Drawing-near, conversational-prayer is patiently-waiting for God Himself not just His stuff

 

 

 

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See Conversational-Prayer – BT4 for seeking God Himself and not just His stuff or help.

 

In the Old Testament:

 

“Waiting upon the Lord” was a common Jewish idiom for patiently-waiting through difficulties in proseuche conversational-prayer that came with great promises:

 

In Genesis 49:18 Jacob gathers his sons together before his death to prophesy about their future as the 12 tribes of Israel:  “I have already ‘actively/intensively’ and ‘intend to presently/ongoingly’ (a) qavah/perimeno ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ (b) for your soteria/yeshuah ‘salvation, deliverance, or victory,’ Yahweh.”  This is a Hebrew idiom for diligently staying connected to the Vine of Christ, Yeshua, our Savior and Salvation (c).  That’s a key reason to pray! <Notes> a) Hebrew Piel:  intensive, intentional, or repeated, extended actions;  Hebrew Perfect:  completed action of the past may be continued into the present = looked eagerly for, lie in wait for, linger or tarry for; Greek:  Present Active Indicative for present/ongoing, active, actual action, b) Hebrew qavah:  wait for, originally binding [twisting or stretching] strands into a cord or rope for strength like spider’s threads or web, then later of the tension of enduring, remaining, waiting; Greek perimeno:  peri all-around as an intensifier + meno ‘abide, remain, cohabitate,’ thus steadiness regardless of the obstacles involved, to endure by putting up with surrounding difficulties, used also in the NT only in Acts 1:4 for waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, c) John 15:4-5; Philippians 3:20; 1 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:10, 2:10, 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Titus 1:4, 2:13, 3:6; 2 Peter 1:1, 11, 2:20, 3:18; Jude 1:25; Revelation 12:10.

 

In Isaiah 33:2, he prophesies:  “Yahweh, be chanan/eleeo ‘gracious or merciful according to covenant’ to us; for (a) we have already ‘actively/intensively’ and ‘intend to presently/ongoingly’ qavah/peitho ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ (b) for/resting-upon (c) You.”  So the Hebrew separates the 2 phrases:  1) a request to be merciful, and 2) they have and will repeat their patient-waiting for Yahweh, presumably to show this mercy.  The Greek connects the 2 phrases:  They plead for mercy because of the ongoing effect of them already having been patiently-waiting on God keeping His covenant promise to delivery them from their enemies, putting their ‘rest’ upon Yahweh.  Can you see why building doctrine on bible verses can be very difficult – see Bible Info.  Isaiah continues:  “Be our arm every morning, our soteria/yeshuah ‘salvation, deliverance, victory’ in the time of trouble.”  The “outstretched arm of God” is associated with God’s “might hand by signs and wonders, war, and great terrors as God did for you in Egypt” (d), “everlasting arms . . . driving out the enemy before you” (e), “scattering your God’s enemies with His might arm” (f), and many other verses.  In prayer, we patiently-wait by resting upon the Lord to keep His covenant promise to save us from our enemies – Satan, his demons, and his angels (g) – “by His own mighty Spirit,” not by our “might and power.” <Notes> a) The Greek use gar to introduce a reason for the previous statement, b) Hebrew qavah is Piel Perfect as notes ‘a’ and ‘b’ explain; Greek peitho: to be confidently persuaded of what is trustworthy” in the Perfect Active Indicative for past action with ongoing results, active, actual action, c) Greek with dative following: epi resting at/on/upon, d) Deuteronomy 4:34, e) Deuteronomy 33:27, f) Psalms 89:10, g) Ephesians 6:12.

 

In Proverbs 20:22, the writer advises: “[I strongly urge you to] Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; but-instead (a) [I strongly urge you to] ‘actively/intensively’ with ‘intention to presently/ongoingly’ or ‘definitively/wholly’ (b) qavah ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ (c) or hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ (d)  for/on (e) Yahweh and He will yasha ‘deliver, liberate, save from perils/troubles/evils’ or boetheo ‘run-to-quickly-meet an urgent distress-call-cry for help’ You.”  As Christians we are to patiently-endure evil done against us, by people and the spiritual forces of darkness behind them (f), by patiently-waiting upon the Lord to deal with the evil, knowing that He is not slow but actually running quickly to answer our cries for help, and that He indeed will “deliver us from the evil one,” just as we routinely pray (g), especially since Jesus “gave Himself for our sins to deliver us from this present evil age” (h). <Notes> a) Greek inserts “but-instead,” b) Hebrew Piel:  intensive, intentional, or repeated, extended actions; Greek uses Aorist tense to definitive/wholly accomplish, c) Hebrew qavah:  wait for, originally binding [twisting or stretching] strands into a cord or rope for strength like spider’s threads or web, then later of the tension of enduring, remaining, waiting, d) Greek hupomeno:  hupo:  under, often under authority as a subordinate + meno:  abide, cohabitate, remain, continue = remain under the load/tension, bearing/enduring under; to remain or stay or tarry behind, thus not recede or flee but preserve or have fortitude under misfortunes, trials, tribulations; to cleave faithfully or wait for the Lord, to endure or bear bravely and calmly/patiently ill-treatment, e) 35 of 51 bibles translate “for” and only 12 of 51 translate “on,” f) Ephesians 6:12, g) Matthew 6:13, h) Galatians 1:4.

 

In Isaiah 8:17, he says: “And/But I have already ‘actively/intensively’ and ‘intend to presently/ongoingly’ (a) chakah ‘wait, tarry, long for’ (b) or ‘I will actively, actually, sometime in the future’ meno ‘abide, remain, tarry’ (c) for Yahweh, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in Him.”  Their rebellion against God brought them into harms way by their enemies.  When they turned their back on God they no longer had His face of blessing facing them, but this didn’t deter Isaiah from seeking God’s face.  Despite what looked like a hopeless situation where he couldn’t put his “hope in” them, he could still put his “hope in” Yawheh and this is by aggressive intention to continue longing for Yahweh while waiting for Yawheh.  The Hebrew versus the Greek seems to make more sense, because I doubt Isaiah is a “I will get around to it sort of guy” but a “I’ve been doing this and will repeat the action, determined sort of guy.”  We can learn from this prophet’s determination in the midst of troubles! <Notes> a) Hebrew Piel:  intensive, intentional, or repeated, extended actions;  Hebrew Perfect:  completed action of the past may be continued into the present = looked eagerly for, lie in wait for, linger or tarry for; Greek:  Present Active Indicative for present/ongoing, active, actual action, b) Hebrew chakah:  in Piel wait, tarry, long for as here and Isaiah 64:3, Zephaniah 3:8, Psalms 33:20, even for counsel: Psalms 106:13, even for a visions: Habakkuk 2:3, c) Greek Future Active Indicative.

 

In Isaiah 25:9 the prophet says of the coming eternal life by the Messiah when death is swallowed up:  “It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have qavah have already ‘actively/intensively’ and ‘intend to presently/ongoingly’ (a) ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ (b) or eplizo ‘continually-hoped’ for Him that He might yasha/sozo save us.  This is Yahweh; we have already ‘actively/intensively’ and ‘intend to presently/ongoingly’ (a) qavah ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ (d) or hupomeno ‘continually (c) remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ (e) for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” This is speaking of a future kingdom where all peoples will worship Him, all tears wiped away, and the reproach of His people taken away from ALL the earth – a massive persecution against Jews & Christians is coming! Similarly Isaiah 49:23 says: “Kings . . . queens [of nations] . . . with their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you [Israel in the future Millenial kingdom] and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will experientially, relationally yada/ginosko know that I AM Yahweh; those who continually qavah ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or routinely hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ for Me shall not be put to shame.”

 

<Notes> a) Hebrew Piel:  intensive, intentional, or repeated, extended actions;  Hebrew Perfect:  completed action of the past may be continued into the present = looked eagerly for, lie in wait for, linger or tarry for; Greek:  Present Active Indicative for present/ongoing, active, actual action, b) Hebrew qavah: wait for, originally binding [twisting or stretching] strands into a cord or rope for strength like spider’s threads or web, then later of the tension of enduring, remaining, waiting, c) rare Greek imperfect tense for continued action, d) Hebrew qavah:  wait for, originally binding [twisting or stretching] strands into a cord or rope for strength like spider’s threads or web, then later of the tension of enduring, remaining, waiting, e) Greek hupomeno:  hupo:  under, often under authority as a subordinate + meno:  abide, cohabitate, remain, continue = remain under the load/tension, bearing/enduring under; to remain or stay or tarry behind, thus not recede or flee but preserve or have fortitude under misfortunes, trials, tribulations; to cleave faithfully or wait for the Lord, to endure or bear bravely and calmly/patiently ill-treatment.

 

Without getting into all the nitty-gritty grammar, here are more OT usages:

 

Isaiah 26:8 says “in the path of your mishpat/krisis equitable-judgments, Yahweh, we have already ‘actively/intensively’ and ‘intend to presently/ongoingly’ qavah ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or definitively/wholly eplizo hoped for or on/upon Him for You; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul.”  Isaiah 30:18 says: “For Yahweh is a God of justice; blessed are all those who simply are continually chakah ‘wait, tarry, long for’ or routinely emmeno ‘in a state of steadfastly abiding-in/remaining-with/living-by’ for Him.”  Yes, if we remain connected to the Vine of Christ bears much yummy fruit per John 15:5.  Wow is Isaiah 40:31 encouraging:  “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength . . . but they who continually qavah ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or routinely hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ for Yahweh shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

 

In Lamentations 3:22-27 “The steadfast checed/eleos ‘covenant-loyal loving-mercy’ of Yahweh never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘Yahweh is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I shall indeed yachal expectantly-waiting-in-hope in Him.’  Yahweh is towb ‘pleasantly good’ or agathos ‘pleasantly good-natured’ to those who continually qavah ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or presently/ongoingly hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ for Him, to the soul who shall actually zeteo diligently-seeks (b) Him.  It is towb ‘pleasantly good’ or agathos ‘pleasantly good-natured’ that [a person] be yachal expectantly-waiting-in-hope or should be hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ duwmam waiting-quietly-in-silence or definitively/wholly hesuchazo ‘rest-cease from labor, even silently as here’ for the teshuah/soterian deliverance/salvation of Yahweh.” <Notes> a) agathos: “good-natured, pleasantly joyful, excellent or distinguished and thus useful, upright, or honorable,” b) frequently pursue, diligently search, crave, and worship.

 

Micah 7:7 commits: “But as for me, I shall indeed tsaphah/epiblepo ‘turn the eyes of a gaze upon’ Yahweh; I will repetitively yachal expectantly-waiting-in-hope or shall indeed hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ for God, my yesha/soter Savior; my God will shama/eisakouo hear-unto me.”  God says in Exodus 24:12 to Moses:  “Come up to Me on the mountain and ‘repeatedly hayah be’ or ‘presently/ongoingly eimi be-present/exist’ there” also the ESV translates this as “wait there” and the NET translates “remain there.”  I really don’t appreciate them translating this as if it were other Hebrew and Greek words.  This is a common problem in bible translations – see Bible Info.

 

Now the Psalms speak of patiently-waiting with endurance for God the most!  In Psalms 27:14 [I strongly urge you to] qavah ‘actively/intensively wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or definitively/wholly hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ for Yahweh; be strong, and let your heart take courage; [I strongly urge you to] qavah ‘actively/intensively wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or definitively/wholly hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ for Yahweh!  Again in Psalms 31:24, “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who are continually yachal expectantly-waiting-in-hope or routinely elpizo expectantly-waiting-in-hope for Yahweh! In Psalms 33:20 “Our soul have already ‘actively/intensively’ and ‘intend to presently/ongoingly’ chakah ‘wait, tarry, long for’ or presently/ongoingly hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ for Yahweh; He is our help and our shield.

 

Psalms continues with keys to effective prayer.  In Psalms 37:5-9, “Commit (a) your way (b) to Yahweh; trust in Him, and He will act/make-to-do [in your behalf] . . . Be still-and-silent or definitively/wholly submit-by-falling-in-line (c) before Yahweh and/coupled chuwl wait-longingly or yachal expectantly-waiting-in-hope (d) or hikanoo ‘reach the place of sufficiently qualified’ for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices” and promises: “Those who are routinely qavah ‘waiting/lingering with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or routinely hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ for Yahweh shall inherit the land.”  This being-still before the Lord is also found in Psalms 46:10 that was dissected in Conversational-Prayer – BT13. There it says:  “[I strongly urge you to] definitively/wholly become [passive] still (e) kai and/coupled definitively/wholly become [passive] experientially, relationally yada/ginosko knowing that I am God.”  Because yada/ginosko knowledge requires a 2-way relationship, we can become passively still forever without any results whatsoever.  Also we can actively try to relationally know God until we are blue in the face without any results – world religions have been trying forever and are no closer to God.  However, yada/ginosko is also passive, and so it implies that both becoming still and/coupled having a relationship with God are something we have to having trusting-relying-faith in God for.  If we do “passively-wait for Him” while “also passively being still” we stand a good change of actually being in a yada/ginosko relationship with God.  The context bears this out:  stop running around with your head cut off about the cares of this world and instead stop, shut up, and just patiently-wait for the Lord to create an amazing relationship WITH you that will save you from your worse fears and cares.

 

<Notes> a) roll off your burdens/cares onto His back, b) well-trodden course, c) Hebrew damam:  Qal form means to be/grow stupefied, astounded, dumb, silent, still – so both motion & speech or Greek hupotasso:  voluntarily yield, or fall in line behind a commander, d) normally the Hithpoel form in the participle means whirling as in whirlwind tempest per Jeremiah 23:19, 30:23.  The NET Bible says there was a dittography error and that the text should be the Hiphel form of yachal expectantly-waiting-in-hope.  Thus the Greek hikanoo is an odd fit too that bibles translate entreat for some odd reason. Bible translation is fraught with difficulties – see Bible Info, e) raphah, scholazo: take a vacation from your work, relax, rest, quiet yourself

 

So Psalms continues to encourage us:  In Psalms 37:34 “[I strongly urge you to] qavah ‘actively/intensively wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or definitively/wholly hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ for Yahweh and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.”  In Psalms 38:15, “But for You, Yahweh, do I have already ‘actively/intensively’ and ‘intend to presently/ongoingly’ yachal expectantly-wait-in-hope or definitively/wholly elpizo expectantly-wait-hope; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.”  In Psalms 39:7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I have already ‘actively/intensivily’ and ‘intend to presently/ongoingly’ qavah ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or hupomone patient-endurance?  My towcheleth/hupostasis (a) covenant-entitled-hope is in You. In Psalms 40:1, “I have already ‘actively/intensively’ and ‘intend to presently/ongoingly’ qavah ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or routinely hupomeno hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ for Yahweh; He inclined to me and heard my cry. Finally in Psalms 130:5-6, I have already ‘actively/intensively’ and ‘intend to presently/ongoingly’ qavah ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or definitively/wholly hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ for Yahweh; my soul has already ‘actively/intensively’ and ‘intends to presently/ongoingly’ qavah ‘wait/linger with endurance despite the tension of difficulties’ or definitively/wholly hupomeno ‘remain/tarry behind subordinately-under the load/tensions of troubles, thus to patiently-endure’ and/couple in his dabar speech/saying or logos message  I yachal expectantly-waiting-in-hope; my soul waits (no Hebrew) or elpizo expectantly-wait-in-hope for the Lord/Master more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.  Looks like words got dropped – see Bible Info for many more problems. <Notes> a) Greek hupostasis: ‘standing under’ a guaranteed agreement, a title-deed or legal claim to precious promises or property, thus entitling someone to what is guaranteed under the particular agreement.

 

The New Testament also speaks of waiting:

  

 

Jesus told the disciples to “not chorizo depart from Jerusalem, but to presently/ongoingly perimeno ‘wait by remaining all around’ (a) for The Promise of the Father, … to be baptized by the Holy Spirit” (b).  How did they obey the Lord? “They were all in one accord devoting themselves to proseuche conversational-prayer (c).  They should be a real clue for us, but it’s amazing how few churches do this.  <Notes> a) perimeno only used here in the NT: peri all-around or as an intensifier + meno ‘abide, remain, cohabitate,’ thus to remain steady regardless of the obstacles involved, to endure by putting up with surrounding difficulties; used in Genesis 49:18 above in LXX for waiting for salvation, b) Acts 1:4-5, c) Acts 1:13-14.

 

Another Greek word used for waiting in prayer is apekdechomai (a): Paul says in Romans 8:23-25 that  “we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we are routinely apekdechomai decisively-welcoming [our] divine-adoption as sons . . . But if we hope for what we do not see, we presently/ongoingly apekdechomai decisively-welcome [it] with hupomone patience-endurance.”  Paul is referring to our glorification at Christ’s coming, called “the blessed hope” (b).  Paul says in Galatians 5:5, “For through the Spirit, by trusting-relying-faith, we ourselves presently/ongoingly are apekdechomai decisively-welcoming the hope of righteousness.”  Having Christ’s righteousness is our only hope!  Paul want for these Christians in 1 Corinthians 1:7 to “not be lacking in any grace-gift, as you routinely are apekdechomai decisively-welcoming the coming-revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  The Spirit’s grace-gifts are super important even if so many churches are ignorant of them, contrary to Paul’s strong-desire-intention in 1 Corinthians 12:1 for them not to be ignorant.  Similarly in Hebrews 9:28, likely Barnabas who was Paul’s preaching companion writing in a much better Greek than Paul, says:  “so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are routinely apekdechomai decisively-welcoming Him.” <Notes> a) apekdechomai:  “away-from warmly-welcome, waiting that decisively ‘puts away’ all that should remain behind, looking completely away from this world to what is upcoming,” b) Romans 8:23-25; Titus 2:13; 1 Peter 1:3.

 

Lastly the Greek word prosdechomai is used to mean “pros towards and interfacing with + dechomai warmly-welcome = receive in a personally-interactive, warm, open, welcoming manner; to wait actively, expectantly, ready and willing to give and receive, thus active ‘looking-for-and-waiting,” and since this involves personal interests or motivational, it’s always in the middle reflexive voice.  It’s used in Luke 2:25 “Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, prosdechomai ‘expectantly waiting to interactively welcome’ the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”  In Luke 12:35-37, Jesus metaphorically teaches about His second coming:  “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are routinely prosdechomai ‘expectantly waiting to interactively welcome’ for their Master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to Him at once when He comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the Master finds alert when He comes.” Finally, in Luke 23:50-51, “Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was continually prosdechomai ‘expectantly waiting to interactively welcome’ the kingdom of God.”