HHMI Newsgroup Archives

From:          Tom Holeman
To:                 heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject:       HaY'Did Learning Center: Teaching Article by Dr. Doug Wheeler

                     HaY'Did Learning Center

                     http://www.haydid.org/

              Teaching Article by Dr. Doug Wheeler


                                THE ECHAD OF GOD

Previously published in Restore! Magazine www.restorationfoundation.org

by Douglas A. Wheeler, Ph.D., TH.D.

Mended Wings Ministries
PO Box 8538, Bossier City, LA 1773-8538

1-318-752-4447

Email: mendwing@bellsouth.net

One of the great foundational beliefs of Judaism is the "Shema" (pronounced
shmä),  which literally means "to hear." It is comprised of three distinct
passages of Scripture: Deuteronomy 6: 4-9; Deuteronomy 11: 13-21; and
Numbers 15: 37-41.

The first part of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) is by far the most
recognizable of the three passages and stresses a belief in
the unity of God as well as an absolute loyalty to Torah and all the
commandments contained therein. The instruction was also
given that the commandments were to be carried in one's heart, taught
diligently to the children in the home, spoken of habitually, and
remembered upon waking and before sleep every day. They were also to
be bound upon the hand, worn as frontlets on the head, and placed
upon the doorpost of the house and gates.

In his book Judaism A-Z, Yacov Newman says, "The central and most
ancient element of Jewish liturgy, Shema calls for love (and not only
'fear') of God through physical service and spiritual devotion;
exemplary conduct and (if need be) self-sacrifice; instruction of
young and fulfillment of Divine precepts; awareness that there will
be reward and punishment for obedience or disobedience; and promotion
of individual and national holiness through constant wearing of
fringes (tzitzit) by males as outward sign of devotion to God.
Twice-daily recital, during the first quarter of day (in Shacharit or
morning service) and after nightfall (in ma'ariv or evening service;
also when retiring to bed), is based on Biblical injunction of 'talk
of them . . . when thou liest down, and when thou riseth up'
(Deuteronomy 6:7). Further injunctions to 'bind them for a sign upon
thine hand, and . . . for frontlets between thine eyes' (6:8) and to
'write them upon the doorposts of thy house, and upon thy gates'
(6:9) are basis for teffilin and mezuzah observances.

During keri'at Shema, a special responsive formula is inserted
between the 1st two verses: Barukh Shem Kevod Malkhuto Le-Olam Va'ed
(Blessed be His Name, Whose Glorious Kingdom is for ever and ever).
This credo is always recited in an undertone, except on Yom Kippur
when it is read aloud (as in period of Roman oppression). Together
with this formula, the entire Shema comprises 245 words, but
repetition of Adonai Elohekhem (end of third paragraph)
with Emit ('true'; first word of following prayer) increases this
number to 248, equivalent to the sum of positive precepts in Torah.
.
Another affirmation of the Talmud is that, 'if you will recite the Shema
morning and evening, you will not be conquered' (Sota 42a)."1

Consider the first part of the Shema:

           (Shema Yisra'el, Adonai Elokhenu Adonai Echad).

In translation this says, "Hear O Israel, the Lord, the God of us, the Lord
is one." In this passage there are four words that should be closely
examined. Examined separately, these words form the foundation of a
very important concept that concludes in the New Testament. These
words,(font not  and have been translated: hear, Lord, our God, and
one, respectively.


                      WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HEAR?

The word (font not available) Shema means much more than just "to
listen or hear." The act of hearing is a three-part process.  By
Hebraic definition, a person has not really heard unless he first
listens, understands (guards) what he has heard, and then takes
action on what he has heard. This is contrary to the Western mind
which often concludes that hearing is a completed act upon
understanding and that action may or may not be involved or even
necessary. In Deuteronomy 12: 28 we see this process of hearing:
"Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may
go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when
thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy
God." Notice the three elements of hearing in this passage: listen;
observe(font not available)"to guard, to fasten down with nails,"2
which shows understanding; and, finally, do that which is right and
good in the sight of the Lord thy God. We see this same process of
hearing in the New Testament as well. In the parable of the sower who
goes out to sow seed (Luke 8: 15), Jesus defines the good ground
where the seed falls as, ". . .they which in an honest and good
heart, having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with
patience." Here, once again, is the three part process of listening,
guarding, and action.

To "keep" in this passage means to build a high fence around for the
expressed purpose of protection. This process of hearing is shown in
the Epistles as well, where James says, "For if any be a hearer of
the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural
face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and
straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But
whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth
therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work,
this man shall be blessed in his deed" (James 1: 23-25). Once again
we see the three part process: listen, understand (guard), and do.


                          THE NAME OF GOD

The second word that needs to be considered is the Hebrew word (font
not available). It has been translated "Lord" but in actuality is the proper
name of God (Yehovah). This name shows that God is our ultimate
source as well as our provider and deliverer, past, present, and
future. This name has been translated into English as "I am that I
am," or "the Preexistent One." In some cases, it is translated as "I
shall be as I shall be." Both of these express that God is both
timeless and eternal. This name is the "Shem Ha Meforash" or the
"Ineffable Name," which many believe is derived from the
Hebrew words for past, present, and future.

Hayah-This is the Hebrew word for "was" (past).

Horeh-This is the Hebrew word for "is" (present).

Yiheyeh-This is the Hebrew word for "is to come" or "will
be" (future).

The combination of these three Hebrew words results in the proper
name of God. This makes the verse in Hebrews 13:8 all the more
significant. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,  today and forever.


                       BIBLICAL ONENESS DEFINED

The third word that needs to be examined in the opening statement of the
Shema is the word (font not available). This word is a combination of
two Hebrew words in construct form: (font not available) anachenu,
which means "we" or "our," and (font not available)Elohiym,
pronounced Eloheem, which is one of the names of God. When the final
! or mem sophit is dropped from the word (font not available) and the
(font not available) ending is added, the result is the constructed
word(font not available) which means "our God" or "God of us." We
want to consider the word as it appears before the construct form.
This would be the word (font not available)which is usually translated
"God" but which has a greater meaning of "God above all Gods." The
root of this word is (font not available) (El) and this word, which
is in the singular form, is often translated "God" as well. El also
has a deeper meaning of power, strength, and might, conveying the
idea that our God is a God of strength and power.

It is not our intention to delve into Hebrew grammar, but some points
need to be made for the purpose of further discussion. The word El as
stated above is in the singular form. The word Elohiym (pronounced
Eloheem) is in the plural form. Hebrew words are unique because they
can show number, gender, and direction depending upon the prefixes
and suffixes that are attached to the root word. For the sake of this
discussion, we will only consider the gender and number of
the words (font not available) and (font not available). Again, we
must start with the root of the word, which in this case is(font not
available) (El) and defined as "God." If we wanted to make the word
El dual (that is, plural showing more than one but less than three),
we could simply add the ending (font not available) making the word
(font not available) (Eloheyim). This would make the word plural
(dual), two in number. Since the word ends with the dual ending of
(font not available) and the final mem (font not available) or mem
sophit, this word is also masculine. In order to make the word plural
with reference to "three" as well as masculine, we would write it
(font not available). The(font not available) ending makes the word
masculine and plural, three or more. This is a very important fact in
the opening verse of the Shema and would almost make the Shema
obscure without this understanding. Understanding this plurality in
the Godhead is a very different concept than polytheism. To believe
in the plurality in one God does not make one a believer in
polytheism. With this understanding, we can see that the first part
of the Shema could read, "Hear, understand, and act on the fact, O
Israel, the Lord, the God of us [three in number, masculine], the
Lord is echad."

                                    ONE IN UNITY

Now we are ready to consider the most important word in this passage,
(font not available), (pronounced echad). It is this word that brings
the richness of understanding and sets the stage for a concept that
is developed throughout the rest of the Word of God. Echad has been
translated "one" in the Bible. While it certainly does convey the
numerical meaning of "one," it should be pointed out again that in
Biblical Hebrew, we do not really need a separate word to show a
number. This can be done quite easily by the suffix that is added to
the root of a word. Once again, a Hebrew word can show not only
number, but gender and direction. Since we have a word already
present that shows both plurality and gender, there is really no need
to specify the number one. Stated another way, the use of the word
echad to specify number is not only redundant but contradictory.
There must be a deeper meaning to this word. According to Gesenius
Hebrew/Chaldee Lexicon To The Old Testament, (font not available)
(echad) means, "to unite, to join together, to be in unity."2 Echad
also conveys the idea of being "bound together" like the cords of a
rope. The tighter the cords are bound, the greater the strength
produced. Echad does indeed mean "one" but it is a oneness that is
produced by unity. We see this idea of echad in Genesis 2:23-24 when
Adam said, "This is now bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh: she shall
be called woman because she was taken out of man.  Therefore shall a
man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and
they shall be one (font not available) echad) flesh." Here we see two
distinct individuals declared as "one" flesh. This is not talking
about one in number but one in unity, harmony, peace, and the sharing
of common goals. Adam and Eve were joined together, twisted,
bound, and wrapped together in singleness of purpose.

In Matthew 19:3-6 Jesus says that when a man and woman are married,
the two of them become one(font not available) flesh. They are
united, joined, and wrapped together like the cords of a rope. They
have singleness of purpose in marriage, and no man should try to
destroy that unity. This unity does not destroy the diversity nor the
individuality of the people in the relationship.

This is the very idea presented in the Shema. We have seen that
Eloheem (font not available) is both plural and masculine. What is
being said in this statement, "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the
Lord is one"? Israel: hear, understand, and act on the fact that our
God is a God of unity, and that this plurality and unity of the
Godhead is tightly bound together like the cords of a rope. They have
singleness of purpose, and you should partake of this
unity by sharing the same goals with God.


                       A WITNESS TO ECHAD

It is interesting that in the Scripture verse itself, the Shema is written
with the [ and the d much larger than the rest of the letters.
Please notice:   (font not available)

The two letters (font not available) and(font not available)form the word
(font not available) which means "witness." This could certainly be
interpreted that Israel was being asked by God to bear witness not
only to the Godhead but also to the unity contained therein and to be
a part of that unity by observing all of the commands. This idea of
being "one" is not an isolated idea but a major concept of the Word
of God. Consider the instructions given on the construction of the
tzitzit or fringes.

According to the Code of Jewish Law the construction of the fringes
waw begun by taking four stands of thread and weaving them into a
string. "If one does not take four separate strings, but takes one
long string, folds it into four, puts it through the aperture (hole),
makes a knot, and thereafter cuts the string, it is invalid."3 Four
strands must be put through the aperture thus doubling them to make
eight. It was not permitted to take a single strand and cut it into
four pieces and then put those four through the aperture creating the
eight strands. Once the four strands are put through the aperture,
two knots are made. Then the longest strand, called the shamesh, or
helper strand, is used to make the wrappings. Again, according to
Jewish Law, ". . .the strands of the tzitzit are to be twisted, and
if any strand becomes untwisted, it is considered as cut off and
nonexistent."4 The tzitzit was a reminder to remember and do
all of the commandments of the Lord.

The number four is important here. The number three represents the
Godhead, and the remaining strand represents your life. As you twist,
wrap, and bind your life with God the Father, God the Son, and God
the Holy Spirit you become (font not available) (one) with Him.

This concept is further developed in Isaiah 40:31, "But they that
wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up
with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall
walk, and not faint." The word translated "wait" in this verse is the
Hebrew word (font not available)(qavah) and it means to "twist and
bind, like a rope; to be strong and robust from the idea of binding
fast."5 Again, the concept is that strength is produced as we twist
and bind our lives together with the Lord. This twisting, this
binding makes us (font not available)with God.


                 ECHAD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

In response to a group of Jews who asked Him to tell them plainly if
he was the Christ, Jesus said, "I and my Father are one" (John
10:25-31). Jesus makes an extraordinary statement here: "I and my
Father are (font not available) [one]." It is the same word used in
Deuteronomy 6:4, and by using it, Jesus clearly defines it. He was
using the word echad in the same way it in which it was used in
Genesis. He was identifying himself as part of the Godhead.

The Jews knew exactly what he was saying, and they picked up stones
to stone him. He was declaring that he and the Father are united,
twisted, and bound together: they were in complete unity; they had
the same goals. They shared singleness of purpose. Jesus' clearest
interpretation and definition of echad is found in John 14:7-11, "If
ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from
henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. ... . he that hath seen me
hath seen the Father . . . Believe me that I am in the Father, and
the Father in me: or else believe me for the very work's sake.."
Here is Jesus' interpretation of echad with God: I am in the Father
and the Father is in me, united, bound together, sharing, and working
toward a common goal.


               BELIEVERS ARE TO BE ECHAD

Jesus also tells us that echad is not something that he alone shares
with the Father. In his prayer found in John 17, Jesus prays for not
only the disciples but also for all those who shall believe on him
through their word, ". . ..that they may be one, as thou Father, art
in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one [echad] in us; that
the world may believe that thou hast sent me."(vs. 21) Jesus again
defines echad and prays that we may be echad (united, bound
together, sharing and working toward a common goal) in the Father and
in the Son. He goes on to say, "and the glory which thou gavest me I
have given them; that they may be one [echad] even as we are one."
(vs. 22) Jesus then tells us that this echad, this oneness, will not
only bring maturity in our lives with God but with one another. "I in
them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect [mature] in one;
and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved
them, as thou hast loved me."(vs. 23) The manifestation of this
echad, this binding together, this unity, is love for the Lord and for
each other. "That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in
them, and I in them."(vs. 26) Jesus is our example of echad (font not
available) with God. If a person says that he is echad with God but
does not manifest love, then by definition, echad does not exist.


              JEW AND GENTILE IN ECHAD

Paul's description of echad in Ephesians 2 is both didactic and
prophetic in nature. In verses 11-18 we read, "Wherefore remember,
that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh . . . that at that
time ye were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of
Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope,
and without God in the world; But now in Christ Jesus ye who
sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he
is our peace, who hath made both one(font not available) in Hebrew,
ei'" in Greek] and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain
one (font not available) new man, so making peace; and that he might
reconcile both unto God in one (font not available)body by the cross,
having slain the enmity thereby. . . ."

This passage of scripture is prophetic as well as didactic. It tells
us that through the sacrifice of Jesus, God has made of Jew and
Gentile one (echad) new man. This one new man is to function under
the Lordship of Jesus, being united and bound together with Him and
each sharing the same goals and purposes with the Lord-to be a part
of accomplishing God's purpose in the world. Ephesians is telling us
that because of the sacrifice of Jesus, Jew and Gentile which in
times past were two different "men" will come together and become one
new man. Paul is telling us of a day when Jew and Gentile will be
echad.  They will be united, joined together, unified, sharing a specific
purpose.

So how are we doing? Are Jews and Gentiles united, bound, twisted
together, and unified for a specific purpose? There is still a long
way for us to go. This passage has only begun to come to pass. A
great deal of the church is still anti-Semitic, thinking that the
Jews are under the curse of God and that the Church has replaced
Israel. A large portion of the church still has no idea that we share
a common heritage with Israel. We share the same root. A great
portion of the church still teaches the Word of God from a Greek
mindset rather than a Hebraic mindset. There is still today a lack of
understanding that we, as Gentiles, are called alongside the Jew to
accomplish a greater purpose of bringing salvation to a lost and
dying world, as well as making a stand against such things as the New
Age Movement and the Greco-Roman philosophy and Hellenization of the
Church. We may be "one new man" in position but we have yet to fully
carry it out in experience, to the level that would be pleasing to
the Lord. There is still a large portion of the church community that
does not even recognize that the Old Testament is still a viable
part of the canon of Scripture. There are still many churches that
never mention, much less teach on, such things as the feasts of the
Lord, the influence of Hebrew on the New Testament, and the
importance of Romans 11.

As Christian leaders we must change this. We must begin to teach our
people the language of Hebrew, the Jewish or Hebraic roots of their
Christianity, as well as the vast heritage that is theirs as a result
of being grafted into the root. We must teach people the importance
of understanding that "we being a wild olive tree, were graffed in
among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the
olive tree." We must begin to teach people that the Lord has
placed in our lives the richness of the Hebraic (Jewish) root and
that it is available to them. This must not be done just to increase
our head knowledge but to bring us back to a vibrant and powerful
relationship with Jesus that was evident in the early Church. There
is much still there that keeps us from being echad (font not
available) not only with the Jews but with each other. We must
remember that we can be no deeper in echad with God than we are with
people. Love must be manifest in all that we say and do.

What is God's vision for this echad? Does He reveal the level of
echad that we, as Gentiles, should achieve with the Jews?

First, consider a few historical facts. The church was born in the
midst of Judaism. The members of the first church were Jewish and not
Gentile. They were in fact one of the four major sects of Judaism
called the "Notzrim"(Nazarenes).

Even within this group there were major divisions. It was not until 150
years later that the church completely broke away from Judaism, and
that separation came because of the person of Jesus. The traditional
Jews could not tolerate the church's claim that Jesus was God and had
a unique and special Sonship with God, nor its interpretation of
Jewish symbols such as identifying Jesus as the paschal lamb.

In order to understand God's vision of echad, we need to understand
that God had always made provision for the Gentile and the stranger
in the land. Gentiles were always on the mind of God even as were the
Jews. Jews and Gentiles have always been together in the plan of God.
In Zechariah 9: 13 we read, "When I have bent Judah for me, filled
the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy
sons O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man." Ephraim
represents Gentiles who will be loaded into the bow of Judah (the
Jews) for the specific purpose fighting against the New Age movement,
anti-Semitism, and the Greek mindset. Jew and Gentile will work
together to accomplish God's plan in the earth. This can only
be fully accomplished by Jew and Gentile together.

This is the true meaning of echad, to be echad with God, to be echad
with one another, and to be echad with the Jews. We must understand
that we are spiritually linked to Israel and that we are to come
alongside the Jews in order to accomplish God's purpose in the earth.
Shalom, and may we be echad with the Lord and with each other, Jew
and Gentile alike.

Footnotes:

     1 Yacov Newman, Judaism A-Z (Dept. for Torah Education and Culture,
Israel, 1980), pp. 212-213.

       2 H.W.F. Gesenius, Gesenius Hebrew/Chaldee Lexicon to the Old
Testament (Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI, 1979), p. 28.

       3 Rabbi Solomon Ganzfried, Code of Jewish Law (Hebrew Publishing Co.,
New York, 1963), Vol 1, p. 21.

       4 Ibid., p., 24.

       5 Gesenius, p. 726

     Dr. Douglas Wheeler is founder and president of Mended Wings, a
ministry to families. He has an extensive academic background in Biblical
Hebrew, which he uses to enlighten believers as to the deeper, often
hidden meanings of Holy Scripture. He also teaches with great insight on
the Hebrew foundations of Christian faith in seminars and other events.
Doug, his wife, Joyce, and their sons, Samuel and Benjamin, live in Bossier
City, Louisiana.

*****************************************************************************

Return to Newsgroup Archives Main Page

Return to our Main Webpage


©2011 Hebraic Heritage Ministries International. Designed by Web Design by JB.