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Aaron |
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Moses’ brother. When Moses refused to bring the Hebrews out of Egypt by himself because he was no good at public speaking, God told him Aaron would help as his mouthpiece. It is from Aaron all Jewish priests are descended. See Genesis 4.
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Abagtha |
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One of the seven eunuchs employed by King Xerxes. see Esther 1.
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Abba |
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Aramaic for ‘Daddy’. Jesus was referring to God the Father, and this would have been shocking for his fellow Jews to hear. See Mark 14:36 and Romans 8:15.
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Abda |
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The father of Adoniram, who was put in charge of overseeing forced labour by Solomon. See I Kings 4. |
Abda |
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One of the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem when the Jews returned from their exile in Babylon. See Nehemiah 11.
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Abdon |
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Israel’s judge for eight years, he was the son of Hillel the Pirathonite and was famed for his forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on donkeys. See Judges 12. |
Abdon |
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The son of Micah. He was sent by Josiah for advice from Huldah, the prophetess. See II Chronicles 34.
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Abednego |
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The Babylonian name for Daniel’s friend Azariah. He and his friends were thrown into the furnace for refusing to worship the Babylonian king. See Daniel 1-3.
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Abel |
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Second son of Adam and Eve. His older brother became jealous of him and murdered him. See Genesis 4. |
Abi |
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One of Zechariah’s daughters. She became the wife of Ahaz and King Hezekiah’s mother. See II Kings 18.
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Abi-Albon |
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An Arbathite. He was one of the officers of David’s bodyguard. See II Samuel 23. |
Achaicus |
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One of Paul’s friends who visited him while in prison (See I Corinthians 16:17). |
Abiasaph |
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Korah’s third son. See Exodus 6. |
Abiathar |
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The son of Ahimelech and the priest of Israel at the time David was on the run. Abiathar assisted David when his son Absalom rebelled against him. He later assisted Adonijah in his challenge to the throne, and got banished by Solomon to Anathoth. It is possible that he may have written parts of I and II Samuel. See II Samuel 15. |
Abida |
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The son of Midian. He was the grandson of Abraham and his second wife Keturah. See Genesis 25. |
Abidan |
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The representative of the tribe of Benjamin when Moses was completing the census in the desert. See Numbers 7. |
Abiel |
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An Arbathite soldier in David’s bodyguard. He might also have been known as Abi-Albon. See I Chronicles 11. |
Abiezer |
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Of the half-tribe of Manasseh. These people settled on the west bank of the river Jordan. See Joshua 17. |
Abiezer |
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A soldier from Anathoth in David’s bodyguard. See II Samuel 23. |
Abigail |
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Nabal’s wife. After averting disaster at the hands of David’s troops when her husband rudely refused them hospitality, her husband died from a stroke, and she later married David and bore him Chileab. See I Samuel 25. |
Abigail |
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An alternative spelling of Abigal. See I Chronicles 2. |
Abigal |
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The daughter of Nahash. She married Jether and bore him Amasah. See II Samuel 17. |
Abihu |
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One of the sons of Aaron. When he was disobedient he was struck down and killed with his similarly disobedience Nadab. His other two brothers Eleazar and Ithamar took over their priestly duties. See Exodus 28. |
Abijah |
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Samuel’s second son. He became a judge in Beersheba. He was corrupt and accepted bribes. See I Samuel 8. |
Abijah |
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The son of Jeroboam. He died as a baby. His death was prophesied by Ahujah the prophet, who also foretold the fall of Jeroboam’s line. See I Kings 14. |
Abijah |
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The head of one of the divisions of priests (there were 24 in all). Zechariah belonged to this division. See I Chronicles 24. |
Abijam |
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The son of Rehoboam and father of Asa. He was the king of Judah. He reigned briefly and his reign was marred by the idolatry of his mother Maacah. See I Kings 14-15. |
Abimael |
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The ninth son of Joktan, descended from Shem. See Genesis 10. |
Abimelech |
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The King of Gerar. He was a Philistine. Abraham lied to him and told him that Sarah was his sister, rather than his wife. And Abimelech tried to take her into his harem. God however warned him through a dream of what he was messing with, and he quickly gave Sarah back to Abraham. This same situation seems to have been replicated by Abraham’s son Isaac and his wife Rebekah. He also disputed the ownership of various wells. See Genesis 20-21 and 26. |
Abimelech |
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Gideon’s illegitimate son by a concubine. He killed his legitimate half-brothers (except for Jotham) and declared himself ruler over all Israel. He was later killed when he attempted to besiege Thebez, when a woman there dropped a millstone over the city wall onto his head. See Judges 9. |
Abinadab |
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The second son of Jesse, and brother to David. See I Samuel 16. |
Abinadab |
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Son of Saul. He was killed with his father and his brothers during the battle at Mt Gilboa. See I Samuel 31. |
Abinadab |
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The father of Uzzah and Ahio. He owned the house where the Ark of the Covenant was kept after it was returned by the Philistines. See II Samuel 6. |
Abi-Albon |
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An Arbathite. He was one of the officers of David’s bodyguard. See II Samuel 23. |
Abi-Albon |
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An Arbathite. He was one of the officers of David’s bodyguard. See II Samuel 23. |
Abi-Albon |
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An Arbathite. He was one of the officers of David’s bodyguard. See II Samuel 23. |
Abi-Albon |
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An Arbathite. He was one of the officers of David’s bodyguard. See II Samuel 23. |
Abi-Albon |
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An Arbathite. He was one of the officers of David’s bodyguard. See II Samuel 23. |
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Sabbath |
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The day of rest. Instituted in Exodus 20 to celebrate the rest God took from creation on the 7th day. Christians moved their Sabbath to Sunday, the first day of the week, to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.
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Sabbath Day’s Journey |
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About half a mile, deemed to be an acceptable distance to travel without it becoming ‘work’ (forbidden on the Sabbath).
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Sabbatical Year |
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Every seventh year the land was to lie fallow, and the produce of the land was for the poor and for animals. All debts in this year were written off, and everyone started again with a clean slate. It wasn’t a popular idea, and it was never bothered with.
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Sacrifice |
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The practice of giving up something especially God. This was a token – the sacrificial objects themselves had no worth, but they were symbolic of more. Sacrifices in the Old Testament were a precursor for the ultimate sacrifice of all time, Jesus’ death for the sins of the entire human race.
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Sadducees |
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Adversaries of the Pharisees, they are famous for rejecting belief in the resurrection of the dead and in angels Acts 23:8. They believed that as long as they adhered to the law and were faithful to God, they would be rewarded for this in this life, rejecting the concept of an afterlife.
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Saints |
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A term used to believers. You do not need to be dead (or well in with the Roman Catholic church);
all people who are Christians are described in the Bible as saints.
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Salvation |
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The deliverance of God’s people, either from earthly enemies as in Exodus 14, or from sin, as in the effect of Jesus death providing us with a get-out clause to get a relationship with God and a place in heaven with him forever.
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Sin |
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Derived from an archery term to describe ‘not hitting the mark’. It is sin which separates us from a fulfilling
relationship with God. Sin can be active (doing something against the will of God, such as lying) or passive
(not doing something which is the will of God – for example, choosing not to help someone). Therefore, sin
is not doing the will of God.
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Tribulation |
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A 7 year period of judgment for the world, and in particular, Israel, which precedes Armageddon.
Daniel 9:24-27 describes 490 years in which all prophecy will b fulfilled. According to premillennialists,
483 years until the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus have already taken place, and the last 7 years (heptad)
remains to be fulfilled when the Church Age is finished, and God turns back his attention to the salvation of the
Jews for the last 7 years of the world as we know it. The prophecy in Daniel has parallels with prophecy in revelation
which describes judgments to take place, and the arrival, rule and demise of the Antichrist.
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Tribulation Saints |
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People who become Christians during the Tribulation, who have therefore missed the Rapture.
These are the prime target of the Antichrist.
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Uncial |
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Characters of upper case used on many Greek manuscripts.
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Unitarianism |
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Faulty theology which denies the trinity, the deity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This view also tends to hold to the theory of the universal redemption of man, which likewise is unbiblical.
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Universalism |
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The theory that all people will be saved through Jesus whether they believe in Jesus or not; some universalists even go as far as saying the Devil also will eventually redeemed by Jesus.
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Urim and Thummim |
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Although the meaning is not certain, these objects seem to have been used for sacred lots, and were kept in the breastpiece of the High Priest’s garments.
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Vellum |
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A material used for writing on. It was made usually from the skins of cattle and goats. This material was superior to papyrus, as it lasted longer.
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Venial Sin |
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A kind of ‘demi-sin’, a sin not as bad as a mortal sin – a principle only found in Catholicism.
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Vicarious Atonement |
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The theory that Christ’s death was legal according to God, and therefore satisfied the justice of God. Jesus’ death was a punishment endured by Jesus instead of those who believe in him.
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Vine |
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An important product of Israel and the surrounding area. It is a common feature in scripture. The Church is likened to a vine, and Jesus also says ‘I am the vine’ (John 15:1). Israel too is likened to Israel.
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Virgin |
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A young woman or a woman who has never slept with a man. The Messiah’s mother was prophesied to be a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), and Israel was likened to a virgin (Jeremiah 18:13).
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Vulgate |
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A translation of the Bible into Latin by Jerome. It took 20 years to complete and was intended as a definitive translation to replace previous unreliable versions.
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Walls |
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Settlements in biblical times were surrounded by walls for protection. There is a prophecy of Israel being like an unwalled village in Ezekiel 38:11 when they are attacked by the enemy from the north in the future.
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Way, The |
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Luke used this phrase in Acts to identify the Christian movement. The Essene way of life was also named ‘The Way’ (Qumran – Dead Sea Scrolls). John also referred to Jesus as ‘the way, the truth and the life’ John 14:6.
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Wisdom |
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Wisdom can be earthly or divine. Wisdom is based on a relationship with God; any wisdom based on anything else is foolishness. Wisdom is something that can be asked for (James 1:5) as it is a gift from God.
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Wise |
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See Wisdom.
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Word, The |
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Often used of Jesus, and of the Bible.
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Worship |
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The practice of enjoying God, and thanking him for for what he has done. Worship is to be reserved only for God (Matthew 4:10).
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Wrath |
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Judgment of God on those who sin. Although God is a God of love, part of love is justice, and because of this justice, sins must be punished. As God is patient, often wrath is suspended; there are prophets in the Old Testament who prophesied great times of wrath which have not yet occurred for precisely this reason. The wrath in question will be held off until the end times, before Jesus returns.
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Wrath of God, The |
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This is a definitive point in the period called the Tribulation, leading up to the return of Christ. People will harden their hearts against God, and refuse to turn from their evil ways. Therefore God’s wrath will fall on them (Revelation 14:9-11).
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Yahweh |
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The name of God.
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Yom Kippur |
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Day of Atonement. The most sombre occasion of the Jewish calendar. This was the day in the year that God atoned for Israel’s sins.
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Zealots |
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Revolutionaries starting to be known at the time of Jesus and later. Zealots were as patriotic as the Pharisees;
but whereas the Pharisees were chiefly concerned with spiritual and religious matters, the Zealots were more
concerned with political liberation (from the Roman Empire). One of Jesus’ disciples was known as Simon the Zealot.
Perhaps he was most interested in following Jesus because he thought Jesus would free the Jews from Roman oppression.
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Zion |
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Another name for Jerusalem.
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Zionism |
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A movement for the establishment of a homeland for the Jews and a promotion of the interests of the Jews as God’s people.
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