Author: Mary A. Merritt
Submitted: June 17, 2016
Tell us a little about yourself. I lived in Upstate New York for my first forty-eight years, married, and moved to Florida, where, after home schooling our eight children, I began to study the Hebrew language.
What was your motivation behind this project? I had always desired to study the original language and know the Old Testament better, so with books my pastor husband had, I plunged in! As I formed an alphabetized list of vocabulary words, the desire to share with friends became stronger, until the idea came to compact it all into a book, along with pictures and explanations of all I was learning. I was encouraged by a series of Hebrew classes at our local messianic congregation that I was on "the right track."
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? I very much hope that other students will be as excited as I was in discovering many blessings from the language of Abraham and Moses! Focusing in on the words of the Tenach, searching and comparing Scripture with Scripture, are wonderful ways to keep God's Word in your heart and memory! The more vocabulary that is learned, the better able you will be to read with understanding, and so the hope is you will keep adding and keep searching, and keep being blessed by God.
Another benefit from this study is to learn some modern-day Hebrew which would suit one will if he/she made the trip to Israel. The modern-day language is a revival of the biblical Hebrew, with new words added. What a miracle to have it revived after so many years of being "lost!"
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? The Lord has given me a happiness in studying His Word, a sense of awesome pleasure, satisfying a hunger to know His Word better. There is nothing like it! It has brought me a little closer to heaven, seeing God in all His righteousness and beauty. I am so glad I didn't miss out by NOT studying!
The project also brought me to meet wonderful Jewish people and ones who love God's chosen people.
