are thinking about negative thoughts, we are actually evil in God's sight.


Evil inclination to rebel against God.

This is evil in the sight of God.


When we choose to depend on ourselves rather than the God who created us, this is evil in the sight of God too.


The first thing that man committed evil was when they think they can depend on themselves.

Think they can do it by themselves.


One of the things that tempts us during the work-week is our belief that it is our ability and efforts alone that shape and control our fate.


This belief then opens the door to the evil inclination in all its facets.


The crown and sword of Shabbos remind us that G‑d and only G‑d is the Master of our fate, and this belief gives us the ability to con­quer all negative forces.


Indeed, blessings are our truest, most reliable weapons.



Resh




Every one of us we have a will inside.

We make decisions.

We have free will of choice.


Can mean our will to want to do good (good eye) or bad things (bad eye).


The Hebrew letter Ayin means eye and correspondingly, the Ayin has to do with vision and bringing forth lights that are hidden.


Ayin teaches us to see beyond and relates to time.

It is the aspect of the visionary, to see not just what is happening in front of us, but to envision beyond that – to know one’s direction 5, 10, 100 years ahead and beyond.


Ayin is included in a great number of words associated with time (עת - time, שעה - hours, עתיד - future,עבר - past,רגע - moment, עוד - until,עד - eternity) and vision.


As an example, a kabbalah teacher told a story once of his grandfather as a very old man, out in the yard of the family house, moving large rocks, clearing the land, creating a garden and planting trees.


The teacher asked – “Why was my grandfather planting those trees?

He was too old and they would not mature in time to feed him.”

It was because he was planting them for the next generation ahead, beyond himself.


That is vision.

It teaches us to understand the cause and effect in our lives- how past actions lead to future outcomes, and how to think for the future.


Ayin implores us to OPEN our EYES, to SEE BEYOND the PHYSICAL.


The Ayin is meant to take us from dark to light.

It urges us to break through the walls of limitations in order to SEE WHAT is NOT YET VISIBLE to us.


A seed becomes a plant becomes a flower becomes a grain becomes bread to nourish a family.


In every loaf of bread is contained the countless fingerprints human tending—the farmers, the bakers, the truck drivers, the grocery store stockers.



And in every atom and strand of DNA and touch by sun and touch by hand is evidence of the divine blessings of Hashem, the blessing of thanks given after eating bread.


Traditional Judaism does not offer us a prayer to make upon planting a seed—perhaps because the outcome of that action, the harvest, is so distant, and so many variables can influence the plant’s growth.


Instead the process of planting and tending to our gardens, and about the many metaphors contained in the word ‘seeds’/זרעים (which can mean seeds that become plants as well as sperm, children/descendants, and the entirety of the Jewish people most generally).


The first is the powerful message of hope that Judaism associates with seeds, encouraging us to plant a tree even if only our great, great grandchildren/future generations will eat from it.


The second is the necessity of devotion to tending of the garden, through consistent attention and action, despite whatever mishaps we encounter.


Finally, we are enjoined again and again to express our gratitude to Hashem for the blessings all around us, during daily prayer, before and after our meals, and as we move through our world.


ECCLESIASTES 11:1-3 EASY

Freely give your things to other people.

If you do that, one day you will receive your things back again.


Share your things with several other people.

You do not know when trouble will come.

Then those people can help you. When clouds are full of water, rain will fall on the earth.

If a tree falls to the ground, it will stay there, in the same place.


ECCLESIASTES 11:4-5 EASY

A farmer who waits for the right wind will never plant any seeds.

If he is always looking at the clouds, he will never bring in his crops.


We do not know the path that the wind blows along.

Nor do we know how a baby's body grows inside a pregnant woman.

So nobody can explain the things that God does.

He is the one who has made everything.


ECCLESIASTES 11:6 EASY

Plant your seeds in the morning, and continue to work until the evening.

You do not know which seeds will become strong plants. Perhaps only some of them will grow.

Perhaps they will all grow well.


MATTHEW 13:18-19 EASY

Jesus then said, ‘Listen to me now.

I will tell you what this story about the farmer means.


Some people HEAR the message about God's kingdom BUT they DO NOT UNDERSTAND it.

Satan comes and he quickly takes the message away from their minds.


The seeds that fell on the path show what those people are like.



Our hearts are like soil.


MATTHEW 13:20-21 EASY

Other SEEDS fell on soil with ROCKS in it.

This is like some people who HEAR God's message.


These people are happy to believe it for a time.

But they are like plants that have not grown down well into the soil.

So they only believe for a SHORT TIME.

They may have problems.


Or other people may do bad things to them, because they obey God's message. When that happens, these people soon stop believing.



MATTHEW 13:22 EASY

Some SEEDS fell among THORN bushes.

This is like people who hear the message from God.

But they have many troubles in their minds.

They want to get more money and more things.

They think that this will make them happy.


So they do not let God's message change them.

They are like plants that do not grow well and make new seeds.



We think money is important and is our source of happiness.


LUKE 8:14 MSG

“And the seed that fell in the WEEDS —well, these are the ones who hear, but then the SEED is CROWDED OUT and nothing comes of it as they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money, and on having fun.



LUKE 8:15 MSG

“But the SEED in the GOOD earth—these are the good-hearts who SEIZE the Word and HOLD ON NO MATTER WHAT, sticking with it until there’s a harvest.


MATTHEW 13:23 EASY

But some SEEDS fell on GOOD SOIL.

This is like other people who hear the message from God and they UNDERSTAND it.

These people are like good plants that grow well.


From one seed, some good plants make 100 new seeds. Other good plants make 60 new seeds, and some good plants make 30 new seeds.’



Seed is the weapon.


What is the difference is the Word of God.

Without Word of God, testimony may not be powerful.


2 CORINTHIANS 9:6 EASY

Remember this: If a farmer plants only a FEW SEEDS, he will NOT GET MUCH as a result.


But if he plants PLENTY of SEEDS, he will get a BIG HARVEST.


Two main aspect of seeds:

  1. Word of God

  2. Finances (Money)

Money becomes our source.

We cannot serve God and mammon.


2 CORINTHIANS 9:7 EASY

Each of you should think carefully and then decide how much you can give.

Then you will not be sad to give that money.

Nobody has made you give it. God loves someone who is happy to give help to other people.


2 CORINTHIANS 9:8-9 EASY

Since God loves you, he is able to give you more than you need. You will always have every good thing that you need for yourselves.

And you will have enough to do many good things to help other people.


The Bible says this about someone who helps other people: ‘He has shared his things with many poor people.

God will always remember how kind that person has been.’


2 CORINTHIANS 9:10 EASY

It is GOD who SUPPLIES SEEDS for the farmer to plant.

It is God who supplies bread for food.

God will help you in the same way.


He will give you plenty of things so that you can help other people.

You will be like a farmer who plants many seeds.


And God will cause those seeds to grow.

There will be many good results from the help that you give to other people.

That will be like a great harvest.


ZAYIN, the SWORD of the SPIRIT, the WORD of GOD, a WEAPON, a PLOW.


A plow is a farm tool for loosening or turning the soil before sowing seed or planting.


Ploughs were traditionally drawn by oxen and horses but in modern farms are drawn by tractors.

A plough may have a wooden, iron or steel frame with a blade attached to cut and loosen the soil.


Zayin brings life through death and nourishment by the sword.


God plows our heart.


Zayin breaks up the ground, as a PLOW, for the PURPOSE of BRINGING forth SEEDS.


Zayin cuts deep into the soul to CUT OUT what is not of God, so that NEW LIFE may sprout.



Our heart is the spiritual ground.

Cut deep in the soul - God's Word cut deep inside us.

Sharper than two edges sword.


It's the cut of conviction.

Word of God brings forth conviction.


Zayin as a plow.


The Zayin, like a plow, digs into the dark places in our hearts and brings to the surface all that is not of Yahweh, so that His seed, light, healing, joy, and forgiveness can make us whole again.


When our hearts are triggered by something unexpectedly, our hurts surface, and we may react in ways which we shouldn’t any longer.

We may uncover resentment and hidden unforgiveness.


God plows our heart with His Word, with love and with grace.

Plow to take out the stone, bitterness, anger and hatred.


It is very important not to linger in these dark places as the enemy continues to unjustly keep accusing us.


That is all the devil has is lies, lies, and more lies.


We use scripture and the authority of Yeshua, to tackle and dismantle the enemy with truth, the truth of the Word, the weapon.


We must rebuke the lies and not come into agreement with them. It is in this place that we exercise discernment.


As we mature spiritually, we recognize how to protect ourselves against these demonic forces that can come through others if they have unresolved issues or jealousy.


SOWING (ZERA) God's Word (living spiritual seeds) into our HEARTS to bring forth fruits.



SOWING (ZERA) our money (financial seeds) into GOD'S KINGDOM


are POWERFUL WEAPONS God has given us to destroy the works of the enemy in our lives and bring us the harvest of blessing given to us in CHRIST.


MALACHI 3:10-11 AMP

Bring all the tithes (the tenth) [ma‛ăśêrמעשׂר ] into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you [so great] a blessing until there is no more room to receive it.


Then I will rebuke the devourer (insects, plague) for your sake and he will not destroy the fruits of the ground, nor will your vine in the field drop its grapes [before harvest],” says the Lord of hosts.



When we tithe spiritually, it is to Jesus.

It is a spiritual act.

Tithing unto our Messiah, the head, the possessor of Heaven and Earth.


The more word of God we have in our heart, the more our heart is plowed, the more fruits of the spirit we will bear.





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