Meditation: Repetition to Revelation (Ephesians 5:18-20)

SPEAKING from the BELLY

Meditation is described as a "deep dull sound", coming from within and without. It is the low murmuring, almost indistinct from those around; a deep guttural sound; the whisperings of the heart, expressed through the mouth. It is "speaking from the belly", or from the innermost being.

FOCUSED REPETITION

One of the direct derivatives of the Hebrew (hagah) [meditate], is the musical notation (Haggaion), which is translated, "...upon the harp, with a solemn sound (higgaion)" (Ps.92:3). The meaning of this musical notation, is "a low repetitive sound". In other words, that portion of the song was repeated, musically, over and over, in the lower register. The thought, is that even musically, the repetitive going over of a verse, or chorus in a song, is a form of scriptural meditation, because it is the focused repetition of thought, expressed verbally.

MEDITATION

Meditation has to do with recalling, or bringing back up, from the depths, in remembrance, but a huge part of meditation is the repetitive revolving, or going over and over, in the mind, and expressing that repetitive musing, in mumbling or muttering from the mouth.

MUMBLING & MUTTERING

Various ancient Middle Eastern translations of (hagah), [ as the same words are all linguistically related in different Middle Eastern languages ], have to do with the actual spelling out of a word, revolving in the mind, [Arabic], or to read out loud, syllable by syllable [Syriac], the words under contemplation. This conveys imagery of verbal digestion of the words under consideration, mumbling and muttering, in almost unconscious fashion, even to the point of spelling out the word or pronouncing the word, syllable by syllable, focused only on the scriptural thought or idea, that the Spirit of God is endeavoring to communicate within us.

BRINGING FORTH

(Siach), which is the other Hebrew word translated "meditate", and almost synonymous in meaning to (hagah), has the idea of 'producing; bringing forth', and in Syriac, 'to germinate; to flourish; to put forth shoots or buds'. Meditation is not just some inward reflection, but it is a "natural" means of producing; bringing forth, from the spiritual depths of the belly; the innermost being, spiritual reality, that profoundly impacts and shapes our world.

BEING DRUNK

Ephesians 5:18-20, speaks of being drunk; filled; or, under the influence of the spirit, speaking to ourselves in psalms; hymns; spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our heart, giving thanks always, for all things, unto God, our Father. This verse doesn't speak of being drunk; filled; or under the influence of the spirit; as a prerequisite to speaking in psalms; hymns; and spiritual songs, but rather that this speaking to ourselves, in this fashion, is the means by which we become, drunk; filled; under the control, or influence, of the spirit.

SPIRITUAL INTIMACY

The goal and outcome, of meditation, is spiritual intimacy with the Father, resulting from revelation, or spiritual insight, that so impacts our conscious, daily lives, that it alters our thinking and behavior to conformity with His will, not in a striving, stressed out fashion, but a natural progression, where we are not "working" to become something, but the reality of who we are in Christ, is expressed, by revelation, that comes from meditation.

CONSTANTLY

Kenneth E. Hagin was said to be constantly mumbling and meditating the scriptures, speaking quietly, to himself in English, and in other tongues. Smith Wigglesworth, called the Apostle of Faith, and another example of one whose life had, and still has an impacting influence, never went more than 15 minutes without stopping, to read out loud the scriptures, and contemplate the Word. Both of these saints carried a strong presence of the power of the Spirit of God, and both impacted the world with the gospel, both through themselves, and through those they influenced; the force of whose lives, are still felt today.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours