#S2-032: How to Defeat the Enemy with ‘Zayin’ the 7th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet [Podcast]

The Hidden Power of the Hebrew Alphabet

On the island of Sicily in the fourth century B. C., there ruled a tyrant named Dionysius. He had in his court a certain “yes” man named Damocles. Damocles was a flatterer. He who sought to gain advantage by flattering the cruel tyrant. One day as he extolled the virtues of Dionysius the tyrant proclaimed a magnificent banquet in his honor. In the midst of the festivities, however, Damocles happened to look up and discovered to his dismay that a naked sword hung suspended over his head by a single hair. 1 Sometimes it doesn’t pay to be full of words which you don’t mean. Today, we are going to look at Zayin, the seventh letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, which means sword or weapon.

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ZAYIN: The Seventh Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet

  • It is equivalent to ‘z’ in the English alphabet.
  • It came also to mean the number seven as it is found in the seventh section of Psalm 119.
  • Definition: sword or weapon

ZAYIN as a Sword or Weapon

There are many weapons available for God fearing believers in Jesus.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (KJV)
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;

  • The word ‘weapon’ opens our eyes to the fact that Christianity is not a Kumbaya walk.
  • We don’t walk with harps on earth and neither do we in heaven.
  • People always seem to be looking for the easy life.
  • They are always yearning to find that one person who can pray that one prayer which will fix all their problems.
  • If that’s you, Paul informs us, you’re in the wrong business.
  • Christianity is anything but easy.
  • Christianity is a war.
  • There are alien entities loose on planet earth who oppose you and try to derail the plan of God for your life.
  • There are earthly enemies of the gospels who will take out their distaste for Jesus on you.
  • Then of course, there’s the religious bunch who always persecute what they do not understand.
  • But, there is good news.  God has not left us defenseless in this war.
  • He has given us weapons, spiritual weapons from the armories on high.
  • These weapons are not natural.
  • They’re not based on your personality, personal influence, financial status, mental capability or any other human ability.
  • These weapons function through God.
    • That means the Spirit of God is involved.
    • That means, you have to hear God in order to use these weapons.
    • That means, you have to be led.

[Tweet “God has not left us defenseless in this war. He’s given us spiritual weapons from the armories on high.”]

Romans 8:14 (KJV)
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

  • Jesus was a grand master in the use of these weapons.
  • The Father God trained Him and the Holy Spirit led Him.

John 5:19 (KJV)
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

  • What are these weapons and how do they tie in with the seventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet?

Zayin and the Anointing

  • In the Old Testament, the letter zayin is found in the word olive.
  • Olive oil had many natural uses in the hot arid conditions of the Israeli countryside.
  • It was widely employed in the preparation of food, (1 Kings 17:12–16), used for the fuel of lamps (Matt. 25:1–13), used medicinally (Is. 1:6) and used for anointing the body after a bath (Ruth 3:3). 2
  • But the oil of the olive also had a spiritual use.
  • The olive was the principal component in the anointing oil (Exodus 30:22–25).
  • This oil was considered holy and sacred.

Psalm 89:20 (KJV)
20 I have found David my servant; With my holy oil have I anointed him:

  • Prophets, priests and kings were anointed with this oil.
  • And when they were, they were able to do exploits for God.
  • The physical oil was an outward symbol of the tangible unseen power of God coming upon a person’s life.
  • In some cases, the results of this anointing were amazing.

Judges 14:5–6 (KJV)
5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6 And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

  • Samson tore a lion into two pieces by the anointing, by the Spirit of the Lord coming upon him.
  • The anointing of God is a weapon against the enemy.
  • Caleb’s younger brother, Othniel, was anointed by God for war in defense of God’s people.

Judges 3:9–10 (KJV)
9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.

  • Some wars are of God. Some wars are inspired by heaven.
  • Men are anointed by God as weapons against evil.
  • Governing authority is a weapon against the tyranny of wickedness (Rom. 13:1–4).
  • These earthly rulers are ministers or servants of God.
  • In certain cases, they are anointed by Him in order to bring down wrath upon the evil which men do.
  • But, not only kings, presidents, and prime ministers are anointed to be weapons.
    • Believers in Jesus are to.
    • Your life is a weapon for righteousness.
    • Your walk is a weapon for good and for God.
  • The enemy is deathly afraid of you because of the potential of this anointing in your life.

1 John 2:27 (KJV)
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

  • Satan has encountered this weapon, this anointing.
    • He has run up upon it many times.
    • He has never beaten it.
    • He has never overcome it.
    • He hasn’t even come close.
  • What if you had his track record?
  • What would you do if you came into contact with a force you could never overcome?
  • Well, if you had any sense, you’d run.
  • Are you familiar with the anointing? If not, you can be.
  • If you are, there’s more for your life because our God is a God of increase.
  • He is always going to take you from glory to glory.
  • He always moves you from one degree of effectiveness to another.
  • Higher is a Bible concept.
  • Greater is the way of the divine.
  • It’s what the Psalmist realized when he declared in the Psalms.

Psalm 92:10 (KJV)
10 But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.

  • Do you desire to be anointed with fresh oil?
  • This is good and right but there’s greater.
  • What’s greater than flowing with God’s power?

The Corporate Anointing

  • No matter how anointed a single person maybe, the impact of the group always greater.
  • Jesus proved this.
  • He had the Spirit of God without measure but yet He said, this New Testament bunch would do even greater.

John 14:12 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

  • We have seen individual people anointed by the Spirit stand before crowds and we have seen what He will do through that one person.
  • This is not Gods best.
  • Gods best is the group setting, the corporate setting.
  • Gods highest is not certain individuals being anointed.
  • The pinnacle isn’t a few individuals anointed with fresh oil.
  • God’s ultimate is an entire company of freshly anointed saints.

Acts 2:1–4 (KJV)
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

  • Do you see it?
  • When they were all assembled together in one place the house shook.
  • When they were all with one accord in one place, there came the sound of a rushing mighty wind.
  • The cloven tongues of fire sat upon each of them.
  • They, them, the group.

Mark 16:20 (KJV)
20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

  • When Jesus returns riding on a white horse, whose coming with Him?
    • The ‘they’, the group, the armies of God (Rev. 19:11-15).
  • It is a group thing. It’s a body thing. It’s a corporate thing.
  • That is what Christianity really is.
  • I’m telling you today there is coming a day when it will no longer be said, ‘Here comes the Lone Ranger and Tonto’ but ‘Here comes the army of the living God.’
  • Army, did you get that? Army is a group.

Jesus and ZAYIN the Seventh Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet

  • Zayin means sword or weapon.
  • How does this seventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet show us Jesus?

Revelation 19:11–15 (KJV)
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

  • The book of Revelation shows us a side of Jesus many are not familiar with.
  • The gospels portray Jesus as the meek and lowly Lamb of God who came to lay His life down for man.
  • But the book of Revelation shows a different picture.
    • It unveils Him as God’s Avenger.
    • It displays Him as a dispenser of wrath.
    • It reveals Him as a righteous judge.
  • Notice this dramatic picture of Jesus.
    • His eyes, which are the windows of the soul, are a flame of fire.
    • Out of His mouth comes, not the words, “I am meek and lowly of heart” as in His earthly minstry, but a sharp double edged sword.
  • Zayin means sword or weapon and that weapon is in Jesus mouth.
  • This sword is the Rhema of God, the spoken Word of God.
  • When Jesus comes leading the armies of heaven, He won’t be singing Kumbaya brother.
  • He will be coming with His Father’s Words on His lips.
  • And those words are anointed to set what is out of order in order.

Psalms 119: 49-56 and ‘ZAYIN’

Psalm 119:49–56 (KJV)
49 Remember the word unto thy servant, Upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction: For thy word hath quickened me.
51 The proud have had me greatly in derision: Yet have I not declined from thy law.
52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord; And have comforted myself.
53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked That forsake thy law.
54 Thy statutes have been my songs In the house of my pilgrimage.
55 I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, And have kept thy law.
56 This I had, Because I kept thy precepts.

  • It’s appropriate that ZAYIN, which is used for the number seven, is the seventh section in Psalms 119.
  • Zayin, the seventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is found in the word ‘remember’ and is located in verse 49, 52, and 55.
  • How is the concept of ‘remembering’ a godly weapon?
  • Remembering is one of the links needed to turn the written Word, found in the Bible, into the spoken Sword of the Spirit.
  • Simply, in order to use the Word, you have to first call the Word to remembrance.
  • You can’t quote what you don’t remember.
  • Putting us into remembrance is one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26 (KJV)
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

  • Your personal experience with the Word should be enough to understand why the Spirit’s aid is so vital.
  • It’s not just about physically memorizing the Bible. Some men try to do this.
  • They try to stuff their heads with a copious amount of Bible verses.
  • The Word does not become the Sword of the Spirit because your head is full of scripture.
  • Remembrance is not just about physical memory. It’s the wrong realm, the wrong area.
  • Man is a spirit being.
  • Jesus said the Word was spirit and life.

John 6:63 (KJV )
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

  • The right place for the Word is in your heart.
  • Once it’s in your heart your head will follow.
  • The Spirit will bring the Word up from the inside of you.
  • He will bring it up out of your spirit.
  • When He does, those Words, at that exact moment, are Rhema Words.
  • They are anointed Words which will bring the God kind of life and the God kind of results.
  • That’s why you need to read the Word.
  • You need to get the Word in you so the Spirit of God can draw it up out of you, bring it to your remembrance when you need to use it as a weapon against the attacks of the enemy.

Call to Action:

God has not left you defenseless on planet earth. Become acquainted with your Father. Become well familiar with the arsenal at your disposal. Know the Word. Know the Spirit and you will know the answer.

Episode Resources

You can find more information on The Hidden Power of the Hebrew Alphabet by visiting the following posts:
  1. The Hidden Power of the Hebrew Alphabet [Podcast]
  2. More The Hidden Power of the Hebrew Alphabet [Podcast]
  3. Jesus Is the Open Door [Video]
  4. Even More of the Hidden Power of the Hebrew Alphabet [Podcast]
  5. Why ‘HE’, the 5th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, is Important for Your Life [Podcast]
  6. Why ‘VAV’, the 6th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, Builds Security [Podcast]

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Question: Can you describe a point in your life when the written Word became a successful anointed Rhema Word which brought you into a place of victory? Please leave your comments in the comments section below.

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References:

  1.  Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 451
  2. R. K. Harrison, “Oil,” ed. D. R. W. Wood et al., New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 844