Topical Encyclopedia
The term "blotted" in the Bible often refers to the act of erasing or removing something, typically in the context of sin, guilt, or names from a record. This concept is deeply rooted in the biblical understanding of God's justice and mercy, as well as the permanence or impermanence of one's standing before God.
Old Testament UsageIn the Old Testament, the idea of being "blotted out" is frequently associated with the removal of sin or the erasure of one's name from a record. For instance, in
Exodus 32:32-33, Moses intercedes for the Israelites after they have sinned by worshiping the golden calf. He pleads with God, saying, "But now, if You would only forgive their sin. But if not, please blot me out of the book You have written." The LORD responds, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book." Here, the "book" symbolizes God's record of those who are righteous and belong to Him.
Similarly, in
Psalm 51:1-2, David cries out for mercy after his sin with Bathsheba, asking God to "blot out my transgressions." This plea highlights the desire for divine forgiveness and the removal of sin's stain from one's life.
New Testament UsageIn the New Testament, the concept of blotting out is often linked to the forgiveness and redemption found in Christ.
Colossians 2:14 speaks of Christ having "canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross." The term "canceled" here can be understood as "blotted out," indicating the complete removal of the record of our sins through the sacrificial work of Jesus.
Revelation 3:5 also touches on this theme, where Jesus promises, "The one who overcomes will be clothed in white garments, and I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels." This assurance underscores the eternal security of those who remain faithful to Christ, contrasting with the potential for names to be blotted out due to unfaithfulness or sin.
Theological ImplicationsThe concept of being "blotted out" carries significant theological weight, emphasizing both the seriousness of sin and the profound nature of God's forgiveness. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of sin, which can lead to separation from God and the loss of one's place in His eternal kingdom. At the same time, it highlights the hope and assurance found in God's mercy, where sins can be completely erased through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
The imagery of blotting out also reflects the ancient practice of writing on papyrus or parchment, where ink could be removed or overwritten. This metaphor illustrates the transformative power of God's grace, which not only forgives but also renews and restores the believer to a right relationship with Him.
In summary, the biblical concept of "blotted" underscores the dual themes of judgment and redemption, calling believers to live in holiness and faithfulness while resting in the assurance of God's unfailing love and forgiveness.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
imp. & p. p.) of Blot.
Strong's Hebrew
4229a. machah -- to wipe, wipe out... root Definition to wipe, wipe out NASB Word Usage blot (12),
blotted (11), destroys
(1), utterly blot (1), wash off (1), wipe (1), wipe...away (1), wiped (1
...Library
The HandwritingBlotted Out
... The HandwritingBlotted Out. We have... earth. But thank God for the gospel we
preach! If we repent, our sins will all beblotted out. "You...
Whether Anyone May beBlotted Out of the Book of Life?
... THE BOOK OF LIFE (THREE ARTICLES) Whether anyone may beblotted out of the book
of life?... Therefore neither can anyone beblotted out from the book of life....
Whether a Character Can beBlotted Out from the Soul?
... OF THE OTHER EFFECT OF THE SACRAMENTS, WHICH IS A CHARACTER (SIX ARTICLES)
Whether a character can beblotted out from the soul?...
WritingBlotted Out and Mist Melted
... WRITINGBLOTTED OUT AND MIST MELTED. 'I haveblotted out, as a thick cloud,
thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins.'"Isaiah 44:22....
Moses' Prayer to beBlotted Out of God's Book.
... SERMON VIII. Moses' Prayer to beblotted out of God's Book. Exodus
xxxii.31, 32. "And Moses returned unto the Lord and said. Oh!...
Moses' Prayer to beBlotted Out of God's Book.
... SERMON VII. Moses' Prayer to beblotted out of God's Book. Exodus
xxxii.31, 32. "And Moses returned unto the Lord and said, 'Oh!...
The Image of God is not WhollyBlotted Out in These Unbelievers...
... A Treatise on the spirit and the letter, Chapter 48."The Image of God is
Not WhollyBlotted Out in These Unbelievers; Venial Sins....
Whether the Law of Nature Can be Abolished from the Heart of Man?
... a gloss says that "the law of righteousness, which sin hadblotted out, is graven
on the heart of man when he is restored by grace." But the law of...
The Divinity of the Holy Spirit is Supported by a Passage of St. ....
... That erasure betrayed you more, that erasure condemned you more; and you were not
able to obliterate the truth, but that erasureblotted out your names from...
The Nature of Justification
... 861) and that justification consists in this, that sin (original and mortal) is
no longer "imputed" to the sinner; that is to say, it is notblotted out but...
Thesaurus
Blotted (15 Occurrences)...Blotted (15 Occurrences).
... Numbers 5:23 And the priest hath written these execrations
in a book, and hath
blotted 'them' out with the bitter waters, (YLT).
...Blot (23 Occurrences)
... British and American) has "spot." Blot out (machah, "to wipe out," exaleipho, "to
smear out"), to obliterate or destroy: "That a tribe be notblotted out" (the...
Life (6001 Occurrences)
... To beblotted out of the Book of Life is to be cut off from God's favor, to suffer
an untimely death, as when Moses pleads that he beblotted out of God's book...
Wiped (25 Occurrences)
... Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may beblotted out,
so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, (See...
Creatures (83 Occurrences)
... Genesis 7:23 And Heblotted out every living substance which was upon the face of
the ground, both man, and cattle, and creeping thing, and fowl of the heaven...
Forgive (81 Occurrences)
... anger of Jehovah smoke, also His zeal, against that man, and lain down on him hath
all the oath which is written in this book, and Jehovah hathblotted out his...
Vexed (37 Occurrences)
... Nehemiah 4:5 and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin beblotted out
from before thee; for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders....
Name (10157 Occurrences)
... 7:9, 23, etc.); it might be an "evil name" (Deuteronomy 22:14, 19); the "name" is
also equivalent to a "people" or "nation" (which might be "blotted out," ie...
Insults (34 Occurrences)
... Nehemiah 4:5 and do not cover over their iniquity, and their sin from before Thee
let not beblotted out, for they have provoked to anger -- over-against those...
Repent (74 Occurrences)
... Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may beblotted out,
so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, (WEB...
Resources
How should a Christian deal with feelings of guilt regarding past sins, whether pre- or post-salvation? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a levirate marriage? | GotQuestions.orgWere fish and sea creatures also destroyed during the Flood (Genesis 6-8)? | GotQuestions.orgBlotted: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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