Secret of the Hebrew letter Mem

Transcript of “Secret of the Hebrew letter Mem”

The 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Mem.

The numeric value of Mem is 40.

The pictogram, or symbol, behind the shape of the letter Mem is an ocean or lake.

The word MEM, spelled MEM MEM, sounds like the Hebrew word "MAYIM", spelled MEM YUD MEM. "MAYIM" in Hebrew means "water". So this letter of the Hebrew alphabet speaks of water. And water speaks of the Word of God. 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 5 says "by the Word of God ... the earth was formed out of water and by water."

Ephesians chapter 5 verse 26 says that we are cleansed (that is, spiritually cleansed and set apart for God) "... by the washing of water with the Word."

In the Old Testament, priests coming into the presence of God, in service in the Temple, had to first wash with water. This was a type and shadow of what was to come ... in Christ. Physical washing with water can never cleanse a guilty conscience. Jesus, the living Word of God, cleanses us, and we are accepted, through His sacrifice on the cross. We not only have this legal right-standing with God, but we experience an ongoing transformation as He continually washes our minds, as we immerse in the Word.

In John chapter 4 verse 14 we read Jesus saying: "... whoever drinks of the water that I give him shall never thirst, but the water that I give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

Water is a good metaphor, because water is essential for life. But this is not literal water that Jesus is speaking of. This is the Word of God, which is essential for the spiritual life. For the person who is spiritually thirsty, Jesus gives the water of life, freely (Revelation 21:6).

We receive the water of life, the Word of the LORD, from Jesus, and because of Him. We are changed, we are empowered, and we pass on this message of hope and of life to others.

New Testament writers, like John and Peter and Paul, were Jews – the apostles – the Jewish disciples of Jesus, the Jewish Messiah. They were writing, by the Holy Spirit, out of a foundation in the Old Testament Scriptures.

Isaiah chapter 12 verses 2-3 say: "God is my salvation ..." (The Hebrew word for salvation is "Yeshua" ... the Hebrew name of Jesus) "God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD God is my strength and my song And He has become my salvation." (Here is the word "Yeshua" again.) Verse 3: "Therefore, you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation." (Here is the word "Yeshua" a third time) And salvation ... "Yeshua" (which hints strongly at the name – the only name by which we must be saved) – is linked to the idea of water ... the water of the Word.

In the video session about the letter LAMED, I presented the idea that the letters of the Hebrew alphabet can be seen in pairs ... that the message behind each letter seems to be joined to the thought of the following letter ... two by two.

For example, YUD and KAF: both indicate a hand. There are two hands on view.

CHET and TET: the doorway into the Holy Place, followed by the entrance, now open, into the Holy of Holies.

VAV and ZAYIN: the nail and the sceptre ... both linked to Jesus' hand.

These are pairs that are easy to see. And others are coming up:

AYIN and PEH: The eye and the mouth. What is seen and what is spoken.

TZADI and KUF: Righteousness and holiness.

But there is hardly a pairing that is more obvious, or more vital to see as linked, than LAMED (the last letter we examined) and MEM (the letter we are looking at now). LAMED gave us the truth of Jesus being our Teacher, and now teaching us through the Holy Spirit, who comes in His name. And MEM is the Word of God. We are instructed out of the Word. "The Word of God is living and active and sharper than a sword ... it judges even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts." (Hebrews 4:12)

The Word of God was delivered through men – through Jewish writers – but they were not writing their own ideas. They were "moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21)

Proper Christian instruction is from the Word of God.

The Word of God is complete. "It is inspired by God ... It is profitable for teaching, for correction and for training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 16-17)

It is a wise Christian who draws all they need for the spiritual life from the Word of God, quickened by the Holy Spirit.

When we come to the Word, we are coming to Jesus. "In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). And the Word is Jesus. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us ..." (John 1:14)

When you hold a Bible, you hold in your hands a treasure beyond measure.