To Melt: Mas/Masas, verb (Strong’s 4549). Root: מָסַס
Prince Edward Island was hit with the third largest snowstorm of the decade last weekend. For a time, I couldn’t open my front door because it was bombarded with snow, up to my shoulders. But now the temperature has dropped and things are starting to melt.
Canadians tend to always associate melting with snow or ice… and these things weren’t uncommon to the Israelite people. Snow has always been a part of Israel, but primarily only in the North, along the peaks of the Bashan mountain range (currently known as the Golan Heights).
Although snow and ice are mentioned in the Bible, the word melting is never associated with them. Actually, the first thing described as “melting” was manna:
Exodus 16:19-21
Moses said to them, “No one is to leave any of it [the manna] until morning.” But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank; and Moses was angry with them. They gathered it morning by morning, everyone as much as he would eat; but when the sun became hot, it would melt [w-na-mas וְנָמָֽס].
In another instance the verb ‘to melt’ was used to describe the miracle of Samson’s chains dissolving:
Judges 15:14
When he [Samson] came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. And the Spirit of YHWH rushed upon him so that the ropes that were on his arms were like flax that has burned with fire, and his restraints melted [wai-massu וַיִּמַּ֥סּוּ] from his hands.
Sometimes people were metaphorically described as those who melted away:
Psalm 112:7-10
He [who fears YHWH] will not fear bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in YHWH. His heart is firm, he will not fear, but will look with satisfaction on his enemies.
He has given freely to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be exalted in honour. The wicked will see it and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and melt [w-na-mas וְנָמָ֑ס] away; the desire of the wicked will perish.
Those who were terminally sick could also be described as melting away. Isaiah used this as a metaphor, announcing that the king of Assyria and his kingdom would fall and melt away:
Isaiah 10:18
And He [YHWH] will destroy the glory of his [the king of Assyria’s] forest and of his fruitful garden, both soul and body. And it will be as when a sick person wastes [melts: ki-m’sohs כִּמְסֹ֥ס] away.
Terror = Melting hearts
Things (manna, chains, kingdoms) could melt away, but more commonly (in the Bible, at least) this word was used as a metaphor or simile. Today when we say, “my heart melted”, it’s usually in response to some sort of adorableness, like a kitten falling asleep in your arms, or a little baby smiling at you for the first time. But in an ancient Israelite context, melting was used creatively and descriptively as a metaphor representing utter terror.
A melting heart was like slipping away into oblivion, dripping with panic and dread. For example, after a devastating battle, the Hebrew people were terrified by the Canaanites from the city of Ai, and it was said that “the hearts of the people melted [wai-mas וַיִּמַּ֥ס] and became like water” (Joshua 7:5).
This same sensation happened earlier when, after spying on the Promised Land, the men came back with shocking stories of massive cities filled with large, formidable, enemies:
Deuteronomy 1:28b-31
“Our brothers have made our hearts melt [hey-massu הֵמַ֨סּוּ] by saying, “The people are bigger and taller than we; the cities are large and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we saw the sons of the Anakim there.”’ But I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified, nor fear them. YHWH your God, who goes before you, will Himself fight for you, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how YHWH your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, all of the road which you have walked until you came to this place.’
YHWH has always been an Advocate for His people and He promised to protect and carry them through hardship. Our hearts can remain firm (not melty) knowing that YHWH is on our side.
He was certainly on David’s side. When Absolom rebelled against his father David, he was up against a formidable opponent. Hushai, who was secretly loyal to David, expressed to Absolom the great fear and respect the people had for David, and that one wrong move, on Absalom’s part, would cause terror amongst his troops:
2 Samuel 17:8-10
[Hushai to Absolom:] “You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Moreover, your father is a man of war who will not spend the night with the troops. Surely by now he is hiding in a cave or some other location. If some of your troops fall first, whoever hears of it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’ And even the one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will completely melt [melt melt: hi-mes yi-mas הִמֵּ֣ס יִמָּ֑ס]; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.”
[As an aside, this passage highlights one of the many fun things about the ancient Hebrew language. Whenever something needed to be emphasised the author would simply double the verb. In English we don’t do that, instead we might use words like very, or completely, or utterly (She was very tired, not tired tired. For example, in the ancient Semetic languages like Hebrew, if someone was to certainly die, they would “die die” (Genesis 2:17). In this case, those who opposed David would “melt melt” in fear, which is translated as completely melt.]
We’ve looked at how terror was felt amongst the Hebrew people, but the enemies of God would also feel this terror. The Amorite and Canaanite kings felt this terror when the Hebrew people crossed into their territory:
Joshua 5:1
Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how YHWH had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted [wai-mas וַיִּמַּ֣ס], and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.
They feared the Hebrew people because they were aware of the stories of their God, YHWH. This was a God who could move waters, speak through fire, and overcome the Pharaoh and the army of the most powerful kingdom on earth… Egypt. These YHWH worshipers were on the doorstep on Canaan and it scared them.
The Canaanite woman, Rahab, expressed her knowledge of YHWH when the Hebrew spies first came into the land:
Joshua 2:8-11
Now before the spies lay down, she [Rahab] came up to them on the roof, and said to the men, “I know that YHWH has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you. For we have heard how YHWH dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. When we heard these reports, our hearts melted [wai-mas וַיִּמַּ֣ס] and no courage remained in anyone any longer because of you; for YHWH your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below.”
Terror seized the Canaanites, but Rahab knew what to do to be saved from destruction. She proclaimed YHWH to be the One God who would be able to save her and her family. Her heart was firm and she regained her courage by becoming a follower of YHWH.
Centuries later, however, the metaphor of melting hearts continued. Of the Egyptians, during the years of Isaiah, it was said:
Isaiah 19:1
Behold, YHWH is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; the idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt [yi-mas יִמַּ֥ס] within them.
About a hundred years later, the Assyrians of Nineveh also felt this terror:
Nahum 2:8-10
Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, yet they are fleeing; “Stop, stop,” but no one turns back. Plunder the silver, plunder the gold! For there is no end to the treasure— wealth from every kind of desirable object.
She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste! Hearts are melting [nahm’es נָמֵ֜ס] and knees wobbling! Also trembling is in the entire body, and all their faces have become pale!
But this dread wouldn’t just be felt by the enemy kingdoms that surrounded Israel, one day all the nations of the world would experience the terrifying Day of the Lord:
Isaiah 13:6-9a
Wail, for the day of YHWH is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every human heart will melt [yi-mas יִמָּֽס]. They will be terrified, pains and anguish will take hold of them; they will writhe like a woman in labour, they will look at one another in astonishment, their faces aflame. Behold, the day of YHWH is coming…
Ezekiel 21:6-7
“As for you, son of man, groan with a breaking heart and bitter grief; you shall groan in their sight. And when they say to you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news, for it is coming; and every heart will melt [w-nahm’es וְנָמֵ֣ס], all hands will go limp, every spirit will be disheartened, and all knees will drip with water. Behold, it is coming and it will happen,’” declares the Lord YHWH.
As terrifying as that sounds, those who follow YHWH have nothing to fear. The Day of the LORD, past, present and future, is not a threat to those who have placed their hope and hearts in YHWH’s hands.
2 Peter 3:10-14
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered.
Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt [Greek: teketai] with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.
The followers of YHWH should not feel the melting of their hearts. Why? Because they can rest assured that YHWH will save them!
Isaiah 25:8-9
He [YHWH] will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord YHWH will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth; for YHWH has spoken. And it will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is YHWH for whom we have waited; let’s rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”
Melting like Wax
The simile of melting ‘like’ something only occurs twice: melting like manna and melting like wax. This second simile was quite prevalent in the Hebrew text:
Psalm 68:2b-4
As wax melts [k-hi-mes כְּהִמֵּ֣ס] before a fire, so the wicked will perish before God. But the righteous will be joyful; they will rejoice before God; yes, they will rejoice with gladness.
Essentially this was a creative way of saying that the wicked would lose their shape and disappear. They would not be able to stand in the presence of YHWH because they would melt in the light of the pure and perfect God.
Micah 1:3-4
For behold, YHWH is coming forth from His place. He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth. The mountains will melt [w-na-massu וְנָמַ֤סּוּ] under Him and the valleys will be split, like wax before the fire, like water poured down a steep place.
The mountains melt in the Presence of YHWH. This was a poetic rendering of the awesomeness of YHWH. It suggests that His overwhelming presence and His indescribable glory would be evident to all who laid eyes on Him:
Psalm 97:5-6
The mountains melted [na-massu נָ֭מַסּוּ] like wax at the presence of YHWH, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples have seen His glory.
But there was one Man who could stand in the Presence of YHWH and not be terrified. Yeshua (Jesus) could face His Father because they were divinely connected. He perfectly understood YHWH’s love in the midst of His overwhelming glory.
There was only one thing that would (metaphorially) melt Yeshua’s heart. It was humanity and the violence that they were so adept at performing. He was hated, and He knew it, and He also knew that hatred breeds violence:
Luke 22:41-45
And He withdrew from them [His disciples] about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you do not come into temptation.”
It’s interesting that moments before His arrest Yeshua went to the garden to pray. (Interesting things happen in gardens in the Bible.) Yeshua never doubted His role, to sacrifice Himself to save humanity, but it still caused Him great anxiety because He knew the agonizing death that lay before Him. Psalm 22 prophetically outlined Yeshua’s crucifixion centuries before the event:
Psalm 22:12-18
Many bulls have surrounded me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. They open their mouths wide at me, as a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it is melted [na-mes נָ֝מֵ֗ס] within me. My strength is dried up like a piece of pottery, and my tongue clings to my jaws; and You lay me in the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. they look, they stare at me; they divide my garments among them, and they cast lots for my clothing.
Crucifixion was excruciatingly painful, but it was humanity (under the Adversary’s dominion) that was terrifying! For this reason Paul fought against being part of this world. He was part of a new creation… a world that did not terrify, torture, dominate or demand. Paul would symbolically carry on him the marks of Yeshua’s sacrifice, living a life of servitude, kindness, and compassion:
Galatians 6:14-17
[Paul:] But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation.
Peace and mercy to all who walk by this rule, even to the Israel of God. From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
In the garden Yeshua told His disciples to, “Get up and pray that you do not come into temptation.” The biggest temptation we face is to become indifferent adherents to this world of power, rage, revenge and apathy.
The world can cause great anguish, and your heart may melt daily at the grief thrown at you by the powers of this world, but you are not adherents to the forces of this world. You are children of YHWH, whole and redeemed. Hold onto the hope that you are a part of a new creation… and in the midst of it stands Yeshua with His arms wide open.
Next week: Psalm 71:19
Hebrew Word Lessons 