The Idenity of a Lost Nation

While doing some reading, primarily in Jeremiah, I somehow found an interest in the biblical ethnicities and cultures mentioned of the ancient days, specifically the Aremeans. A lot of the Old Testament, especially the first couple of chapters of the Pentechutes mentions the Aremeans. In a recent conversation with someone I mentioned, Elisha and the Arameans. The other person disputed by correcting that I was referring to the Armenian people. I regarded that the Arameans, are the ancestors of current day Aram => Arameans; which are not current day Armenians, as they are actually present day Syrians.

So in my study of the origin of the Hebrew Arameans and Israelites, it turns out that the Aramaic term for the word Hebrew is “Yri” “Apiru” and “Habiru”. The actual context of the word Hebrew is used as a noun, 3 different ways:

1. By foreigners used to describe the Israelites [mostly referred to as Ibri]
2.  By Israelites, to identify themselves to foreigners  [bene Yisrael: meaning children of Isreal/ Isrealites]
3. A term used to refer to slaves [a term given to mean foreigner]

So genealogically speaking, the Isrealites can be traced back to Heber, one of the sons of Shem, the grandson of Noah. In knowing this and understanding that the term Ibri, originates from the word Abar: meaning to pass over, cross over, march over, overflow, go over. This is often translated in modern term to the (n): the other side. Ultimately, Abar has a true meaning of: from the other side of or the region beyond; came from afar.

So in retrospect, the term Hebrew was not used to classify a race or nationality of people, so much as a social class of people. Anyone considered a foreigner, alien, or lived on the margin of society without a fixed place in society, was considered a Hibiru (Hebrew). Naturally this seems befitting considering the Grandfather of the Israelites is the nomadic Abraham, who entered Canaan as a foreigner. Going back to Genesis, when God decides to tell Abraham that he would be the Father of Many Nations, he actually foreshadows the redeeming of an unclaimed people. We know that later on, God changes Jacob’s name to Israel. I believe that was done to now establish these people with an identity of their own. This took me back the many references heard throughout the O.T. where non-Israelites would say things like “Pray to YOUR God” or refer to him as “The God of YOUR people”, because they were not as established as the Egyptians, or the Persians or other ancient cultures.

So the next time you have intimate time with God, remember to Thank HIM, for redeeming you and giving you an IDENITY. For if you think about it, we are much more like Jacob than anyone else for we have received a “Double Portion”; first the claiming of non-descript nation of wondering people; next the adoption Gentiles to be claimed as the Children of God, allowing all of us non-Jews to be called God’s Holy people.          #getfreetoday