Matthew 24 seems to be happening in real time and we are reminded that Messiah told us to

not be troubled

when we see and hear of these events.

 For those living many hundreds of miles away from the epicenter of these tragedies, the headlines are just that, ‘headlines’. However the reality of the devastating earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and subsequent tsunamis; not to mention the storms, floods and wind damage that are making those headlines, are very real to those living in their proximity.

We are reminded to focus our prayers towards those in need, and for those first responders who place their own lives in danger to help others. It is not ever just the event itself, but the aftermath that requires stamina and faith to deal with the situation as lives are for ever changed; and challenges present themselves in unimagined quantities. Remembering the people in prayer, after the headlines fade, is something we can and should do.

Most important is for people to place their lives in the hands of the One Who can truly turn all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Rom.8:28. Understanding such events is beyond our reasoning at times and that is when our faith must take the place of fear, doubt and bewilderment; as we cast all of our care on Him because He cares for us. 1Peter 5:7. When disaster strikes we are not only to turn to Him but we are to cling to Him.

It is important to know to whom, or to what we are clinging before we find ourselves in a crisis. It’s time to check up where our faith is centered and firmly grounded, or on whom we depend. Is our life, safety and provision in family, friends, government institutions, insurance companies, etc., etc.? There is nothing wrong with looking to those for assistance, however, our relationship with our Heavenly Father must be a priority.

Why?

Because when all other lifelines fail us, if we are clinging to the Lord, He is a sure anchor, the hope of our faith; and His promise of intervention into our situation is certain, whatever it may be.

When we use the word cling, it gives us a picture of someone clinging to a rock or tree during a storm, so as not to get blown or swept away in a flood.

In Hebrew the word is

dabaq

Strongs 1692

dabaq: To cling, cleave, adhere, stick, join

Original Word: דָּבַק
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: dabaq
Pronunciation: dah-BAHK
Phonetic Spelling: (daw-bak’)
KJV: abide fast, cleave (fast together), follow close (hard after), be joined (together), keep (fast), overtake, pursue hard, stick, take
NASB: cling, overtook, cleaves, clung, clings, hold, hold fast
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

abide fast, cleave fast together, follow close hard after, be joined together

A primitive root; properly, to impinge, i.e. Cling or adhere; figuratively, to catch by pursuit — abide fast, cleave (fast together), follow close (hard after), be joined (together), keep (fast), overtake, pursue hard, stick, take.

 Cling – Dabaq/Deveq – דְבָּ֔ק

Daleth Beth Qop

and means more of an expression of love and respect in the form of an embrace or a hug, than how we think of it.

So we could read this verse in

Deuteronomy 10:20: “You shall fear, reverently respect, the Lord your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name.”

as: “You shall fear reverently respect the Lord your God, you shall serve Him and you shall embrace Him…”  

Similarily in Deut. 4:4 ..you that did cling to the Lord/ lovingly embrace the Lord. Deuteronomy 4:4: “But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive to this day, every one of you.” 

The force behind a davekut is the love of the Father and the desire for intimacy or closeness with Him.

The same could be said for the verse Gen. 2:24 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and cleave/cling to his wife, and the two will become one.

Genesis 2:24
HEB: וְאֶת־ אִמּ֑וֹ וְדָבַ֣ק בְּאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהָי֖וּ
KJV: and his mother, and shall cling/cleave unto his wife:

This is also true of each of us with our Heavenly Father, we are to become one with Him with a total embrace.

In the same way a small child runs to be embraced by a parent in times of great need, or just to express trust, love and deep affection. 

In Jewish literature the rabbis teach that, a devekut is a high and deep stage of spiritual development where the seeker attaches himself or herself to God and exchanges individuality for a profound partnership with the Holy One. 

If we consider the Sabbath as a gift from our Heavenly Father, it’s a day to draw closer to Him, to enter into a davekut with Him. This clinging is not in a negative way, like we would see a parasitic insect such as a tick or a leech; it is not one sided, it takes both parties to complete the embrace, the devekut.

Psalm 63:8 is another place this word is used

deveqah nepeshi acherika. 

The King James translates this as “My soul follows hard after you.”  Other translations read it as “My soul clings to you.”

My soul [my life, my very self] clings to You;

Your right hand upholds me.  Amplified.

As noted, the word for “follows hard’ or “clings” is deveq.”  

Deveq or devekut  in Hebrew today is the word for glue. 

The Rabbis teach that it means: a gateway to the heart of God through holiness and sanctification. 

In Psalm 63, David was so hungry for the Lord that he was devekut or clinging/embracing the Lord as much as is possible without the physical posture.  A prayer of devekut has been described as, not praying anything for oneself but in a state of complete humility, seeking only to bring pleasure to the Lord.

The Hebrew word for humility doesn’t mean: thinking little or less of yourself. Humility in Hebrew is:

to lose all sense of yourself in the presence of the Heavenly Father; and it’s in this state of humility that we enter into a devekut. So devekut is simply losing all sense of self. Scripture tells us to make our requests known unto the Lord.   Jeremiah 29:13 tells us that if we seek God we will find Him if we search for Him with all our hearts.

That Holy embrace comes when we seek and search for the Lord with all our hearts, confessing sins, repenting and humbly waiting upon the Lord, clinging wholly to Him.  

Shalom shalom

‘Mishpachah’

‘Family/Tribe’

משפחה

Mish-pa-KHa,

friends, visitors and every reader…

Please don’t leave this page before making certain you are His

and are truly born again from above.

Know of a certainty that Jesus/Yeshua is

your Redeemer, Savior, Lord

and soon returning King

and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

It’s all about Life and Relationship, not Religion.

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry.

I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus.  Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen.