{"id":7929,"date":"2020-05-01T07:21:24","date_gmt":"2020-05-01T11:21:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cristolaverdad.com\/?p=7929"},"modified":"2023-01-18T08:53:30","modified_gmt":"2023-01-18T13:53:30","slug":"biblical-meditation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cristolaverdad.com\/?p=7929","title":{"rendered":"Biblical Meditation vs. Eastern Meditation"},"content":{"rendered":"
This entry is part 7 of 9 in the series Mysticism<\/a><\/div>

I will meditate<\/span> (H7878<\/a>) on Your precepts<\/strong><\/span> and keep my eyes on Your ways<\/strong>. I will delight in Your statutes<\/strong>; I will not forget<\/span> Your word<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/strong>Psalms 119:15-16<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

My soul will be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth will praise You<\/strong> with joyful lips. When<\/strong> I remember You on my bed, and meditate<\/span> (H1897<\/a>) on You<\/span> in the night watches, because You have been my help<\/span>, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. Psalms 63:6-7<\/a><\/p>\n

Let the words of my mouth <\/strong>and the meditation<\/span> (H1902<\/a>) of my heart <\/span>be acceptable<\/span> in Your sight, <\/span><\/strong>O Lord<\/span>, my strength and my Redeemer<\/strong>. Psalms 19:14<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

Are our meditations<\/span> acceptable in the sight of the Lord?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Hebrew words translated as ‘meditation’ are:<\/p>\n

1\/ (H7878<\/a> =s\u00eeyach), which means to speak, converse, mutter<\/strong>, ponder<\/strong>, pray<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

2\/(H1897<\/a>=ha\u0302ga\u0302h) means to murmur, moan, speak, ponder<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

3\/(H1902<\/a>=higga\u0302yo\u0302n ) murmuring , sound, musical notation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Biblical meditation<\/strong> is NOT about ‘silence’, nor about emptying our minds,<\/span> but all the contrary! Biblical meditation is to ponder in the blessings of God, in His ways & His Word<\/b>. See also Joshua 1:8, Psalms 1:2, etc<\/a><\/p>\n

In contrast the meditation the world<\/strong> teaches, is to get silence<\/strong> in order to achieve union\/love\/communion with a god,\u00a0 bypassing <\/span>reasoning<\/span> & most of the time bypassing Jesus<\/strong>. It involves emptying the mind<\/span><\/strong>, breathing<\/span> techniques & usually repeating a word<\/span> (mantra) depending on the kind of meditation.<\/div>\n

How does Eastern meditation<\/span><\/strong> or Kabbalistic Meditation<\/span>, <\/strong>(practiced by New Agers, Satanists & others) differ from Biblical meditation?<\/strong><\/p>\n

1.<\/span>–<\/strong>Eastern<\/span> (& Kabbalistic) meditation relies on man<\/strong><\/span> & man made steps as the agent to<\/strong> bring peace & get closer to God<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

-Biblical meditation doesn’t have steps or a technique to follow<\/span>, but comes out naturally from our own relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ & our desire to please Him. We are very grateful\u00a0 because He paid with His life for our sins<\/strong> (which separate<\/span> all of us<\/strong> from God), so we through faith in His sacrifice can get closer to the True & Holy God.<\/p>\n

“Therefore, if any man is in Christ<\/strong>, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Look, all things have become new.\u00a0 All this is from God<\/strong><\/span>, who has reconciled us to Himself<\/span> through<\/strong> Jesus Christ<\/span> and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation<\/em>” 2 Cor. 5:17-18<\/a><\/p>\n

Jesus said: “Peace<\/strong> I leave with you. My peace<\/span> I give to you; not<\/span> as the world<\/span><\/strong> gives<\/span> do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid<\/em>” John 14:23<\/a><\/p>\n

“You<\/span><\/strong> will keep him in perfect<\/span> peace<\/span>,<\/span> whose mind is stayed on You<\/strong>, <\/span><\/span><\/em>because<\/span> he trusts in You<\/strong><\/em>” Isaiah 26:3<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Sadly many ‘Christians’ are not trusting in God & His Word and are being seduced by pagan teachings, because they refuse to test the spirits (1 Jn. 4:1<\/a>) when is needed the most in these times of apostasy. See a litmus test to try the spirits here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2<\/strong>.<\/span> Eastern (& Kabbalistic) meditation focuses on self<\/span>:<\/strong> I, I, I & me, me, me. It centers in self<\/strong>, in our emotions, our breathing<\/strong>, our physical feelings, our selfish desires, etc.<\/p>\n

-Biblical meditation takes our focus off<\/span> our problems & off of ourselves<\/strong>, but places our focus on Jesus Christ<\/span> & builds our faith by waiting on His promises, because we put our trust in Him.<\/p>\n

3<\/strong>.<\/span> Eastern (& Kabbalistic) Meditation tries to attain a higher spiritual level<\/strong><\/span> by achieving oneness with their god<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

-Oneness with God<\/span> or \u2018Mystical union<\/a>\u2018 is not<\/strong> taught in the Scriptures<\/span>, but we can find its origins in Neo-Platonism, Kabbalah, & Gnosticism.<\/p>\n

4<\/strong>.<\/span> Eastern (& Kabbalistic) meditation empties<\/span> the mind to<\/span> bypass reasoning<\/span><\/span>. <\/strong>In eastern-style meditation (and in contemplative prayer) thoughts<\/strong> are the enemy.<\/p>\n

-Biblical meditation on the contrary fills<\/span><\/strong> our mind with God’s Word<\/span>, we ponder, think<\/strong> in His ways & His Goodness, it builds our spirit with faith.<\/p>\n

5<\/strong>.<\/span> Eastern (& Kabbalistic) meditation practices the ‘Discipline of Silence<\/strong><\/span>“. But none<\/strong> of the Hebrew (or Greek G3191<\/a> ) words in the Bible for ‘Meditation<\/strong>‘ mean silence of sounds, words or mind, but all the contrary<\/span>.<\/p>\n

I have found several web pages that are trying to teach Christians “How to practice the Discipline of Silence<\/strong>” or have posts questioning if meditation is Biblical, etc., when in reality they are not genuine & are just trying to deceive them, using the same techniques as Eastern meditation<\/strong> but wrapped up in Christian terminology, endorsing authors & material that promotes unbiblical<\/span> meditation. Most of the time these web sites will recommend Catholic mystics<\/a> (& other mystics), their videos & books on meditation as a ‘Christian<\/em>‘ alternative! But Catholic meditation is just a copy of Eastern Meditation<\/strong> or is Kabbalistic Meditation!<\/p>\n

What is not understood by contemplatives is that:<\/p>\n

1. Christian contemplative prayers and meditation<\/span> are identical with Eastern mantras and Eastern meditation<\/strong>;<\/p>\n

2. When Eastern meditation is practiced, and \u201csilence\u201d<\/span> is achieved, it produces an <\/strong>altered<\/span> state of mind;<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. Eastern meditative techniques<\/strong>, even if applied as \u201cChristian\u201d and called \u201ccontemplative prayer\u201d etc., begin to change<\/span> the meditators spiritual outlook<\/span>. The practitioner\u2019s altered state<\/strong> justifies any anti-biblical reasoning. . . .<\/p>\n

Because demonic realms are<\/span> entered during the contemplative silence<\/strong>, over time meditators<\/strong> lose<\/strong> their confidence in God\u2019s Word<\/strong>. . . . Thus, this form of meditation has become one of Satan\u2019s greatest tools of deception, leading people away from Christ and toward a lie.\u00a0 – Caryl Matrisciana, Out of India<\/em>, pp. 176-178.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

-One Bible verse they often used to teach silence<\/strong> is :<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Be still <\/strong><\/em><\/span>(H7503<\/a>), and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth<\/em>“. Psalms 46:10<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

In English the word to be still means to be quiet or not to move, but the word used in the Hebrew<\/strong> & the Bible context is to let go<\/strong> of our fears<\/span><\/span>, to rest<\/strong><\/span> in the understanding that ‘God is our\u00a0 refuge’<\/span> in times of trouble<\/strong>. The chapter starts and ends with that affirmation, but it got nothing to do with meditation methods, contemplative prayer or to be silent!<\/p>\n

The most dangerous<\/strong> part of Eastern meditation & Kabbalistic Meditation or any meditation that is not biblical, is that opens doors to the demonic<\/strong> realm.<\/span> I know this may sound harsh to some of you, but I have heard this over & over from many people that used to practice meditation & came out of it. At one point they start hearing voices, etc. that with in a short time start harassing them.<\/p>\n

Next video is from a former New Ager, ex-meditation teacher that came to the Lord about 3 years ago. At the beginning of this video he presents a well known secular meditation teacher<\/strong>, who is explaining in his own words, the not so good<\/strong> side of meditation<\/span>, that many of us never hear about.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dangers of unbiblical Meditation<\/strong><\/p>\n