In the Estate Planning marketplace, there are revocable & irrevocable trusts. Well the LORD of Hosts is our “Irrevocable Living Trust.”
* Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. Jeremiah 17:7
WEALTH TIP: Irrevocable living trust. A trust that cannot be revoked and that takes effect during the life of the grantor. The trust is established & maintained to transfer wealth, protect assets, or reduce taxes. Again, an irrevocable trust cannot be revoked & when we TRUST IN THE LORD HIS TRUST WILL NOT BE REVOKE FROM US.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-
An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her? Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls. Proverbs 31:10 AMP
THE LORD- OUR IRREVOCABLE TRUST: A woman-wife of excellence puts her trust in the LORD & her trust is in his principles; just like we put our valuable assets in an irreconcilable trust; when we follow our Trustor’s instructions, He ensures our assets are protected from family-to-family. Community-to-community and especially from generation to generation.
This woman and wife of excellence is described as a worthy woman-wife and very wise; in fact, her wisdom is described throughout Proverbs 31 on behalf of the king and the king’s mother...who instructs the king to always fear the LORD and to always render Justice & Judgement. The Proverbs 31 Woman is a woman of excellence ...
An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her? Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls. Proverbs 31:10 AMP
This Ancient Biblical Hebrew phrase, esheth chayil, is also used to describe Ruth (Ruth 3:11), who fits many of the characteristics of the ideal wife described in this section. She was hard-working and took initiative (Ruth 2:2), and she was praised in the gates (Ruth 4:11). The word chayil can also indicate strength (Prov 31:3), wealth (Gen 34:29), or courage (1 Sam 16:18).
WORTHY WOMAN: “ And now, my daughter, do not be afraid, I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman.” Ruth 3:11
OBEDIENT WOMAN: “ And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain, behind someone in whose sight I may find favor.” She said to her, “Go, my daughter.” Ruth 2:2
FRUITFUL WOMAN: “ Then all the people who were at the gate, along with the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you produce children in Ephrathah and bestow a name in Bethlehem.” Ruth 4:11
A HELPER NOT A HATER OF MEN, FAITH, FOUNDATIONS, FATHERS & OUR ETERNAL FATHER...
Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. Proverbs 31:3
A WOMAN, WOMEN & WIVES ARE A PRIVILEGE GIFT FROM GOD-ALL PRIVILEGE GIFTS MUST BE PROTECTED OR BE DESTROYED...
All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and made their prey. Genesis 34:29
BEHIND A GOOD FATHER IS A GOOD WOMAN: KING DAVID HAD GOOD PARENTS…
One of the young men answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a warrior, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence; and the Lord is with him.” 1 Samuel 16:18
A GOOD WOMAN-WIFE IS INNOVATIVE & WORKS HARD.
She seeks wool and flax. The excellent wife has skill with a variety of materials used to make linen—this would have been a highly valued skill in the ancient Near East (Prov 31:21–22, 24).
Flax is a plant that would be dried (see Josh 2:6) and spun into linen. Wool, which comes from sheep, was spun into yarn (Exod 35:25).
A GOOD WOMAN-WIFE HAS ENDURANCE TO WAIT ON THE LORD AND A WAIT FOR A GOD-FEARING MAN
She girds her waist in strength She has physical strength and stamina and is prepared to work hard. Proverbs 31:17
A GOOD WOMAN-WIFE HAS EXCELLENT HANDS
Her hands she puts onto the distaff The distaff and spindle were tools used to make linen, which the excellent wife used to make clothing for her household (Prov 31:21–22) and to sell for profit (v. 24). Proverbs 31:19
A GOOD WOMAN-WIFE IS CLOTHED WITH HONOR & GLORY INCLUDING SHE CLOTHES OTHER WITH HONOR…
is clothed in crimson Expensive material typically worn by the wealthy (2 Sam 1:24; Isa 1:18; Jer 4:30). She provides clothes that are both luxurious and warm. Proverbs 31:21
IT WAS THE PRAYING WOMAN THAT HELPED KEEP THE EVIL IN SAUL AT CONTROL
O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with crimson, in luxury, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. 2 Samuel 1:24
PRAYING WOMAN ARE VERY POWER WOMAN
Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18
AN EXCELLENT WOMAN IS NEVER SELFISH OR VAIN
And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in crimson, that you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life. Jeremiah 4:30
A GOOD WOMAN-WIFE BRINGS HONOR TO EVERYONE. HER HUSBAND LOVES HER 365, 24, 7
Her husband is known at the gates City gates were the social and economic hub of the city. Proverbs 31:23
The elders were the leaders responsible for legal rulings (see note on Ruth 4:1).
The husband of the excellent wife was known and respected among the leaders of the town. Job describes how he was respected by all at the city gate before his suffering (Job 29:7–11).
A GOOD WOMAN-WIFE HAS CHARACTER WHICH CANNOT BE PURCHASED IT IS INVESTED IN HER BY YEARS OF FAITHFULNESS & INTEGRITY…
Strength and dignity are her clothing While the excellent wife produces clothing from fine linen (Prov 31:22),
she is better known for her character.
A GOOD WOMAN-WIFE DOES SPEAK LIES [ WORDS WITHOUT FACTS OR A TRUTH ]
A GOOD WOMAN IS NOT VAIN. The Hebrew word used here, hevel, is used figuratively to describe things that are brief and transitory (see Eccl 1:2 and note). Here, it speaks to the fleeting nature of physical beauty.Proverbs 31:30
A GOOD WOMAN-WIFE HAS BEAUTY INSIDE & OUTSIDE-HER CHARACTER IS RENOWNED AMONG PEOPLE OF FAITH.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30
A GOOD WOMAN-WIFE FEARS THE LORD & TEACHES OTHERS TO FEAR THE LORD...
but a woman who fears Yahweh More than her charm or beauty, the excellent wife is characterized by her fear of Yahweh. This pious attitude of obedience toward God is closely related to wisdom in Proverbs (Prov 1:7; 2:5; 9:10; 15:33).
A GOOD WOMAN-WIFE KNOWS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM IS TO FEAR THE LORD…
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7
then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:5
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility goes before honor. Proverbs 15:33
Fearing God in the Bible
may they praise her works in the city gates Just as her husband is known in the gates (v. 23), the works of an excellent wife should be known and praised by the people. Proverbs 31:31
Ancient Biblical Hebrew Wisdom: The True Mean of “Help Meet;” our Opposite, together We Are In “Perfect Balance”, aka, “Order”
And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. (KJV, Genesis 2:18)
While the KJV translates the Hebrew phrase עזר כנגדו (ezer kenegedo) as "help meet for him," other translations provide additional translations including; "a helper fit for him" (RSV), "a helper as his partner" (NRS), "a helper comparable to him" (NKJ) and "an helper as his counterpart" (YLT). What exactly does this Hebrew phrase mean?
The first word in the phrase, עזר (ezer, Strong's #5828), is simple and means "helper." The second word, כנגדו (kenegedo) is a little more complex. The base word is the word נגד(neged, Strong's #5048), which will be discussed shortly, with the prefix כ (k) meaning "like," and the suffix ו (o) meaning "of him" of "his."
The word נגד (neged) comes from the verbal root נגד (N.G.D, {Strongs #5046} meaning "to be face to face." This verb is always used in the causative form where it would literally be translated as "to make to be face to face," and is always used to mean "to tell" in the sense of causing another to come face to face in order to tell them something.
The noun form, נגד (neged), is often used for something that is face to face with something else. An example can be found in Genesis 21:16 where Hagar went and sat down "opposite" her son. Even though she and her son are a distance away, they are sitting "face to face."
Putting all of this together, the phrase עזר כנגדו (ezer kenegedo) literally means "a helper like his opposite." In my opinion this means that Eve was to be his "other half," like him, but with the opposite attributes.
In Genesis 1:27; we read that Elohiym filled the Adam (a Hebrew word meaning human) with his shadow, meaning he placed a representation of himself in the man. We also read in this verse that Elohiym filled them, male and female, meaning that he placed within each his attributes, his male attributes to the man and his female attributes to the woman. We do not normally think of Elohiym as having {male and female attributes}, but there are many passages in the Bible reflecting this idea.
The Nature of God (Elohim)
The modern western perspective of God ignores the Hebraic concept of "balance," which is an integral part of the Ancient Hebrews perspective of who God is.
The Masculine and Feminine nature of Elohim
In our modern culture we tend to view God in masculine terms and imagery. While the word Elohim {Strong #430}, the plural form of the singular noun elo'ah {Strongs # 433} , is a masculine noun, it does not have to imply that the Elohim is plural or even masculine. To illustrate this, notice that the word Elohim is used for a female goddess in the following verse.
In the first chapter of Genesis we receive our first glimpse of the nature of Elohim's gender.
Notice that in this verse it states that Elohim made humans {in his image}, but then it defines this image as male and female. From this we can conclude that the attributes of God are both masculine and feminine. We can then surmise that he placed his masculine attributes within the man and his feminine attributes within the woman and when a man and woman come together and become one (See Genesis 2:24), they together become the image of Elohim.
Another reference to the masculine and feminine nature of God can be found in the following passages.
In the first verse is the phrase "LORD of hosts," which in Hebrew is Yahweh Tseva'ot. The word tseva'ot is the plural of the word tsava {Strongs#6635}, a feminine noun meaning "force." When two nouns are placed together they are in the construct state, therefore this phrase would be translated as "Yahweh of the forces."
In the second verse is the phrase "LORD God," which in Hebrew is Yahweh Elohim." The word Elohim means "one[s] of power and authority," or simply "powers." Again, this phrase consists of two nouns put together to form a construct and should be translated as "Yahweh of the powers."
I should note here that the phrase "LORD God" not only ignores the Hebrew word "Yahweh," which does not mean "lord," but also the construct nature of the phrase. In Hebrew grammar two nouns put together always form a construct, usually identified in the English language with the word "of," and to my knowledge, nowhere else in the Bible are two nouns not translated in the construct state.
Notice that the two phrases Yahweh Tseva'ot and Yahweh Elohim are synonyms, one using a feminine plural word meaning "forces," the other a masculine plural word meaning "powers."
Also note that Yahweh is not the tseva'ot but a part of it, Yahweh is a part of the "forces," hence the usual translation of "LORD of hosts." In the same manner, Yahweh is not the Elohim, but a part of it, a part of the powers. But notice that while the translators will consistently use "LORD of hosts" for Yahweh Tseva'ot, they never use "LORD of powers" for the phrase Yahweh Elohim.
The idea of a single male deity is unique to our modern era. In all the ancient cultures, the Elohim was a male and female. In Egypt it was Osiris (masculine) and Isis (feminine). In Canaan it was El and Elat (also known as Asherah). To the Greeks it was Zeus and Hera. To the Romans it was Jupiter and Juno. To the Germans it was Odin and Frigg.
I am not making the claim that the Elohim of the bible are a god and goddess, just that the attributes of Elohim are both masculine and feminine.
The Positive and Negative nature of Elohim
When I speak of the positive and negative nature of Elohim, I am not speaking about a "moral" positive and negative, but the "forces" of positive and negative, much like the two poles of a magnet or the forces of the protons (positive) and electrons (negative) of an atom. God is a Perfect Balance of Positive and Negative: Good and Bad, Light and Dark, Large and Small, Make and Break, Loud and Quiet, Far and Near, One and Many, Male and Female, etc.
This concept of "balance" is virtually unknown in our western philosophy, but is a very important one in the ancient philosophy of the Ancient Israelites and other ancient peoples. From this ancient perspective, "balance" is “order”" and anything out of balance is chaos. In the following two verses we can see this balance of positive and negative within the actions of Elohim.
In the first verse we see Elohim creating (positive) the world, but in the second verse we see him destroying (negative) it.
In these two verses we see Elohim being associated with light (positive) and darkness (negative). It is interesting to note that Jews and Christians always associate Elohim with light and Satan with darkness. However, almost every time Elohim appears to the Israelites, he is in the darkness.
In Genesis 1:4 we read that "Elohim separated the light from the darkness." The word for light is feminine while the word for darkness is masculine. Not only is this verse about the balance of light and darkness, but it is also about the balance of the masculine and the feminine.
In the next two verses we see two contrasting attributes of Yahweh, mercy (positive) and a consuming fire (negative).
In Genesis 1:26 we find that the image of Elohim is male (positive) and female (negative). In Genesis 3:5 and 3:22 we see that Elohim is good (positive) and bad (negative). In Joshua 23:15 we read that Yahweh does good things (positive) and bad things (negative). In Deuteronomy 30:1 Yahweh provides blessings (positive) and curses (negative). In Isaiah 45:7 we are told that God makes peace (positive) and evil (negative).
Below is one of the most vivid passages in the entire Bible that demonstrates this positive and negative aspect of ancient philosophy.
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