Study #2: CHET

CHET ( FENCE ) AND CHAI ( LIFE )

Hebrew as a language is more concrete than abstract. It relates to something physical and tangible which is observable by the 5 senses.

Hence CHAI ( Life ) literally means a stomach.

Job 38:39 – ” Will you hunt prey for the lion and will you fill the stomach ( CHAI ) of the young lion?”.

But what has life got to do with a stomach?

To the ancients, a full stomach denotes life while an empty one is tantamount to death by starvation.

The pictorials for CHAI are:

1. CHET = Fence
2. YOD = Hand

Indeed our Life is only assured, secure and complete if surrendered to the protective and providing Hand of God.

Jesus used the metaphor of life-giving water to teach the Samaritan Woman in John 4: 13-14 when He offered her spiritual life as His gift of salvation. Indeed to receive this gift of eternal life, He taught Nicodemus that we must be born-again ( John 3:1-21 ). Water is thus a life essential as we can survive longer without food but only three days without water.

In the plural, CHAI is CHAYYIM – a word we sometimes use to toast each other L’ CHAYYIM ( To Life ) with a liquid drink like wine.

Father God, renewed our minds to see CHAI as the spiritual gift of salvation, the gift of eternal life instead of wasting our lives away in endless rounds of dining and wining. For it is not Your will that any should perish but that all would come to repentance ( 2 Peter 3:9 ) and a saving knowledge of You to obtain Your free gift of Eternal Life ( CHAI OLAM ).