Fascinating, isn’t it, to unpack the hidden meaning in the Greek and Hebrew words in the Bible that are lost in translation!

If one takes the time to do some digging, what one discovers is a treasure trove of truth that brings new light into our understanding of the Word of God. 

Take, for example, the words used for “wait”. 

The Bible counsels us, repeatedly, to wait on, or wait for, the Lord…but not simply by sitting passively, doing nothing until God does something. “Waiting” demands something active from the one who waits. 

One of the most well-known and well-loved “waits” comes from the pen of Isaiah. 

“But those who wait on the Lord 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.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭31‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Translators have messed this one up. The word “qavah”…”wait”, means “to bind together by twisting”. This is not about passively waiting. This is about doing something active…binding oneself to God in “hope” (NIV) and “trust” (NLT), alternative words that try to convey the meaning of the original word. 

The idea comes from the way ropes were made. Rope-makers bought the strands they used for weaving ropes from the market. The quality of the strands did not matter because, when strong and weak strands were twisted together, the rope became strong. 

What a picture of real faith? Our trust in God is woven together from personal experience…the times we trusted Him and the times we failed to trust Him…but He helped us anyway. We bind ourselves to the Lord with this twisted rope as we anticipate His intervention and…He gives us the strength to fly, to run, and to walk… through our troubles, our tests, and even our pain. 

The second “wait”, as I discovered, is equally fascinating…an even more vivid picture, when we follow the threads, of what it means to rest in God while He works for us. 

One morning, as I was reading 1 Corinthians…something caught my attention. Speaking of God’s hidden wisdom, Paul explains that, had rulers of this world known God’s wisdom, they would not have crucified Jesus. Why? They didn’t understand that, by having Jesus killed, they were judging themselves!

“That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.””

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

…he explained

There is a hidden truth in this quote that I need to unravel. 

Where had I read something like this before?

My search led to me to Isaiah. 

“For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64‬:‭4‬ NLT

…but…by comparing these two statements, two things struck me. First, Isaiah wrote “those who wait for Him”.  Paul wrote “those who love Him”. Why the difference? Second, Paul wrote “those who love Him”, not “those whom God loves”. Why?

Under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, something began to emerge.  

In the Old Covenant, there was an intriguing ritual that was part of the instructions regarding slaves. In the year of Jubilee, every 50th year, Israelite slaves were given their freedom and allowed to return to their land. However…

If a slave loved his master enough to forfeit his freedom, his ear lobe was pierced with an awl as a permanent sign of belonging to his master. 

““But suppose your servant says, ‘I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your family, and he has done well with you. In that case, take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door. After that, he will be your servant for life. And do the same for your female servants.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭15‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Here is where the word “wait” comes in. “Chakah” translated “wait”, comes from the root word “to carve” or “to pierce”. 

By piercing the slave’s ear lobe, his love for his master was indelibly imprinted on his body, indicating that he permanently belonged to his master. 

Now, let’s follow the thread. How do “wait” and “love” connect? First, of course, those who are followers of Jesus are essentially His love-slaves, joined by faith in Him to what He did for us. 

What did Jesus do for us? Isaiah prophesied…and a Roman soldier fulfilled…that Jesus would be “pierced” for our transgressions. The Hebrew word has its root in the idea of twirling or boring as one would bore with an awl. 

“One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.”

‭‭John‬ ‭19‬:‭34‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In his record, John specifically chose a Greek word that matched Isaiah’s prophecy, a word meaning to “prick”. So, in both Old New Testament language, Jesus was pierced for us. 

Not, let’s connect the dots. Just as we were crucified with Jesus, according to Paul, so we were “pierced” in Him, which is our response…“those who love Him”…i.e., those who were pierced with Him because of their love for Him. 

These two verses, tied together…those who “wait”, (Isaiah 64:4) and those who “love” (1Cor 2:9) Him…are essentially saying the same thing. God has prepared good things beyond our present human understanding because, we “wait”…we belong to Him forever as His love-slaves. Being pierced is the evidence. 

Paul confirmed this amazing connection by his own testimony…

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Our belonging to Jesus was indelibly imprinted on His body, and on ours through our union with Him. We know, therefore, that God has prepared things beyond our present understanding because we love Him and “wait” for Him. 

“Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…and, by the way…so wrote Paul … there is a sequel to our belonging to Him…our holy lives, separated from sin, are the ultimate witness! 

“Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.””

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…and John…

“Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬