For behold, He who forms the mountains and creates wind and declares to man His thought and makes the dawn darkness and who treads on high places of the earth, Yahweh God of hosts is His name.

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I must admit that I when I first read an English translation of this verse I was aware of the reference to God forming the mountains and creating wind but I overlooked the seemingly insignificant detail that God shares His thoughts with man!

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Many translations say that He ‘declares’, but the Hebrew word used is ‘nagad’ which means to talk ‘face to face’ – not an announcement or statement or declaration; but one-to-one, intimately, personally; and most certainly nothing to do with ‘nagging’ though our English word is probably derived from the Hebrew when you think that Noah’s sons were told to go forth and multiply throughout the earth!

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Nagad is derived from the Hebrew root word Nun-Gimel which means to touch gently – as when we hear the deep resonate chords of a certain piece of piano music, or when the warm rays of sunlight enter through a window.  God is not limited or restricted to any one form of communication.  He knows what and how we need to hear His voice.

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But what is God’s ‘thought’ that He gently reveals to man?  This particular word for ‘thought’ is quite unique since it is only found here in Amos 4 – so we cannot compare the use with any other context.  Bible lexicons and dictionaries note that ‘Seach’ (pronounced Seeck) can mean to meditate or swim or sweep which might see hard to link in our thoughts.

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Looking at the root word ‘to think’ from which a ‘Seach’ or ‘thought’ is derived we have the idea of something difficult or unpalatable that has been chewed over to reduce it down to something that we can swallow.  Think of a mother bird feeding its young.  That is how Father God wants to share a thought with us – He wants us to receive His perspective on that difficult situation, the awkward relationship, the challenge in the workplace that feels insurmountable, the health scare that ‘could’ be sinister, or benign.  He knows the beginning from the end.  He knows the number of our days and the enemy will not take us one minute sooner than what God has ordained if we lean into Him and allow Him to share His thought for us with us.

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There is another element to this word – the idea of creating a new way of thinking that is a fortress of protection for the future.  If we allow God to shape our thoughts by listening to Him and leaning in, then it will result in a safe place of protection; but if we allow our thoughts to wander, or we listen to the enemy propaganda then our thoughts will become more like a dungeon than a fortress!

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We may prefer to use the word ‘meditate’ but the Hebrew word expands the word ‘meditate’ into a picture of breaking down hard or difficult situation into something which is more palatable and which will ultimately protects us.  Chewing it over, breaking it down and using the experience to bring maturity.  As we allow God to speak to us, to share His thoughts with and touch us; He brings clarity and understanding to our situations – not simply for now, but a one-to-one experience and encounter that will create stability and strength for us in the days ahead.