"In the Miryam Way"
"In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a
town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a
descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and
said, 'Greetings you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.'.....
"....You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you
are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son
of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never
end." (Luke 1: 26-28...31-33)
*************
Recently, I decided to research the name "Mary". As I opened my Bible
concordance and turned to the "M's", I imagined that the name "Mary" was
probably derived from a Hebrew word (or words) that meant "obedience" or
"surrendered in humility" or "favored servant" or "one who is meek and
willing" or "one of quiet virtue".....Something honorable like that.
But I was wrong.
According to Strong's Concordance, "Mary" is actually
"Miriam" ('miryam') in the Hebrew. And as I followed the word
'miryam' to its original, derivative sources [Strong's
4813, 4808, 4805, 7378...], I discovered that the name "Miriam" (miryam) is
actually loaded with meanings and connotations that I did not expect. And
all of them are negative.
They include:
-rebellion, rebellious (to resist)
-bitterness (unpleasant)
-quarrel
-provocation, strife
-disobedient
-to grapple, wrangle, chide, complain
-adversarial
Hmmmm.....How odd. It seems God chose to bring true Truth into the
world through a surrendered young virgin whose name was "rebellion",
"bitterness", "provocation" and "strife".
This was not what I had expected at all.
But then I realized that this stroke fits perfectly with what the Bible
teaches about mankind's true spiritual condition as sons of Adam (ie.,
rebellious, disobedient and fallen)....
We and this world in which we live are.....
"In the Miryam Way"
Lord, the picture that you painted
Is a Masterpiece...My Word!
Every name's a Revelation,
Clearing up what may be blurred.
Puzzle pieces you've provided,
Strokes of genius that fulfill...
Subtle tiles in Your Mosaic....
Deeper Wisdom to instill..
Lord, behold this Mother "Mary"....
The Virgin Vessel that you used;
Truth you poured into this
"miryam"...
To redeem the lost confused.
Bitter world... a Fallow Garden...
Adversary.....God reviled,
By Your Mercies overshadowed,
Man to God..... Be reconciled!
Here in
"miryam" we can see now,
Bright foreshadow of your Bride...
....Surrendered grateful rebels...
Beloved Church for whom Christ died.
The Provocation here was settled,
Bitter Strife here laid to rest....
Seed of Abraham delivered!
And by Grace, all nations blessed!*
We can hear the distant Trumpet,
We can see Bright Morning Star!
Our lamps are trimmed and burning**....
The Risen Son comes from afar!
*******
We are sojourners in this
fallen realm of miryam".
(And if you doubt that we live "in miryam", check the
annals of recorded human history and the current daily headlines!)
In the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 1, God the Father, through his
messenger the Archangel Gabriel ("valiant strength,
power and might of God")... announced that the Son of David and the
Son of God was coming into the world. Emmanuel!
And this soon-to-be-born Anointed One would initiate man's ultimate
rescue in Righteousness.
Prophesy fulfilled: Emmanuel, The Incarnation of Deity....At last:
Messiah arrives "in miryam" to
call out his spotless
Bride.
******
Gabriel made the announcement that the maiden, "Miryam", would
meet her Maker! In fact, she would give birth to Him! And his incarnate
name would be Jesus/Yehowshua (The Eternal, Self-Existent...salvation/
deliverer).
Miryam, would deliver The Truth.
And the Truth, in turn, would deliver this perishing
'miryam' world from the penalty of Sin.....eternal death. This
world's rebellion would be quelled by the mighty power of The Word
of God. The bitter adversary would be, at last, defeated...........
By God's holy might and power
The
evangel is declared...
To every tribe and every nation,
His Picture-perfect Word is shared.
Light of Truth must be delivered!
Vessel Mary,.... show The Way!
Illuminate the Son of Glory.....
Father, use these Jars of Clay.
Lord, You placed the Light within us,
To give us knowledge of your Grace...
Now Father, sanctify us,
As we seek Thy Holy Face.
"Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we
do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do
not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by
setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's
conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is
veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds
of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory
of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but
Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For
God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made this light shine in
our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Christ.
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay....."
(2 Corinthian 4:1-7a)
* (Genesis 22: 15-18)
** (Matthew 25: 1-13)
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