Dictionary of Bible Themes: 1466 vision

1466 vision

Dictionary of Bible Themes

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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.

God's vision

God views all life on earth

2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 11:4 See also Genesis 6:11; Exodus 3:9; Psalm 31:22; Psalm 34:15; Psalm 139:16; Zechariah 4:10

God sees the hearts and thoughts of people

Genesis 6:5 See also 1 Samuel 2:3; Psalm 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

The physical vision of human beings

It is given and can be taken by God

Exodus 4:11; Psalm 146:8 See also Leviticus 26:16; Proverbs 29:13; Acts 9:8-9 pp Acts 22:11

Jesus Christ restores the sight of the blind

Physical sight diminishes with age

Genesis 27:1; Genesis 48:10; 1 Samuel 3:2; Samuel 4:15; 1 Kings 14:4; Ecclesiastes 12:3 Ecc 12:2-5 is an allegory on ageing. It gives a graphic description of a person's progressive deterioration.

Physical vision has its dangers

It can create fear

Job 41:9; Joel 2:6; Matthew 28:3-4 pp Mark 16:5 pp Luke 24:4-5; Revelation 1:17

It gives rise to temptation

1 John 2:16 See also Genesis 3:6; Joshua 7:21; 2 Samuel 11:2-4; Job 31:1; Psalm 119:37; Matthew 5:28-29

Christians are to live by faith rather than by sight

Hebrews 11:1 See also Romans 8:24; 2 Corinthians 4:18; Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:27

Visions of God

Examples of those who saw God

Genesis 32:30; Exodus 33:18-23; Job 42:5; Isaiah 6:1,5; Revelation 1:12-18

God's people will see him

Matthew 5:8; 1 John 3:2 See also Psalm 17:15; John 17:24; 1 Corinthians 13:12; Revelation 22:4

Spiritual vision

Seeing used metaphorically for spiritual insight

2 Kings 6:17 See also Proverbs 29:18; Isaiah 22:1 Jerusalem was called “the Valley of Vision”, possibly ironically, for although God spoke through his prophets and dwelt there, its inhabitants lacked insight; Isaiah 29:10; Mark 8:17-21; Luke 24:31; John 9:39; Acts 26:17-18

Spiritual insight given in dreams or visions

Acts 2:17 See also Joel 2:28; Genesis 15:1; Numbers 12:6; Daniel 1:17; Daniel 2:19; Daniel 4:5; Daniel 7:1 Daniel's dream of four beasts; Daniel 8:1; Daniel 10:7-8 Daniel's vision of a man; Acts 9:12; Acts 10:9-17 pp Acts 11:4-10 Peter's vision; Acts 16:9-10 Paul's vision of the man of Macedonia; Acts 26:19; 2 Corinthians 12:1

The OT prophets had visions from God

1 Samuel 3:15; Isaiah 1:1; Jeremiah 24:1; Ezekiel 1:1; Ezekiel 8:3-4; Ezekiel 11:24; Ezekiel 40:2-3; Hosea 12:10; Obadiah 1; Nahum 1:1

False prophets in the OT lacked true vision

Jeremiah 14:14; Jeremiah 23:16; Lamentations 2:14; Ezekiel 7:26; Ezekiel 13:1-12