Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. ² He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” ³ Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” ⁴ Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. ⁶ What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ ⁸ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” ⁹ Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰ Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? ¹¹ “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. ¹² If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴ And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.¹⁶ “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ¹⁷ “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. ²¹ But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”

It doesn't appear from the context that Jesus is talking about getting out of the narrow space when we die - it's about this life - you need to be "born again".

Some of the sheep and gate passages fit this consideration pretty well.

10 “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

⁷ So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³ The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. ¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

 

This generation list stops with Noah and thus the flood. There are numerous flood stories in every human culture and on every part of the earth. What we find interesting is that so many of these flood stories have very similar and specific details which are consistent with the Hebrew account that we find in the Old Testament. In the Hebrew account the ark preserves two of every type of animal and eight people - Noah, Noah's wife with their three sons and their wives. Interestingly, the Chinese alphabet, like Hebrew, consists of individual letters - each with its own meaning. Note: these three letters:

			An object that floats on water
			The number eight ( 8 )
			Literal meaning is mouth however it is used as a representation of people

 

			This is the Chinese word for boat

 

On to another thread of study:

Ever since we encountered the root meanings for the ten pre-flood patriarchs we have been curious regarding the root meaning for the third patriarch Enosh which is essentially: a "narrow space". An accurate description for our current universe which is governed by the limitations of length, width, height and time.

Psalm  18; verse 19 -

New Revosed Standard Version
He brought me out into a broad place;he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

New International Version
He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

New Living Translation
He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.

English Standard Version
He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

King James Bible
He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

 

לםדחנ	וּיוּציﬡני
into a wide space	And He brought me out

The image of verse 19 repeats again in verse36: You gave me a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.

 

Psalm 18:  

² The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,

¹⁶ He reached down from on high, he took me; he drew me out of mighty waters.

¹⁹ He brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

³¹ For who is God except the Lord? And who is a rock besides our God?

³² the God who girded me with strength, and made my way safe.

³⁵ You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand has supported me;

³⁶ You gave me a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.

⁴⁶ The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation,

⁴⁹ For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name.

 

Sometimes it is useful in a bible study to remind ourselves where we are and what we are doing. This bible study started with a review of the root meanings, in Hebrew, for the first ten patriarchs of the Old Testament – essentially Adam through Noah. While that revelation, in itself, is quite wonderful we also became interested in the root word meaning for the name of one patriarch:

ENOSH

תבוּד

A NARROW SPACE

2585, 2596

This was a new concept for us so we thought we’d review the image of a “narrow space” in both the Old and New Testaments. Interestingly enough we did not find a lot on the “narrow space” however we do find quite a few scriptures on God’s actions to bring us out of the “narrow space” and  into a “broad” or “large” or  “wide” space. Psalm 18, verse 19 is a good example.

We will work a little more on similar Old Testament verses however perhaps it is best to frame this revelation within the context of our Christian faith. Before Jesus Christ was born, God made very sure that His name would be Jesus. This is God’s revealed name in our new covenant which Jesus brought to us. Jesus in Hebrew is Yeshua. The name Yeshua is a combination of two Hebrew words: YA (an abbreviation for YHVH) and SHUWAH which means salvation. Yeshua means "YHVH is my Salvation," or "YHVH has become my Salvation." 

As we look at the Hebrew for Yeshua:

 

Note also the Hebrew root word:  yasha.

 

 

 

Yasha and its derivatives are used 353 times in the Old Testament. This root word has the meaning to “make wide” and most often we find it is used as a contrast to the Hebrew word  sarar, which means “narrow,” or  “to be restricted” or “to cause distress.” Thus wide –vs- narrow or  salvation  -vs- distress. Our salvation in Jesus Christ moves us from distress to safety or if you prefer from the limitations of our present existence (a narrow space) into a wide or broad or large space – that is, we move into relationship with God for an existence which has no boundaries. Note in the New Testament book Romans, chapter 5, verses 1-2: "Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand'

 

With reference to standing, note the wide space for your step

Psalm 31, verses 7 - 8

I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have taken heed of my adversities,
and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.

 

Prov 4, 10 - 13

Hear, my child, and accept my words,
that the years of your life may be many.
I have taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
When you walk, your step will not be hampered;
and if you run, you will not stumble.
Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your life.
 

 

More on the wide space

Ps 119: 44-45 (42)

Ps 118

2 Sam 22: 20

Hosea 4:16

Lev 25:10  (year of Jubilee)

Gen 26: 22  (Abraham’s well)

Job 36: 16