Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and ContextIn biblical terms, "triumph" refers to a great victory or success, often attributed to divine intervention or the fulfillment of God's promises. It is a theme that resonates throughout Scripture, symbolizing the ultimate victory of God over sin, death, and evil. The concept of triumph is not merely about personal or national victory but is deeply rooted in the spiritual realm, reflecting God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His divine plan.
Old Testament ReferencesThe Old Testament frequently depicts triumph in the context of God's deliverance of Israel from its enemies. One notable example is the Exodus, where God triumphs over Pharaoh and the Egyptian gods, leading the Israelites out of slavery. In
Exodus 15:1, Moses and the Israelites sing, "I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and rider He has thrown into the sea." This song of Moses is a celebration of God's triumphant power and faithfulness.
The Psalms also reflect the theme of triumph, often portraying God as a warrior who fights on behalf of His people.
Psalm 47:1-2 declares, "Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout unto God with a voice of triumph. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!" Here, triumph is associated with God's kingship and His rule over the nations.
New Testament ReferencesIn the New Testament, the concept of triumph is most vividly expressed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul frequently uses the imagery of triumph to describe Christ's victory over sin and death. In
2 Corinthians 2:14, Paul writes, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." This passage illustrates the idea of believers being led in a triumphal procession, akin to a Roman victory parade, signifying Christ's victory and the spread of the Gospel.
Colossians 2:15 further emphasizes this theme: "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." Here, the cross is depicted as the ultimate symbol of triumph, where Jesus defeats the spiritual forces of evil.
Theological SignificanceTheologically, triumph in the Bible underscores the assurance of God's ultimate victory. It reassures believers of the certainty of God's promises and the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. The triumph of Christ is not only a past event but also a present reality and future hope for Christians. It empowers believers to live victoriously, knowing that they share in Christ's triumph over sin and death.
Practical ImplicationsFor Christians, the theme of triumph serves as a source of encouragement and strength. It reminds believers that, despite trials and tribulations, they are more than conquerors through Christ (
Romans 8:37). This assurance enables them to face life's challenges with confidence, knowing that God's power and victory are at work in their lives.
In summary, the biblical concept of triumph is a profound testament to God's power, faithfulness, and the ultimate victory of good over evil. It is a central theme that inspires worship, hope, and perseverance among believers, affirming the truth that in Christ, victory is assured.
Topical Bible Verses
Revelation 1:18I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for ever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Topicalbible.orgColossians 3:4
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory.
Topicalbible.org
Revelation 19:1-21
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, to the Lord our God:
Topicalbible.org
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A magnificent and imposing ceremonial performed in honor of a general who had gained a decisive victory over a foreign enemy.
2. (n.) Hence, any triumphal procession; a pompous exhibition; a stately show or pageant.
3. (n.) A state of joy or exultation for success.
4. (n.) Success causing exultation; victory; conquest; as, the triumph of knowledge.
5. (n.) A trump card; also, an old game at cards.
6. (n.) To celebrate victory with pomp; to rejoice over success; to exult in an advantage gained; to exhibit exultation.
7. (n.) To obtain victory; to be successful; to prevail.
8. (n.) To be prosperous; to flourish.
9. (n.) To play a trump card.
10. (v. t.) To obtain a victory over; to prevail over; to conquer. Also, to cause to triumph.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
TRIUMPHtri'-umf (thriambeuo, "to lead in triumph"): The word is used by Paul to express an idea very familiar to antiquity, and to the churches at Corinth and Colosse: "But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:14); "Having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15).
A triumph in Rome was a magnificent procession in honor of a victorious general, and the highest military distinction which he could obtain. It was granted by the senate only to one who had held the office of dictator, consul, or praetor, and after a decisive victory in the complete subjugation of a province. In a Roman triumph the victorious general entered the city in a chariot drawn by four horses. He was crowned with laurel, having a scepter in one hand and a branch of laurel in the other. He was preceded by the senate and magistrates, musicians, the spoils of his victory, and the captives in fetters; and followed by his army on foot, in marching order. The procession thus advanced along the Via Sacra to the Capitol, where a bull was sacrificed to Jupiter, and the laurel wreath deposited in the lap of the god. During the triumphal entry the priests burned incense, and hence, the reference of the apostle: "For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life" (2 Corinthians 2:15, 16). The incense that was to the victor the "savor" of his triumph would be to the wretched captives the "savor," or intimation, of a rapidly approaching death in the Roman arena or in the damp vaults of the Tullianum. Thus the "incense," or influence, of the apostolic gospel would be to the believer the assurance of redemption through Christ, and to the unbeliever the assurance of spiritual death.
After the suicide of Antony in Alexandria (30 B.C.) Augustus Caesar succeeded in getting Cleopatra into his power. She had hoped to subdue him by her charms, but without avail. Aware that she was doomed, she revolted against the thought of being led in triumph to Rome, and, as tradition states, took her own life by allowing an asp to bite her, saying, "I will not be led in triumph"; see Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, V, ii:
"He'll lead me, then, in triumph?....
Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown
In Rome as well as I: mechanic slaves,
With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers shall
Uplift us to the view.....
Arthur Walwyn Evans
Greek
2358. thriambeuo -- totriumph... to
triumph. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: thriambeuo Phonetic Spelling:
(three-am-byoo'-o) Short Definition: I lead around, make a spectacle of
...2167. euphrosune -- gladness
... faith (cf. Phil 2:2-5 with 1 Jn 4:17). 2167 ("a merry outlook") brings
Spirit-defined as we with a inner sensetriumph. The believer...
2165. euphraino -- to cheer, make merry
... from 2095 , "good" and 5424 , "moderation as personal ") -- properly, having a merry
outlook (cheery state of mind) because feeling the sense of ("innertriumph...
3534. nikos -- victory
... victory. From nike; a conquest (concretely), ie (by implication)triumph -- victory.
see GREEK nike. (nikos) -- 4 Occurrences. 3533, 3534. nikos. 3535 ....
2620. katakauchaomai -- to exult over
... Word Origin from kata and kauchaomai Definition to exult over NASB Word Usage arrogant
(2), arrogant toward (1), triumphs over (1). to exult over,triumph over....
Strong's Hebrew
5970. alats -- to rejoice, exult... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to rejoice, exult NASB Word Usage exult (5),
exults (1), rejoices (1),
triumph (1). be joyful, rejoice,
triumph.
...5937. alaz -- to exult
... be joyful, rejoice,triumph. A primitive root; to jump for joy, ie Exult -- be joyful,
rejoice,triumph. 5936, 5937. alaz. 5938 . Strong's Numbers.
7623. shabach -- to soothe, still
... to soothe, still. Transliteration: shabach Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-bakh') Short
Definition: commend. commend, glory, keep in, praise, still,triumph...
7440. rinnah -- a ringing cry
... 1). cry, gladness, joy, proclamation, rejoicing, shouting, singing,triumph.
From ranan; properly, a creaking (or shrill sound), ie...
1342. gaah -- to rise up
... root Definition to rise up NASB Word Usage grow (1), highly exalted (2), lifted
(1), risen (1). gloriously, grow up, increase, be risen,triumph....
7321. rua -- to raise a shout, give a blast
... 1), jubilant shouting (1), raise your battle cry (1), raised a war cry (1), raised
the war cry (1), shout (9), shout for joy (1), shout intriumph (1), shout...
7442. ranan -- to give a ringing cry
... usually for joy) -- aloud for joy, cry out, be joyful (greatly, make to) rejoice,
(cause to) shout (for joy), (cause to) sing (aloud, for joy, out),triumph....
1369. geburah -- strength, might
... courage (1), might (26), mighty (1), mighty acts (3), mighty deeds (4), mighty ones
(1), mighty strength (1), power (9), strength (13), strong (1),triumph (1...
Library
TheTriumph of Faith
... THETRIUMPH OF FAITH. 'And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of
the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the...
Triumph.
... RELIGIOUS EXULTATION. 647. "Triumph. 647. PM Warren St. Coll.Triumph.
1 Daughter of Zion, awake from thy sadness! Awake!...
The Servant'sTriumph
... THE SERVANT'STRIUMPH.... We have reached the final words of this prophecy,
and we hear in them a tone of lofty confidence andtriumph....
Love'sTriumph
... ROMANS LOVE'STRIUMPH. 'Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come...
Easter the Song ofTriumph.
... Easter The Song ofTriumph. I. The Song ofTriumph. 7,7,7,7+4. Christus ist erstanden.
[93]Bohemian Brethren. Christ the Lord is risen again!...
TheTriumph of Faith; Or, Christ's Unchangeable Love, Rom. 8 33 &C...
... Hymns. Book 1. Hymn 1:14. Thetriumph of faith; or, Christ's unchangeable
love, Rom. 8. 33 &c. 1 Who shall the Lord's elect condemn?...
June 25. "Who Leadeth us inTriumph" (ii. Cor. Ii. 14).
... JUNE 25. "Who leadeth us intriumph" (II. Cor. ii. 14). "Who leadeth us intriumph"
(II. Cor. ii.14). Every victor must first be a self-conqueror....
Triumph. LM
... 409Triumph. LM. Zeal."John 9:4. (1009) Go, labor on, while it is day; The world's
dark night is hastening on; Speed, speed thy work,"cast sloth away!...
Triumph. LM
... 410Triumph. LM. Psalm 41. (819) Blest is the man whose heart doth move,
And melt with pity to the poor; Whose soul, by sympathizing...
Triumph. LM
... 406Triumph. LM. The Useful Life. (818) Go, labor on; spend, and be spent,"
Thy joy to do the Father's will; It is the way the...
Thesaurus
Triumph (52 Occurrences)... 4. (n.) Success causing exultation; victory; conquest; as, the
triumph of knowledge.
... Also, to cause to
triumph. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
TRIUMPH.
...Exult (50 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (vi) To be in high spirits; figuratively, to leap for
joy; to rejoice intriumph or exceedingly; totriumph; as, an exulting heart....
Triumphal (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Of or pertaining totriumph; used in atriumph; indicating, or in honor
of, atriumph or victory; as, a triumphal crown; a triumphal arch....
Savor (51 Occurrences)
... triumphal procession; God is said to make manifest through His apostles "the savor
of his knowledge in every place" as He "leadeth" them "intriumph in Christ...
Victory (71 Occurrences)
... of an enemy in battle, or of an antagonist in any contest; a gaining of the superiority
in any struggle or competition; conquest;triumph; -- the opposite of...
Shout (114 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vi) To utter a sudden and loud outcry, as in joy,
triumph, or exultation, or to attract attention, to animate soldiers, etc....
Palm (49 Occurrences)
... rejoicing. 8. (n.) Any symbol or token of superiority, success, ortriumph;
also, victory;triumph; supremacy. 9. (vt) To handle. 10....
Jubilant (13 Occurrences)
... (a.) Uttering songs oftriumph; shouting with joy; triumphant; exulting.... Psalms
94:3 Yahweh, how long will the wicked, how long will the wickedtriumph?...
Washpot (2 Occurrences)
... Washpot (2 Occurrences). Psalms 60:8 Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out
my shoe: Philistia,triumph thou because of me. (KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS)....
Flourish (26 Occurrences)
... 10. (vt) To move in bold or irregular figures; to swing about in circles
or vibrations by way of show ortriumph; to brandish. 11....
Resources
Does the Old Testament truly predict a second advent of the Messiah? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Diwali festival in Hinduism? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I achieve victory in Jesus? | GotQuestions.orgTriumph: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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