Shema

This past Sunday, my Sunday School class took a break from our study of the Bible and its literary style, to think deeper about an important Hebrew word. As a class, we learned together, what the Hebrew word, "shema" means and discussed why it is an important word to know.

"Shema" in the most basic sense means to hear or listen. "Shema" also can and must be translated and understood to mean obey. See, in the Hebrew language, there is no word that means to obey. In Hebrew when a person was told to do something, given a command by the Lord, or instructed in the ways of the Lord, they were told to "shema" or listen and obey. This usage of the word "shema" can be found in places like; Exodus 19:4, Deuteronomy 5:1, and Proverbs 22:17.

"Shema" is also used in the Bible to refer to God hearing the prayers, desires, cries, and needs of His people and acting on them. When Leah gave birth to her second son (Genesis 29:33), Simeon, she declared the Lord heard (shema) my prayers and answered her cry (Simeon is the noun form of "shema"). This use of "shema" can be found in other places like; Psalm 27:7 and Psalm 94:9.

A third use of the word "shema" is used by the prophets when they tell God, His people hear but do not obey. This use of "shema" means the people of God do not really hear, becasue if they heard what God was saying, they would be obeying what God is saying. This use of "shema" can be found in places like; Jeremiah 6:10 and Isaiah 6:8-10.

This third use of the word "shema" was the main focus of our discussion. We know God hears and acts on our behalf as His people. But the question we thought deeply about, on Sunday, was, do we actually hear the Lord?

In English, we have separate words for listen and obey. In English, especially as Americans, we think we can hear a person and then decide if we want to obey what they are telling us to do. We as American's have separated the act of listening and obeying. This has created generations of people who think they have a choice to submit to God's Word. This has created generations of Christians who never really listen to the preacher. This dichotomy of listening and obeying, has created a generation that is full of arrogance and pride, thinking they have the right to chose to obey what they are listening to.

But the Hebrew culture, the Bible's culture and the culture Jesus grew-up in, did not have a dichotomy between listening and obey. This culture understood the truth that to actually listen to God's Word is to submit and obey God's Word. If a person was not submitting to God's Word being taught and obeying all that God commanded, they never heard it to begin with. To listen is to obey. To hear is to submit. In the Bible, they are one and the same and will never be separated.

So understanding the Hebrew word, "shema" this past week in Sunday School, brought about a great discussion of submission, humility, and obedience when God's word is being declared. It asked us, as God's people, do we truly listen and hear the Word of God? If we truly hear, we will submit and obey. If we are not submitting and obeying the Word when it is being taught and declared, we have never really heard it to begin with. Our ears are closed, our eyes are shut, and we have a heart that is hard, if we are not "shema"ing the Word of God.