Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Usage:The term "vanish" refers to the act of disappearing or ceasing to be visible or present. In the biblical context, it often conveys the transient nature of life, the fleeting nature of worldly things, or the sudden removal of something or someone by divine intervention.
Biblical References:1.
Transience of Life: The Bible frequently uses the concept of vanishing to illustrate the brevity and uncertainty of human life. In
James 4:14 , it is written, "You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." This passage emphasizes the ephemeral nature of human existence, urging believers to live with an awareness of life's fleeting nature and to focus on eternal matters.
2.
Worldly Wealth and Glory: The Scriptures also highlight the temporary nature of worldly wealth and glory.
Proverbs 23:5 states, "When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky." This verse serves as a warning against placing trust in material possessions, which can quickly vanish and leave one spiritually impoverished.
3.
Divine Judgment and Deliverance: The concept of vanishing is sometimes associated with divine judgment or deliverance. In
Psalm 37:20 , it is declared, "But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD will vanish like smoke; they will vanish away." Here, the vanishing of the wicked symbolizes God's ultimate justice and the removal of evil from His creation.
4.
The Vanishing of Sorrow and Pain: In the eschatological vision of the new creation, the Bible promises the vanishing of sorrow and pain.
Revelation 21:4 proclaims, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away." This passage offers hope to believers, assuring them that the sufferings of this world will one day vanish in the presence of God.
Theological Implications:The concept of vanishing in the Bible serves as a powerful reminder of the impermanence of earthly life and the enduring nature of spiritual realities. It calls believers to live with an eternal perspective, prioritizing their relationship with God and the pursuit of His kingdom. The vanishing of worldly things underscores the futility of relying on temporal achievements and possessions, while the promise of the vanishing of sorrow and pain offers hope and encouragement to those who trust in God's redemptive plan.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. i.) To pass from a visible to an invisible state; to go out of sight; to disappear; to fade; as, vapor vanishes from the sight by being dissipated; a ship vanishes from the sight of spectators on land.
2. (v. i.) To be annihilated or lost; to pass away.
3. (n.) The brief terminal part of vowel or vocal element, differing more or less in quality from the main part; as, a as in ale ordinarily ends with a vanish of i as in ill, o as in old with a vanish of oo as in foot.
Greek
854. aphanismos -- a vanishing...vanish away. From aphanizo; disappearance, ie (figuratively) abrogation --
vanish away. see GREEK aphanizo. (aphanismou) -- 1 Occurrence. 853, 854.
...853. aphanizo -- to make unseen, ie destroy
... From aphanes; to render unapparent, ie (actively) consume (becloud), or (passively)
disappear (be destroyed) -- corrupt, disfigure, perish,vanish away....
2673. katargeo -- to render inoperative, abolish
... cease, cumber, deliver, destroy, do away, become (make) of no (none, without) effect,
fail, loose, bring (come) to nought, put away (down),vanish away, make...
5343. pheugo -- to flee
... escape, flee away. Apparently a primary verb; to run away (literally or figuratively);
by implication, to shun; by analogy, tovanish -- escape, flee (away)....
Strong's Hebrew
6461. pasas -- to disappear,vanish... 6460, 6461. pasas. 6462 . to disappear,
vanish. Transliteration: pasas Phonetic
Spelling: (paw-sas') Short Definition: disappear. Word Origin a prim.
...4414. malach -- to tear away, dissipate
... to tear away, dissipate. Transliteration: malach Phonetic Spelling: (maw-lakh')
Short Definition: salt. salt, season, temper together,vanish away...
6789. tsamath -- to put an end to, exterminate
... consume, cut off, destroy,vanish. A primitive root; to extirpate (literally or
figuratively) -- consume, cut off, destroy,vanish. 6788, 6789....
4414a. malach -- to tear away, dissipate
... malach. 4414b . to tear away, dissipate. Transliteration: malach Short Definition:
vanish.... root Definition to tear away, dissipate NASB Word Usagevanish (1)....
6. abad -- to perish
... 15), destroying (2), destroys (2), destruction (2), dying (2), fail (1), fails
(1), give up as lost (1), lacking (1), lost (12), makevanish (1), makes to...
1846. daak -- to go out, be extinguished
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to go out, be extinguished NASB Word Usage
extinguished (1), go (1), goes (3), put (2),vanish (1)....
5674a. abar -- to pass over, through, or by, pass on
... passed (1), took (1), transfer (3), transgress (4), transgressed (11), transgressing
(3), travel (1), traveler (1), turn away (2), use (2),vanish (1), visited...
5127. nus -- to flee, escape
... A primitive root; to flit, ieVanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase,
impel, deliver) -- X abate, away, be displayed, (make to) flee (away, -ing...
3615. kalah -- to be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished...
... perish (1), perishing (1), plotted (1), put an end (2), ravage (1), settled (1),
spend (3), spent (5), terminate (1), use (1), used (1),vanish (2), vanishes (1...
3868. luz -- to turn aside, depart
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to turn aside, depart NASB Word Usage depart
(1), devious (3), guile (1),vanish (1). depart, froward, perverseness....
Library
Second Sunday after Epiphany. Lift up Your Eyes unto the Heavens...
... Lift up your eyes unto the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens
shallvanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment...
We must Consider the Fact, which Comes First, and So in Order...
... of the members cease they will become superfluous: and that our bodies themselves
will grow a?�rial and spirit-like, and graduallyvanish and disperse into...
"Lo, I Come": Exposition
... It had decayed and waxed old, and was ready tovanish away, andvanish away it did;
for our Lord set aside the first, or old, that he might establish the second...
Of Love to God
... The starsvanish when the sun appears. All creaturesvanish in our thoughts
when the Sun of righteousness shines in His full splendour....
The Defence
... Then Paul goes farther, and with even greater boldness adds, "Whether there be
knowledge, it shallvanish away." The wisdom of the ancients, where is it?...
A Sight of God Mortifies us to the World.
... How despicable to my eyes! 4 Had Ia glance of thee, my God, Kingdoms and men would
vanish soon,Vanish, as tho' I saw them not, As a dim candle dies at noon....
A Sight of God Mortifies us to the World.
... How despicable to my eyes! Had Ia glance of thee, my God,. Kingdoms and men would
vanish soon;Vanish as though I saw them not,. As a dim candle dies at noon....
But Possibly one who Has Given his Attention to the Course of the...
... thus, life being introduced into the house of death, and light shining in darkness,
that which is diametrically opposed to light and life mightvanish; for it...
Sleepers at Noonday
... Yes; and just as in a dream men are busy with baseless phantoms thatvanish and
are forgotten, and seem to themselves to be occupied, whilst all the while they...
Preface.
... It is when we believe this, and go and abide in Him for our prayer-life too, that
our fears of not being able to pray aright willvanish, and we shall joyfully...
Thesaurus
Vanish (21 Occurrences)... n.) The brief terminal part of vowel or vocal element, differing more or less in
quality from the main part; as, a as in ale ordinarily ends with a
vanish of i
...Vanished (13 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) ofVanish. Multi-Version Concordance
Vanished (13 Occurrences). Luke 24:31 Their eyes were...
Disperse (13 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To scatter, so as to cause tovanish; to dissipate; as, to disperse
vapors. 3. (vi) To separate; to go or move into different...
Disappear (13 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To cease to appear or to be perceived; to pass from view, gradually or suddenly;
tovanish; to be no longer seen; as, darkness disappears at the...
Wax (32 Occurrences)
... JPS ASV). Job 6:17 What time they wax warm, theyvanish: when it is hot,
they are consumed out of their place. (KJV JPS ASV). Job...
Flow (85 Occurrences)
... (Root in WEB BBE RSV NIV). Job 6:17 In the dry season, theyvanish.... (KJV JPS ASV
DBY WBS NAS). Psalms 58:7 Let themvanish as water that flows away....
Smoke (98 Occurrences)
... The enemies of Yahweh shall be like the beauty of the fields. They willvanish--
vanish like smoke. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)....
Beauty (98 Occurrences)
... Psalms 37:20 But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of Yahweh shall be like the
beauty of the fields. They willvanish--vanish like smoke. (WEB NIV)....
Vani'ah (1 Occurrence)
Vani'ah. Vaniah, Vani'ah.Vanish . Multi-Version Concordance... Ezra 10:36 Vaniah,
Meremoth, Eliashib; (See RSV). Vaniah, Vani'ah.Vanish . Reference Bible
Resources
Is there any special meaning/symbolism to owls in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I help someone who is suicidal? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean that heaven and earth will pass away? | GotQuestions.orgVanish: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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