“HALLELUJAH”—WHAT A WORD!
Actually I can’t find the word “hallelujah” in the Bible, however I did find “Alleluia,” (Revelation 19) which originates in the Hebrew language. According to Strong’s Hebrew dictionary it means “praise ye Jah!, an adoring exclamation.”
It is also imperative of another Hebrew word “hâlal,” (Strong’s number 1984), which means “to be clear (originally of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence to make a show; to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively to celebrate; also to stultify: – (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool (-ish, -ly), glory, give [light], be (make, feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, [sing, be worthy of] praise, rage, renowned, shine.”
Today is Super Bowl Sunday and it’s not long until March Madness for all you basketball fans. If you want a good object lesson of the word “Alleluia” just watch the fans. I’ll bet you will see many “making a show,” definitely see some who are “clamorously foolish,” and a whole lot of “celebration” over our sports hereos. Should we not do the same for our greatest Hero?
Also in that definition you will notice the word “stultify,” which according to Websters Dictionary means, “to have a dulling or inhibiting effect on: to impair, invalidate, or make ineffective : negate to cause to appear or be stupid, foolish, or absurdly illogical.”
Many times this “irrational behavior” can give a huge phycological boost to our team that helps them overcome insurmountable odds—and they are just playing a ball game!
Now let’s apply this to our lives and the real “life”enemy (John 10:10) we all face. Satan wants to “steal, kill, and destroy” the “life” our Savior has given us. Our Savior has given us the same authority He has to “inhibit him, to impair him, to invalidate him, and make any thing he tries ineffective.” This authority we possess can “negate” whatever he tries against us and can “cause him to appear to be stupid, foolish, or absurdly illogical.”
Don’t miss this, all this authority is manifest as we praise Him, we don’t have to fight the battle, the battle is the Lord’s. He shows up when we praise Him, He inhabits the praise of His people (Psalm 22:3), and when He shows up, Satan flees.