Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and ContextIn biblical terms, "overthrowing" refers to the act of bringing down, destroying, or defeating a person, city, nation, or system. This concept is often associated with divine judgment, where God intervenes to dismantle or punish those who oppose His will or violate His commandments. Overthrowing can also be seen in the context of military conquests, political upheavals, or spiritual victories.
Biblical Instances1.
Sodom and Gomorrah: One of the most notable examples of overthrowing in the Bible is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. These cities were overthrown due to their grievous sins.
Genesis 19:24-25 states, "Then the LORD rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus He overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all the inhabitants of the cities and everything that grew on the ground."
2.
The Egyptian Army: During the Exodus, God overthrew the Egyptian army in the Red Sea as they pursued the Israelites.
Exodus 14:27-28 recounts, "So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal state. As the Egyptians were fleeing toward it, the LORD swept them into the sea. The waters flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had chased the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived."
3.
The Fall of Jericho: The overthrowing of Jericho is another significant event, where God delivered the city into the hands of the Israelites.
Joshua 6:20 describes, "When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and when they heard the blast of the trumpet, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. So each man charged straight in, and they took the city."
4.
The Overthrow of Nations: Throughout the prophetic books, God often speaks of overthrowing nations as a form of judgment. For instance, in
Jeremiah 18:7-10 , God declares, "At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed. But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to inflict."
5.
Spiritual Overthrow: In the New Testament, the concept of overthrowing extends to spiritual realms. In
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 , Paul writes, "The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
Theological SignificanceThe act of overthrowing in the Bible underscores God's sovereignty and justice. It serves as a reminder that God is the ultimate authority who can dismantle any power or structure that stands against His purposes. Overthrowing is often a response to persistent sin, rebellion, or idolatry, highlighting the seriousness with which God views disobedience. It also reflects the hope of deliverance and victory for those who align themselves with God's will, as seen in the deliverance of the Israelites and the spiritual triumphs in the New Testament.
Moral and Ethical ImplicationsFrom a moral and ethical standpoint, the biblical theme of overthrowing calls believers to examine their own lives and societies. It serves as a warning against complacency in sin and a call to repentance and alignment with God's standards. The narratives of overthrowing encourage believers to trust in God's justice and to seek His guidance in overcoming personal and communal challenges.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
p. pr. & vb. n.) of Overthrow.
Greek
2692. katastrophe -- anoverthrowing... an
overthrowing. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: katastrophe Phonetic
Spelling: (kat-as-trof-ay') Short Definition: overthrow, destruction
...Library
TheOverthrowing of the Arguments Above Urged by Way of Objection.
... the divine institutes. Book IV. Of True Wisdom and Religion. Chap. XXIV."The
Overthrowing of the Arguments Above Urged by Way of Objection....
Of the Fact that the God of the Hebrews, Although the People were...
... Book I. Chapter XIV."Of the Fact that the God of the Hebrews, Although the People
Were Conquered, Proved Himself to Be Unconquered, byOverthrowing the Idols...
The Oblation of Fine Flour was a Figure of the Eucharist.
... world, with all things therein, for the sake of man, and for delivering us from
the evil in which we were, and for utterlyoverthrowing [2058] principalities...
The Limits of Liberty
... In that event, the responsibility ofoverthrowing what God had built lies
at the door of the tempter. The metaphor of 'overthrowing...
Perhaps There is no Book Within the Whole Canon of Scripture So...
... a joyful shout over this verse; for to disconnect the books of the Bible from the
writers whose name they bear is a long step towardoverthrowing the authority...
the harmony of the gospels
... Chapter XIV.--Of the Fact that the God of the Hebrews, Although the People Were
Conquered, Proved Himself to Be Unconquered, byOverthrowing the Idols, and by...
I Affirm that not one of the Faithful Has ever a Crown Upon his...
... It is undoubted, so that we ought to inquire into the reason of the thing; but without
prejudice to the practice, not for the purpose ofoverthrowing it, but...
The Transplanting of Congregationalism
... the Puritans saw in every objectionable ceremonial of the English church some hidden
purpose, some Jesuitical contrivance foroverthrowing Protestantism....
Introduction.
... church, does itself evince one of the two grand points which the church maintains,
(without affecting the other) and is so far fromoverthrowing its doctrines...
God's Sovereignty Defined
... Psa.115:3). To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is "The Governor
among the nations" (Psa.22:28), setting up kingdoms,overthrowing empires, and...
Thesaurus
Overthrowing (10 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Overthrow. Multi-Version
Concordance
Overthrowing (10 Occurrences). Acts 13:19 Then
...Overthrow (48 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To cause to fall or to fail; to subvert; to defeat; to make a ruin of; to
destroy. 3. (n.) The act ofoverthrowing; the state of being overthrow; ruin....
Overthrown (44 Occurrences)
Vindicate (18 Occurrences)
... to justify. 4. (vt) To maintain, as a law or a cause, byoverthrowing enemies.
5. (vt) To liberate; to set free; to deliver. 6. (vt...
Upset (9 Occurrences)
... 2 Timothy 2:18 men who have erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection
is already past, andoverthrowing the faith of some. (See NAS RSV)....
Upsetting (3 Occurrences)
... 2 Timothy 2:18 men who have erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection
is already past, andoverthrowing the faith of some. (See RSV)....
Overthroweth (7 Occurrences)
Jeroham (11 Occurrences)
... (6) Father of Azariah, one of the captains who supported Jehoiada inoverthrowing
Queen Athaliah (2 Chronicles 23:1). David Francis Roberts....
Lifts (26 Occurrences)
... 2 Corinthians 10:5overthrowing reasonings and every high thing that lifts itself
up against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought into the...
Fight (265 Occurrences)
... (BBE). 2 Corinthians 10:4 The weapons with which we fight are not human weapons,
but are mighty for God inoverthrowing strong fortresses. (WEY BBE NIV)....
Resources
What is the story of the New Testament? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is Coptic Christianity, and what do Coptic Christians believe? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does Messiah mean? | GotQuestions.orgOverthrowing: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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