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RELIEF The following is an excerpt from the book The Living Words. The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation (yeshuah): Exodus 15:2 (KJV) The Hebrew word translated as "salvation" is ישועה yeshuah [H:3444].While we usually think of "salvation" as something in the future, the context of this word in most Biblical uses is about the present. The context of the verse above is Israel’s "salvation" from the Egyptians at the Red Sea. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. Exodus 15:1 (KJV) The Greek mind focuses on the future ignoring the present, while the Hebrew mind focuses on the present ignoring the future. Many people have had a problem with Paul’s words in Philippians 2:12. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (RSV) Once the word salvation is understood from a Hebraic perspective, the problem goes away. Paul is simply telling them they need to work out their own problems on their own. The following is an excerpt from the book His Name is One. The child root is ישע (yasha) and means "save", "free", "rescue" or "deliver". The shepherd delivers his flock from the enemy and releases them back into the free, wide, open space of the pasture in freedom. The idea of being "saved" to the ancient Hebrew was not a future salvation into the world to come, but an immediate salvation from any enemy, trouble or distress. Throughout the Psalms David cries out to God to save him from his enemies (See Psalms 7:1 and Psalms 18:3). Derived from this child root is the word ישוע (yeshuah), and means, "rescue". This word is most frequently translated as "salvation" but the concrete understanding of "rescue" is a more Hebraic understanding of the word. When the original context of this word, being a shepherd's "careful watching" and "rescue", is applied to "salvation", we can more clearly see the author's meaning as in Psalms 62:1,2 and Psalms 62:1). ROAD The following is an excerpt from the book The Living Words. Because the Bible was written by Hebrews, whose history and culture are of a nomadic, agrarian society, the words, ideas and concepts within it relate to this perspective. Instead of reading the Bible from our modern western view, we need to put our feet in their sandals and read the text as if we live within that nomadic culture. Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways (derek), and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice Deuteronomy 26:17 A nomad’s life consists of following paths from one water hole and green pasture to the next. The word for a path, or way as in the verse above, is דרך derek [H:1870] and as we shall see with the following word studies, much of what we thought about God’s law and commands is from a Greek perspective and not from the Hebrews’.