Dabar

Heb.4:¹² “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

John connects John 1:1 with Genesis 1:1 in a beautiful way. The Book of Genesis in Hebrew text is called Bereshit and it means “in the beginning”. Meaning the entire Book of Genesis is called the beginning. Jn.1:¹ “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (NRSV, emphasis added). Gen.1:¹ “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (emphasis added). Therefore, the Word is God. How you treat the Word of God is how you are treating God. If you revere the Word of God, you revere God. If you obey the Word of God, you obey God. If you adore the Word of God, you adore God. If you make time for the Word of God, you are making time for God. One way to see and experience God is to make time for the Word of God. How do you obey God? Obey the Word of God.

When John says ‘word’, it is not the Greek word “logos” even though that is the word that was written. When John says ‘word’ he is referring to the Hebrew word “dabar”; that was what John had in mind. What is the difference between dabar and logos”? Logos just means “word” literally, but dabar means both “word” and “deed”. Huge difference! “In the beginning… dabar” – both word and deed. When God says something, it happens and that is dabar. Dabar means the Word of God has everything in it to bring it to pass. Not only does it have everything in it to bring it to pass, the Word of God once spoken, goes out, and executes what has been spoken. That is why God says His Word will not return to Him void but it will fulfil [word and deed]. The Word of God, the dabar is a fulfilling word; it is a word of action, not action from just a verb standpoint, but action from an execution standpoint. This Word is not just to be heard, once it has been heard, it is working. Huge difference! Whereas logos means word, dabar means word and deed.

In Genesis 1:3 God says, “Let there be light, and there was light”; that is how God created light. Every Word that God has spoken to you will come to pass [say Amen]. It will come to pass because that Word has in it instruments of execution. That Word works by itself to bring what has been spoken to pass and that is what we see John showing us consistently. In John 4:50, Jesus said, “your son will live”, that Word healed the government official’s son. “your son will live” was all Jesus said and that was all that was needed. Why? It is because the Word is both word and deed. God’s Word will not return to Him void but it shall perform. What shall perform? The Word itself shall perform everything that God has sent it out to do.

The Word “your son will live” performed; when the government official got home, he found that his son was healed at the exact same time the Word was spoken. The Word does not even travel through time and space, it is instantaneous.

Prayer: Father, I praise You whose Word is active and powerful, not limited by space or time. Lord, send Your Word into my life today establishing Your counsel, in Jesus Name. Amen!