H - Equivalence
There are some verses that seem to stand out begging to define the metaphor. They give you a quick start is solving the riddles. When you see them you can usually validate them quickly, getting two or three other verses that corroborate the metaphor. They still have to be the same everywhere, but with three or four verses where it works, you can pencil it it in with some confidence. Here are some examples:
Blood
There are several verses concerning blood=life which could be seen as hints.
- Ge 9:4 But flesh with the life thereof, [which is] the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
- Le 17:11 For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it [is] the blood [that] maketh an atonement for the soul.
- Le 17:14 For [it is] the life of all flesh; the blood of it [is] for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh [is] the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.
- De 12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood [is] the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.
Now apply it:
- Ex 4:9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour [it] upon the dry [land]: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry [land].
Moses took water from the river, poured it on the dry ground and it became blood. This was not a magic trick designed to awe an audience into elevating the magician. It was a sign. A sign is a symbol. It is intended to have meaning apart from the 'mechanics' of it.
Use close reading: The water is from the river. It is poured (as apposed to sprinkled). Upon the dry (not the ground 'adamah' אדמה.) 'Take' is used two times, he could have just said, 'the water shall become blood'.
Water is the word of God. The formation of the word for water 'mayim' מים is a new creation י inside the father מ and the son ם. We may notice that the father and son without creation are desolate 'mem' מם. Jesus is also the Word of God.
The water is from the river 'ye-or' יאר which by formation is God's 'yah' יא revelation ר. Jesus is the Word of God from God's revelation.
'Pour' shaphak שפך is also 'shed' or 'gush out' by definition. Water and blood poured out from his side. [1]
Upon the dry 'yabbashah' יבשה which by formation is 'shamed' yabesh יבש who heard but did not understand ה. Jesus put us to shame by resisting temptation without sin and removing all our excuses. The shamed are those who have been judged.
'Take' also means 'married' and 'doctrine'. The water (Word/Christ) which you marry or become one with (or abide in [2]), which is poured out upon you shall become life in you.
Other equivalences
- Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
- De 14:23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.
- Lu 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake [it], and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you [the metaphor of the cross]: this do in remembrance of me.
- Ec 6:12 For who knoweth what [is] good for man in [this] life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? [all the history in the OT is a shadow of Christ]
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