==The Beginning - ב bet, ר resh, ת tov and ש shin==

Since the mystery has been hidden “from the beginning” (Eph 3.9) a closer look at the beginning is warranted.

The first word is בראשית barashit. It is translated “In the beginning” or “The beginnings”.

The bet is the Messiah received by men. As a prefix to a word it is translated 'in'. This is where “In the beginning “ comes from. “In” is a good translation of the hieroglyphic meaning; it is God's desire to dwell “in” men (Ro 8.9). We receive Christ “in” us (Col 1.27) when we first believe. The revelation of God dwells “in” men”.

The way that Jewish children learn the letter is that it looks like a door to a house. The name of the letter, “bet” is the word for house. Bethlehem means “house of bread”. The door to the house is where you come in. Jesus says “I stand at the door and knock.” (Re 3.20). John didn't need a special revelation to write this. He could determine it from the hieroglyphic meaning of the letter “bet”.

The tov ת is formed by a resh with a vav returning to the upper horizontal of the square letter template. The vav is separated from the vertical of the resh; it is a spontaneous response to the revelation which acknowledges the 'distinction'. between God and man. This is the source of Paul's doctrine in Romans 1.18ff.

:Ro 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

:Ro 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Paul understood that the nature of original sin is that Adam treated God as a peer, as a man in his own image (by making his own rules), rather than as the Holy, or separate being that he is. The nature of the letter tov is that of a man who acknowledges the distinction. It is used for 'end' because it is the last letter of the alephbet, and it is also interpreted 'purpose'. At the end of a word it can make the word into an object.