Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical terminology, the concept of "realm" often refers to a domain or kingdom under the rule of a sovereign authority. This can be understood both in a physical and spiritual sense, encompassing earthly kingdoms and the divine kingdom of God.
Earthly RealmsThroughout the Bible, various earthly realms are mentioned, each with its own rulers and territories. For instance, the realm of Egypt under Pharaoh's rule is a significant setting in the Old Testament, particularly in the narrative of the Exodus. The Bible describes Egypt as a powerful realm where the Israelites were enslaved before God delivered them through Moses (Exodus 1-14).
Similarly, the realm of Babylon is another prominent kingdom in biblical history. Under King Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon became a dominant empire, and it was during this time that the Israelites were taken into exile. The Book of Daniel provides insight into the life and challenges faced by the Israelites in this foreign realm (Daniel 1-6).
The Realm of IsraelThe realm of Israel holds a central place in biblical history. Established under the leadership of King Saul, and later expanded by King David and King Solomon, Israel was a theocratic kingdom where God was recognized as the ultimate ruler. The Bible recounts the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital and the construction of the Temple, which became the spiritual center of the realm (
2 Samuel 5:6-10;
1 Kings 6).
The Spiritual RealmBeyond physical kingdoms, the Bible speaks extensively about the spiritual realm. This includes the kingdom of God, which is a central theme in the teachings of Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, Jesus proclaims the coming of God's kingdom, inviting people to repent and believe in the gospel (
Mark 1:15). The kingdom of God is described as a realm of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (
Romans 14:17).
The spiritual realm also encompasses the battle between good and evil, as depicted in various passages.
Ephesians 6:12 states, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." This highlights the existence of spiritual forces and the need for believers to be vigilant and equipped with the armor of God.
Heavenly RealmThe heavenly realm is portrayed as the ultimate dwelling place of God, angels, and the redeemed. It is a realm of eternal glory and worship, where God's sovereignty is fully realized.
Revelation 21:1-4 provides a vision of the new heaven and new earth, where God will dwell with His people, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain.
ConclusionThe concept of "realm" in the Bible encompasses both the physical kingdoms of the earth and the spiritual domains that transcend human understanding. Whether referring to historical empires or the divine kingdom of God, realms in the biblical narrative serve to illustrate God's sovereignty, the unfolding of His redemptive plan, and the ultimate hope of believers in the eternal heavenly realm.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A royal jurisdiction or domain; a region which is under the dominion of a king; a kingdom.
2. (n.) Hence, in general, province; region; country; domain; department; division; as, the realm of fancy.
Greek
932. basileia -- kingdom, sovereignty, royal power... 932 (from 935 , "king") -- properly, ; the
realm in which a king sovereignly rules.
A (932 ) always requires a -- as the kingdom (932 ) of God does with !
...1096. ginomai -- to come into being, to happen, to become
... become, come about, happen. 1096 -- properly, to ,, from one point (realm,
condition) to another. 1096 () fundamentally means "" (becoming...
1901. epekteino -- to extend, mid. to stretch forward
... It refers to the believer to reach "" out from therealm of death given to them
at Christ's return. Word Origin from epi and ekteino Definition to extend, mid....
86. hades -- Hades, the abode of departed spirits
... 86 (from 1 "not" and , "see") -- properly, the "unseen place," referring to the
(invisible)realm in which all the dead reside, ie the present dwelling place...
991. blepo -- to look (at)
... 991 () suggests "to see something physical, with spiritual results (perception)."
That is, it carries into the non-physical (immaterial)realm so a person can...
1782. enteuthen -- from here, on each side, thereupon
... Word Origin akin to enthen Definition from here, on each side, thereupon NASB Word
Usage either side (2), here (4), source (1), thisrealm (1)....
1722. en -- in, on, at, by, with
... 1722 (a preposition) -- properly, (side, with); (figuratively) " therealm (sphere)
of," as in the (state) something operates from the side (with)....
Strong's Hebrew
4475. memshalah -- rule, dominion,realm... 4474, 4475. memshalah. 4476 . rule, dominion,
realm. Transliteration: memshalah
Phonetic Spelling: (mem-shaw-law') Short Definition: dominion. Word Origin
...4854. Massa -- a son of Ishmael, also therealm of King Lemuel
... 4853b, 4854. Massa. 4855 . a son of Ishmael, also therealm of King Lemuel.
Transliteration: Massa Phonetic Spelling: (mas-saw') Short Definition: Massa....
326. Achashtari -- "belonging to therealm," an Israelite
... Achashtari. 327 . "belonging to therealm," an Israelite. Transliteration: Achashtari
Phonetic Spelling: (akh-ash-taw-ree') Short Definition: Haahashtari....
4437. malku -- royalty, reign, kingdom
... Aramaic) corresponding to malkuth Definition royalty, reign, kingdom NASB Word Usage
government affairs (1), kingdom (38), kingdoms (3),realm (4), reign (4...
4438. malkuth -- royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom
... Word Origin from the same as melek Definition royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom
NASB Word Usage kingdom (41), kingdoms (2), kingship (1),realm (3), reign...
4467. mamlakah -- kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign
... kingdom, king's, reign, royal. From malak; dominion, ie (abstractly) the estate
(rule) or (concretely) the country (realm) -- kingdom, king's, reign, royal....
4082. medinah -- a province
... Word Origin from din Definition a province NASB Word Usage each (3), each province
(3), every province (2), province (10), provinces (28),realm (1)....
4410. melukah -- kingship, royalty
... kingsom, king's, royal. Feminine passive participle of malak; something ruled, ie
Arealm -- kingsom, king's, X royal. see HEBREW malak. 4409, 4410....
Library
The Saints of God in YonderRealm,
... VICTORY The saints of God in yonderrealm,. tr., John Brownlie 8.6.8.6.8.8. I.
The saints of God in yonderrealm,. Have crowns of varied gem;...
Living up in the SpiritRealm.
... Deep-Sea Fishing: The Ambition of Service. (Luke v:1-11.) Living up in
the SpiritRealm. There... The spiritrealm is the highest. A...
In ThyRealm of Light Above,
... NOON I In Thyrealm of light above,. 7,7,7,7,7,7. Now the sun at noon of day,....
May we rise, O Christ, with Thee. In Thyrealm of light above,....
A Clearing-Up Storm in theRealm
... VI."A CLEARING-UP STORM IN THEREALM. (Revelation, Chapters vi.-viii.).... The
clearing-up storm in hisrealm lasted a good while before good weather came....
That He Wrote Also to the King of Persia, who had Sent Him an...
... Book IV. Chapter VIII."That he wrote also to the King of Persia, who had sent
him an Embassy, on Behalf of the Christians in hisRealm....
Morgan -- the Perfect Ideal of Life
... in a short phrase, and that comes at the end, "the things that please him." Those
are the things that create perfect human life, living in therealm of which...
Ninth Tractate. Detached Considerations.
... in the Timaeus] " "looks upon the Ideas indwelling in that Being which is the
Essentially Living [= according to Plotinus, the IntellectualRealm], "and then...
The Glory-Coloured Thread.
... In three"turning the water into wine, multiplying food supplies, walking
on the water"it is power in therealm of nature. In...
The Knocking that Obtains an Opening
... The Saviour's heartening words imply that a vastrealm of truth will be opened
unto us when we knock at the door of the Father's house....
Third Tractate. On Dialectic [The Upward Way].
... have already made their way to the sphere of the Intelligibles, have set as it were
a footprint there but must still advance within therealm " lasts until...
Thesaurus
Realm (23 Occurrences)... 2. (n.) Hence, in general, province; region; country; domain; department; division;
as, the
realm of fancy. Multi-Version Concordance
Realm (23 Occurrences).
...Anthropomorphism
... Nor, perfect as we may our theistic idea or conception of Deity, can we, in the
realm of spirit, ever wholly eliminate the anthropomorphic element involved in...
Hezekiah (124 Occurrences)
... The Chronicler represents him (2 Chronicles 32:31) as lapsing from the wisdom of
piety only by his vainglory in revealing the resources of hisrealm to the...
Apollyon (1 Occurrence)
... death," or "the grave," in such a way as to indicate a purely eschatological term
based upon the advanced idea of moral distinctions in therealm of the dead....
Abaddon (7 Occurrences)
... passages the Revised Version retains the word "Abaddon." We may regard this word
as a personification of the idea of destruction, or as sheol, therealm of the...
Spirituality
... mistakenly to religious experience, narrowly interpreted, but as spirituality brings
the intellect into harmony with the divine reason in everyrealm of mental...
Satraps (12 Occurrences)
... The word answers to the Old Persian khshathrapavan, "protectors of therealm.".
Multi-Version Concordance Satraps (12 Occurrences)....
Hades (11 Occurrences)
... The parable is certainly not intended to give us topographical information about
therealm of the dead, although it presupposes that there is a distinct place...
Personality
... the entire rational being, perhaps most clearly represented by "the will"; it is
that which is deepest in man, belonging, of course, not to therealm of space...
Purity (16 Occurrences)
... morals. "Ought" comes in on the sphere of cleanliness, and then the wholerealm
of ethics is open.... sentence. It was uttered in therealm of law....
Resources
What evidence is there of a spiritual realm? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is shamanism? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is nominalism? What is a nominalist? | GotQuestions.orgRealm: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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