The 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Shin. The numeric value of Shin is 300. The pictogram or symbol behind the shape of the letter Shin is "flames of fire". It can also be seen as "teeth". Fire consumes. Teeth are used to make food ready for consumption. The word "shin" is spelled Shin Nun. The Hebrew word for a "tooth" is "shen", the same spelling (Shin Nun), but a slightly different pronunciation. Deuteronomy chapter 9 verse 3 records God saying to the people of Israel, through Moses, as they were about to enter the Promised Land, "Know therefore today that it is the LORD your God who is crossing over before you as a consuming fire." In Hebrew, "ve'yadat he'yom ki Adonai Eloheicha hoo ha'ovair le'fanechah esh ochlah hu". The Hebrew word that represents the name of the LORD is YUD HEH VAV HEH. YUD HEH VAV HEH is a hint of Jesus. Adonai Eloheicha (the Lord your God). Also in the verse "a consuming fire" (esh ochlah). The word for "fire" in Hebrew is "esh" spelled Aleph Shin. The first letter and the twenty first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The Hebrew letter that is inscribed on the side of the phylactery prayer-box used by observant Jews, and on the box on the doorpost (the mezuzzah) of Jewish homes, is a Shin, the letter Shin. It stands for "Shaddai" spelled Shin Dalet Yud, which means "Almighty". El Shaddai (God Almighty). In Jewish tradition, Shaddai is an acronym for "Shomer Daltot Yisrael" (Guardian of the gates of Israel). Jesus is the Door, the Gate, through whom all must pass in order to enter. Jesus is God Almighty. Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6 says, in a verse prophetic of Jesus, "For unto us a child is born. Unto us a Son will be given, and the government will rest on His shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Note that this verse refers to His "name" (name singular). Yet there are hints of the trinity in this verse. "Counselor". We know that this is a title for the Holy Spirit. "Everlasting Father". Well, that speaks for itself. Note: the Holy Spirit comes in Jesus' name. Note also that Jesus is the name of the Father. The father gave this name ... His name ... to the Son. You'll find this truth stated clearly by Jesus in the Gospel of John chapter 17, what is known as Jesus' high priestly prayer, before He went to Gethsemane and to the cross. Four times in John 17 Jesus says that His name is the Father's name. Jesus is the only name given under heaven by which we may be saved. In Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6, the Son (Jesus) also has the title "Mighty God" (El gibbor). Now El gibbor (mighty God) is not exactly El Shaddai. It is a hint. It is when we come to the New Testament that we see clearly that Jesus is called the Almighty. The book of Revelation reveals Jesus in His glory. Revelation chapter 1 verse 1 says that this is "The revelation of Jesus Christ". At verse eight we read of Jesus, "'I am the Alpha and Omega,' says the LORD God 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty'". The word Almighty in the Greek text is "O Pantocrato". No question, this can only be translated as "the Almighty". We've been saying that there is a design, God's hand of design, in the Hebrew alphabet. The first eleven letters of the alphabet speak of "our rescue". The fact that Jesus rescued us out of the world, out of darkness. The next eleven letters speak of "our race". The fact that we are called on to persevere in faith in Jesus to the end. The first letter Aleph and the last letter Tav speak of Jesus. He is the beginning and the end, the first and the last. If we were speaking in the Greek of the New Testament, we would say the Alpha and the Omega. In the Hebrew alphabet, we then have five pairs of letters following Aleph, and five pairs of letters in the second half, leading up to Tav. The letters go together naturally two-by-two. And now we have come to the final pairing, Resh and Shin. Resh points to Jesus as the Servant King, the Suffering Servant, who came to bear our sin, to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. And Shin points to Jesus as the Conquering King, the Almighty, all-powerful King who is returning to take His rightful place with rule over everything. Israel in the main missed their Messiah when He came the first time. They were so focused on their expectation of a Conquering King, come to deliver them from their enemies, that they missed the Suffering Servant. That is God's order. First the cross, then the crown. But Jesus is coming back, and this time it will be on the clouds in great glory. Every eye will see Him. He will be a consuming fire. For those who have not received His salvation by trusting in Him and His work on the cross, it will be a day of judgment, a day "kept for judgment and destruction of the ungodly". It is a wise person who humbles himself, even as Jesus did, and looks not to their own good works but to what Jesus has done for us. Receive Him. He is our hope.
