1st Thessalonians, part 4, Links to Hebrew Letter

Hebrew letter het

We’ve looked at what’s in 1^st Thessalonians for a few weeks, but we haven’t shown how it links up to the Hebrew letter het. Remember that this Hebrew letter symbolically means fence or hedge. Its original pictographic form looked like two fence poles with two or three rails across.

The two other het books in the Bible are Amos and Ruth. Amos has some links back to Ruth and forward to 1st Thessalonians. In Ruth we saw the wall of warmth that surrounded Ruth in her relationship with family and in Amos we saw the fire on the wall and the Lord standing by it. Now I’ll show you some more links:

In 1st Thessalonians 2: 7 – 8, Paul writes tender endearing words (KJV):

 7But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
 8So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

The word here for “cherisheth” is the Greek word “thalpo” which literally means “to keep warm.” Incidentally Thessalonica was originally an ancient town named Thermai, meaning “hot springs.” 1st Thessalonians is also the ONLY book in the New Testament where the word “nurse” is used. Compare this warm imagery to our first het book of Ruth, chapter 4, verse 16 (KJV):

 16And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

Sure, it’s a small link, but it’s there, isn’t it?

1st Thessalonians has another divine connection to the second het book, Amos. In Amos there is a promise to the wicked. Amos 5:18 (KJV):

 18Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.

The Day of The Lord . . .  Darkness . . . Light, hmm, let’s look at 1st Thessalonians 5: 1 – 4 (KJV):

 1But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
 2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
 4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

We are NOT in Darkness!