The Hebrew word for groundhog is מרמיטה ‘marmiytah’ from the genus marmota from whence comes the English word ‘marmots.’ Marmots are animals that live in burrows and hibernate in winter. Groundhog’s hibernate for 3 months underground where they ‘resurrect’ during Spring. Groundhog’s day, which will occur this week, is a picture where the groundhog ‘awakens’ on the 2nd month as a precursor to when it will come out of the hole on the third month. This is a picture of the body of Messiah.
Hos 6:2 After two days He will bring us to life. In the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live before Him.
Groundhog’s are highly social and live in large colonies or ‘towns.’ Members of a family group interact through oral contact or “kissing” and groom one another.
Rom 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you.
1Co 16:20 The brothers all greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
2Co 13:12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
1Th 5:26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
1Pe 5:14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you, all those in Christ Jesus. Amen.
The Greek word for kiss is φιλημα ‘philēma’ which is used to translate the Hebrew word נשׁיקה ‘neshıyqah’ which means to draw near and touch in love.
Burrows:
The English word ‘burrow’ traces back to the Hebrew word בור ‘bor’ which is the source of the English word ‘bore’ as well. בור means a pit or hole. בור traces back to the root כר which means to dig and is the source of the word כרה ‘karah’ which means a pasture as well as a mole (underground digger). Interestingly, groundhogs are also referred to as ‘prairie dogs.’ A prairie is a pasture and traces back to the Hebrew word בר ‘bar’ which literally means a field of grain but also means a campus or community.
The Hebrew word for dog is כלב ‘kelev’ meaning ‘all heart.’ The prairie dog is the loving creature who dwells in communities.
A ‘family of heads.’ This imagery brings to mind looking at a community of groundhog’s with their heads popping out of their holes…
Hibernation:
The מרמוטה ‘marmutah’ does not appear in the Holy Scriptures but does appear in Rabbinic writings in Bereshit Rabba 17:5 speaking of the שנת מרמוטה ‘sleep of the marmutah’ or תרדמת מרמוטה ‘deep sleep’ of the ‘marmutah.’
רב אמר: שלש תרדמות הן תרדמת שינה ותרדמת נבואה ותרדמת מרמיטה
‘There are three types of slumber (tardeima) – the slumber of sleep, the slumber of prophecy and the slumber of marmita.שינה ותרדמת נבואה ותרדמת מרמיטה’
The English word ‘hibernate’ comes from חרף which means winter, the time of darkness and death and a picture of the piercing of Messiah as well as the betrothal of the bride.
Sleep is a picture of death (Job 14:13-15; Genesis 25:8; 35:29; 49:33; Deuteronomy 31:16; 2 Samuel 7:12; Psalm 17:15; 71:20; Daniel 12:1-2, 13; Isaiah 26:19-20; 57:12; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; John 11:11-13; Matthew 9:24; Acts 7:59-60; Ephesians 5:14).
תרדמת מרמוטה ‘tardemah marmutah’
The word ‘tardemah’ has interesting connections to the above concept of hibernation, winter and the betrothal of the bride. This word is first used in the account where Adam is put into a deep sleep and his rib is removed to make Eve, his bride.
Gen_2:21 And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he slept. And He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh underneath.
Adam’s bride came forth from his rib/side (Genesis 2:22) which is a picture of Messiah’s bride ‘coming forth’ when He offered Himself as an atonement to bring us back to Elohim.
Eph 5:31 “For this, a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh.” Gen. 2:24
Eph 5:32 The mystery is great, but I speak as to Christ and as to the assembly.
The rib of Adam from whence his bride came out is linked to the number 5 which connects to the 5th day of creationclick here and life.
‘Chamesh’ is used to translate multiple terms in Hebrew. It is used for the number five/fifty, the hand, to be armed and the side of the body (fifth rib).
The ‘fifth rib’
H2570
חמשׁ
chômesh
This word is used in the following verses:
fifth, 4
2Sa_2:23, 2Sa_3:27, 2Sa_4:6, 2Sa_20:10
Messiah was wounded in the side (‘the fifth rib’).
Interestingly, the year of Jubilee, which occurs every 50 (chamashim) years (Leviticus 25:10-13) began on the Day of Atonementclick here. The great trumpet (Isaiah 27:13) will be blown and those resurrected in the 1st resurrection will receive their inheritance in the land.
Further connecting the מרמיטה ‘marmitah’ to the resurrection is the Greek word μάρμαρος ‘marmaros’ which may be the source of the Latin ‘marmota.’ μάρμαρος literally means marble.
Marble is associated with sleep in that the Hebrew word for marble is שש which literally means white or six. Marble is composed of limestone which is a derivative of calcite. Pure calcite is 100% carbonate which is crystallized in a hexagonal form. The Hebrew word for sleep is שנה ‘shenah’ which comes from the root word שן meaning a white tooth. As mentioned previously, sleep is likened unto death where waking is likened unto resurrection. As seen in a previous tidbit, שש is also linked to the resurrection.
The garments designed for the priests were a shadow picture of the resurrected believers who are clothed in white, likened unto snow. Being clothed with His righteousness is linked with the earth springing forth plants.
Isa 61:10 Rejoicing I will rejoice in Jehovah. My soul shall be joyful in my God. For He clothed me with garments of salvation; He put on me the robe of righteousness, even as a bridegroom dons as a priest his head-dress, and as a bride wears her ornaments.
Isa 61:11 For as the earth comes out with her buds, and as a garden causes that which is sown to grow, so the Lord Jehovah will make righteousness and praise to grow before all the nations.
Psa 132:9 Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy.
Psa 132:16 And I will clothe her priests with salvation; and her saints shall surely shout.
The fine linen that the priests wore (Exodus 28:5, 8, 15 etc.) is from the following Hebrew word which means white & the number 6:
Born again
The groundhog is also linked to the Hebrew word חפר ‘chaphar’ which means a digger. This word is the source of the English word ‘gopher’ which a groundhog is. A gopher is a generic term for any rodent that lives in burrows underground.
חפר comes from the root כר which means to dig. כר is the root of the word מכרה ‘mekarah’ which means a cave, and also מכורה ‘mekorah’ which means to give birth, as a baby comes out of a hole.
The word for cave or cavity in the earth in Hebrew is נקב ‘naqav.’ The feminine form is נקבה ‘neqavah’ as a woman has a cavity from when life comes forth. Messiah and His body are pictured by this birth from a cavity concept.
Isa 8:18 Behold, I and the children (Messiah & His Body) whom Jehovah has given to me are for signs and wonders (מופת ‘mophat’) in Israel from Jehovah of Hosts, who dwells in Mount Zion.
The word for ‘wonders’ in the above verse is מופת which comes from the root פת which is the word for a woman’s privy.
Another interesting connection of the groundhog (digger) and the body of Messiah is found in the Hebrew word עדר ‘adar.’ עדר is translated as ‘to dig’ and also a ‘flock’ as in the flock of the Shepherd. עדר comes from the root דר ‘dar’ which is also the root of the word דבר ‘word.’ Both words are related because they are associated with order.
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