Three days ago we began a series of 12 expressions and idioms that is bound
to enrich your Hebrew vocabulary both in physical and spiritual aspects, all involving a common noun that most of us use daily without giving it too much thought. This noun is p’ri, fruit.
Today, we’ll explore the beautiful spiritual realm of the word p’ri, fruit.
The word Ru•ach above is capitalized because in today’s word we’ll discuss the Spirit of God and not the Spirit of men.
In one of its definitions, ‘fruit’ is a metaphor that describes result or product (mostly positive) of effort, action etc. Fruit is, of course, also a yield of anything growing or grown and used for human food.
Consider these biblical verses:
“…for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth”
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control”
Here is an amazing interrelationship between God, the Creator, and His creation: mankind. You notice that ‘Spirit’ in these two verses is capitalized. This is so because the verses speak about God’s spirit and not the human spirit. But we know that our own efforts in any area are meant to produce fruit. This is the fruit of man’s work that will be presented in tomorrow’s Hebrew Word from the Lord. Here, however, our deep connection to God can make us exercise and enjoy the fruit of His Spirit. In other words, all the traits and values described here are not mankind’s first choice in his own right. Mankind needs God to yield the fruit that enables these qualities!
The wicked tendencies of mankind are described in verses 19-21 of Galatians 5, and each is negative and deplorable. Hence, only by interrelationship with the Creator can men inherit the positive attributes which are a fruit for him grown and offered by his Heavenly Father.
These qualities are well described in the Old Testament as well, but the not as fruits of the Spirit. They are simply described as God’s expectations from mankind:
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love loving mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”
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