Topical Encyclopedia
In the context of the Bible, the concept of "fortune" is often associated with the idea of chance, luck, or destiny, and is frequently contrasted with the sovereignty and providence of God. The Bible presents a worldview in which God is the ultimate authority over all events, and reliance on fortune or luck is seen as contrary to faith in God's plan and purpose.
Old Testament ReferencesThe Old Testament occasionally references the concept of fortune, often in the context of idolatry and pagan practices. In
Isaiah 65:11, the prophet rebukes those who forsake the Lord and prepare a table for "Fortune" (Gad) and fill cups of mixed wine for "Destiny" (Meni). The Berean Standard Bible translates this passage as: "But you who forsake the LORD, who forget My holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny." Here, Fortune is personified as a pagan deity, indicating the Israelites' tendency to turn to false gods for prosperity and success, rather than trusting in the Lord.
New Testament PerspectiveThe New Testament does not explicitly mention "fortune" as a concept, but it addresses the underlying issues of trust and reliance on God versus reliance on worldly means. In
Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus teaches about the futility of storing up treasures on earth, where they are subject to decay and theft, and instead encourages storing up treasures in heaven. This teaching underscores the transient nature of earthly wealth and the importance of prioritizing spiritual riches over material gain.
Biblical View on ProvidenceThroughout Scripture, the Bible emphasizes God's providence and control over all aspects of life.
Proverbs 16:33 states, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD." This verse highlights the belief that even seemingly random events are under God's sovereign control. Similarly, in
James 4:13-15, believers are reminded to submit their plans to the Lord's will, acknowledging that their lives are ultimately in His hands: "Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.'"
Warnings Against Divination and Trust in LuckThe Bible consistently warns against practices that seek to predict or control the future through divination, astrology, or other means associated with fortune-telling.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 explicitly prohibits such practices, labeling them as detestable to the Lord. The reliance on fortune-telling or luck is seen as a lack of faith in God's guidance and provision.
Trust in God's ProvisionBelievers are encouraged to trust in God's provision and timing, rather than seeking fortune or luck.
Philippians 4:19 assures Christians that "my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." This promise reinforces the idea that God is the source of all blessings and that reliance on Him is the path to true security and prosperity.
In summary, the Bible presents a clear distinction between reliance on fortune and trust in God's sovereign will. While the world may seek luck or chance, Scripture calls believers to place their faith in the Lord, who governs all things with wisdom and love.
Topical Bible Verses
Micah 5:12And I will cut off witchcrafts out of your hand; and you shall have no more soothsayers:
Topicalbible.orgActs 16:16
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
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Deuteronomy 4:19
And lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, should be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD your God has divided to all nations under the whole heaven.
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Jeremiah 27:9
Therefore listen not you to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon:
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Leviticus 20:27
A man also or woman that has a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be on them.
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Leviticus 19:31
Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
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Revelation 22:15
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie.
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Deuteronomy 18:10-12
There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
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2 Kings 21:6
And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he worked much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The arrival of something in a sudden or unexpected manner; chance; accident; luck; hap; also, the personified or deified power regarded as determining human success, apportioning happiness and unhappiness, and distributing arbitrarily or fortuitously the lots of life.
2. (n.) That which befalls or is to befall one; lot in life, or event in any particular undertaking; fate; destiny; as, to tell one's fortune.
3. (n.) That which comes as the result of an undertaking or of a course of action; good or ill success; especially, favorable issue; happy event; success; prosperity as reached partly by chance and partly by effort.
4. (n.) Wealth; large possessions; large estate; riches; as, a gentleman of fortune.
5. (n.) To make fortunate; to give either good or bad fortune to.
6. (n.) To provide with a fortune.
7. (n.) To presage; to tell the fortune of.
8. (v. i.) To fall out; to happen.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
FORTUNEfor'-tun (Gad): A god of Good Luck, possibly the Hyades.
SeeASTROLOGY, 10.
Greek
3108. makarismos -- a declaration of blessedness... blessedness. From makarizo; beatification, ie Attribution of good
fortune --
blessedness. see GREEK makarizo. (makarismon) -- 1 Occurrence.
...3132. manteuomai -- to divine
... in the practice. Word Origin from mantis (a seer) Definition to divine
NASB Word Usagefortune-telling (1). soothsaying. From a...
2137. euodoo -- to have a prosperous journey
... a journey on a particular road") -- properly, to go on a prosperous journey;
(figuratively) to be () , ie leading to real success (goodfortune) where someone...
2161. Eutuchos -- "well-fated," Eutychus, a young man restored to...
... Word Origin from eu and tuche (fortune, fate) Definition "well-fated," Eutychus,
a young man restored to life by Paul NASB Word Usage Eutychus (1). Eutychus....
5190. Tuchikos -- "fortuitous," Tychicus, a Christian
... Asia. Word Origin from tuche (fortune, fate) Definition "fortuitous," Tychicus,
a Christian NASB Word Usage Tychicus (5). Tychicus....
Strong's Hebrew
1409. gad --fortune, goodfortune... 1408, 1409. gad. 1410 .
fortune, good
fortune. Transliteration: gad
Phonetic Spelling: (gawd) Short Definition: fortunate. Word
...1408. Gad -- "fortune," a Bab. god.
... 1407, 1408. Gad. 1409 . "fortune," a Bab. god. Transliteration: Gad
Phonetic Spelling: (gad) Short Definition:Fortune. Word...
4745. miqreh -- accident, chance,fortune
... 4744, 4745. miqreh. 4746 . accident, chance,fortune. Transliteration:
miqreh Phonetic Spelling: (mik-reh') Short Definition: fate....
1171. Baal Gad -- "Baal offortune," a place near Mt. Hermon
Baal Gad. 1170, 1171. Baal Gad. 1172 . "Baal offortune," a place near Mt.... Word
Origin from Baal and gad Definition "Baal offortune," a place near Mt....
1427. Gaddiel -- "El is myfortune," an Israelite
... 1426, 1427. Gaddiel. 1428 . "El is myfortune," an Israelite. Transliteration:
Gaddiel Phonetic Spelling: (gad-dee-ale') Short Definition: Gaddiel....
3232. Yimnah -- "goodfortune," two Israelites
... 3231, 3232. Yimnah. 3233 . "goodfortune," two Israelites. Transliteration:
Yimnah Phonetic Spelling: (yim-naw') Short Definition: Imnah....
1426. Gaddi -- "myfortune," a Manassite
... 1425, 1426. Gaddi. 1427 . "myfortune," a Manassite. Transliteration:
Gaddi Phonetic Spelling: (gad-dee') Short Definition: had....
6049a. anan -- to practice soothsaying
... root Definition to practice soothsaying NASB Word Usage diviners' (1),fortune-tellers
(1), practice witchcraft (1), practiced witchcraft (2), practices...
6239. osher -- riches
... Word Origin from ashar Definition riches NASB Word Usagefortune (1), riches (32),
wealth (4). far richer, riches. From ashar; wealth -- X far (richer), riches....
4028. Migdal-gad -- "tower of Gad," a city in Judah
... Migdal-gad. From migdal and Gad; tower ofFortune; Migdal-Gad, a place in Palestine --
Migdal-gad. see HEBREW migdal. see HEBREW Gad. 4027, 4028....
Library
Whether Goods ofFortune Conduce to Magnanimity?
... OF MAGNANIMITY* (EIGHT ARTICLES) [*Not in the ordinary restricted sense but as
explained by the author] Whether goods offortune conduce to magnanimity?...
OfFortune Again, and virtue.
... Of the False Wisdom of Philosophers. Chap. XXIX."OfFortune Again, and Virtue.
But let us return to the subject which we laid aside....
To Messer John the Soldier ofFortune and Head of the Company that...
... LETTERS TO MESSER JOHN THE SOLDIER OFFORTUNE AND HEAD OF THE COMPANY THAT CAME
IN THE TIME OF FAMINE. Which letter is one of credentials...
Whether Observances Directed to the Purpose ofFortune-Telling are...
... OF SUPERSTITION IN OBSERVANCES (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether observances directed
to the purpose offortune-telling are unlawful? Objection...
With what Reason they who Think Felicity andFortune Goddesses...
... Book IV. Chapter 18."With What Reason They Who Think Felicity andFortune Goddesses
Have Distinguished Them.... Is felicity one thing,fortune another?...
Of True Religion and of Nature. WhetherFortune is a Goddess, and...
... Of the False Wisdom of Philosophers. Chap. XXVIII."Of True Religion and
of Nature. WhetherFortune is a Goddess, and of Philosophy....
Moreover, I Shall Exhibit in Discourse the Ill-Fortune that Most...
... Chapter VI. Moreover, I shall exhibit in discourse the ill-fortune that
most of all prevails among men.? Moreover, I shall exhibit...
Argument: that the Roman Auspices and Auguries have Been Neglected...
... Chapter VII."Argument: That the Roman Auspices and Auguries Have Been Neglected
with Ill Consequences, But Have Been Observed with GoodFortune....
How Artabanus, the King of Parthia Out of Fear of the Secret...
... do not thou overlook me thy servant, nor do thou proudly reject the suit I make
thee; for as I am reduced to a low estate, by the change offortune, and of a...
Essay ii. Quod Me Non Movet Aestimatione: Verum Est Greek Text...
... A SAILOR'SFORTUNE.... The sum of his history may be comprised in this one
sentence"Haec, sab numine, nobismet fecimas, sapientia duce,fortune permittente....
Thesaurus
Fortune (7 Occurrences)... 2. (n.) That which befalls or is to befall one; lot in life, or event in any
particular undertaking; fate; destiny; as, to tell one's
fortune.
...Fortune-telling (1 Occurrence)
Fortune-telling.Fortune-tellers,Fortune-telling. Forty .
Multi-Version ConcordanceFortune-telling (1 Occurrence)....
Fortune-tellers (1 Occurrence)
Fortune-tellers. Fortunes,Fortune-tellers.Fortune-telling .
Multi-Version ConcordanceFortune-tellers (1 Occurrence)....
Chance (78 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A supposed material or psychical agent or mode of activity other than a
force, law, or purpose;fortune; fate; -- in this sense often personified....
Envy (56 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Chagrin, mortification, discontent, or uneasiness at the sight of another's
excellence or goodfortune, accompanied with some degree of hatred and a...
Gad (78 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible DictionaryFortune; luck. (1.) Jacob's seventh son, by Zilpah, Leah's
handmaid, and the brother of Asher (Genesis 30:11-13; 46:16, 18)....
Fortunes (30 Occurrences)
... (See RSV NIV). Job 42:10 And the LORD changed thefortune of Job, when he prayed
for his friends; and the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before....
Estate (40 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A person of high rank. 4. (n.) A property which a person possesses; afortune;
possessions, esp.... 8. (vt) To establish. 9. (vt) Tom settle as afortune....
Princely (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Of or relating to a prince; regal; royal; Of highest
rank or authority; as, princely birth, character,fortune, etc....
Ahiman (4 Occurrences)
... AHIMAN. a-hi'-man ('achiman, perhaps, "brother offortune," or, "my brother is
fortune"): (1) One of the names given as those of the three "children of the Anak...
Resources
What are tarot cards? Are tarot cards evil? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about divination? | GotQuestions.orgDoes the Bible say anything about clairvoyance? | GotQuestions.orgFortune: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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