Grace and Peace...God's Original Meaning

I keep being drawn into Ephesians.  In Ephesians 1:2 it says: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord, His son.”  I have been trying something new in my Bible reading.  In the day of the Lord (and the disciples/apostles and early church) the Lord was known as Yashua (Joshua).  His name became Romanized and adopted by the West as time went by.  I have been reading it as He would have been known.  

And, as I have done with other words, I am using the ancient Hebrew pictograph meanings of words to enhance our understanding.  I find that this is delightful.  The three words that I want to focus on are grace, peace, and faith.  I am adding “faith” to the list because we will come to it later in Ephesians.  In the Western abstract English words we do not get the flavor of God’s intent.  I love it that it is so personal and it is ALL something that God does for us. 

Our first word is peace.  Notice that it is not something I DO.  It it something given to me to be whole and complete.  This is beautiful.   

“The noun שלומ (shalom), often translated as “peace,” comes from the verb שלמ (Sh.L.M). The verb shalam means to "restore" in the sense of replacing or providing what is needed in order to make someone or something whole and complete. The noun שלומ (shalom) is one who has, or has been provided, what is needed to be whole and complete.”

http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/27_peace.html

In Ephesians, we are told this grace and peace come from God and His Son.  Truly, this is the only source of grace and peace that is available to us because it is not something that is available through man’s ways.  It is not a works orientation.  It is about being in relationship with The Provider.  

The second word is grace.  I love the image of pitching a tent…God had them pitch another tent, the Sanctuary.  He said: Let them make me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them.  Then, all of Israel pitched tents that faced toward the Sanctuary.  In a sense, you and I are the tents (sanctuary/temple) that are pitched toward the Holy Trinity. 

“The Aramaic/Hebrew root word for grace, is channah (say "han-nah"), which in most ancient times always referred to pitching a tent (something they did on a daily basis; something everyone understood very clearly) ... and the otiot are:

chet (say "het"): A fence that surrounds and protects the sheep.

nun (say "noon"): A seed ... in this case, the Good Seed; Messiah Yahshua.

hey: A person with their arms raised, praising the Father.

Summation: We are saved by pitching our tent with the Father, His Son, and His Spirit. He surrounds and protects those that are His (chet) and who have become Good Seeds through Messiah Yahshua (nun), by their awe and worship of the Father (hey).

The third word today is faith.  Notice in the following description that it is, again, something that has been done for us and given to us.  We have been purchased by the blood.  The idea of being “yoked” with the Father puts a whole new meaning on “My yoke is easy…”  

“The Aramaic/Hebrew root word for faith, is aman (say "ah-mahn"), which is also the word that gives us amen (say "ah-mane") ... and the otiot are:

aleph (say "ah-lef"): Headship; being yoked to the Father.

mem: Water (the Word) and blood (Salvation).

nun (say "noon"): A seed ... in this case, the Good Seed; Messiah Yahshua.

Summation: Through being yoked to the Father (aleph), and through the blood which purchased us - along with our being washed and perpetually growing in His Word (mem), we become the Good Seeds, through the bloodline of Messiah Yahshua (nun).”  
 http://erfministries.com/blog_heb4.php

Grace and peace from God the Father and the Son.  I don’t know about you but I had often wondered how to go about the grace and peace thing.  I knew it was beyond me and had to be from God in some way, but these explanations of God’s original intent in the meanings really helps me receive God's extended grace and this definitely gives me  peace.  Praise God.