Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Context:The term "tangled" generally refers to something that is twisted together in a confused mass, or a situation that is complicated and difficult to unravel. In a biblical context, "tangled" can be metaphorically applied to describe the complexities and entanglements of sin, the challenges of life, or the intricate nature of human relationships and decisions.
Biblical References and Themes:1.
Sin and Entanglement: The Bible often uses imagery of entanglement to describe the nature of sin and its effects on human life. In
Hebrews 12:1 , believers are encouraged to "lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily entangles," highlighting the idea that sin can ensnare and complicate one's spiritual journey. This metaphor suggests that sin is not just a simple act but a complex web that can trap individuals, making it difficult to live a life pleasing to God.
2.
Complexity of Life: The book of Ecclesiastes frequently addresses the complexities and seemingly tangled nature of life.
Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 states, "Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent? In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God has made one as well as the other." This passage reflects on the intricate and often perplexing nature of life's circumstances, which can appear tangled and beyond human understanding.
3.
Human Relationships: Relationships, both familial and communal, can become tangled due to misunderstandings, conflicts, and sin. The account of Jacob and Esau in
Genesis 27 illustrates how deceit and favoritism led to a tangled web of family dynamics, resulting in long-lasting consequences. Similarly, the relationship between David and Saul in 1 Samuel is marked by jealousy and conflict, creating a tangled narrative of pursuit and evasion.
4.
Deliverance from Entanglement: The Bible also speaks of God's power to deliver individuals from the entanglements of sin and life's complexities.
Psalm 25:15 declares, "My eyes are always on the LORD, for He will free my feet from the net." This verse emphasizes the hope and assurance that God provides a way out of the tangled situations that ensnare His people.
5.
Moral and Spiritual Clarity: The teachings of Jesus often provide clarity and guidance to untangle moral and spiritual confusion. In
John 8:12 , Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life." This promise of light suggests a path through the tangled darkness of sin and ignorance, offering direction and understanding.
Application for Believers:Believers are called to navigate the tangled aspects of life with wisdom and discernment, relying on God's Word and the Holy Spirit for guidance.
Proverbs 3:5-6 advises, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." This counsel encourages Christians to seek divine wisdom to untangle the complexities they face and to trust in God's sovereign plan.
In summary, while the concept of being "tangled" is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, the themes of entanglement, complexity, and deliverance are woven throughout Scripture, offering insight and guidance for believers seeking to live faithfully amidst life's challenges.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
imp. & p. p.) of Tangle.
Strong's Hebrew
5440. sabak -- to interweave... 5439, 5440. sabak. 5441 . to interweave. Transliteration: sabak Phonetic Spelling:
(saw-bak') Short Definition:
tangled. Word Origin a prim.
...Library
TheTangled Web
... Chapter XVII THETANGLED WEB. Meanwhile Jerusalem was in the fury of barbarous
warfare. At this ravine and that debouching upon Golgotha...
Your Origen Allows Himself to Treat of the Transmigration of Souls...
... real artificer. If I could do this, you would see what atangled forest
of ambiguous names and words is presented by the Hebrew. It...
Types of Talkers
... He demolishes every idea in his way. He is a Napoleon of words. Thetangled talker
never gets anything quite straight. He inevitably spoils the best story....
By Far the Ablest of These Seven Essays is from the Pen of the "...
... by one who knows the author's private worth, and is himself happily in possession
of the clue by which to escape from thistangled labyrinth:)"these escape...
Volume iii. From the Year 1816 to the Year 1828.
... If any one can unravel thistangled skein, and teach us how to spell every proper
name correctly, he will perform a task for which I confess myself inadequate....
The Bishop at Work
... It would require a treatise in itself to unfold all thetangled story of the first
half of Richard's reign till the king returned to England after war, prison...
How a Religious Man Should Commit Himself to God in all...
... imaginations, coverings and things obscuring its vision, like an angel (not) tied
to a body, who is not hindered by the works of the flesh nortangled in vain...
Vain Hopes.
... How easy it is for us to entice ourselves in this way out of the narrow path of
present duty into thetangled wilderness of a weak and sinful life, from which...
Our Glorious Transforming
... We were far off from God, for a vast cloudland of ignorance hung between our souls
and him. We were lost as in atangled wood in which there was no pathway....
Genesis iii. 22
... we may even feel a doubt,"a doubt, I say, though not a reasonable belief,"but a
doubt which at times would press us sorely, whether thetangled thicket in...
Thesaurus
Tangled (1 Occurrence)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Tangle. Multi-Version Concordance
Tangled (1 Occurrence). Nahum 1:10 For entangled like
...Fold (23 Occurrences)
... together" (compare Proverbs 6:10); cabhak, "to interweave" (Nahum 1:10, "folded
together as thorns," the English Revised Version "liketangled thorns" the...
Folding (14 Occurrences)
... together" (compare Proverbs 6:10); cabhak, "to interweave" (Nahum 1:10, "folded
together as thorns," the English Revised Version "liketangled thorns" the...
Tanach (4 Occurrences)
Tanhumeth (2 Occurrences)
River (189 Occurrences)
... upwards of 300 yards broad was turned into a foaming torrent from 8 to 10 feet deep,
roaring and tearing down and bearing everything upon it,tangled masses of...
Entangle (7 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To complicate; to enmesh; to twist or interweave in such a manner as not
to be easily separated; to maketangled, confused, and intricate; as, to...
Drenched (11 Occurrences)
... (See NAS NIV). Nahum 1:10 Though they betangled together as thorns, and be as drenched
from their drink, they shall be devoured as dry stubble, completely....
Arabah (32 Occurrences)
... descent to the Ghor was down a sandy slope of 300 feet, and the change of climate
was most marked, from the sandy desert to masses oftangled vegetation with...
Hazeroth (5 Occurrences)
... Fenced enclosures consisting of "a low wall of stones in which thick bundles of
thorny acacia are inserted, thetangled branches and long needle-like spikes...
Resources
What is an Absalom spirit? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about strife? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is reductionism? | GotQuestions.orgTangled: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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