Shuwb

This morning for exhortation, let us consider some of the meanings of the word “restore.” While the Hebrew language has more than one word to convey the idea of restore, it may be helpful to choose the word “shuwb.” Strong Concordance gives the pronunciation as “shoob”. Shuwb, according to Strong, is a prime root, and as such is rich in meaning. Among the various shades of meaning we find: to bring back home again, convert, refresh, relieve, render again, rescue, retrieve, and restore. We are reminded of the richness of the Hebrew language when one word conveys so many beautiful thoughts and opens so many themes in the Scriptures.

A brief reference to some of the ways this word is used may help to emphasize its meaning. Gen. 29:7 restore Abraham’s wife, Gen. 42:25 Joseph restored every man’s money, Lev. 6:4 He shall restore that which he took violently away, Num. 35:25 congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, Judges 11:13 restore thee all the land of Saul thy father, 1 Kings 20:34 The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore, Neh. 5:11 Restore, I pray you to them, even this day, their lands.

We Have Witnessed the Regathering of Israel

We have witnessed the regathering of Israel to their land in our own times. We know that this is not the end of God’s dealings with this people. God through Isaiah tells us, “He will raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the preserved of Israel.” (Isa. 49:6) The power of this word is emphasized for us by God through Ezekiel 33:15, “If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.” Daniel 9:25 instructs us “Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem . . .” In Ruth 4: 14, 15 at the birth of Obed, and concerning Naomi, we read, “And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age.”

Putting the foregoing verses together it is very easy to get some of the meaning and the richness of this word “shuwb.” But we must not stop here but press on, for the word shall lead us to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Concerning the work of the shepherd, we are told in the twenty-third Psalm: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth (shuwb) my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of right­eousness for his name’s sake.”. And so, David is taking the word shuwb which is clearly used concerning restoration and the associated thoughts (to bring home again, to convert, to refresh, to relieve, to render again, to rescue, to retrieve) and says the LORD does all this NOW. We look forward to that grand and complete restoration, even the change to immortality at the judgment seat of Christ, but we need to consider that restoration available to us now. Truly, the LORD restores our soul NOW, brings back in a spiritual sense, our life. He refreshes our life, rescuing us from the many distractions which tend to pull us away from Him.

David Shows Us How

But the restoration is conditional. It is dependent upon us. Shuwb can only apply to us to the extent that we expose ourselves to God’s word. This is the way that God can, and will refresh us, through study and meditation of the Holy Scriptures. David shows us how this comes about. “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple . . . for thou hast magnified (Heb. proudly spoken) thy word above all thy name.” (Ps. 119:­130; 1382:2) The Bible of course, is the Word of God. It is not the work of man. Not only is it God’s Word, but it has been “proudly spoken.” God is justifiably proud of His revelation to man. We can only wonder how it must grieve Him to have it taken so lightly for this is the Word of Life! The only way that man can find life eternal, a complete restoration, is through the word of God. God has provided this word, so that His children may be refreshed, exhorted and encouraged in the ways of righteousness.

David focused upon these thoughts when in Psalm 19: 7-11 he declares: “The law of the LORD is perfect converting (shuwb) the soul; the testimony of the LORD is pure making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever. The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned and in keeping of them there is great reward.”

The Effects of True Conversion

David further prays in Psalm 51:11, “Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore (shuwb) unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors . . . (Heb. to break away from just authority, trespass, apostacize, quarrel, offend, rebel, revolt) . . . thy ways and sinners shall be converted (shuwb) unto thee.” Here we see the effects of true conversion. Here we are reminded of David’s consuming desire, that sinners shall be converted to Yahweh. Is this also our desire? If it is not, then we have something on which to work.

For our last look at shuwb this morning, let us turn to a prophecy of Isaiah and remind ourselves how the Lord Jesus Christ picks up this thought and gives us hope and joy beyond compare. “And he said, Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed but understand not; and see ye indeed but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert (shuwb) and be healed. (Isa. 6:9, 10).

Turning to the New Testament we find in Matthew 13 that the disciples are perplexed about Jesus’ teaching. He could talk very plainly to them, and did, and though they did not understand everything he said, he certainly did not communicate with them in parables. Why then should he speak to the multitudes in this manner? “And the dis­ciples came and said unto him, why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables because they seeing, see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias which saith, By hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see and not perceive; for this people’s heart is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart and should be converted, (not shuwb, but the NT equivalent) . . . and I should heal them. (Matt. 13:10-15).

If This Applied Then, How Much More So Now

Christ was speaking to those in the first century. The disciples were truly in a privileged position. But if this applied to those of the first century, which it did, how much more does it apply to us today? He continues in verse 16, “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear. For verily I say unto you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them. Think of this for a moment. We understand much more than many of the righteous who have lived in ages past, including prophets. For we live at the very end of God’s dealings with mankind, as we know life today. We see the fulfillment of so many things that past generations could in no wise experience.

For us, this means that the reverse of Isaiah 6:9, 10 is true. Do we really appreciate this word? It has been given to us by the Almighty God who is able to restore our life, to bring us back, to refresh us, to build us up. And how greatly we have been blessed! We have all of the study helps we need. No other generation has ever been given such a wealth of information. And no other generation has ever been faced with as many distractions to tear us away from the Word as has this one. May we use the time that is left to us wisely. May our lives be continually restored, refreshed, up built through our reading and meditation of God’s Holy Word. May we not forget the remembrance, week to week, of our departed Lord. Surely the emblems before us become the high point of our refreshment and restoration. He died for you, and for me, that we might live. We must never take this fact lightly.

We joyfully anticipate the time when our restoration is complete, even the change to immortality. With these thoughts in mind, let us now break bread.