Fruit of Joy

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Many people agree that nothing tastes as good as a freshly picked apple. Recent statistics show that the average American eats at least 42.2 pounds of fresh apples and processed apple products every year. That's a lot of applesauce! Of the 7500 apple varieties grown around the world, the most popular are Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, and Granny Smith. The pleasure that comes from biting into a crispy golden delicious is similar to enjoying the Spiritual fruit of joy. And just as most people don’t know that apples are part of the rose family, there is a lot we need to learn about bearing the fruit of joy.

To bear fruit is one primary purpose of man. In the beginning, Adam was told to be fruitful and multiply. However, Adam failed in his mission as a gardener. He ate from the wrong tree and tasted the forbidden fruit. Because of his sin, Adam produced the rotten fruit of the flesh. All of mankind has inherited the Adamic nature. This impulse will give in to fleshly desires and selfish actions. Today each person follows in the footsteps of Adam and must choose between the two trees of Eden. One can follow the sin of Adam and harvest spoiled fruit. “The works of the flesh are well known, among which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, indecency, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, quarrels, jealousies, rage, strife, selfish ambition, stubbornness, heresies, envy, murder, drunkenness, wild indecent parties,” Galatians / Galutyah 5:19-21, Restoration Scriptures Version.

Or instead of satisfying the ego, a person can choose to eat from the Tree of Life and bear the fruit thereof. The tree of life isn’t really a tree, but a book containing instructions for every part of life. The Creator’s plan for man is found within the first five books of the Bible. This blueprint for living is called “Torah” in Hebrew. The Torah is “a tree of life (eytz chayim) to them that take hold of her: and happy is everyone that takes hold of her,” Mishlei / Proverbs 3:18. To walk in the Spirit is to eat from the Tree of life and produce a fruitful life. Torah explains how we abide in the Savior and produce the fruit of the Spirit.

“The fruit of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) is ahava (love), joy, shalom (peace), patience, chesed (kindness), rachamim (goodness), trustworthiness, gentleness, self-control: there is no true Torah that is against this kind of fruit,” Galatians / Galutyah 5:22,23. In the list of Spirit fruit, the word joy is found. Many preachers say that joy is directly linked to service. They say to show up whenever the church doors are open and a person will be joyful. Many Sunday school teachers believe JOY is an acronym for serving Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last. However, in ancient text j-o-y cannot be found. Instead, throughout the Scriptures over ten different Hebrew words are translated “joy.”

Of the ten Hebrew words, the two that are used the most often are “simcha” and “oneg.” While oneg is used predominately in reference to the Sabbath, simcha is usually coupled with instructions regarding the Holy Days of Leviticus 23. Let’s look to the Hebraic idea of joy and learn how to enjoy this fruit.

The first of these terms is “oneg,” spelled in Hebrew ayin – nun – gimmel. The dictionary defines oneg as “luxury, delight, enjoy, pleasant.” Oneg is often associated with the Sabbath day of rest. The scripture tells us to “oneg in Shabbat.” The concept of oneg or delighting in Shabbat proves that the Sabbath is not a day of restrictions but a day of relief. It is not a day to endure but enjoy. Shabbat is not a day of sadness but joy! “” Yermi’yahu / Jeremiah 58:13,14.

In the book of Tehillim / Psalms we are told to, “Delight yourself in YHWH and He will give you the desires of your heart,” Tehillim 367:4. The word for delight here is “oneg,” which once again means to “enjoy and treat as a delicacy.” When we begin to oneg in the Shabbat, YHWH will give us the desires of our heart. This doesn’t mean Ed McMman will show up at the front door with a million dollar check. Instead, YHWH will give you HIS desires. HIS desires will become YOUR desires. As a person onegs Shabbat, he is brought closer to YHWH, and his desires are changed from worldly passions to spiritual desires. Perhaps this verse could read, “Oneg yourself in the Shabbat of YHWH and His desires will become your desires.”

In Modern Hebrew, oneg is used to describe a meal or fellowship time. A covered dish dinner after a worship service is often called an “oneg.” This again shows us that one should experience the same pleasure in Shabbat that one feels when enjoying a freshly prepared meal. Just think about it. After you have grilled a choice cut of steak, do you rush to eat it? Or do you slowly chew each bite and savor the flavor? A perfectly prepared steak and the Shabbat are both for our pleasure.

YHWH rested on the Shabbat and enjoyed His creation. He took oneg in Shabbat and expects us to do the same. Shabbat is not to be a day of deeds but a time of renewal and relaxation. It isn’t a day to experience “new” joy by creating but revel in what has already been done. The Sabbath is a gateway to oneg and the appreciation of life.

The most common Hebrew word in Scripture for joy is “simchat.” This term is used over 97 times and means, “mirth, gladness, gaiety, pleasure.” While oneg is an inward awakening of appreciation, simchat is an outward response. Oneg delights while simcha shouts for joy!

Simcha is felt as a person does something. It is dependent upon the exterior factors of a worshiper’s response. In other words, the fruit of simchat is a believer’s outward response to YHWH’s greatness. This fruit doesn’t just magically appear. It has to be produced by the believer. For example, simcha is felt when a person gives an offering, blows the shofar, builds a sukkah, eats matzah, or wears tzittzit. This word is used in reference to many of the Biblical Holy Days including Passover, the Feast of Trumpets, and Purim.

Purim is often called the feast of joy. During this Holy Day, we recount the downfall of the vicious anti- semite Haman and his plans to destroy our nation. “On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same month they rested, and made it a day of feasting and simcha. As the days in which the Yahudim rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned from sorrow to simcha, and from mourning into a Yom- Tov: that they should make them days of feasting and simcha, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor,” Esther 9:17, 22

A quick review of the Purim story reveals the downfall of the vicious anti-semite Haman, a descendent of Amalek, the traditional enemy of the Hebrews. As Prime Minister of ancient Persia, around 2300 years ago, he sought to murder all the Yisraelites of that land.

Events happen such that Haman himself plays a crucial role in the coronation of Queen Esther, after the former Queen Vashti was banished. No one realizes that Esther is a Hebrew. Haman who has become a powerful man in the kingdom, is upset that Mordechai does not bow down to him. He succeeds in getting King Achashverosh to authorize a royal decree to annihilate an unspecified nation he claims is an enemy of the King. Initially, he does not identify the nation so that the King can later claim that he did not know that the decree was against the Yisraelites. Haman casts lots (called PUR) to determine the day this was to happen. Mordechai and Esther lead the Hebrews in a return to YHWH, through Prayer and Fasting. Esther invites the King and Haman to join her for dinner, and in response to the king's offer of "half my kingdom for your wishes," all she asks is they come again tomorrow to another dinner "and I'll tell you then." Through an odd turn of events, Mordechai is exalted as a righteous person and Haman’s wicked plot is exposed. The evil Haman is hung on gallows that he had prepared for the righteous Mordechai. The King elevates Mordechai to Haman's recently vacated position. And Mordechai issues orders, with the King's permission, allowing the Hebrews to fight against their enemies. On the thirteenth and fourteenth days of Adar the Yisraelites won tremendous victories and were saved from the threat of total annihilation. Since that time, we celebrate Purim in accordance with the book of Esther.

Because of obvious reasons, Purim is called the feast of happiness. It is a time of gift giving, costume parties, and celebrating the victory YHWH gives against oppression. When the story of Esther is read on Purim it is customary to interrupt the reading with celebration. When Haman's name is mentioned in the story, the congregation erupts in a deafening chorus of noisemakers clanging pots, cap guns, clapping, booing, and sirens. The congregation also applauds and celebrates when the Hero, Mordechai is mentioned.

One strange, yet, traditional way to celebrate Purim is to drink wine. The Talmud says that “on Purim a person is obligated to become intoxicated to the point where he can no longer tell the difference between ‘cursed be Haman’ and ‘blessed be Mordechai.” Yes, on this one date, Judaism encourages drunkenness. Or does it?

A careful reading of the Talmudic quote will reveal that the mitzvah is not to drink wine. The commandment is to become intoxicated. Don’t be mistaken. A person can be drunk without taking a drink! The joy of Purim is not found in drinking alcohol but in elevating the Spirit! “Do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Ruach HaKodesh,” Ephesians 5:18.

During the first Purim celebration, the scroll says the Hebrews had “simchat” “And Mordechai went out from the presence of the melech in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great keter of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was in simcha. The Yahudim had light, and gilah, and simcha, and kavod,” Esther 8:15,16. It never says they drunk manashevitz kosher wine. No wine was needed. They were simply intoxicated with YHWH’s joy. This is the real meaning of simchat.

To have the joy of YHWH is to blur the lines of reality as a drunkard. True simchat is viewing the evil actions of Haman as equal to the righteous actions of Mordechai. Simchat sees through the “good” and the “bad” events in life to agree that YHWH is in control. “If YHWH is for us, who can be against us?”

In a sober state, we view Mordechai’s righteousness as more beneficial than Haman’s wicked plans. A drunken person though can’t tell the difference between Mordechai and a monkey. As believers filled with the Ruach, we too should have our vision blurred. The events of life should not lead us to worry about what we see. Instead, we should agree that what might begin as evil will turn out for the good. Sober-minded people only see facts, doctor’s charts, and negative bank balances. Those drunk with joy know that all things work together for the good of him that loves YHWH. This isn’t a blissful existence but an awareness that YHWH is in control.

Remember too that Purim occurs during the month of Adar, the 12th month in the Biblical calendar. The Sages have said, “our joy increases in Adar.” In Hebrew the word “adar” means “power, force, or strength.” This proves once again the joy of YHWH is our adar – strength! Just as YHWH rescued Israel from impending danger, He protects and keeps Israel today.

Simchat is a gift from YHWH that is to be manifested. Its like a seed planted inside the soul that must be watered and cared for until it grows. It’s a fruit that should be enjoyed like a fresh apple plucked from a tree. But, watch out for worms!
The worms of the adversary will try to corrupt the fruit of joy. Everyone knows that one bad apple spoils a bunch; so don’t be let the enemy steal your joy even in one area. Y’shua said, “ The thief comes not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have chayim, and that they might have it more abundantly,” Yochannan / John 10:10. This verse describes the three main ways the adversary tries to take our simcha.

First, he wants to steal our joy. He does this by tricking us to live life in the past. A person can’t experience life in abundance if they walk around with regret. Too many believers are defeated because of yesterday’s sins. The concerns, pains, and hurts of the past will stop simcha from flourishing. Through away the poisoned apple of regret.

The enemy also wants to kill our future. He does this by whispering to us about what might happen. Fear grips the weary heart and paralyzes the saint not walking in the fruit of joy. The enemy knows he can defeat us if we are uptight and worrisome. However, YHWH says, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you,”

The enemy understands that if he can keep us uptight and fearful of tomorrow or living in the regret of yesterday then he can DESTROY our present. If we are gripped by fear or pain we cannot experience the abundant life of Y’shua. He tries to DESTROY our present by KILLing our STEALing our future. Y’shua came that we might experience LIFE! The enemy has been defeated. “For this purpose the Son of YHWH was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the adversary,” 1 John / Yochannan 3:8.

Y’shua came that we might have chayim – life and life to its fullest. The connection is clear. Life comes through walking in the simcha of YHWH. On Purim we are told that each person should become intoxicated until the reality of good and bad is distorted. The traditional toast to any Hebrew cup of wine is “l’chaim” – to life! This shows that one can experience the simcha of YHWH when one is filled with the life of YHWH. L’chaim! Be filled with the Ruach to life and to life abundant!

On Purim and all yearlong we are to enjoy the fruit of joy. Let’s learn to oneg in Shabbat and simcha in the feast days. As we do, we’ll be eating from the tree of life and tasting the sweetness of YHWH’s kingdom.

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