Psalm 84:7 “They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.”
The term for ‘Strength’ in the hebrew is the term Chayil, it means great courage in the face of danger or also known as Valor.
When examining the root of this word it can be broken down into its basic Hebrew parts and it reveals a deeper understanding. C.J. Lovik gives a great breakdown of the these elements:
Chayil is spelled Chet, Yood, Lamed. Chet is the picture of the fence and indicates a place of protection, a sanctuary, or a place of security. Yood is the picture of the hand or arm and points to a mighty deed. Lamed is the picture of the shepherd’s staff and demonstrates the voice of authority or control. So the first mystery we find in the letters of Chayil is that these warriors of the army of Israel were Lamed, (under strong leadership) Yood, (performing a mighty work), and Chet, (providing a place of protection, a sanctuary for their people, especially for their wives and little ones).
Judges 6:11-12 “Then the angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”
Even in the midst of Gideon’s fear and self-doubt, the Lord viewed him in a light that even he didn’t see. Sometimes we need to be reminded of God’s view of ourselves and and see the need to stop looking at our circumstances from a point of view that is limited by our flesh.
Another view of strength is found in an exchange that Moses had with God.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18 “You might say in your heart, “The power and strength of my hands have made this wealth for me.” But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power(Chayil) to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers even to this day.”
How many people proclaim themselves as self-made men and women? This view of being self-made is made no more apparent than when brought under the consideration of the heart that is behind it. The implications of tithing the first 10% of income are born out of the understanding that it is God who ultimately imparts your wealth and it is through the tithe we recognize His providence in our lives.
What does the Word say about women specifically?
Proverbs 31:10 “Who can find a virtuous(Chayil) wife? For her worth is far above rubies.”
The value of virtue or high moral standards is equated with Chayil, it is comparative to precious jewels of great worth.
vs. 29-30 “Many daughters have done well(virtuous),
But you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.”
To those who excel in virtue, the Lord will lift them up.
The Valor of the Messiah
Habakkuk 3:19 “The Lord God is my strength(Chayil);
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.”
For the man or woman who walks in the newness of life found in Christ alone, He has become the chief cornerstone by which our strength appears. The foundation of strength in found and established only in Him.
When examining the depths of the Hebrew language, the numerical value of each letter likewise has significance. The language has a phonetic interpretation, a pictorial interpretation and a numerical interpretation.
“The letter Chet is also the number 8 which is a new beginning. The letter Yood is the number 10 and stands for something ordained in Heaven. The letter Lamed is also the number 30 and points to the blood of Christ and His blood sacrifice. The numbers tell us that Elohim has ordained in Heaven that the blood sacrifice of Yeshua Ha-Mashiach will give us a new beginning. We will have freedom from sin through that blood sacrifice and the promise of a new beginning with Him.”
C.J. Lovik
It is by this strength that God’s people arise. It is this strength that the Lord looks for in His people to place them in charge over His work.
Exodus 18:25 “And Moses chose able(Chayil) men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.”
The Valor of God’s People
It was those who helped Moses do the work of overseer on a lesser level who helped judge among the people and carried forth the work of God. In the midst of difficulty, people of valor arise, it is uncommon yet in today’s society they quickly label them heros and move on.
Before the world, valor is greatly revered but easily relegated to others without personal consideration.
What daunting set of circumstances are you in the midst of? If you aren’t going through it now, you will be, we all go through trials, it is in the midst of these trials where valor shines. Going from strength to strength is to progress from one trial to the next, witnessing God’s power supplied to you for all you need. Not always consecutively, these times of trial may be difficult but there are often times of refreshing in between. It is important to remember:
We are not left alone in the fight.
We as the body of Christ fight together.
We hold each other up and strengthen one another in love.
When we attempt to walk alone, we are left exposed to attack from all sides. When we walk together we strengthen one another by the Word of God, through prayer and encouragement. We realize quickly when we compare stories that we are going through the same set of trials, maybe at different times and different ways, but they all have a similar signature about them. Some trials come by way of sin and the scourge of walking in darkness, other trials come by way of the Lord and His leading.
If you are walking in sin and don’t see it because of the blindness of sin, this is where a brother or sister in Christ can give you insight and revelation by the wisdom of the Word and the wisdom gained by walking in Christ.
Your strength will never fail if it is found in the strength of God.
Run towards the battle, do not fear, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
U.T. 