In the context of biblical themes and narratives, the concept of "shift" can be understood as a change or transformation that occurs within individuals, communities, or divine plans. This idea is prevalent throughout the Scriptures, where shifts often signify a movement from one state of being to another, reflecting God's dynamic interaction with His creation.

Shift in Covenants

One of the most significant shifts in the Bible is the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. The Old Covenant, established through Moses, was based on the Law given at Sinai. However, the New Covenant, prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and fulfilled in Jesus Christ, represents a shift to a relationship based on grace and truth. Hebrews 8:6 states, "But now, Jesus has received a superior ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is superior and is founded on better promises."

Shift in Leadership

The Bible records numerous shifts in leadership, often marking pivotal moments in Israel's history. For instance, the transition from Saul to David as king of Israel signifies a shift from a monarchy that was rejected by God to one that was after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). This shift underscores the importance of obedience and faithfulness to God's commands.

Shift in Spiritual Understanding

The New Testament reveals a shift in spiritual understanding, particularly through the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. Jesus often challenged the prevailing interpretations of the Law, emphasizing the spirit rather than the letter. In Matthew 5:21-22 , Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Do not murder,' and 'Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment." This shift calls believers to a deeper, heart-centered righteousness.

Shift in Mission

The Great Commission represents a significant shift in the mission of God's people. While the Old Testament focus was primarily on Israel, Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19-20 to "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations" expands the mission to a global scale. This shift underscores the inclusivity of the gospel and the call for the church to reach all peoples.

Shift in Personal Transformation

The Bible frequently addresses the shift that occurs in personal transformation through faith in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!" This shift from the old self to the new self is central to the Christian experience, highlighting the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

Shift in Eschatological Expectations

Prophetic literature in the Bible often speaks of shifts in eschatological expectations. The coming of the Messiah, the establishment of God's kingdom, and the eventual new heavens and new earth are all shifts that point to God's ultimate plan for redemption and restoration. Revelation 21:1 describes this future shift: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more."

Throughout Scripture, shifts are indicative of God's sovereign will and purpose, demonstrating His ability to bring about change for His glory and the good of His people.1. (v. t.) To divide; to distribute; to apportion.

2. (v. t.) To change the place of; to move or remove from one place to another; as, to shift a burden from one shoulder to another; to shift the blame.

3. (v. t.) To change the position of; to alter the bearings of; to turn; as, to shift the helm or sails.

4. (v. t.) To exchange for another of the same class; to remove and to put some similar thing in its place; to change; as, to shift the clothes; to shift the scenes.

5. (v. t.) To change the clothing of; -- used reflexively.

6. (v. t.) To put off or out of the way by some expedient.

7. (n.) The act of shifting.

8. (n.) The act of putting one thing in the place of another, or of changing the place of a thing; change; substitution.

9. (v. t.) Something frequently shifted; especially, a woman's under-garment; a chemise.

10. (n.) The change of one set of workmen for another; hence, a spell, or turn, of work; also, a set of workmen who work in turn with other sets; as, a night shift.

11. (v. t.) In building, the extent, or arrangement, of the overlapping of plank, brick, stones, etc., that are placed in courses so as to break joints.

12. (n.) A breaking off and dislocation of a seam; a fault.

13. (n.) A change of the position of the hand on the finger board, in playing the violin.

3349. meteorizo -- to raise on high, fig. to be in suspense
... 3349 -- properly, in mid-air; (figuratively) to shift from one "conviction" to
another; (), like a person living "" (used only in Lk 12:29). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3349.htm - 7k

The Economic Challenge to the Church
... The shift of population from rural to urban centers which the census records show
has continued, if anything, at an accelerated speed, indicates the ...
/.../church cooperation in community life/chapter iii the economic challenge.htm

"My Times are in Thy Hand"
... The great truth is this"all that concerns the believer is in the hands of the Almighty
God. "My times", these change and shift; but they change only in ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/my times are in thy.htm

Pope Anterus.
... And accordingly he does not shift from city to city who does not leave his own city
for the sake of gain to himself, or of his own choice, but who, as has ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/the decretals/pope anterus.htm

Some Preliminary Definitions
... So long as any group is evidently at a disadvantage the shift of population from
the less-favored to the better-favored groups will continue; that is, unless ...
/.../church cooperation in community life/chapter i some preliminary definitions.htm

Pardon and Peace
... We feel something wrong, not merely in our bodies, but in our souls, our characters;
and then we try to lay the blame on the world around us, and shift it off ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xxix pardon and peace.htm

Prayer.
... "Oh, better I never had been born.". See! thou wilt not ask the best, and
yet canst not make shift without them. "Shift? no; no shift ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xix prayer.htm

On the Study of the Evidences of Christianity.
... Those who speak thus on the question of religious belief, in fact shift the basis
all belief from the alleged evidence of facts to the influence of an internal ...
/.../temple/essays and reviews the education of the world/on the study of the.htm

"For what the Law could not Do, in that it was Weak through the ...
... A poor shift indeed, for him to think that he could hide himself from him to whom
darkness is as light, and to flee from him whose kingdom is over all, and who ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon x for what the.htm

Peaceable Principles and True: Or, a Brief Answer to Mr. D'Anver's ...
... But this is a poor shift, to have nothing to say, but that the case was extraordinary,
when it was not. ... But any shift to shift off the force of truth. ...
/.../the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/peaceable principles and true or.htm

North and South
... It is little use merely to shift the region in which sin sets up its throne if its
dominion is still undestroyed. ... We shift from side to side by turns; ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/north and south.htm

Shift (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (vt) To change the place of; to move or remove from one place to another; as,
to shift a burden from one shoulder to another; to shift the blame. ...
/s/shift.htm - 8k

Shields (44 Occurrences)

/s/shields.htm - 19k

Respect (204 Occurrences)
... By a shift in force the phrase came to mean "accept the person instead of the cause"
or "show partiality" (Job 13:8, 10 the American Standard Revised Version ...
/r/respect.htm - 38k

Ease (46 Occurrences)
... 7. (n.) To release from pressure or restraint; to move gently; to lift slightly;
to shift a little; as, to ease a bar or nut in machinery. ...
/e/ease.htm - 23k

Expedient (8 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) That which serves to promote or advance; suitable means to accomplish
an end. 4. (n.) Means devised in an exigency; shift. Int. ...
/e/expedient.htm - 10k

Double (49 Occurrences)
... plait; a fold. 18. (n.) A turn or circuit in running to escape pursues;
hence, a trick; a shift; an artifice. 19. (n.) Something ...
/d/double.htm - 26k

Dismiss (15 Occurrences)
... took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath; with those who
were to go out on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest didn't dismiss the shift...
/d/dismiss.htm - 11k

Doubling (1 Occurrence)
... that which is doubled. 3. (n.) A turning and winding; as, the doubling of
a hunted hare; shift; trick; artifice. 4. (n.) The lining ...
/d/doubling.htm - 7k

Memphis (8 Occurrences)
... the rulers had moved 10 miles North to Babylon by Roman times, then to Fostat, then
Cairo, and lastly now to Abbasiyeh and Kubkeh, altogether a shift of 18 ...
/m/memphis.htm - 14k

Persons (156 Occurrences)
... By a shift in force the phrase came to mean "accept the person instead of the cause"
or "show partiality" (Job 13:8, 10 the American Standard Revised Version ...
/p/persons.htm - 38k

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