Topical Encyclopedia
In the context of biblical literature, the term "reduced" often refers to a state of being diminished, lessened, or brought low, whether in terms of numbers, strength, wealth, or spiritual condition. This concept is frequently encountered in the narratives of the Old and New Testaments, where individuals, nations, or groups experience reduction as a result of divine judgment, personal sin, or external circumstances.
Old Testament Context1.
Divine Judgment and Reduction: The theme of reduction is prevalent in the Old Testament, particularly in the context of divine judgment. For instance, the nation of Israel often faced reduction in numbers and strength due to their disobedience to God's commandments. In
Leviticus 26:22, God warns Israel of the consequences of disobedience: "I will send wild animals among you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle, and reduce your numbers, so that your roads lie deserted" . This reduction serves as a form of divine discipline intended to bring the people back to repentance.
2.
Reduction in Wealth and Status: The account of Job illustrates a personal reduction in wealth and status. Job, once a man of great wealth and influence, is reduced to poverty and suffering.
Job 1:14-15 describes the beginning of his reduction: "a messenger came to Job and reported, 'While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!'" . Job's reduction is a test of faith, ultimately leading to his restoration and greater understanding of God's sovereignty.
3.
Prophetic Warnings: The prophets frequently warned of reduction as a consequence of sin.
Isaiah 17:4 speaks of the reduction of Ephraim: "In that day the glory of Jacob will fade, and the fat of his body will waste away" . This reduction is symbolic of the spiritual decline and impending judgment upon the people.
New Testament Context1.
Spiritual Reduction: In the New Testament, reduction often takes on a spiritual dimension. Jesus speaks of the reduction of the proud and the exaltation of the humble. In
Luke 14:11, He states, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted" . This principle underscores the kingdom value of humility over pride.
2.
Reduction in Numbers: The early church experienced reduction in numbers due to persecution and apostasy. However, this often led to a purification and strengthening of the faith community.
Acts 8:1 notes, "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria" . This scattering, while a reduction in one sense, facilitated the spread of the Gospel.
3.
Personal Reduction for Spiritual Gain: The Apostle Paul speaks of personal reduction in terms of suffering and loss for the sake of Christ. In
Philippians 3:7-8, he writes, "But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things" . Paul's reduction in worldly status and gain is portrayed as a spiritual gain, emphasizing the eternal value of knowing Christ.
Theological ImplicationsThe concept of reduction in the Bible often serves as a reminder of human dependence on God. Whether through divine judgment, personal trials, or spiritual discipline, reduction is used by God to draw individuals and nations back to Himself. It highlights the transient nature of worldly wealth and status and underscores the eternal significance of spiritual growth and humility. Through reduction, believers are often refined and prepared for greater service in God's kingdom.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
imp. & p. p.) of Reduce.
Greek
3014. lepra -- leprosy... To contract this ailment meant the leper was
reduced to a social outcast --
barred from all the activities at the Temple. See 3015 ().
...Strong's Hebrew
7739b. shevah -- to be set or made... 7739a, 7739b. shevah. 7740 . to be set or made. Transliteration: shevah
Short Definition:
reduced. Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding
...1639. gara -- to diminish, restrain, withdraw
... NASB Word Usage cut off (1), cut short (1), deducted (1), diminished (1), draws
(1), hinder (1), limit (1), omit (1), reduce (3),reduced (1), restrained (1...
Library
The Manich??ans areReduced to the Choice of a Tortuous, or Curved...
... Fundamental. Chapter 26. "The Manich??ans areReduced to the Choice of
a Tortuous, or Curved, or Straight Line of Junction. The...
Archelaus's Ethnarchy isReduced into a [Roman] Province. The...
... CHAPTER 8. Archelaus's Ethnarchy IsReduced Into A [Roman] Province. The
Sedition Of Judas Of Galilee. The Three Sects. 1. And now...
Whether Christ's Body wasReduced to Dust in the Tomb?
... OF CHRIST'S BURIAL (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether Christ's body wasreduced to
dust in the tomb? Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's...
All the Duties of a Contemplative LifeReduced to Two Heads...
... OF MORTIFICATION IN GENERAL; AND OF NECESSARY AND VOLUNTARY MORTIFICATIONS. CHAPTER
I. All the duties of a contemplative lifereduced to two heads? Sec. Sec....
But See, when He isReduced to Straits in the Argument...
... Book III. Chapter 21. " 24. But see, when he isreduced to straits in
the argument? "24. But see, when he isreduced to straits...
The Shifts to which Hermogenes isReduced, who Deifies Matter, and...
... Chapter VI."The Shifts to Which Hermogenes isReduced, Who Deifies Matter, and
Yet is Unwilling to Hold Him Equal with the Divine Creator....
The State of Misery to which Adam's SinReduced Mankind, and the...
... Chapter 27."The State of Misery to Which Adam's SinReduced Mankind, and the
Restoration Effected Through the Mercy of God. Thus, then, matters stood....
Of the Question Why God Suffered the Jews to beReduced to...
... the harmony of the gospels.Book I. Chapter XIII."Of the Question Why God
Suffered the Jews to BeReduced to Subjection. 20. Hence...
Argument. In the Former Books an Exposition Has Been Given of the...
... The twenty Chapters of which it consists may be convenientlyreduced to three
particular heads"viz. I. Of the Church. II. Of the Sacraments. III....
Eighth Tractate. Why Distant Objects Appear Small.
... 1. Seen from a distance, objects appearreduced and close together, however far
apart they be: within easy range, their sizes and the distances that separate...
Thesaurus
Reduced (16 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Reduce. Multi-Version Concordance
Reduced (16 Occurrences). Acts 7:6 And God declared that
...Reduce (13 Occurrences)
... hence, in general, to remove oxygen from; to deoxidize; to combine with, or to subject
to the action of, hydrogen; as, ferric iron isreduced to ferrous iron...
Alphabet (2 Occurrences)
... When a syllabic writing isreduced, as was the case with the Egyptian, the Cypriote
and others, to a point where a character represents uniformly a certain...
Gideon (45 Occurrences)
... These were, however,reduced to only three hundred.... This left him with 10,000 men.
This number wasreduced to 300 by a test of their method of drinking....
Miniature (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) A picture or model greatly diminished size;reduced scale.... 5. (a.) Being
on a small; muchreduced from the reality; as, a miniature copy....
Mesha (4 Occurrences)
...Reduced to despair, he ascended the wall of the city, and there, in the sight of
the allied armies, offered his first-born son a sacrifice to Chemosh, the fire...
Powder (14 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The fine particles to which any dry substance isreduced by pounding,
grinding, or triturating, or into which it falls by decay; dust....
Commandments (181 Occurrences)
... In the Ten Commandments, or, more properly, Ten Words, EVm (debharim), they are
reduced to a few all-comprehensive precepts of permanent validity, upon which...
Godhead (5 Occurrences)
... rather than his mere "Divinity," in the feeling that "Divinity" might lend itself
to the notion that Christ possessed but a secondary orreduced grade of...
Slave (148 Occurrences)
... It is probable that a debtor,reduced to extremity, could offer himself in payment
of his debt (Leviticus 25:39), though this was forbidden in the Torath...
Resources
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