Topical Encyclopedia
In the context of the Bible, the term "approach" often refers to the act of drawing near to God, both physically and spiritually. This concept is central to the relationship between God and humanity, as it encompasses themes of worship, prayer, and the pursuit of holiness.
Old Testament ContextIn the Old Testament, the idea of approaching God is closely tied to the tabernacle and temple worship. The Israelites were given specific instructions on how to approach God, emphasizing the need for holiness and reverence. In
Exodus 19:22, the Lord instructs Moses, "Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them." This highlights the sanctity required to come near to God.
The Levitical laws further elaborate on the conditions necessary for approaching God.
Leviticus 21:17-23 outlines the physical and ceremonial purity required of the priests who serve in the temple, underscoring the holiness of God and the need for purity in His presence.
New Testament ContextThe New Testament expands on the concept of approaching God through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 4:16 encourages believers, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." This verse signifies a shift from the Old Testament restrictions, as believers are now invited to draw near to God with confidence through faith in Christ.
Jesus Himself is portrayed as the mediator who enables this approach. In
John 14:6, Jesus declares, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." This underscores the belief that access to God is made possible through Jesus, who bridges the gap between a holy God and sinful humanity.
Spiritual ImplicationsApproaching God is not merely a physical act but a spiritual journey that involves repentance, faith, and obedience.
James 4:8 exhorts believers, "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." This call to draw near is accompanied by a call to moral and spiritual purity, reflecting the transformative nature of a relationship with God.
Prayer is a primary means by which believers approach God.
Philippians 4:6-7 encourages, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Through prayer, believers are invited to bring their concerns and praises before God, fostering a closer relationship with Him.
Worship and CommunityCorporate worship is another significant aspect of approaching God.
Hebrews 10:22-25 emphasizes the importance of gathering together as a community of believers to draw near to God: "Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith... not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another."
In summary, the biblical concept of approach involves a reverent and sincere drawing near to God, facilitated by the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ, and expressed through personal devotion, prayer, and communal worship.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. i.) To come or go near, in place or time; to draw nigh; to advance nearer.
2. (v. i.) To draw near, in a figurative sense; to make advances; to approximate; as, he approaches to the character of the ablest statesman.
3. (v. t.) To bring near; to cause to draw near; to advance.
4. (v. t.) To come near to in place, time, or character; to draw nearer to; as, to approach the city; to approach my cabin; he approached the age of manhood.
5. (v. t.) To take approaches to.
6. (n.) The act of drawing near; a coming or advancing near.
7. (n.) A access, or opportunity of drawing near.
8. (v. i.) Movements to gain favor; advances.
9. (n.) A way, passage, or avenue by which a place or buildings can be approached; an access.
10. (n.) The advanced works, trenches, or covered roads made by besiegers in their advances toward a fortress or military post.
11. (v. i.) See Approaching.
Greek
4334. proserchomai -- toapproach, to draw near... to
approach, to draw near. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: proserchomai Phonetic
Spelling: (pros-er'-khom-ahee) Short Definition: I come near, consent to
...1448. eggizo -- to make near, refl. to come near
... to come near. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: eggizo Phonetic Spelling:
(eng-id'-zo) Short Definition: I come near,approach Definition: trans: I bring...
4365. prosporeuomai -- to come near
... to come near. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: prosporeuomai Phonetic Spelling:
(pros-por-yoo'-om-ahee) Short Definition: Iapproach Definition: I come to...
4317. prosago -- to bring or lead to
... to bring or lead to. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: prosago Phonetic Spelling:
(pros-ag'-o) Short Definition: I bring near,approach Definition: I bring...
4331. proseggizo -- come nigh.
... Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: proseggizo Phonetic Spelling: (pros-eng-ghid'-
zo) Short Definition: Iapproach Definition: Iapproach, come near to....
4330. proseao -- to permit further
... to permit further. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: proseao Phonetic Spelling:
(pros-eh-ah'-o) Short Definition: I permit one toapproach Definition: I...
676. aprositos -- unapproachable
... prefix) and a comp. of pros and eimi (to go) Definition unapproachable NASB
Word Usage unapproachable (1). which no man canapproach....
4318. prosagoge -- a bringing to
... a bringing to. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: prosagoge Phonetic
Spelling: (pros-ag-ogue-ay') Short Definition:approach, access Definition...
952. bebelos -- permitted to be trodden, by impl. unhallowed
... because of. 952 ("profane because of improper entrance") refers to people () ,
because theyapproach Him . See also 949 (). Word...
2827. klino -- to cause to bend
... I rest, recline, make to yield Definition: trans: I rest, recline; I bend, incline;
I cause to give ground, make to yield; intrans: I decline,approach my end....
Strong's Hebrew
7126. qarab -- to come near,approach... 7125, 7126. qarab. 7127 . to come near,
approach. Transliteration: qarab Phonetic
Spelling: (kaw-rab') Short Definition: offer. Word Origin a prim.
...5066. nagash -- to draw near,approach
... 5065, 5066. nagash. 5067 . to draw near,approach. Transliteration: nagash
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-gash') Short Definition: near. Word Origin a prim....
7127. qereb -- toapproach
... 7126, 7127. qereb. 7128 . toapproach. Transliteration: qereb Phonetic Spelling:
(ker-abe') Short Definition: approached....approach, come near, nigh, draw near...
8387. Taanath Shiloh -- perhaps "approach to Shiloh," a city of...
... perhaps "approach to Shiloh," a city of Ephraim. Transliteration: Taanath Shiloh
Phonetic Spelling: (tah-an-ath' shee-lo') Short Definition: Taanath-shiloh....
7132. qirbah -- anapproach
... qirbah. 7133 . anapproach. Transliteration: qirbah Phonetic Spelling:
(ker-aw-baw') Short Definition: nearness.... From qarab;approach -- approaching, draw...
7131. qareb -- approaching
...approach, come near, nigh, draw near. From qarab; near --approach, come (near,
nigh), draw near. see HEBREW qarab. 7130, 7131. qareb. 7132 . Strong's Numbers
7138. qarob -- near
... 2), who is near (1). allied,approach, at hand, any of kin, that is near
of kin, neighbor, that is next,. Or qarob {kaw-robe'}; from...
579. anah -- to be opportune, to meet, encounter opportunely
... A primitive root (perhaps rather identical with 'anah through the idea of contraction
in anguish); toapproach; hence, to meet in various senses -- befall...
6293. paga -- to meet, encounter, reach
... root Definition to meet, encounter, reach NASB Word Usageapproach (1), attack
(2), attacked (1), came (1), cut him down (1), entreat (2), fall (7), fell (4...
5927. alah -- to go up, ascend, climb
... root Definition to go up, ascend, climb NASB Word Usage all means go (1),approach
(1), arise (2), arose (1), ascend (12), ascended (10), ascending (2...
Library
February the Second How toApproach a Crisis
... FEBRUARY The Second HOW TOAPPROACH A CRISIS. "It shall be given you in that same
hour." "Matthew 10:16-28. And so I am not to worry about the coming crisis!...
Whether toApproach this Sacrament with Consciousness of Sin is...
... OF THE USE OR RECEIVING OF THIS SACRAMENT IN GENERAL (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether to
approach this sacrament with consciousness of sin is the gravest of all sins?...
Messiah! at Thy GladApproach
... The Treasury of Sacred Song. Book First CCVII Messiah! at Thy gladapproach. The
howling wilds are still; Thy praises fill the lonely waste,....
Approach, My Soul, the Mercy-Seat
... The Treasury of Sacred Song. Book First CCXXVApproach, my soul, the mercy-seat.
Where JESUS answers prayer; There humbly fall before His feet,....
Approach, My Soul, the Mercy-Seat
... SACRAMENTS AND RITES Holy Communion: Introits 303.Approach, my soul, the
mercy-seat. CM... DOXOLOGY.Approach, my soul, the mercy-seat,. Where Jesus answers...
At theApproach of Death.
... AT THEAPPROACH OF DEATH. Der Tod klopft an bei mir, dass [169]Johann Heermann.
That Death is at my door, too well this anguish shows,. Yet I will fear him not....
Where Wisdom is to be Found; Why Pythagoras and Plato did not...
... the divine institutes. Book IV. Of True Wisdom and Religion. Chap. II."Where Wisdom
is to Be Found; Why Pythagoras and Plato Did NotApproach the Jews....
The Divine Scriptures Plainly Teach us as Follows, "Thou Shalt not...
... The Sixth Ecumenical Council. Canon LIV. The divine scriptures plainly
teach us as follows, "Thou shalt notapproach to any that?...
The Removal of Our Children by Such Awful Strokes May Warn us of...
... 2. THE Removal of our Children by such awful Strokes may warn us of the
Approach of our own Death. HEREBY GOD doth very sensibly...
That the Unskilful Venture not toApproach an Office of Authority.
... THE Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, OF GREGORY THE GREAT BISHOP OF
ROME, Chapter I. That the unskilful venture not toapproach an office of...
Thesaurus
Approach (56 Occurrences)... 4. (vt) To come near to in place, time, or character; to draw nearer to; as, to
approach the city; to
approach my cabin; he approached the age of manhood.
...Access (9 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) An ability or right toapproach or enter;
admission; as, to gain access to a governor. 2. (n.) The...
Approaching (24 Occurrences)
... & vb. n.) ofApproach.... Leviticus 18:14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy
fathers brother, thou shalt notapproach to his wife: she is thine aunt....
Uncover (35 Occurrences)
... (KJV DBY WBS YLT NAS). Leviticus 18:6 "'None of you shallapproach anyone who are
his close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am Yahweh....
Dawning (11 Occurrences)
... DAWN; DAWNING. don: The word means theapproach of the morning light, the breaking
of the day. There are several words in the Bible that indicate this....
Dawn (70 Occurrences)
... DAWN; DAWNING. don: The word means theapproach of the morning light, the breaking
of the day. There are several words in the Bible that indicate this....
Meet (281 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To join, or come in contact with; esp., to come in contact with byapproach
from an opposite direction; to come upon or against, front to front, as...
Come
... 1. (pp) of Come. 2. (n.) To move hitherward; to draw near; toapproach the
speaker, or some place or person indicated; -- opposed to go....
Nakedness (50 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 18:6 "'None of you shallapproach anyone who are his close relatives,
to uncover their nakedness: I am Yahweh. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)....
Near (3455 Occurrences)
... 13. (adv.) Toapproach; to come nearer; as, the ship neared the land. 14. (vi) To
draw near; toapproach. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. NEAR, NIGH....
Resources
What is the bad news / good news approach to sharing the gospel? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the relationship of faith, works, and security in salvation? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is Aristotelianism? | GotQuestions.orgApproach: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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