Topical Encyclopedia
The term "successively" refers to the concept of events or actions occurring in sequence, one after another. In the context of the Bible, this idea can be seen in various narratives and teachings where God's plans and purposes unfold over time through a series of events or through successive generations.
Biblical Examples:1.
Creation and Generations: The book of Genesis provides a foundational example of successive events in the creation narrative. God creates the world in six days, with each day building upon the previous one (
Genesis 1:1-31). This orderly progression highlights the methodical nature of God's creative work.
2.
Patriarchal Lineage: The lineage of the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—demonstrates the unfolding of God's covenant promises through successive generations.
Genesis 17:7 states, "I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you." This covenantal promise is fulfilled progressively through the lives of Abraham's descendants.
3.
Kingship in Israel: The establishment of the monarchy in Israel is another example of succession. Saul, David, and Solomon each ruled successively, with the transition of power often marked by divine intervention or prophetic anointing. In
1 Samuel 16:13, Samuel anoints David as king, signifying the divine choice and the continuation of God's plan through successive leadership.
4.
Prophetic Fulfillment: The prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah unfold successively throughout the Old Testament, culminating in the birth of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 9:6 prophesies, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders." This prophecy is fulfilled in the New Testament, as recorded in the Gospels, demonstrating the successive realization of God's redemptive plan.
5.
Apostolic Succession: In the New Testament, the concept of apostolic succession is seen in the appointment of leaders within the early church. After Judas Iscariot's betrayal and death, the apostles choose Matthias to take his place, ensuring the continuity of apostolic witness (
Acts 1:24-26). This succession underscores the importance of maintaining the integrity and mission of the church through successive generations of leadership.
Theological Implications:The concept of succession in the Bible underscores the sovereignty and faithfulness of God in history. It reveals how God's purposes are accomplished over time, often through a series of events or through the lives of successive individuals. This understanding encourages believers to trust in God's timing and to recognize their place within the broader narrative of God's redemptive work.
Practical Application:For believers, the principle of succession serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness in their own lives and in passing on the faith to future generations. As seen in
2 Timothy 2:2, Paul instructs Timothy, "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." This verse highlights the responsibility of each generation to faithfully transmit the teachings of the faith to the next, ensuring the continuity of the Christian witness.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
adv.) In a successive manner.
Greek
2517. kathexes --successively...successively. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: kathexes Phonetic Spelling:
(kath-ex-ace') Short Definition: in order, just after Definition: in order, in
...Library
Whether the Justification of the Ungodly Takes Place in an Instant...
... OF THE EFFECTS OF GRACE (TEN ARTICLES) Whether the justification of the ungodly
takes place in an instant orsuccessively? Objection...
George, Bishop of Antioch, and the Chief-Priests of Jerusalem....
... Priests of Jerusalem. Three Chief-Priestssuccessively succeed Cyril;
Restoration of Cyril to the See of Jerusalem. During this...
Whether this Change is Wrought Instantaneously?
... Objection 1: It seems that this change is not wrought instantaneously, but
successively.... Therefore the change takes placesuccessively....
Whether Irregularity Attaches to Bigamy?
... bigamy? Objection 1: It would seem that irregularity is not attached to
the bigamy that consists in having two wivessuccessively....
Whether those who See the Essence of God See all they See in it at...
... Therefore those who see God understand and are affectedsuccessively; for time means
succession.... Hence they are seen simultaneously, and notsuccessively....
Whether an Angel Can be Moved Locally?
... Q[52], A[1]), it follows necessarily that the movement of an angel in a place is
nothing else than the various contacts of various placessuccessively, and not...
Whether Our Intellect Can Know the Infinite?
... iii, 6. Therefore infinity is potentially in our mind through its considering
successively one thing after another: because never does our intellect understand...
Whether the Knowledge of God is of Future Contingent Things?
... And although contingent things become actualsuccessively, nevertheless God knows
contingent things notsuccessively, as they are in their own being, as we do...
The Oldest Family.
... I remember in the Orient running across a family where the father had been a Shinto
priest, father and sonsuccessively, through forty-five generations; and...
Whether an Infinite Multitude Can Exist?
... Reply to Objection 1: Every potentiality is made actual according to its mode of
being; for instance, a day is reduced to actsuccessively, and not all at once...
Thesaurus
Successively (1 Occurrence)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (adv.) In a successive manner. Multi-Version
Concordance
Successively (1 Occurrence). Acts 18:23 Having
...Successive (4 Occurrences)
Successor (10 Occurrences)
Uzziah (27 Occurrences)
... The Edomites, Philistines and Arabians weresuccessively subdued (these being members
of a confederacy which, in an earlier reign, had raided Jerusalem and...
Over (11971 Occurrences)
... 19. (n.) A certain number of balls (usually four) deliveredsuccessively from behind
one wicket, after which the ball is bowled from behind the other wicket as...
Lycia (1 Occurrence)
... Minor.Successively it was in the possession of the Persians, of Alexander
the Great, of the Seleucid kings and of the Ptolemies....
Italy (4 Occurrences)
... As the power of Rome advanced, nations weresuccessively conquered and added to
it till it came to designate the whole country to the south of the Alps....
Tour (1 Occurrence)
... 3. (n.) A turn; a revolution; as, the tours of the heavenly bodies. 4. (vt) anything
donesuccessively, or by regular order; a turn; as, a tour of duty....
Territory (140 Occurrences)
... now traversed by the modern carriage road from Jerusalem to Nablus), crosses the
water-parting close to the lofty Tell Ashur and runssuccessively down the...
Exodus (2 Occurrences)
... The plagues thatsuccessively fell upon the land loosened the bonds by which Pharaoh
held them in slavery, and at length he was eager that they should depart....
Resources
What is Hesychasm? | GotQuestions.orgSuccessively: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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