Author Archives: davidcox

Archangel

Posted on by

Archangel

See also Angel

An angel is simply a spiritual being that serves God. Within this order of beings, there appears to be a separation of some from the others into positions of authority one over overs. These “archangels” are leaders over the angels, and/or possibly also authorities over positions and ministries, like an archangel over each nation as in Daniel.

In my book on angels, I make the point that “angel” is a difficult concept to understand. There is the possibility that “angel” is a general broad concept that gathers up in that all of the spiritual beings at the service of God. Demons were angels, but nowhere are demons or “fallen angels” ever referred to as “angel”. They lost they name in losing their relationship with their Creator. So possibly all good spiritual being are called angels. The other possibility is that there are a hole host of spiritual being that serve God Cheribum, Seraphim, Angels, etc. and angels are only one single “part” or member of this host. This makes more sense because technically, an angel is a messenger, and those spiritual beings that are not used as messengers, and stand around the throne of God shouting “Holy, Holy, Holy” are not technically an angel.

ARCHANGEL
This world is only twice used in the Bible, 1Th 4:16; Jude 1:9. In this last passage it is applied to Michael, who, in Da 10:13, 21; 12:1, is described as having a special charge of the Jewish nation, and in Rev 12:7-9 as the leader of an angelic army. So exalted are the position and offices ascribed to Michael, that many think the Messiah is meant.

[AmTrac]

 

Michael the Archangel

In Daniel he is called ‘one of the chief princes,’ ‘your prince,’ ‘the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people.’ He went to the assistance of one (probably an angel) who had been sent with a message to Daniel, but who had been detained twenty-one days by the prince of the kingdom of Persia (doubtless Satan, or one of Satan’s angels, who was acting for the kingdom of Persia, as Michael was prince for the children of Israel). Da 10:13,21 12:1. It is also said of Michael that when he contended with Satan about the body of Moses, he durst not bring a railing accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke thee.” Michael and his angels will however fight with Satan and his angels, and will prevail, and Satan will be cast out of that portion of heaven to which he now has access. Jude 9 Re 12:7 : cf. Job 1:6 2:1. These are illustrations of the conflict of good and evil spirits in the unseen universe.

[Morrish]

 

<1,,743,archangelos>
“is not found in the OT, and in the NT only in 1Th 4:16 and Jud 1:9, where it is used of Michael, who in Daniel is called ‘one of the chief princes,’ and ‘the great prince’ (Sept., ‘the great angel’), Dan 10:13, Dan 10:21; Dan 12:1. Cp. also Rev 12:7 …. Whether there are other beings of this exalted rank in the heavenly hosts, Scripture does not say, though the description ‘one of the chief princes’ suggests that this may be the case; cp. also Rom 8:38; Eph 1:21; Col 1:16, where the word translated ‘principalities’ is arche, the prefix in archangel.” * [* From Notes on Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine, pp. 142.] In 1Th 4:16 the meaning seems to be that the voice of the Lord Jesus will be of the character of an “archangelic” shout.

[Vine NT]

 

Aaron’s Rod

Posted on by

Aaron’s Rod.

Aaron’s rod symbolizes the power of God specifically in the confrontation with a rebellious Israel. What it is is an immediate show of God’s power before the eyes of the people of Israel. From a dead stick, God can cause life to bud forth instantaneously. This is a truth of God seen throughout Scripture.

God did this publically in the early days of the nation of Israel in order to confirm the divine appointment on his chosen men. First of all, it was for them, and cannot be expected that God would always do the same thing, especially in our day. Secondly, it immediately became a symbol of God’s promises to Israel, and it was kept in the ark of the covenant to that end, to remind Israel of God’s faithfulness, and implicitly, Isreal’s unfaithfulness.

-DCox

 

Aaron’s Rod. (Num 17:1-13 and Heb 9:4): Immediately after the incidents connected with the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against the leadership of Moses and the priestly primacy of Aaron (Nu 16), it became necessary to indicate and emphasize the Divine appointment of Aaron. Therefore, at the command of Yahweh, Moses directs that twelve almond rods, one for each tribe with the prince’s name engraved thereon, be placed within the Tent of the Testimony. When Moses entered the tent the following day, he found that Aaron’s rod had budded, blossomed and borne fruit, “the three stages of vegetable life being thus simultaneously visible.” When the miraculous sign was seen by the people, they accepted it as final; nor was there ever again any question of Aaron’s priestly right. The rod was kept “before the testimony” in the sanctuary ever after as a token of the Divine will (Num 17:10). The writer of Hebrews, probably following a later Jewish tradition, mentions the rod as kept in the Holy of Holies within the ark (Heb 9:4; compare 1Ki 8:9). See PRIEST, III.

[ISBE]

Abstinents

Posted on by

ABSTINENTS.

A set of heretics that appeared in France and Spain about the end of the third century. They are supposed to have borrowed part of their opinions from the Gnostics and Manichaeans, because they opposed marriage, condemned the use of flesh meat, and placed the Holy Ghost in the class of created beings.

[Buck]

  1. One who abstains; a faster. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.]
  2. (usually capitalized, religion, historical) One of a sect who appeared in France and Spain in the 3rd century, and believed in abstinence towards meat and sex.

[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/abstinent#English]

These nouns refer to the habitual refusal to indulge a desire, especially a sensual one. Abstinence implies the willfulavoidance of pleasures, especially of food and drink, thought to be harmful or self-indulgent: “I vainly reminded him ofhis protracted abstinence from food” (Emily Brontë).
Self-denial suggests resisting one’s own desires for the achievement of a higher goal: “For too many people, the resultof sedentary living is a perennial, losing battle against the bulge: bursts of self-denial interspersed with guilt when self-denial inevitably leads to self-indulgence” (Jane Brody).
Temperance refers to moderation and self-restraint and sobriety to gravity in bearing, manner, or treatment; bothnouns denote moderation in or abstinence from consuming alcohol: Teetotalers preach temperance for everyone. “[T]hose moments which would come between the subsidence of actual sobriety and the commencement ofintoxication” (Anthony Trollope).
Continence specifically refers to abstaining from sexual activity: The nun took a vow of continence.

[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/abstinent]

 

Those who supported reform sought a return to the ideals of the early years of the Order and focused especially on its original vegetarianism. The Rule of St. Benedict, the fundamental document of the Cistercian Order, permits meat only to the sick, but by the 16th and 17th centuries the prohibition was rarely observed. The reformers – the “Abstinents” – regarded this meat eating as a symbol of all decadence, utterly rejected it, and (with papal approval) formed themselves into a congregation known as the Congregation of St. Bernard of the Strict Observance. However, they were not unopposed, and those who disagreed with them saw meat eating simply as an accommodation to changing times and regarded the Strict Observance as a collection of deluded enthusiasts.

The schism was so acrimonious that Pope Alexander VII (1655-1667) was called to intervene, and in 1664 he invited representatives of both parties to Rome to put their cases to a commission of cardinals. Two years later Alexander promulgated the bull In suprema> which recognized two Cistercian observances, common and strict, the main difference between them being that the former would eat meat three times a week (except during Lent and Advent) and the latter would not.

Meanwhile, Ranee, who had been in Rome in 1664 defending the Abstinents, had established his own rule at La Trappe: a rule more severe than that either of the early Cistercians or of the Abstinents. His monks were forbidden not only meat but also fish, eggs, cheese, and butter. The austerity of the house – the seclusion, the silence, the fasts, the intensity of the opus Dei, and the hard manual labor – became a matter of such wide renown that Strict Observance” and “Trappist” came to be used (incorrectly) as synonyms.

books.Google.com

 

abstinence

Posted on by

ABSTINENCE.

In a general sense, is the act of refraining from something which we have a propension to or find pleasure in. It is more particularly used for fasting or forbearing of necessary food. Among the Jews, various kinds of abstinence were ordained by their law. Among the primitive Christians, some denied themselves the use of such meats as were prohibited by that law; others looked upon this abstinence with contempt; as to which Paul gives his opinion, Rom. 14:1,3. The council of Jerusalem, which was held by the apostles, enjoined the Christian converts to abstain from meats strangled, from blood, from fornication, and from idolatry, Acts xv. Upon this passage, Dr. Doddridge observes, “that though neither things sacrificed to idols, nor the flesh of strangled animals, nor blood, have or can have any moral evil in them, which should make the eating of them absolutely and universally unlawful; yet they were forbidden to the Gentile converts, because the Jews had such an aversion to them, that they could not converse freely with any who used them. This is plainly the reason which James assigns in the very next words, the 21st verse, and it is abundantly sufficient. This reason is now ceased, and the obligation to abstain from eating these things ceases with it. But were we in like circumstances again, Christian charity would surely require us to lay ourselves under the same restraint.”–The spiritual monarchy of the western world introduced another sort of abstinence, which may be called ritual, and consists in abstaining from particular meats at certain times and seasons, the rules of which are called rogations. If I mistake not, the impropriety of this kind of abstinence is clearly pointed out in 1 Tim. 4:3.–In England, abstinence from flesh has been enjoined by statute, even since the reformation; particularly on Fridays and Saturdays, on vigils and on all days commonly called fish days. The like injunctions were renewed under queen Elizabeth; but at the same time it was declared that this was done not out of motives of religion, as if there were any difference in meats, but in favour of the consumption of fish, and to mariners, as well as to spare the stock of sheep. See FASTING.

[Buck]

Abstinence, Total

David Cox’s Topical Bible Concordance

Means to not take in intoxicating substances, usually beverages.
• General references Lev. 10:8-10; Num. 6:3-4; Judg. 13:4, 13-14; Est. 1:8; Pro. 23:20, 31-32; 31:4; Jer. 35:6-8, 14; Luk. 1:15
• Instances of:
– Israelites in the wilderness Deu. 29:6.
– Samson Judg. 16:17; 13:3-5, 13-14; Num. 6:3-4.
– Daniel Dan. 1:8, 12.
– Rechabites Jer. 35:6-14.
– John the Baptist Mat. 11:18; Luk. 1:15; 7:33.

abstemii

Posted on by

Abstemii

Abstemii is a Roman Catholic term used to identify those who could not parpake of the eucharist (communion) within the Roman Catholic Church. This has to do with a belief or conviction within these people against taking strong drink.

An abstemius (plural abstemii) is one who cannot takewine without risk of vomiting. As, therefore, the consecration at Mass must be effected in both species, of bread and wine, an abstemius is consequently irregular.

St. Alphonsus Liguori, following the opinion of Suarez, teaches that such irregularity is de jure divino (Latin: “of divine law”); and that, therefore, the Pope cannot dispense from it. The term is also applied to one who has a strong distaste for wine, though able to take a small quantity. A distaste of this nature does not constitute irregularity, but a papal dispensation is required, in order to excuse from the use of wine at the purification of the chalice and the ablution of the priest’s fingers at the end of a Mass celebrated in the Tridentine Mass. In these cases the use of wine is a canonical law from whose observance the Church has power to dispense. A decree of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, dated 13 January 1665, grants a dispensation in this sense to missionaries in China, on account of the scarcity of wine; various similar rulings are to be found in the collection of the decrees of the Sacred Congregation of Rites. Wikipedia.org

 

ABSTEMII. A name given to such persons as could not partake of the cup of the eucharist, on account of their natural aversion to wine.

[Buck]

absolution

Posted on by

ABSOLUTION. Signifies acquittal.

It is taken also from that act whereby the priest declares the sins of such as are penitent remitted. The Romanists hold absolution a part of the sacrament of penance: and the council of Trent and that of Florence declare the form or essence of the sacrament to lie in the words of absolution. “I absolve thee “of thy sins.” According to this, no one can receive absolution without the privity, consent and declaration of the priest; except, therefore, the priest be willing, God himself cannot pardon any man. This is a doctrine as blasphemous as it is ridiculous. The chief passage on which they ground their power of absolution is that in John 20:23  “Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.” But this is not to the purpose; since this was a special commission to the apostles themselves, and the first preachers of the Gospel, and most probably referred to the power he gave them of discerning spirits. By virtue of this power, Peter struck Ananias and Sapphira dead, and Paul struck Elimas blind. But supposing the passage in question to apply to the successors of the apostles, and to ministers in general, it can only import that their office is to preach pardon to the penitent, assuring those who believe that their sins are forgiven through the merits of Jesus Christ; and that those who remain in unbelief are in a state of condemnation. Any idea of authority given to fallible, uninspired men to absolve sinners, different from this, is unscriptural; nor can I see much utility in the terms ministerial or declarative absolution, as adopted by some divines, since absolution is wholly the prerogative of God; and the terms above-mentioned, may, to say the least, have no good influence on the minds of the ignorant and superstitious.

[Buck]

Absence

Posted on by

The concept behind absence is that there are obligations and duties implied, and the particular person in question is not living up to those duties, and the most obvious beginning point is a physical presence where those duties are being performed. At church, absence implies that each and every believer has a duty and obligation to be at church to participate in the activities there. The lack of attending is a basic “absence” which is a lack of physical presence, but the concept goes further, in that that person does not participate in the activities that take place there.

Doubting Thomas is a classic New Testament example, where the resurrected Christ appeared to the disciples, and Thomas was not there, and he missed out on the activities there. There is therefore a twofold thought, one of not identifying correctly because of a physical absence, and then there is the idea that a physical absence also including a missing out on blessings and on contributions that the person can or could of made to the activities at that church reunion.

-DCox

 

Merriam-Webster defines this as…

a state or condition in which something expected, wanted, or looked for is not present or does not exist : a state or condition in which something is absent.

a failure to be present at a usual or expected place

a period of time when someone is not present at a place, job, etc.

 

Absence.

  • Missing, uncounted Eccl 1:15
  • Purposeful separation John 14:28
  • Feared reunion 2Co 12:20-21
  • Believers reunited Phil 1:25-26
  • Remembering those absent 1Th 2:17

[Anderson]

abrasax

Posted on by

Gems found in great abundance in Spain, which represent a human body, with the head of a cock and the feet of a reptile. They have often the inscription Abrasax, or Abraxas in Greek characters, which is supposed, however, to be Persian or Egyptian origin. According to Bellerman, they belonged to the religious sect of the Basilidians, and were used partly as means for teaching secret doctrines, partly as symbols, and partly as amulets or talismans. The name is also given to those stones which bear the emblems of Sahaeism. Dr. Neander, of Berlin, has wrtiten an interesting dissertation on the subject.

[Buck]

Abelians, Abelites, Abelonians

Posted on by

Or ABELONIANS, a sect which arose in the diocese of Hippoo in Africa, and is supposed to have begun in the reign of Arcadius, and ended in that of Theodosius. Indeed, it was not calculated for being of any long continuance. They regulated marriage after the example of Abel, who, they pretended, was married, but lived in a state of continence: they therefore allowed each man to marry one woman, but enjoined them to live in the same state. To keep up the sect, when a man and woman entered into this society, they adopted a boy and a girl, who were to inherit their goods, and to marry upon the same terms of not having children, but of adopting two of different sexes.

Abelians, Abelites, Abelonians. a sect which arose about the year 360, near Hippo, in Africa, and borrowed their name from Abel, the son of Adam, because, as they supposed, he died unmarried, and without children. Though they did not abstain from matrimony, yet they had no carnal knowledge of their wives, that they might not be instrumental in propagating original sin. That their numbers might be kept up, they adopted the children of others, on whom they settled their property, on condition that they would adhere to the principles of the sect. It does not appear to have continued long in existence, but it has recently been revived among the Shakers of America.

[Buck]