What It Means That You Are A Spiritual Hebrew

The concept of the “Spiritual Hebrew” offers profound insight into the identity and power available to born-again believers, rooting Christian experience in the ancient meaning of the biblical term, according to Jonathan Cahn’s interpretation of Hebrew scripture. This spiritual identity is intrinsically linked to the promises given to Abraham and the act of crossing over.

The Etymology of ‘Hebrew’: Avar (To Cross Over)

The key to understanding the spiritual identity of a Hebrew lies in the original Hebrew word itself.

1. First Mention: The term “Hebrew” is first recorded in scripture when referring to Abram (Abraham).
2. The Root Word: The Hebrew word for “Hebrew” (Ivri or Ibri) originates from the root word avar.
3. Meaning of Avar: The root avar fundamentally means “to cross over”.
4. The First Hebrew: Abraham was called “the Hebrew” because he was “one who crosses over,” leaving his origins, land, and territory to come to a new land.

This definition is reinforced by the narrative of the Exodus, where Moses tells the Israelites they will avar (cross over) the Jordan River into the promised land. Similarly, Mount Abarim, which Moses ascended, means “the mountain of the crossing over”.

Core Identity: Spiritual Hebrews Must Leave the Old Behind

According to the sources, if you belong to the Messiah and are born again, you are considered a child of Abraham and an heir to his promise, making you spiritually a Hebrew and a citizen of Israel.

Being a spiritual Hebrew means you have left where you came from.

• Born Again, Not Born Christian: You cannot be born a Christian; you can only be born again. This requires leaving something behind and moving forward to a new place you didn’t know.
• Leaving Sin and the Old Self: This departure is not just a single event but an ongoing, daily act of leaving behind the old things in your life that are not part of God’s calling.
• Following Messiah: When Messiah told people to “Follow me,” those who followed were spiritual Hebrews because they left everything behind.

The Power to Cease with the Old

The spiritual power inherent in being a Hebrew is the power to leave what people who are not born again cannot leave. This includes having the ability to leave your old self.

• A New Creation: Paul stated that if we are in Messiah, our old life is over, finished, and dead. The concept of being a new creation—where “the old has passed away” (avar) and “the new has come”—is directly linked to the meaning of the Hebrew root word.
• Freedom and New Life: This is likened to imagining your life was completely over, but you suddenly received a second chance. You have the power to cease with the old, representing profound freedom from past bondages. Biblical figures like Abram becoming Abraham, Sarai becoming Sarah, and Jacob becoming Israel illustrate this continuous power to become new, based on the power to cease with the old.

The Spiritual Hebrew is a Passer By

The word avar also carries the meaning of “one who passes by”. This definition defines the relationship a spiritual Hebrew has with the physical world.

• Tent Dweller: Abraham, the first Hebrew, lived as a tent guy and camped out, never owning a house in the promised land. Likewise, the Hebrews in the wilderness lived in tents, not houses.
• Not of This World: As a spiritual Hebrew, this world is not your home. You are a “camper” or a “tent dweller”. Your residence here is temporary.
• On Assignment: You are “here on assignment” and “passing through”. Believers are in the world, but not of the world.
• Maintaining Power: If you become too attached to this world, you lose your power. You are warned against getting too caught up in problems, becoming overwhelmed, or worshiping idols; rather, you must stay as a child of heaven.