Keep Study + Meditation Challenge #3

It’s BIBLE STUDY DAY! Today we’re looking at a specific word in Scripture that’s very important to Kelton in Memory’s Mind–and to us also.

When you hear the word keep (as in “keep God’s law,” “keep my commandments”), what comes to your mind?

Many people define this word in terms of doing: obeying the law; or doing the commandments. And while obedience to God is essential (and discussed a lot in Scripture), it’s not what keep means. 

Furthermore, there’s a problem. Have you tried obeying God’s law lately? How successful have you been? In our flesh, we are unable to obey the law. Even our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, Isaiah tells us, and Jesus said we cannot enter the kingdom of God unless our righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees—the most rigid law-followers of His day. 

So let’s discover what the word keep means in Scripture! 

FAST FACTS

The word keep appears in the Old Testament (KJV) 300 times. 
197 times it is used (65% of the time), it is the Hebrew word shamar.

Shamar means, “properly to hedge about (as with thorns), that is, guard; generally to protect, attend to, etc.” (Strong’s Concordance).

Other ways shamar is translated are “beware, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep (-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch (-man).”

But what about the other 103 times the word keep is used in the Old Testament?

25 of them are the Hebrew word natsar. And what does natsar mean?

“To guard.” (Strong’s Concordance). That’s almost the exact same meaning as shamar!

Of the rest of the occurrences of keep in the Old Testament that aren’t shamar or natsar, almost all of them are part of phrases like “keep silence,” “keep house,” “keep the Passover,” and “keep the feasts.” 

So when you see the word keep in the Old Testament, the vast majority of the time, the meaning of the word is guard and/or hedge about.

What about the New Testament? 

62 New Testament verses say keep. 33 of them are the Greek word tereo. 

Tereo means “to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon…) that is, to note…” (Strong’s Concordance).

Of the remaining 29, 15 of them are other Greek words that also mean to guard or to watch carefully. Only 14 uses of keep in the New Testament have other meanings, and, once again, it’s almost always in a phrase like “keep silence,” “keep the feasts,” and so forth. 

Only one verse says “keep the law” where keep does not mean “guard.” (Romans 2:25, “For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep [to practice] the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.”).

This makes sense even in English. If I ask you to keep my children while I run errands, please, for all of our sakes, don’t obey them! I’d want you to guard them, watch them carefully, and protect them. If you ask me to keep your glasses while you jump in the pool, I’m going to guard them—to keep them safe.

So what does all this mean for us?

Jesus said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21).

If you guard His commandments (treasuring them, watching over them carefully, protecting them, valuing them), then you love Him—as He defines it. What’s more, God loves you… and will make Himself intimately known to you. Jesus also says that if His words abide in you, you can ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you—and if you continue in His words, then you are His disciple. In the Old Testament, countless blessings are linked with keeping (guarding, protecting) His law.

This isn’t talking about doing. It’s talking about valuing them and holding them close to our hearts, not letting them get away. 

That is why meditation and memorization of Scripture are so important: it’s one practical way to hold His Words close until they become a part of us—and we more intimately know Him. It’s about abiding in His words every moment of every day: until they are a part of us as continually and closely as breathing. 

But what about obeying? Surely that’s part of it!

Obedience isn’t specifically what Scripture is talking about by the word keep. But that doesn’t mean we’re off the hook for obedience! 

Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. (Deuteronomy 5:1)

In Hebrew, this phrase is “learn and keep them to do them.” The purpose of learning and keeping/guarding His word is so that we can do it. Belief precedes behavior. What’s in our heart comes out in our actions. Our problem with not being able to obey God’s law isn’t a problem with our outward actions. Even if we couldoutwardly obey God’s law, we would still need Jesus—because the ultimate problem is our heart. And our hearts are only changed by the power of God, who renews our minds and washes us with the water of the Word. As we guard and treasure His Word through His Holy Spirit within us, He enables us to obey them. What’s more, we begin to want to obey in ways we never did before—because the more we keep, the more our love for Him grows.

So – my challenge to YOU is God’s call to you: keep His commandments! Guard them, treasure them, abide in them, roll them around in your mind – and receive His blessings as you do.

We have two other excellent posts today.

Joy C. Woodbury at Discipleship with Joy has a Memory’s Mind spotlight post and an exclusive excerpt from the book for you to check out!

Chelsea Burden at Light in the Tunnel posted a guest post I wrote on meditation! Don’t miss this one, as it defines what meditation is and is not – and talks about the two aspects of Biblical meditation.

Memory’s Mind Meditation Challenge Day #3

What has been your biggest challenge so far in meditating? What has been your biggest joy in meditating on God’s Word so far? I hope you’re discovering a little taste of the sweetness of fellowship with Him – even if it’s been a challenge. Message me or leave a comment – I’d love to hear how it’s been going for you.

If you missed the introduction post with its tips and ideas, you can catch up on the details here.

TODAY’S VERSE
You can choose any verse, but if you’d like some guidance, here are two suggestions for today!

Track 1: The Law with Liliora: Exodus 20:5-6

Today we’re continuing our meditation upon God’s law in Exodus 20. Pray that God will open your eyes that you may behold wondrous things out of His law (Psalm 119).

The words of the law flowed through his mind, and he continued. “‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me…’” His breath caught. “Is that it, Adon Olam?” he whispered.

Memory’s Mind, Erika Mathews

Track 2: Kelton’s Favorites: John 14:15

Through it all, the words of the hermit—in reality, the words of Adon Olam—reverberated through his mind. If ye love me, keep—guard—my commandments.
Guarding His commandments. Guarding His Word. What did that have to do with loving Him? 
Yet if Adon Olam said it, Kelton would believe it. He had to believe it. 

Memory’s Mind, Erika Mathews

Now go meditate!
Consider meditating for a little longer today than you have been.

… Now come back and enter the giveaway!

What did God reveal of Himself and His Word to you during your meditation today?

Come back tomorrow for Meditation Challenge #4 – and HUGE SALE DAY!