The Book of Mysteries

by Jonathan Cahn

  “Your life doesn’t just exist; it strives to exist. Your life is a miracle. Your every moment is a miracle. Your joys are a miracle. Even your tears are a miracle. Your life is the gift from God. Every moment is sustained by Him. Every moment is a miracle.”

  “How does one apply this?”

  “You cease taking your life for granted. You stop wasting it, mistreating it, treating it as something less than the miracle it is. You cease to allow your life to be given to sin and what is less than God’s will. You treasure the existence with which you were entrusted. You stop throwing away your moments. You treat your life and your time on earth as a treasure. You treat your every moment as if there was a heart beating behind it, striving for that moment to exist. In short . . . You live a life worthy . . . of every heartbeat.”

  The Mission: Live this day in the miracle of your existence. Take account of every heartbeat and make your moments worthy of each one.

  Psalm 139:14–17

  Forty Million Heartbeats

  DAY 22

  THE ELOHIM MYSTERY

  B’RESHEET BARA ELOHIM,” said the teacher. “‘In the beginning God created . . . ’ The first words of Scripture. The word Elohim is God. Do you notice anything about the word?”

  “It has the im ending that you told me about.”

  “And what does the im signify?”

  “That it’s a plural word.”

  “It is . . . And why is that strange?”

  “Because it’s the word for God?”

  “Exactly. It’s the word for God, and yet it’s plural.”

  “Shouldn’t it be translated as ‘gods’?”

  “It could be translated that way in another context. But the word next to it, created, is the Hebrew bara. Bara is not plural but singular.”

  “A plural noun and a singular verb. Doesn’t that break the rules?”

  “It does . . . and in the very first sentence of Scripture. It’s because there’s something deeper here . . . a mystery.”

  “Which is . . . ?”

  “The singularity and plurality of God. And beyond that, in Hebrew, when you have a plural word that should be singular, it’s telling you that there’s something profound about the reality behind the word.”

  “So it’s telling you there’s something profound about God.”

  “What it’s saying is that the reality of God is so transcendent, so awesome, and so beyond, that there’s no word in any language that can express it, not even the word God. The word Elohim is letting you know that whatever you think God is, He’s more than that. No matter how good you think He is, He’s better. No matter how beautiful, majestic, and amazing, He’s more beautiful, He’s more majestic, and He’s more amazing. No matter how awesome you think He is, He’s more awesome. And no matter how beyond you think He is, He’s even beyond that. What does Elohim reveal? It reveals that no matter how much you think you know of God, there’s always more to know, so much more . . . and so much more than so much more. So never stop seeking Him. For His Name is Elohim, and of His awesomeness, there will be no end.”

  The Mission: Today, seek to know God as one who doesn’t know the half of Him. Seek to know Him more, and afresh, as if for the first time.

  Genesis 1:1; 1 Kings 8:26; Job 38

  The Elohim Mystery

  DAY 23

  HE WHOSE NAME IS LIKE OIL

  THE TEACHER WAS sitting inside one of the school’s gardens, surrounded by a variety of plants, bushes, and trees all enclosed by a small stone wall. He had requested I meet him there. As I entered the garden, I noticed a small scroll in his hands that he was studying. As I drew nearer, I could hear him translating its contents.

  “‘Your name is oil poured forth . . . ’” said the teacher. “It’s from the Song of Solomon, the love song of the Scriptures. It’s about a bride and a groom. But at its highest level, it’s about God and us. God, the Bridegroom and we, the bride. And here, at its very beginning, the bride says of the Bridegroom, ‘Your name is oil poured forth . . . ’ What do you think that means?”

  “The bride is in love. And when you’re in love, your beloved’s name is beautiful.”

  “That’s right,” he said. “And the ancient oils would carry the scent of spices, sweet fragrances. So the bride is saying that her beloved’s name is like pouring oil, beautiful, flowing, and filled with sweet fragrance. But if the Song of Solomon, at its highest level, is about God and us, then what does it mean?”

  “That the bride should be in love with the Bridegroom. That we should be in love with God, so much so that just hearing His Name would give us joy, that to us His Name would be like pouring oil.”

  “And could it reveal even more than that? The bride says, ‘Your name is oil.’ Therefore, the name of the Bridegroom, the Beloved, will be like oil. Is there anyone whose name is oil?”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Is there anyone known in human history whose name is like oil? There is one,” he said, “The One who is called ‘the Christ.’ The word Christ comes from Christos. Christos is a translation of the Hebrew word Mashiach, or Messiah. The name Mashiach is linked to oil. It means the Anointed One, the One anointed with oil.”

  “He whose name is like oil . . . the Bridegroom.”

  “Therefore, He is the Beloved. And if we’re the bride, then we are to be so in love with Him that His Name becomes to us . . . as pouring oil.”

  The Mission: Delight today in the name of your Beloved. Let it pour forth from your lips, your mind, and your heart.

  Song of Solomon 1:3; John 1:41

  Like Pure Oil

  DAY 24

  THE SECRET PLACE

  WE WERE WALKING on the side of a mountain when he found an opening into something of a cave. He went inside and motioned me to follow.

  “Do you know,” said the teacher, “what the holiest place on earth was?”

  “No,” I replied.

  “It was called the kodesh hakodashim. It means the holy of holies.”

  “I’ve heard of it.”

  “It was the holiest place of the holy sanctuary, the innermost chamber of the Temple. It could only be entered on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur. It was there that the most important event of the biblical year took place, the act of atonement . . . the holiest act in the holiest place on the holiest day. And do you know how many people witnessed this most holy of acts?”

  “No.”

  “Only one, the high priest who performed it. No one else saw it. How many people do you think could come into the holy of holies?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “One. No more than one. It was made to hold just one person . . . one person and the glory of God. So no one could see what happened there, even when it was the most important event of the year and that on which everyone’s relationship with God depended. It all took place in secret. The most holy event was the most secret of events, the most holy moment, the most secret moment. And the most holy of places is the secret place.”

  “So what is the holiest place on earth now?”

  “The secret place,” he replied. “And where is the secret place? It’s where you make it. It’s where you go to be with Him. It’s the place that can contain only one person, just you and the presence of God, and nothing else. So the secret place must be totally separate, totally secret, and totally apart from the rest of your life, from the world, from even the things of God. The most holy place only has room for you and Him. As it is written, ‘Oh my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret place of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.’ It’s the most important place you can dwell. For it is there that you’ll find His presence, hear His voice, and see His glory. For they only reside in the most holy of places . . . the secret place.”

  The Mission: Today, go into the secret place, apart from the world and even the things of Him, away from everything—but His presence.

  Exod
us 25:21–22; Song of Solomon 2:14; Matthew 6:6

  The Secret Place

  DAY 25

  KING OF THE CURSE

  WE SAT DOWN in a desert valley surrounded by mountains. Between us was a little thornbush. The teacher reached for one of its branches, twisted it off, and held it in front of his eyes.

  “Thorns,” he said. “Did you ever wonder why Messiah wore a crown of thorns?”

  “I’ve always found it a strange thing.”

  “Think about it, a crown, a symbol of royalty, power, kingship, wealth, and glory . . . yet made not of gold or jewels, but thorns. Why? When man fell, the consequence of that fall was the curse; the ground would now bear thorns and thistles. The thorns were thus the sign of the curse, the sign of a fallen world, a creation that can no longer bear the fruit it was called to bear, but now brings forth thorns, pain, piercing, blood, tears, and destruction.”

  He handed me the branch of thorns, then continued, “Now when a crown is placed on a man’s head, he becomes king. At that moment, the weight of the kingdom rests upon him. So what is the mystery of the crown of thorns that was placed on the head of Messiah?”

  “When the crown was placed on His head, He became . . . ”

  “The King of Thorns, the King of the Curse. Thorns speak of pain and tears. So the crown of thorns means He will now bear the pain and tears of man. Thorns speak of piercing. So He will be pierced. And the thorns are linked to the curse and the curse is linked to death. So the crown of thorns ordains that Messiah will die. He will bear the weight of the curse upon His head. He becomes the King of Thorns, the King of the Curse.”

  “But a crown also signifies authority,” I said. “One who reigns.”

  “Yes, and thus by bearing the weight of the curse, He becomes king over it. He becomes King of the Curse.”

  “And King of the Cursed.”

  “King of the Broken, King of the Pierced and Wounded, King of the Rejected, and King of Tears. So all who have fallen can come to Him and find redemption. For the One who wears the crown has authority over these things . . . to turn sorrow into joy, death into life, and thorns into blossoms. He who wears the crown is Lord of the Fallen, the King of Thorns.”

  The Mission: Today, bring the thorns, the wounds, the shame, the sorrows of your life to the King of Thorns, and commit them to His authority.

  Isaiah 53:3–5; 61:1–3; Matthew 27:29; Galatians 3:13

  Lord of Eden

  DAY 26

  THE POWER OF EMUNAH

  ONE OF THE most important of words,” said the teacher, “is faith. Without it, you can’t be saved. And apart from it, you can’t do anything of heavenly worth. You can’t overcome and you can’t live victoriously. So what is it?” he asked. “What is faith?”

  “Faith is to believe,” I said.

  “To believe what?”

  “What you can’t see.”

  “In Hebrew, the word emun speaks of that which is sure, solid, and true. Add an ah to emun and it becomes the word emunah. Emunah is the Hebrew word for faith. What does that tell you?”

  “Faith is linked to truth.”

  “Yes. And so faith is a very solid thing. It isn’t a wishful thinking or an unrealistic hoping. Faith is linked to that which is rock solid—the truth. Faith is that by which you join yourself, root yourself, and ground yourself to the truth. And the word emunah also means steadfast, established, stable, and steady. The more true faith you have, the more steadfast you become, the more stable, the more steady, and the more established. So faith,” said the teacher, “causes you to become strong.”

  He paused for a moment before continuing. “But there’s another Hebrew word that also comes from the same root word as truth and faith. And you already know it. It’s the word amen. It even sounds like emun and emunah. So to say, ‘Amen,’ is to say, ‘It’s true, I agree, yes.’ So, what is faith? Faith is to give your amen to God’s emun, His truth. Faith is to say amen, yes to God—amen to His reality, amen to His love, and amen to His salvation . . . not just with your mouth but with your heart, your mind, your emotions, your strength, and your life. ‘Truth faith’ is to say amen with your entire being. And the greater, the stronger, and the more confident your amen, the greater and more powerful will be your faith. So give the amen of your heart and life, the strongest amen you can give to the word, the truth, and love of God, and your life will become emunah, steadfast, established, and as a solid as a rock.”

  “Amen!” I added.

  The Mission: Take a word from the Word of God today and give it your strongest amen, the total yes of your heart, soul, mind, and will.

  Isaiah 7:9; Colossians 2:6–7; Hebrews 11:6

  Emunah

  DAY 27

  THE IVRIM

  IN ANCIENT TIMES,” said the teacher, “the people of God were called the Hebrews. Do you know what the word Hebrew means?”

  “You mean, what does Hebrew mean in Hebrew?”

  “Yes.”

  “I have no idea. It’s all Greek to me.”

  “Hebrew in Hebrew is the word Ivri, the singular of Ivrim, the Hebrews. And the word Ivri comes from the Hebrew root word avar. And avar means to cross over.”

  “What’s the connection?”

  “The Ivrim, the Hebrews, are those who cross over. In order to leave the land of Egypt, they had to cross over the Red Sea. In order to enter the Promised Land, they had to cross over the Jordan River. They are the cross over people, those who leave one land and enter another, those who end one life and begin a new one. But the Hebrews aren’t the only Hebrews.”

  “And what exactly does that mean?”

  “The Word of God speaks of another people joined to Israel . . . the followers of Messiah. They are Hebrews of spirit. So to be saved, you must be a spiritual Hebrew. You must be an Ivri. And in order to be a Hebrew, an Ivri, you have to cross over. You have to pass through a barrier. You have to leave one land and enter another.”

  “Or one life to enter a new one,” I said.

  “So who is the Ivri?” he asked.

  “The one who has known two lands, two realms, two lives.”

  “The one,” he said, “who is born again. That is the Ivri, the Hebrew, the one who has crossed over, who has left an old life and entered the new, who has passed through the barrier, through Messiah, from darkness to light. As it is written, ‘Unless a man is born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.’”

  “So Messiah is the King of the Ivrim, King of the Hebrews.”

  “He is,” said the teacher. “But why?”

  “He’s the One who broke the ultimate barrier and crossed over from death to life. So He’s the ultimate Ivri, the King of the Hebrews.”

  “Yes, The Ivri of Ivrim, the Hebrew of Hebrews, in whom is the power to cross over any barrier, to leave any darkness, and to enter every promised land.”

  The Mission: What barriers are hindering you and the will of God in your life? Identify them. Then, by the power of Messiah, begin crossing your Jordan. You are an Ivri. You were born again to cross over.

  Joshua 3:14–17; John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17

  The Hebrew Mystery

  DAY 28

  THE MASADA MYSTERY

  WE WERE STANDING in the middle of a large valley, harsh and forbidding.

  “The prophet Ezekiel was taken in a vision to a valley filled with dry bones, which, by the hand of God, would rise and come to life and become a massive army. It was a prophecy that the nation of Israel, though utterly destroyed, would one day by God’s hand be resurrected from the grave.”

  The teacher began to walk through the valley, unfolding the mystery as he went.

  “In the first century the Romans destroyed the nation of Israel. The nation’s last stand took place on a desert mountain fortress called Masada. It was there that her last soldiers would meet their end. So Masada became the grave of ancient Israel. But then, after two thousand years, the nation of Israel was resurrected by the hand of God as foretold in the visi
on of dry bones. The people were resurrected, the cities were resurrected, and the Israeli soldier was resurrected. And then the resurrected nation decided to return to its ancient grave.”

  “To Masada? Why?”

  “To excavate it, to dig it up. The man in charge of the excavation was one of the nation’s most famous soldiers and archaeologists. And Israeli soldiers helped in the excavation. So now on the grave of Israel’s ancient soldiers walked her resurrected soldiers to see what lay hidden in its ruins.”

  “And what was hidden in the ruins?”

  “A prophetic mystery . . . a Scripture. It had been buried and hidden there for almost two thousand years.”

  “And what did it say?”

  “It was from the Book of Ezekiel, the section that contained the prophecy of the Valley of Dry Bones: ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.”’ So the prophecy was hidden right there in Israel’s ancient grave, waiting for ages for the day that it would be uncovered, the day when its words would be fulfilled and the nation resurrected from its grave. You see, God is real. And His will is to restore the broken, bring hope from hopelessness, and life from death. Don’t ever give up. For with God, nothing is impossible . . . even restoration of a nation from a valley of dry bones.”

  The Mission: Bring your most hopeless situations and issues to God. Believe God for the impossible. Live and move in the power of the impossible.

  Ezekiel 37:12–14; Luke 1:37

  The Masada Mystery

  DAY 29

  THE DOUBLE

  IN ANCIENT TIMES,” said the teacher, “on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, a unique ceremony took place. The high priest would stand before the people with two goats at his side. Each goat had to be identical in appearance to the other. The high priest would then reach into an urn and pull out two lots, one in each hand. Each lot had a different Hebrew word inscribed on it. He then placed one lot on the head of the goat to his right, and another on the head of the goat to his left. One stone identified the goat that would die as the sacrifice for the sins of the people. The other identified the goat that would be let go. So before there could be a sacrifice, there had to be the presentation of the two goats before the people and the apportioning of the two destinies. What about Messiah? Before His sacrifice, what took place? He was presented before the people, for the choosing, for the apportioning of destinies.”