Dictionary of Bible Themes Scripture uses the term to refer to both the physical act of seeing, and also the gift of spiritual insight. All things, physical and spiritual, are seen by God. 2 Chronicles 16:9God's vision Psalms 11:4God views all life on earth See also Genesis 6:11Exodus 3:9 Psalms 31:22; 34:15; 139:16 Zechariah 4:10 Genesis 6:5 See also God sees the hearts and thoughts of people 1 Samuel 2:3Psalms 139:1-4,23-24 Proverbs 15:11 Jeremiah 20:12 Matthew 6:8,18 Luke 16:15 Hebrews 4:13 1 John 3:20 Exodus 4:11 The physical vision of human beings Psalms 146:8It is given and can be taken by God See also Leviticus 26:16Proverbs 29:13 Acts 9:8-9 Luke 4:18 pp Ac 22:11 See also Jesus Christ restores the sight of the blind Matthew 9:30John 9:7 Acts 9:17-18 Genesis 27:1; 48:10 pp Ac 22:13 1 Samuel 3:2; 4:15Physical sight diminishes with age 1 Kings 14:4Ecclesiastes 12:3 Ecc 12:2-5 is an allegory on ageing. It gives a graphic description of a person's progressive deterioration. Job 41:9Physical vision has its dangers Joel 2:6It can create fear Matthew 28:3-4Revelation 1:17 pp Mk 16:5 pp Lk 24:4-5 1 John 2:16See also It gives rise to temptation Genesis 3:6Joshua 7:21 2 Samuel 11:2-4 Job 31:1 Psalms 119:37 Matthew 5:28-29 Hebrews 11:1 Christians are to live by faith rather than by sight See also Romans 8:242 Corinthians 4:18; 5:7 Hebrews 11:27 Genesis 32:30 Visions of God Exodus 33:18-23Examples of those who saw God Job 42:5Isaiah 6:1,5 Revelation 1:12-18 Matthew 5:8 1 John 3:2 God's people will see him See also Psalms 17:15John 17:24 1 Corinthians 13:12 Revelation 22:4 2 Kings 6:17 Spiritual vision See also Seeing used metaphorically for spiritual insight Proverbs 29:18Isaiah 22:1 Isaiah 29:10 Mark 8:17-21 Jerusalem was called "the Valley of Vision", possibly ironically, for although God spoke through his prophets and dwelt there, its inhabitants lacked insight Luke 24:31John 9:39 Acts 26:17-18 Acts 2:17 See also Spiritual insight given in dreams or visions Joel 2:28Genesis 15:1 Numbers 12:6 Daniel 1:17; 2:19; 4:5; 7:1 Daniel 8:1; 10:7-8 Daniel's dream of four beasts Acts 9:12; 10:9-17Daniel's vision of a man Acts 16:9-10pp Ac 11:4-10 Peter's vision Acts 26:192 Corinthians 12:1 Paul's vision of the man of Macedonia 1 Samuel 3:15Isaiah 1:1 The OT prophets had visions from God Jeremiah 24:1Ezekiel 1:1; 8:3-4; 11:24; 40:2-3 Hosea 12:10 Obadiah 1:1 Nahum 1:1 Jeremiah 14:14; 23:16 Lamentations 2:14 False prophets in the OT lacked true vision Ezekiel 7:26; 13:1-12See also 1020 God, all-knowing1409 dream 1431 prophecy, OT methods 1439 revelation 1454 theophany 1469 visions 5133 blindness 5149 eyes 7774 prophets, false 8020 faith 8281 insight 8474 seeing God |
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