Armor of God
In Ephesians 6:10-20, we are told to wear the Armor of God. Here we can use the Ancient Hebrew letters to gain a better understanding of each piece of the armor.
Helmet of Salvation (Yeshuah)
h Hey Behold | E Ayin Look | v Vav Nail | S Shin Separate | y Yud Hand |
| As pictographs, the letters combine to mean ‘Behold, see how a hand will save or separate by a nail.’ But it is actually a compound word consisting of ‘Ya’ (God) and the root word ‘shuah’ (to rescue). In the Armor of God, the Helmet of Salvation is Yeshuah, the one who secures our rescue or salvation. |
| y | The ‘Yud’ in pictograph form shows an arm and a hand. The picture can mean to work, throw, worship, or it can simply mean an arm or hand. |
| sS | The ‘Shin’ may be depicted differently depending on the time period, but represents two front teeth and can mean sharp, eat, consume, separate, or destroy. |
| v | The ‘Vav’ represents a tent peg or nail and means to secure or hook. But it can also simply mean peg or nail. |
| E | The ‘Ayin’ appears as an eye. It relates to the function of the eye, understanding, or knowledge. |
| hH | The ‘Hey’ appears as a man waving his arms. It relates to pay attention, hehold, reveal. |
Breastplate of Righteousness (Tsedek)
q Quph Follow | D Dalet Journey | F Tsade Seek |
As part of the Armor of God, the Breastplate of Righteousness represents seeking a journey that follows God. |
F | The ‘Tsade’ represents a man searching or seeking and means hunter, catch, or desire. |
D | The ‘Dalet’ represents a tent flap or door as going in and out of a door or a journey. |
q | The ‘Quph’ character appears like the back of man’s head or a sunset and means last, behind, following, revolving or cycle of time. |
Belt of Truth (Emet)
t Tau Covenant | M Mem Water | a Aleph Strong |
The Belt of Truth is an important item in the Armor of God used in spiritual warfare. The Aleph and Mem together create the word “Mother,” the strong water that nurtures and holds a family together. The word “Truth” means to nurture the covenant. |
a | The ‘Aleph’ is the picture of an ox head and illustrates the strength of an animal. It can mean strong, power, or leader. |
M | The ‘Mem’ illustrates water or waves. As a nomadic people, the Hebrews feared the waves or waters of the seas, so the letter often meant chaos, mighty, or blood. On the other hand, water sustained life and in this instance, it carries that meaning. |
t | The ‘Tau’ is used as a man’s mark, either like a signature on an agreement or even a crossed sticks on the ground to mark a boundary point. Either way, it is associated with an agreement or covenant between two people or between man and God. |
Shoes of Peace (Shalom)
M Mem Chaos | v Vav Establish | l Lamed Authority | s Shin Destroy |
Destroy the authority that establishes chaos. In this illustration as part of the Armor of God, the Shoes of Peace indicate we need to to be walking or pursuing. If we do the walking, God will destroy the chaos ahead of us. |
sS | The ‘Shin’ represents two front teeth and can mean sharp, eat, consume, separate, or destroy. |
l | The ‘Lamed’ is a picture of a shepherd’s staff. The shepherd used the staff to exercise authority over the sheep to direct or lead them. It can mean teach, lead, yoke, move forward, or authority. |
v | The ‘Vav’ represents a tent peg or nail and means to secure or hook. But it can also simply mean peg or nail. |
M | The ‘Mem’ illustrates water or waves. As a nomadic people, the Hebrews did not understand the waves or waters of the ocean. So the letter came to mean chaos, mighty, or blood. |
Shield of Faith (Emunah)
H Hey Behold | n Nun Life/Heir | v Vav Secure | M Mem Water | a Aleph Strong |
The pictograph portrays getting our attention, ‘Behold’, the root of Em (mother or giver of life) who seeks to establish continual life or activity in us. Faith is the actions of our life that reveal our relationship with the life giver. Our faith brings a life that has purpose. When our actions come into agreement with the Lord, the enemy’s weapons cannot penetrate the Shield of Faith. |
a | The ‘Aleph’ is the picture of an ox head and illustrates the strength of an animal. It can mean strong, power, or leader. |
M | The ‘Mem’ illustrates water or waves. As a nomadic people, the Hebrews feared the waves or waters of the ocean. So the letter came to mean chaos, mighty, or blood. |
v | The ‘Vav’ pictures a tent peg or nail. It means to secure, connect, or establish. |
n | The ‘Nun’ represents a seed or sprout and gives us the meaning of continuing to a new generation. It can have the meaning of continuing, perpetuating, sustaining, offspring, or heir. |
hH | The ‘Hey’ pictograph represents a man with his hands in the air trying to get someone’s attention. It suggests look, reveal, behold. |
Sword of the Spirit – The Word (Debar)
r Resh Man | B Beyt Home | D Dalet Door |
The only offensive weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, which is The Word of God (Debar). Words, in the ancient thought process, had substance. Sentences were an ordered arrangement of ideas that ordered lives. The Word of God makes the enemy back down. The more a person is in command of the Word, the more effective soldier he will be. |
D | The ‘Dalet’ represents a tent flap or door. It can also mean back and forth movement as in going in and out of a door or a journey. |
B | The ‘Beyt’ depicts the floor plan of a tent. It means home, inside, or family. |
r | The ‘Resh’ symbolizes a head, man, chief, highest, top, beginning, or first. |
