Neged: Standing BEFORE YHWH

 In Front of/Before: Neged, adverb/preposition (Strong’s 5048).

Root: נֶגֶד

Sounds like: neh’ghed

At first glance, neged isn’t a very exciting word. It can be used as an adverb, such as “let’s eat before dancing” (which is usually related to time), or it can be used as a preposition (proceeding a noun), such as “standing before God”. The first time we find this word in the Bible, it is translated as a completely different word… “suitable”:

Genesis 2:18-20

Then YHWH God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him [k-neg’dow כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ].” And out of the ground YHWH God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him [k-neg’dow כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ].

More literally, this could read: I will make him an ezer (an ally) as before him…  and …for Adam there was not found an ally as before him. 

This is a bit more awkward in the English language. Using “suitable” makes it easier for us to say, off the tongue, but it doesn’t quite capture the meaning. This ally was to stand before Adam and be “like” (prefix כְּ) him. The ally wasn’t made to suit Adam alone, it was to be an allied relationship. They would stand in front of each other as equals. This ally would come to the rescue if Adam called out for help… and vice versa. 

The word neged indicates something that is in front of something else, opposite something, or before something. For example:

• Hagar sat down opposite [mi-neged] her son to watch him die (Genesis 21:15-19)
• Three months after leaving Egypt, the Hebrew people camped in front of [neged] Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1-2)
• Scripture was read before [neged] the assembly of people (Deuteronomy 31:11, Joshua 8:33, 35, Nehemiah 8:1-3)

Announcements in Front of the People

Throughout the Tanakh important announcements were made before the community:

• Boaz announced Naomi and Ruth’s redemption rights in front of [neged] the people of Bethlehem (Ruth 4:4). 
• The Prophet Samuel stood as a witness before [neged] the people and announced that they would have the king they desired (1 Samuel 12:1-5, 13-15). 
• Not long afterwards, their newly appointed King Saul demanded to be honoured in front [neged] of the elders and people of Israel (1 Samuel 15:30). 

YHWH, Himself, announced He would perform miracles in front of His people:

Exodus 34:10-12

Then God said, “Behold, I am going to make a covenant. Before [neged נֶ֤גֶד] all your people I will perform miracles which have not been produced in all the earth nor among any of the nations; and all the people among whom you live will see the working of YHWH, for it is a fearful thing that I am going to perform with you.

Be sure to comply with what I am commanding you this day: behold, I am going to drive out the Amorite from you, and the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Be careful that you do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.”

It was imperative to stay on the path before the presence of God. Those who strayed onto the paths of their pagan neighbours would find a bumpy road ahead of them.

Standing before YHWH in Battle

YHWH stood before the people of earth, and sometimes, the supernatural beings of God’s heavenly realm came and stood before the people of earth:

Joshua 5:13-15

Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him [l-neg’doh לְנֶגְדּ֔וֹ] with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” 

He said, “No; rather I have come now as captain of the army of YHWH.” 

And Joshua fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” 

And the captain of YHWH’s army said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

This Godly encounter occurred just before Joshua and the Hebrew people faced the formidable walls of Jericho and defeated the fortress. YHWH stood before them and brought the victory.

When it came to battle, the heavenly forces often stood in opposition to the wicked (those who did not set God before themselves):

Psalm 86:14-16 (see also Psalm 54:3)

[David:] God, arrogant men have risen up against me, and a gang of violent men have sought my life, and they have not set You before them [l-neg’dam לְנֶגְדָּֽם]. But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy and truth. Turn to me, and be gracious to me; grant Your strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your maidservant.

Although God’s enemies did not put God before themselves, He was still in front of them, observing their actions. David asked God to see what was going on before Him and save him from his enemies:

Psalm 69:16-19

[David:] Answer me, YHWH, for Your mercy is good; according to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me, and do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress; answer me quickly.

Come near to my soul and redeem it; ransom me because of my enemies! You know my disgrace, my shame, and my dishonour; all my enemies are known to before You [neg’deka נֶ֝גְדְּךָ֗].

Seeing something before your eyes, makes it real. The phrase, before my eyes/before your eyes, was frequently used in the Bible. For example, David saw God’s goodness before his eyes:

Psalm 26:1-8

[David:] Vindicate me, YHWH, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in YHWH without wavering. Examine me, YHWH, and put me to the test; refine my mind and my heart. For Your goodness is before my eyes [l-neged eh’nay לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י], and I have walked in Your truth.

I do not sit with deceitful people, nor will I go with pretenders. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked. I will wash my hands in innocence, and I will go around Your altar, YHWH, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving and declare all Your wonders. YHWH, I love the dwelling of Your house, and the place where Your glory remains.

David pointed out that the wicked could not envision any sort of respect for YHWH before them:

Psalm 36:1

[David:] Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes [l-neged eh’naw לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָֽיו].

The prophet Isaiah spoke YHWH’s words when he called on the people to not be like the sightless wicked:

Isaiah 1:16-17

“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight before Me [mi-neged מִנֶּ֣גֶד]. Stop doing evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, obtain justice for the orphan, plead for the widow’s case.”

YHWH laid it out. If you want to stand righteous before Him, this is what you do: CARE. Care for the widow, the orphan and the oppressed. Seek and obtain justice… and be good. That was righteous living.

But those who only thought of themselves, who put themselves before God, and rejected their Creator… they would find themselves, by their own desires, alone and rejected. 

Jonah, who certainly toyed with rebelling against God, found his way back to God when he faced adversity. After being swallowed by the great sea creature, Jonah feared that he would no longer be in the sight-lines of God:

Jonah 2:2-9

[Jonah:] “I called out of my distress to YHWH, and He answered me. I called for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice. For You threw me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current flowed around me. All Your breakers and waves passed over me. So I said, ‘I have been cast out before Your sight [mi-neged eh’neka מִנֶּ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֑יךָ]. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’

Water encompassed me to the point of death. The deep flowed around me, seaweed was wrapped around my head. I descended to the base of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, but You have brought up my life from the pit, YHWH my God. While I was fainting away, I remembered YHWH, and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple. Those who are followers of worthless idols abandon their faithfulness, but I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from YHWH.”

The way of the wicked was an easy road to travel, but it came with great and terrible consequences. For Jonah, it almost meant drowning, but in his fear, Jonah called out to YHWH and YHWH responded. If you’re off the path and feel like you’re no longer standing in front of YHWH, all it takes is a shout-out, and YHWH will place Himself in front of you once again.

The writer of the Proverbs encouraged people to reject the way of the wicked and to fix their sights on God who stood in front of them:

Proverbs 4:25-26

“Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front [neg’deka נֶגְדֶּֽךָ] of you. Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established.”

Your position, with God in front, is worth holding onto. David saw that YHWH rewarded those who stood righteous, blameless, and faithful before Him:

2 Samuel 22:21-29 (see also Psalm 18)

[David’s prayer:] “YHWH has treated me in accordance with my righteousness; in accordance with the cleanliness of my hands He has repaid me. For I have kept the ways of YHWH, and have not acted wickedly against my God. For all His ordinances were before [l-neg’di לְנֶגְדִּ֑י] me, and as for His statutes, I did not deviate from them. I was also blameless toward Him, and I have kept myself from my wrongdoing.

So YHWH has repaid me in accordance with my righteousness, in accordance with my cleanliness before His eyes [neged eh’naw לְנֶ֥גֶד עֵינָֽיו]. With the one who is faithful You show Yourself faithful, with the blameless one You prove Yourself blameless; with the one who is pure You show Yourself pure, but with the perverted You show Yourself astute. And You save an afflicted people; but Your eyes are on the haughty whom You humiliate. For You are my lamp, YHWH; and YHWH illuminates my darkness.”

YHWH’s great, redeeming, love was worth celebrating. David would announce his devotion to God in front of all his kingdom:

Psalm 22:22-26

[David:] I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You. You who fear YHWH, praise Him; all you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel.

For He has not despised nor scorned the suffering of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from him; but when he cried to Him for help, He heard. From You comes my praise in the great assembly; I shall pay my vows before [neged נֶ֣גֶד] those who fear Him. The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise YHWH. May your heart live forever!

Guilt Standing Before Me

It’s not easy living in this world. There is so much anger, sadness, and destruction. It’s hard to hold onto our faith, in the midst of such selfishness and apathy. David understood what it felt like to live in the presence of wickedness:

Psalm 39:1-5

[David:] I said, “I will keep watch over my ways so that I do not sin with my tongue; I  will keep watch over my mouth as with a muzzle while the wicked are in my presence before me [l-neg’di לְנֶגְדִּֽי].” 

I was mute and silent, I refused to say even something good, and my pain was stirred up. my heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:

“YHWH, let me know my end, and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am. Behold, You have made my days like hand widths, and my lifetime as nothing in Your sight before You [neg’deka נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ]; certainly all mankind standing is a mere breath”. Selah

It is easy to be apathetic these days. It’s also easy to be hard on ourselves. Our failures seem to be laid out before us and we feel minimized and worthless. They felt that same kind of pain in the ancient world:

Psalm 44:15-24

[Sons of Korah:] All day long my dishonour is before me [neg’di נֶגְדִּ֑י] and I am covered with my humiliation, because of the voice of one who taunts and reviles, because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger. All this has come upon us, but we have not forgotten You, and we have not dealt falsely with Your covenant.

Our heart has not turned back, and our steps have not deviated from Your way, yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals and covered us with deep darkness. If we had forgotten the name of our God or extended our hands to a strange god, would God not find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. but for Your sake we are killed all day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. Wake Yourself up, why do You sleep, Lord? Awake, do not reject us forever. Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and oppression?

It often feels like God is not standing before us. When we hold onto our sin and guilt we often feel rejected and alone. But God sees everything and He wants to heal us. Moses highlighted that God could see our guilt in front of him:

Psalm 90:8 

[Moses:] “You have placed our guilty deeds before You [l-neg’deka לְנֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ], our secrets in the light of Your Presence.”

We cannot hide our guilt from YHWH. We are exposed to His judgement and that’s a scary feeling. But honesty is the best policy and bearing your soul to YHWH in your moment of humility and weakness builds your relationship with Him.  David understood the kind of relationship YHWH had sought with His people. It is good to bear our souls to the Creator who made us:

Psalm 51:1-4

[David:] Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness; according to the greatness of Your compassion, wipe out my wrongdoings. Wash me thoroughly from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my wrongdoings, and my sin is constantly before me [neg’di נֶגְדִּ֣י]. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge.

YHWH knows that we’re messed up. He doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but He does expect us to have a relationship with Him. He has always wanted community. He made a Covenant with David to ensure a lasting community with His people.

YHWH promised David that the line of his kingship would endure forever. The line of David would find its way all the way to God’s Heavenly Kingdom. They were intricately connected… and God would never break that promise:

Psalm 89:34-37

[YHWH:] “I will not violate My covenant, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me [neg’di נֶגְדִּֽי]. It shall be established forever like the moon, and a witness in the sky is faithful.” Selah

Before the Heavenly Realm

Yes, David saw his sin constantly before him, but He also held onto YHWH’s Covenantal promise. David knew YHWH had the power to free him from the guilt and He relied on God to save him:

Psalm 52:9

[David:] I will praise You forever, because You have done it, and I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of before [neged נֶ֣גֶד] Your godly ones.

What did YHWH do? What was David referring to when he said, “You have done it!”? YHWH saved His people. He found a way to redeem them and bring them home to Him before all the godly ones waiting in YHWH’s Kingdom.

Throughout the Tanakh we read about the godly ones, and the gods of the heavens. These are strange paragraphs for us to understand. YHWH is the One and Only God (Elohim), but the word elohim is also used to describe lower-case gods (spiritual entities). Elohim is a blanket term for supernatural beings. YHWH is a One and Only unique Elohim, but He has a heavenly council, filled with elohim, who stand before YHWH’s Presence. Listen to how David described it:

Psalm 138:1-3

[David:] I will give You thanks with all my heart; I will sing Your praises before the gods [neged elohim נֶ֖גֶד אֱלֹהִ֣ים]. I will bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your mercy and Your truth; for You have made Your Word great according to all Your name. On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.

Standing Before YHWH

The Covenantal promise made to David would be fulfilled by Yeshua (Jesus), who came from the line of David and was born in David’s hometown of Bethlehem. He stood strong before YHWH, but He also stood before the world’s religious and political leaders and they did not like Him. After an intense three year ministry, He was arrested and tried, and found guilty of nothing, and for no crime he would be executed. But He didn’t die for nothing. He died for you… and me… and everyone who lives and breathes. As He went in the direction of the cross the Roman soldiers mockingly bowed before Him:

Matthew 27:27-31

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort to Him. And they stripped Him and put a red cloak on Him. And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and put a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before [Greek: emprosthen] Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on Him, and took the reed and beat Him on the head. And after they had mocked Him, they took the cloak off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

And so Yeshua went to the grave. But the grave has no power when it stands before YHWH. 

Job 26:5-10 (see also Proverbs 15:11)

[Job:] “The departed spirits are made to tremble under the waters and their inhabitants. Sheol is naked before Him [neg’dow נֶגְדּ֑וֹ] and Abaddon has no covering. He [YHWH] stretches out the north over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing. He wraps up the waters in His clouds, and the cloud does not burst under them. He obscures the face of the full moon and spreads His cloud over it. He has inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters at the boundary of light and darkness.”

Yeshua was sent to the cross to die and the earth responded in darkness. But even in his torment, He suffered with love in His heart. He saw the soldiers kneel before Him with derision and yet He still loved them. That’s the power of God’s devotion to humanity. But He would not force their love back on Him… He would respect their choice of rejection:

Matthew 10:32-33

[Jesus:] “Therefore, everyone who confesses Me before [Greek: emprosthen] people, I will also confess him before [emprosthen] My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before [emprosthen] people, I will also deny him before [emprosthen] My Father who is in heaven.”

Unlike the Roman soldiers, we ought to kneel before Yeshua with deep sincerity… we should be worshipping Yeshua as the Great Servant of humanity. He is the One who healed the world from guilt by bearing the world’s guilt on His own shoulders. He saved us by dying and He redeemed us by living. He conquered death in order to bring us home to the Father. He has done it! And now we can stand before YHWH, righteous and redeemed and worthy to be feasting and celebrating in His throne room. What a glorious day that will be!

The 23rd Psalm

[David:] YHWH is my shepherd, I will not be in need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare, for my presence, a table in front of [neged נֶ֥גֶד] of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life, and my dwelling will be in the house of YHWH forever.

Next week: The Little Ones