The words “searched carefully” is exactly the halfway point of all the words in the five books of Moses…the heart of the five foundational books, if you will.  Could there be a message here?  Could it be that this is telling us that the entire foundation of the five books of Moses revolves around carefully searching?

We are now heading toward Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread where we are to search diligently for leaven in our dwellings and borders; and even more so, search for sin in our lives that separate us from fellowship with the Father unless we repent.  It seems fitting that the center of the Torah are these words…”search carefully”

The Hebrew word for search is Strong’s #1875 דּרשׁ

dârash (daw-rash’)  A primitive root; properly to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication to seek or ask; specifically to worship: – ask, at all, care for, diligently, inquire, make inquisition, [necro-] mancer, question, require, search, seek [for, out], surely.

Do you hear a familiar word in this Hebrew word?  It’s the word drash, from which we get our word midrash.  Drash is one of the four levels of learning and interpreting Scripture in the Hebrew mindset. 

They are:

Peshat, the surface and literal meaning of the text;

Remez, allusions or allegories in the text

Derash, to study or a midrashic way of reading applicable lessons into the text

Sod, the hidden meaning of the Torah.

Notice one of the words in the Hebrew for search found in the center of the five books of Moses is the word worship.  Seeking, Asking, studying, following is really related to worship.  The definition says “specifically to worship”. It seems the Father wants us to know and is making it clear over and over through His Hebrew language, that hidden all through it is the recurring theme to WORSHIP.  The very concept of bringing the sacrifice or offering was to draw near to His presence in worship

In Psalm 119, which we read as we count the weeks and days from Unleavened Bread until Shavuot (The Feast of Weeks), uses this Hebrew word, darash five times.  In verses 2, 10, 45, 94, & 155.  We will read one of those from Psalm 119:10 “ With all my heart I have sought [darash] You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.” If we apply the full meaning of darash here it could be read as “I have worshipped, asked, studied, & inquired of You. O let me not wander from Your commandments.”

From the “New Testament” we read in Matthew 6:33 a very familiar verse, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”

This Greek word for seek is equivalent to the Hebrew word darash.  It is the Greek word G2212 ζητέω  zēteō  dzay-teh’-o Of uncertain affinity; to seek (literally or figuratively); specifically (by Hebraism) to worship (Elohim), or (in a bad sense) to plot (against life): – be (go) about, desire, endeavour, enquire (for), require, (will) seek (after, for, means).

When we seek, study, inquire, & worship HIS kingdom and His righteousness, all these things will be added to us.  Then the question becomes, what defines righteousness?  The law (The Father’s teachings and instructions), the very words Yeshua studied and lived by.  Therefore, to believe they are done away with blurs what is our Creator’s definition of righteousness.

Let’s close with Ezekiel 34:11-16                                                                                           

11  For thus says Adonai YHVH, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.

12 “As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day.

13 “I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land.

14 “I will feed them in a good pasture and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

15 “I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares Adonai YHVH.

16 “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy I will feed them with judgment.

WOW!!! Powerful promises in these few verses!!!! If we allow the Spirit of Knowledge to impart this truth and begin to search diligently, with our whole heart, the Father and His ways, we will find Him; and in turn He will then search for us, His sheep, and we will be found by Him. May we know and understand today, that at the heart…in the middle…of the Torah is a message to search, seek, and worship carefully.

Have a blessed and shalom filled preparation day!!!

Tammy

 Courtesy of

River of Life Tabernacle
Tammy McLendon
Great peace have they who love Your law. Psalm 119:165a