Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Usage:The term "sustain" in the biblical context refers to the act of upholding, supporting, or maintaining. It is often used to describe God's provision and care for His creation, His people, and His covenant promises. The concept of sustaining is deeply rooted in the understanding of God's continuous involvement in the world and His faithfulness to those who trust in Him.
Biblical References:1.
God as the Sustainer: The Bible frequently portrays God as the ultimate sustainer of life and creation. In
Nehemiah 9:21, it is written, "For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell." This passage highlights God's provision for the Israelites during their journey through the desert, emphasizing His ability to meet their needs even in the most challenging circumstances.
2.
Sustaining through His Word: God's Word is also depicted as a source of sustenance. In
Matthew 4:4, Jesus responds to Satan's temptation by quoting
Deuteronomy 8:3, saying, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." This underscores the spiritual sustenance that comes from God's Word, which is essential for life and spiritual growth.
3.
Sustaining the Righteous: The Psalms frequently speak of God's sustaining power for the righteous.
Psalm 55:22 encourages believers to "Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken." This assurance of God's support provides comfort and strength to those who rely on Him.
4.
Sustaining through Trials: The New Testament also speaks of God's sustaining grace during trials. In
2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul recounts the Lord's words to him: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness." This passage reveals that God's sustaining power is made perfect in human weakness, providing strength and endurance through His grace.
5.
Sustaining Creation: God's role as sustainer extends to all of creation.
Colossians 1:17 states, "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." This verse affirms that Christ is the sustaining force of the universe, maintaining the order and existence of all things.
Theological Implications:The concept of sustainment in the Bible underscores God's omnipotence and His intimate involvement with His creation. It reflects His character as a faithful provider who cares for the needs of His people and the world. Believers are encouraged to trust in God's sustaining power, knowing that He is both willing and able to uphold them through life's challenges. This trust is not only for physical needs but also for spiritual nourishment and strength, as God sustains His people through His Word and Spirit.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To keep from falling; to bear; to uphold; to support; as, a foundation sustains the superstructure; a beast sustains a load; a rope sustains a weight.
2. (v. t.) Hence, to keep from sinking, as in despondence, or the like; to support.
3. (v. t.) To maintain; to keep alive; to support; to subsist; to nourish; as, provisions to sustain an army.
4. (v. t.) To aid, comfort, or relieve; to vindicate.
5. (v. t.) To endure without failing or yielding; to bear up under; as, to sustain defeat and disappointment.
6. (v. t.) To suffer; to bear; to undergo.
7. (v. t.) To allow the prosecution of; to admit as valid; to sanction; to continue; not to dismiss or abate; as, the court sustained the action or suit.
8. (v. t.) To prove; to establish by evidence; to corroborate or confirm; to be conclusive of; as, to sustain a charge, an accusation, or a proposition.
9. (n.) One who, or that which, upholds or sustains; a sustainer.
Greek
1789. entrepho -- to train up... of Speech: Verb Transliteration: entrepho Phonetic Spelling: (en-tref'-o) Short
Definition: I nourish on, am educated in Definition: I nourish (
sustain) on, am
...941. bastazo -- to take up, carry
... Perhaps remotely derived from the base of basis (through the idea of removal); to
lift, literally or figuratively (endure, declare,sustain, receive, etc...
1625. ektrepho -- to bring up to maturity, to nourish
... 1625 () suggests "effectively nourish, nurture" (sustain, Eph 5:29) -- or "nourish
(up) to " (J. Thayer), ie to, raise (train up, , Eph 6:4)....
Strong's Hebrew
5582. saad -- to support,sustain, stay... 5581, 5582. saad. 5583 . to support,
sustain, stay. Transliteration: saad Phonetic
Spelling: (saw-ad') Short Definition:
sustain. Word Origin a prim.
...5583. sead -- to support,sustain
... 5582, 5583. sead. 5584 . to support,sustain. Transliteration: sead Phonetic
Spelling: (seh-ad') Short Definition: supporting. Word...
5790. uth -- perhaps to help
... perhaps to help. Transliteration: uth Phonetic Spelling: (ooth) Short Definition:
sustain.... root Definition perhaps to help NASB Word Usagesustain (1)....
3557. kul -- to comprehend, contain
... 1), held (1), hold (4), holding (2), maintain (1), provide (4), provided (6), provided
them with sustenance (1), provisioned (1),sustain (3), sustained (1...
5564. samak -- to lean, lay, rest, support
... braced (1), holds (1), laid (6), laid siege (1), lay (17), lean (1), leans (3),
relied (1), rested (1), steadfast (1), support (1),sustain (3), sustained (2...
2388. chazaq -- to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen
... 19), strengthening (1), strong (31), strong support (1), stronger (6), strongly
support (1), support* (1), supported (1), sure (1),sustain (1), take (1), take...
5095. nahal -- to lead or guide to a watering place, bring to a...
... A primitive root; properly, to run with a sparkle, ie Flow; hence (transitively),
to conduct, and (by inference) to protect,sustain -- carry, feed, guide...
8551. tamak -- to grasp, support, attain
... A primitive root; tosustain; by implication, to obtain, keep fast; figuratively,
to help, follow close -- (take, up-)hold (up), maintain, retain, stay (up)....
3253. Yismakyahu -- "Yah has sustained," a Korahite
... Ismachiah. From camak and Yahh; Jah willsustain; Jismakjah, an Israelite -- Ismachiah.
see HEBREW camak. see HEBREW Yahh. 3252, 3253. Yismakyahu. 3254 ....
7506. Rephach -- an Ephraimite
... Rephah. From an unused root apparently meaning tosustain; support; Rephach, an
Israelite -- Rephah. 7505, 7506. Rephach. 7507 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Spirit
... April 16th, 1885. "The spirit of a man willsustain his infirmity; but
a wounded spirit who can bear?""Proverbs 18:14. Every man...
1 Timothy i. 14-Dec
... And what is this, "Who enabled me"? I will tell you. He had so heavy a
burden tosustain, that he needed much aid from above. For...
The Servant's Words to the Weary
... THE SERVANT'S WORDS TO THE WEARY. 'The Lord God hath given me the tongue of them
that are taught, that I should know how tosustain with words him that is weary...
Cast Thy Burden on the Lord.
... Cast thy burden on the Lord, And he willsustain thee, and strengthen thee, and
comfort thee; He willsustain thee, and comfort thee; He willsustain thee, he...
Human Government.
... Consequently, in certain states of society, it would be a Christian's duty to pray
for andsustain even a military despotism; in a certain other state of...
Twenty-Sixth Proposition of Arminius
... affirm it. Tosustain your denial, you add, "it is expressed in general terms,
and refers to grace and glory in a general sense. That...
Attributes of Selfishness.
... make an opposite choice, must ever remain an attribute of selfishness, while
selfishness continues to be a sin, or while it continues tosustain any relation...
Unfairness of Charging the Disciples of the New Prophecy with...
... why each has not "endured unto the end;" and you will find the cause of that (infirmity)
to be more honourable which has been unable tosustain savagery, than...
Introduction.
... The literature of one century, whether sacred or common, will not, when served up
in the lump, satisfy the craving andsustain the life of another....
The vicissitudes Experienced in the Christian Life
... Scarce knowing whither, doubtfully I stray,. And see no end of all that Isustain.
The... Whence then, I cry, the pangs that Isustain. Dubious...
Thesaurus
Sustain (28 Occurrences)... 3. (vt) To maintain; to keep alive; to support; to subsist; to nourish; as, provisions
to
sustain an army.
... Multi-Version Concordance
Sustain (28 Occurrences).
...Bear (425 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To support orsustain; to hold up.... 5. (vt) Tosustain; to have on (written
or inscribed, or as a mark), as, the tablet bears this inscription....
Support (135 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To bear by being under; to keep from falling; to uphold; tosustain, in
a literal or physical sense; to prop up; to bear the weight of; as, a pillar...
Suffer (195 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To endure or undergo without sinking; to support; tosustain; to bear
up under.... 7. (vi) To be injured; tosustain loss or damage....
Sustains (11 Occurrences)
... (See NAS). Psalms 41:3 Yahweh willsustain him on his sickbed, and restore him from
his bed of illness. (See RSV). Psalms 54:4 Behold, God is my helper....
Weather (5 Occurrences)
... 6. (vt) Hence, tosustain the trying effect of; to bear up against and overcome;
tosustain; to endure; to resist; as, to weather the storm....
Float (4 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) Anything which floats or rests on the surface of a fluid, as tosustain
weight, or to indicate the height of the surface, or mark the place of...
Sustained (20 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp. & pp) ofSustain. 2. (a.) Held up to
a certain pitch, degree, or level; uniform; as, sustained...
Hold (500 Occurrences)
... To cause to remain in a given situation, position, or relation, within certain limits,
or the like; to prevent from falling or escaping; tosustain; to restrain...
Provide (74 Occurrences)
... RSV). 2 Samuel 19:33 The king said to Barzillai, "Come over with me, and
I willsustain you with me in Jerusalem." (See RSV NIV). 1...
Resources
What does the Bible say about a person who is in a coma / comatose? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I turn all my worries and problems over to God? | GotQuestions.orgIs it wrong to want to die? | GotQuestions.orgSustain: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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