Secret of the Hebrew letter Kuf

Transcript of “Secret of the Hebrew letter Kuf”

The 19th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is KUF.

The numeric value of KUF is 100.

The pictogram, or symbol, behind the shape of the letter KUF is not clear, but it is significant that KUF is the only letter of the Hebrew alphabet that extends below the line of letters.

LAMED is the only letter that extends above the line of letters. KUF is the only letter that extends down.

Of course, this is true only for the main form of the letters. Four of the five final forms of letters (the 'sofit' letters) extend below the line when they occur at the end of a word. These are KAF, NUN, PEH and TSADI.

The first eleven letters of the Hebrew alphabet speak of our "rescue" – the fact that Jesus rescued us out of the world and out of darkness.

The second set of eleven letters speak of our "race" – that we work out our salvation – not workfor – work out our salvation ... staying in faith in Jesus to the end.

KAF ends the first set of eleven letters, and KAF is the first of the sofit letters, and KAF extends down, below the line, when it occurs at the end of a word.

It speaks of the fact that Jesus died and was buried. And we, who are trusting in Him, also died (to the old life) and were buried with Him.

LAMED starts the second set of eleven letters. And LAMED extends upward. It shows how, in Jesus, we too rose from that death to the old life – and were born again. We were raised to a new life.

With the letter NUN (the third of the sofit letters) there is also a picture of going down.

The LORD has given us all spiritual blessings in heavenly places but, as we run our race in this life, He is pruning us. Less of us ... more of Him.

This reduction of ourselves, so that there will be more of Him, is also seen in the sofit letters PEH and TSADI. The final form of these letters extends below the line when they appear at the end of a word.

PEH indicates speech. Jesus "spoke" all things into existence. We confess Him. In our speech we are being shaped by the Holy Spirit to the place where our words exalt Jesus, and we do not boast in ourselves ... in what we have or what we do ... it's more of Him, and less of us.

TSADI indicates righteousness. Jesus is righteous. We are not, but we have imputed righteousness in Him. And the Holy Spirit is bringing us more and more to the place where we are done with self-righteousness.

We see ourselves as less and less. We find our worth entirely in Jesus.

Now we return to the letter KUF. The shape of the letter KUF extends below the line. It is the only letter that always extends below the line.

KUF indicates holiness. Jesus is holy. He is the Holy One of God. And, in Him, we too are holy.

Now we understand the primary meaning of holiness ... holy means "separated ... set apart". Separated unto God. Set apart for God. God is different and separate from the fallen world. He always was and always will be.

Obviously, holiness also embodies the idea of moral and ethical purity. Jesus was and is completely pure. In Him, we have right-standing with God. But our holiness, in the sense of moral purity, will never attain to the level of Christ in this life. Our holiness is established once and for all in Him ... being consecrated, set apart, for Him.

The Hebrew word for holy or sacred is "kadosh" (KUF DALET VAV SHIN). KUF is the first letter in the spelling of the word "kadosh".

God is holy. Isaiah chapter 6 verse 3 says: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts ..." In Hebrew, "Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh Adonai tseva'ot ..."

In the New Testament (John 6:69), the apostle Peter declared to Jesus, "You are the Holy One of God."

The letter TSADI and the letter we are now examining – KUF – can be seen as a pair. TSADI and KUF go together.

TSADI stands for righteousness. KUF stands for holiness. Jesus is righteous. And Jesus is holy. In Him, we are declared righteous and, in Him, we are declared holy – set apart.

God is at work to reduce us. Less of us. More of our righteousness seen to be only in Him.

But, as for holiness, we shall never attain to the moral purity of Jesus in this life.

Jesus came down to us. It was all part of God's plan and purpose. He was "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8). In the Greek of the New Testament (from the foundation of the world): "apo katabolis kosmou" "Apo" meaning "from"

But, startlingly, the Bible also says we were "... in Him before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4) The New Testament Greek (before the foundation of the world): "pro katabolis kosmou" ... "pro" means "before".

We are many times in the New Testament exhorted to make right choices, to seek personal, moral good standing – to bring glory to Him as His people. God works in us, by the Holy Spirit. He empowers us as we walk after Him.

But our holiness, in the primary sense of being set apart for God, was set before the foundation of the world. It is unchanging. Just as Jesus is unchanging.