Topical Encyclopedia
In the context of the Bible, the term "favorable" often refers to the grace, approval, or blessing of God upon individuals, nations, or circumstances. It is associated with divine favor, which is a key theme throughout the Scriptures, reflecting God's kindness and benevolence towards His creation.
Divine Favor in the Old TestamentThe concept of favor is prominently featured in the Old Testament, where it is often linked to God's covenantal relationship with His people. For instance, Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord, which led to his preservation during the flood (
Genesis 6:8: "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD"). This favor was not based on Noah's merit but on God's sovereign choice and grace.
Similarly, Moses sought God's favor for the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness. In
Exodus 33:13, Moses pleads, "Now if indeed I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know Your ways, that I may know You and find favor in Your sight." Here, favor is connected to knowing God and His ways, indicating a relational aspect of divine favor.
The Psalms frequently mention God's favor as a source of protection and blessing.
Psalm 5:12 states, "For surely You, O LORD, bless the righteous; You surround them with favor as with a shield." This verse highlights the protective nature of God's favor, likening it to a shield that guards the righteous.
Favor in the New TestamentIn the New Testament, the concept of favor continues to be significant, particularly in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
Luke 2:52 notes, "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." This verse underscores the harmonious relationship between divine and human favor, as Jesus exemplified perfect obedience and grace.
The early church also experienced God's favor, as seen in
Acts 2:47, where the believers were "praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Here, favor is associated with the growth and unity of the church, as well as the spread of the Gospel.
Theological ImplicationsTheologically, favor is often understood as an expression of God's grace. It is not something that can be earned through human effort but is a gift from God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 emphasizes this by stating, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
Favor is also linked to God's sovereign will and purpose.
Romans 8:28 assures believers that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." This suggests that God's favor is ultimately directed towards fulfilling His divine plan and purposes in the lives of His people.
Practical ApplicationBelievers are encouraged to seek God's favor through prayer, obedience, and a humble heart.
Proverbs 3:3-4 advises, "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man." This passage highlights the importance of character and integrity in experiencing God's favor.
In summary, the biblical concept of favor encompasses God's grace, blessing, and approval, which are bestowed upon individuals and communities according to His sovereign will and purpose. It is a theme that runs throughout the Scriptures, offering assurance of God's benevolent presence and guidance in the lives of His people.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) Full of favor; favoring; manifesting partiality; kind; propitious; friendly.
2. (n.) Conducive; contributing; tending to promote or facilitate; advantageous; convenient.
3. (n.) Beautiful; well-favored.
Greek
2132. eunoeo -- to think kindly of, ie to befavorable... to think kindly of, ie to be
favorable. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: eunoeo
Phonetic Spelling: (yoo-no-eh'-o) Short Definition: I have good-will
...2138. eupeithes -- constantly attendant
... 2138 (from 2095 , "well" and 3982 , "persuade") -- properly, "well-persuaded," ,
ie willing (pre-disposed,favorable to); easy to come to terms with ....
2144. euprosdektos -- acceptable
... acceptable. From eu and a derivative of prosdechomai; well-received, ie Approved,
favorable -- acceptable(-ted). see GREEK eu. see GREEK prosdechomai....
2120. eukairia -- fitting time
... opportunity. From eukairos; afavorable occasion -- opportunity. see GREEK eukairos.
(eukairian) -- 2 Occurrences. 2119, 2120. eukairia. 2121 ....
2205. zelos -- to have warmth of feeling for or against, to be...
... From zeo; properly, heat, ie (figuratively) "zeal" (in afavorable sense, ardor;
in an unfavorable one, jealousy, as of a husband (figuratively, of God), or an...
1184. dektos -- acceptable
... pleasing. Word Origin from dechomai Definition acceptable NASB Word Usage
acceptable (2),favorable (1), welcome (2). acceptable....
1914. epiblepo -- to look on (with favor)
... sight . 1914 ("to regard, respect") suggests afavorable viewing -- a "preferred"
noticing, giving ("to notice ," , 1, 24.12). ["This...
2119. eukaireo -- to have opportunity
... Phonetic Spelling: (yoo-kahee-reh'-o) Short Definition: I have a good opportunity,
have leisure Definition: I have a good (favorable) opportunity, have leisure...
Strong's Hebrew
4917. mishlachath -- a discharge, deputation, sending... discharge, sending. Feminine of mishlowach; a mission, ie (abstractly) and
favorable)
release, or (concretely and unfavorable) an army -- discharge, sending.
...4916. mishlowach -- outstretching
... Or mishloach {mish-lo'-akh}; also mishlach {mish-lawkh'}; from shalach; a sending
out, ie (abstractly) presentation (favorable), or seizure (unfavorable); also...
4617. maaneh -- an answer, response
... answer, himself. From anah; a reply (favorable or contradictory) -- answer, X himself.
see HEBREW anah. 4616, 4617. maaneh. 4618 . Strong's Numbers.
7522. ratson -- goodwill, favor, acceptance, will
... Word Usage acceptable (5), acceptance (1), accepted (8), delight (5), desire (2),
desired (1), desires (1), earnestly* (1), favor (17),favorable (2), good...
2603. chanan -- to show favor, be gracious
... nan') Short Definition: beseech. beseech, fair, be, find, showfavorable,
be deal, give, grant graciously, A primitive root (compare...
4941. mishpat -- judgment
... From shaphat; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially,
especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law...
5162. nacham -- to be sorry, console oneself
... A primitive root; properly, to sigh, ie Breathe strongly; by implication, to be
sorry, ie (in afavorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or...
5183. Nachath -- quietness, rest
... From nchath; a descent, ie Imposition, unfavorable (punishment) orfavorable (food);
also (intransitively; perhaps from nuwach), restfulness -- lighting down...
7965. shalom -- completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
... Word Origin from shalem Definition completeness, soundness, welfare, peace NASB
Word Usage close (2), ease (1),favorable (1), friend* (1), friendly terms (1...
7521. ratsah -- to be pleased with, accept favorably
... NASB Word Usage accept (11), accepted (6), approve (1), approved (1), delight (4),
delights (2), enjoy (2), enjoyed (1), favor (2),favorable (1), favored (2...
Library
Whether Slavery Can Supervene to Marriage?
... Therefore such a sale should not hold as to the effect of slavery. Objection 2:
Further, twofavorable things outweigh one that is notfavorable....
Philosophical Basis, and Antecedents of Manich??ism.
... fire and water; and nothing could exist without them...As evil is everywhere present
in nature side by side with good, plagues withfavorable influences, death...
Talking in Salesmanship
... If he talks at all, he should talk quietly and reasonably, and always with the object
of bringing the customer around to afavorable point of view....
Whether the Limbo of Hell is the Same as Abraham's Bosom?
... xxxiii): "I have not yet found Scripture mentioning hell in afavorable sense."
Now Abraham's bosom is taken in afavorable sense, as Augustine goes on to say...
The Exordium or Introduction
... THE PURPOSE OF THE INTRODUCTION. The reason for an exordium is to dispose the auditors
to befavorable to us in the other parts of the discourse....
Publishers' Preface to the Second Revised Edition.
... Heaven;" fewer still have proved, in the perusal, more worthy of the praises bestowed
by Reviewers, or have borne out the character whichfavorable critics had...
The Preacher's Cry --Pray for Us!
... of way. The very attitude of such a congregation constitutes an environment
most encouraging andfavorable to preaching. It renders...
We are Drawing Near the End, and to the Highest Conclusions of...
... In like manner watch not forfavorable winds; dispense on every side, north and
south, of thy abundance; nor be too solicitous as to the worthiness of the...
The Return of Xerxes to Persia.
... Mardonius, after much hesitation, concluded to speak to him, and endeavor to dispel
his anxieties and fears, and lead him to take a morefavorable view of the...
Luther's Separation from Rome
... When, at the age of eighteen, he entered the University of Erfurt, his situation
was morefavorable and his prospects were brighter than in his earlier years....
Thesaurus
Favorable (18 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Favorable (18 Occurrences).
... (See NAS). Job 33:26 He prays
to God, and he is
favorable to him, so that he sees his face with joy.
...Micaiah (27 Occurrences)
... to their master, they, both by oracular utterance and by the symbolic action of
their leader, Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, gave the king afavorable answer....
Quarries (4 Occurrences)
... found at the surface. The quarryman seeks a thick stratum of firm limestone
which has afavorable exposure. The vertical joint-planes...
Flatter (5 Occurrences)
... 5. (vt) To raise hopes in; to encourage orfavorable, but sometimes unfounded
or deceitful, representations. 6. (vt) To portray...
Fair (147 Occurrences)
... 4. (superl.) Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious;favorable; --
said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.; as, a fair sky; a fair day....
Friendly (17 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Having the temper and disposition of a friend;
disposed to promote the good of another; kind;favorable....
Recommend (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To commend to thefavorable notice of another; to commit to another's care,
confidence, or acceptance, with favoring representations; to put in a...
Augustus (4 Occurrences)
... There is no reason to believe that Augustus entertained any speciallyfavorable
appreciation of Judaism, but from policy he showed himselffavorable to the...
Success (29 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Thefavorable or prosperous termination of anything attempted; the
attainment of a proposed object; prosperous issue. 4. (n...
Balaam (62 Occurrences)
... Bearing this in mind, we see the import of Numbers 24:1. After fruitless efforts
to cajole God into an attitudefavorable to his hidden purpose, he for a time...
Resources
What does the Bible say about prejudice? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the meaning of charis in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhy should I believe in Christ's resurrection? | GotQuestions.orgFavorable: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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