Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical literature, the term "gleam" is often associated with light, brightness, and the manifestation of divine presence or revelation. The concept of gleam can be understood as a metaphor for the purity, holiness, and glory of God, as well as the illumination of truth and wisdom.
Biblical References:1.
Divine Light and Revelation: The Bible frequently uses imagery of light to describe God's presence and revelation. In
Psalm 119:105, the psalmist declares, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Here, the gleam of God's word provides guidance and clarity, illuminating the path of righteousness.
2.
The Transfiguration: The New Testament account of the Transfiguration of Jesus provides a vivid depiction of divine gleam. In
Matthew 17:2 , it is written, "There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light." This event reveals the divine nature of Christ, with the gleam of His appearance symbolizing His glory and majesty.
3.
Heavenly Visions: The Apostle John, in the Book of Revelation, describes his vision of the New Jerusalem, where the city "has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb" (
Revelation 21:23). The gleam of God's glory is the source of eternal light, signifying the ultimate fulfillment of divine promise and presence.
4.
Moses and the Radiant Face: In the Old Testament, after Moses speaks with God on Mount Sinai, his face is described as radiant.
Exodus 34:29 states, "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was unaware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken with the LORD." The gleam of Moses' face reflects the transformative power of encountering God.
Theological Significance:The concept of gleam in the Bible underscores the transformative and revealing nature of God's presence. It serves as a reminder of the holiness and purity that emanate from God, contrasting with the darkness of sin and ignorance. The gleam of divine light is not only a source of guidance and truth but also a call to believers to reflect God's glory in their own lives.
Symbolism in Christian Life:For Christians, the idea of gleam can be seen as an encouragement to live in the light of Christ, embodying His teachings and reflecting His love to the world. As Jesus proclaimed in
Matthew 5:14-16 , "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
In summary, the biblical concept of gleam is rich with meaning, symbolizing the divine light of God's presence, the revelation of His truth, and the call for believers to reflect His glory in their lives.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. i.) To disgorge filth, as a hawk.
2. (n.) A shoot of light; a small stream of light; a beam; a ray; a glimpse.
3. (n.) Brightness; splendor.
4. (v. t.) To shoot, or dart, as rays of light; as, at the dawn, light gleams in the east.
5. (v. t.) To shine; to cast light; to glitter.
6. (v. t.) To shoot out (flashes of light, etc.).
Greek
1823. exastrapto -- to flash orgleam like lightning, be radiant... to flash or
gleam like lightning, be radiant. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:
exastrapto Phonetic Spelling: (ex-as-trap'-to) Short Definition: I flash
...541. apaugasma -- radiance
... of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: apaugasma Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ow'-gas-
mah) Short Definition: a light flashing forth, radiation,gleam Definition: a...
826. augazo -- to shine forth
... shine forth. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: augazo Phonetic Spelling:
(ow-gad'-zo) Short Definition: I shine forth Definition: I flash,gleam, shine forth...
4744. stilbo -- to shine
... verb Definition to shine NASB Word Usage radiant (1). shining. Apparently a primary
verb; togleam, ie Flash intensely -- shining. (stilbonta) -- 1 Occurrence....
4015. periastrapto -- to tie around
... Transliteration: periastrapto Phonetic Spelling: (per-ee-as-trap'-to) Short Definition:
I flash around like lightning Definition: I flash (gleam) around like...
Strong's Hebrew
6668. tsaheb -- togleam... to
gleam. Transliteration: tsaheb or tsahob Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-hab') Short
Definition: shiny.
... root Definition to
gleam NASB Word Usage shiny (1). fine.
...1082. balag -- togleam, smile
... 1081, 1082. balag. 1083 . togleam, smile. Transliteration: balag Phonetic
Spelling: (baw-lag') Short Definition: cheerful. Word Origin a prim....
5869. ayin -- an eye
... displeased* (4), disregard* (1), eye (68), eyebrows* (1), eyelids* (1), eyes (372),
eyesight (1), forehead* (5), generous* (1), glares* (1),gleam (3), humble...
77. Ebets -- a city in Issachar
... Abez. From an unused root probably meaning togleam; conspicuous; Ebets, a place
in Palestine -- Abez. 76, 77. Ebets. 78 . Strong's Numbers.
2094. zahar -- to be light or shining
... admonish, shine, teach, give warning A primitive root; togleam; figuratively, to
enlighten (by caution) -- admonish, shine, teach, (give) warn(-ing)....
3851. lahab -- flame, blade
... From an usused root meaning togleam; a flash; figuratively, a sharply polished
blade or point of a weapon -- blade, bright, flame, glittering. 3850b, 3851....
5214. nir -- to break up, freshly till
... break up. A root probably identical with that of niyr, through the idea of thegleam
of a fresh furrow; to till the soil -- break up. see HEBREW niyr....
5264. nasas -- perhaps to be high or conspicuous
... A primitive root; togleam from afar, ie To be conspicuous as a signal; or rather
perhaps a denominative from nec (and identical with nacac, through the idea...
1300. baraq -- lightning
... bright, glittering sword, lightning. From baraq; lightning; by analogy, agleam;
concretely, a flashing sword -- bright, glitter(-ing sword), lightning....
6670. tsahal -- to neigh, cry shrilly
... bellow, cry aloud out, lift up, neigh, rejoice, make to shine, shout A prim
root; togleam, ie (figuratively) be cheerful; by transf....
Library
A BrightGleam of Light.
... The Purpose in Jesus' Coming A BrightGleam of Light. Yet be it keenly marked,
there is a very brightgleam of light across this dark picture....
Whence is this Monstrousness? and to what End? Let Thy MercyGleam...
... Book VIII Chapter IX Whence is this monstrousness? and to what end? Let Thy mercy
gleam that I may? Whence is this monstrousness? and to what end?...
I Mark'da Rainbow in the North,
... Over the dusky heaven and bleak hill-side. It was agleam to Memory dear,".... More
cheery than the matin lark,. Is the softgleam of Christian worth,....
Against Embellishing the Body.
... and vestibules are carefully constructed, and groves and sacred fields adjoining;
the halls are surrounded with many pillars; and the wallsgleam with foreign...
The Resurrection.
... Bright and brighter, beam on beam,. Now, like first created light,. From the
rock-cleft,gleam bygleam,. Shoots athwart the waning night,....
Simeon
... He scanned the future, heard the sound of many a fall, caught the hiss and cry of
uneasy consciences against the "sign"; he saw thegleam of the sword, and the...
Ernest Renan.
... The words of Jesus were agleam in thick night: it has taken eighteen hundred years
for the eyes of humanity (what do I say I of an infinitely small portion of...
The Cords of Sin
... It is we ourselves who have paralysed our wills, so that we see the light of God
but as a faintgleam far away, and dare not move to follow thegleam....
The Message.
... Man's love to his God is like the changing sand"His is like the solid rock.
Man's love is like the passing meteor with its fitfulgleam....
The Mission of Little Children
... She has detected every newgleam of intelligence.... It has been agleam of
sunshine and a voice of perpetual gladness in our homes....
Thesaurus
Gleam (5 Occurrences)... 5. (vt) To shine; to cast light; to glitter. 6. (vt) To shoot out (flashes of
light, etc.). Multi-Version Concordance
Gleam (5 Occurrences).
...Living (3112 Occurrences)
... out of the midst of themgleam fire, torches, lightnings, and connected with them
are four wheels that can turn in every direction, called whirling wheels...
Glisten (1 Occurrence)
... vi) To sparkle or shine; especially, to shine with a mild, subdued, and fitful luster;
to emit a soft, scintillating light; togleam; as, the glistening stars....
Glaze (1 Occurrence)
Gleamed (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) ofGleam. Multi-Version Concordance
Gleamed (2 Occurrences). Luke 24:4 It happened, while they...
Glint (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A glimpse, glance, orgleam. 2. (vi) To
glance; to peep forth, as a flower from the bud; to glitter....
Glitter (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vi) To sparkle with light; to shine with a brilliant
and broken light or showy luster; togleam; as, a glittering sword....
Exodus (2 Occurrences)
... These words he spoke to Moses and Aaron "seem togleam through the tears of the
humbled king, as he lamented his son snatched from him by so sudden a death...
Beam (17 Occurrences)
... 12. (n.) Fig.: A ray; agleam; as, a beam of comfort. 13. (n.) One of the long
feathers in the wing of a hawk; -- called also beam feather. 14....
Creature (73 Occurrences)
... out of the midst of themgleam fire, torches, lightnings, and connected with them
are four wheels that can turn in every direction, called whirling wheels...
Resources
What is the significance of Mount Hermon in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgGleam: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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