“If you consent and obey (shama), you will eat the best of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 1:19-20.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
Shama שָׁמַע
I use this word over a thousand times in the Old Testament. It is a Hebrew word so you do not see it in the New Testament because the New Testament is not written in Hebrew but Greek, but you see the Greek words akouó (to listen, hear) and hupakouó (to hear, be attentive to, obey). Hupakouó combined with “Amen, amen, I say to you,” is closer to Shama.
Shama you will see translated many ways, you will see it as “hear,” “listen,” “hearken diligently,” “obey,” “announce,” and many other words along the line of listening attentively so that you take it in, understand, and then do it, i.e. obeying My Voice. When Jesus says “My sheep hear My voice,” He means Shama. They hear and obey with great willingness and delight. And when you see in Deuteronomy 28:1, “if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD,” it is actually the use of the verb shama two times in a row. Hear and obey. Willing to hear and to obey My voice with alacrity.
There is great power in shama. I told My people many times if they would “shama” My voice, My commands, they would have the BLESSING pursue and overwhelm them. They would eat the good of the land. They would have all their sins, no matter how red and stained turn white as snow. That there was great reward in keeping My Words, My commands.
The sons of Korah sang, “I will hear (shama) what God the LORD will say; for He will speak peace (shalom) to His people, to His godly ones; but let them not turn back to folly (kislah: stupidity of self-confidence without God).” Psalm 85:8. You will note, as Jesus said, it is My sheep who hear (shama) My voice. It is those who love Me that keep My Words, that are not mere hears but doers (shama). I speak shalom to MY people. My plans for you are shalom (wholeness, nothing missing that is good in your life, the whole pie with prosperity, health, healing, peace, good relationships) and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. But if you refuse to hear and obey, if you rebel as Adam and the devil did, you will destroy yourself, your own words will eat you alive. The sword of the word, which word will you take to wield your sword with? The measure with which you measure is measured back to you.
But how are you sure you are one of My people? That you are with the sheep and not the goats? My servant Peter wrote, “for once you were not a people but now you are the people of God, you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:10. How do you qualify to be called “My people,” or better yet, “My children?”
It is all about Covenant. It is all a matter of being IN CHRIST, because in Him you are joined with Me as One in the everlasting Covenant of Love. And you are sealed in Him and safe in My hand, never to be snatched out. For after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having believed, you were sealed in Jesus with My Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of your inheritance, with a view to the redemption of possession, to the praise of My glory. Ephesians 1:11-12.
You were at one time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without Me in the world. You were not in Covenant with Me. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is your peace (I made peace available with Me for all men by the blood of His Cross), who made both groups (Jews and Gentiles) into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in Jesus’ flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that I Myself in Christ made the two into one new man (the Church, the Body of Christ), thus establishing peace, and reconciling Jews and Gentiles in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. And Jesus came and preached shalom to you who were far away, and shalom to those who were near (speaking shalom to My people); for through Him all have your access in one Spirit to Me, your Heavenly Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of My household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into My dwelling place, My holy temple, in whom you also are being built together into My dwelling place in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:12-22.
In Christ you become a descendant of Abraham and an heir of the Blessing and the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:29, Galatians 3:13-14. Baptized in Christ, you are clothed in Christ. When you receive Jesus and confess Him as Lord and believe in your heart that I raised Him from the dead you are saved and made righteous. And when you repent and are baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, you receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38. And once you have received the Holy Spirit, you are made a child of Mine and My Spirit witnesses with your spirit that you are My child, My heir, My beloved, and My people. And I have given you Jesus’ Name and the authority that goes with it, His life, His merits, His wisdom, His righteousness, His peace, and His joy. All I have is His and all He has is yours. In Him you have it all, all you need for life and godliness. You have everything you need to be a people set apart, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and My own possession as you proclaim the excellencies of the One who brought you out of darkness into My marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9.
In Christ, you are My people, My children, My heirs, My sheep, My friends, My disciples, forever, for nothing can separate you from My love manifested in Christ Jesus your Lord, who is My gift to you.
And it all starts with Shama. Eager and willing to hear My voice, willing to ponder and study it with Me, and willing to obey My Word. Quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. One who walks according to My Words of life.
I love you. If today you hear My voice, harden not your heart. Shama. Like Samuel, like David, like Mary, like Paul, and like YOU.
Open my ears, that I may hear, open my eyes that I may see, open my heart, O LORD, to hear your voice, speak, LORD, I’m listening, your servant I will be, to do your will is my delight! Speak, LORD, I’m listening, your servant I will be, for to do your will O LORD is my delight. Samule’s Song by Bonnie L. Moore