The Meaning of Revayah

Naming things has always been important to us—whether it’s naming your children, a business, or even your computer (long time nerd here!). Names have the power to speak life or death, so when we started dreaming of bringing our homeschool ideas to life, picking a name that captured the essence of our vision was a tall order!

In the ancient Hebrew scriptures, the psalmist paints a scene with vivid imagery comparing this singular divine being to a shepherd who watches over his flock—protecting, providing for, and staying close by—whether times are good or if he is in the shadow of death’s door.

Near the end of this particular passage that many of us are familiar with (Psalm 23:5), he writes:

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed my head with oil, my cup overflows (Revayah).”

It’s in this passage that we see the Hebrew word Revayah (רְוָיָה) for the first time. It’s translated as the English word “overflow” and carries a rich meaning of abundance or being so filled up, so satiated that overflow is an inevitable result.

God is the good shepherd, who will not only take care of us and protect us in the darkest of days, but will prepare a table in the presence of our enemies. And it’s in this seemingly absurd setting that the unexplainable happens—we have more than enough.

What?

In the valley of the shadow of death, we have more than enough? Our needs are not only met, but a feast is prepared for us while our enemies watch?

What kind of God is this?

In the midst of difficulty, we can rest without fear. We can sit down at a table filled with goodness and mercy where our needs are met with more than enough, and our cups overflow. There’s no cutting corners, no worrying about the future and what life will bring. Only the finest goods in overwhelming abundance.

And so it is out of this idea of overflow that we landed on Revayah Paper Co. Raising children to have a deep love for God can only come from the overflow of what He’s doing in our hearts. Each day as we homeschool them, teach them, and guide them in the right direction, we have opportunities to help them love the Lord.

After searching for years for a curriculum that oriented our children towards God, rooted in a Messianic Jewish perspective, we just started creating it. As a result, we wanted to share from the overflow of ideas and practical resources we had been creating from our own journey following Yeshua.

We all have a table. One we share with family, where we teach our children, and often a place where strangers become friends. We use it when life is going great or when things are at their worst. And while we may not literally fill our cups to the point of overflowing, we share in the overflow of conversation, the richness of getting to know others, and the deepening of relationships. We teach the Bible and share stories as we learn, laugh, and sometimes cry.

There’s a beauty in this “revayah” that we all can partake in as life and meals and learning bring us together—one that we’ve personally experienced in the ups and downs of life and the ongoing bonds of family. Sharing our homeschool resources is our way of sharing this overflow with you in hopes that you will capture a small glimpse of being abundantly satisfied.

Many Blessings & Shalom!
Jon, Kristelle, and all of the kiddos