Topical Encyclopedia
The term "void" in the Bible often refers to emptiness, desolation, or the absence of form and substance. It is a concept that appears in various contexts throughout Scripture, illustrating both physical and spiritual states of emptiness.
Creation and the Primordial StateThe most notable use of "void" is found in the creation narrative in Genesis.
Genesis 1:2 states, "Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters." Here, "void" describes the initial state of the earth before God began His creative work. The Hebrew word used is "bohu," often paired with "tohu" (formless), indicating a chaotic and uninhabitable condition. This depiction underscores the power and sovereignty of God in bringing order and life from chaos and emptiness.
Prophetic Imagery and JudgmentIn prophetic literature, "void" is used metaphorically to describe the desolation that results from divine judgment. For instance, in
Jeremiah 4:23 , the prophet laments, "I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light." This imagery echoes the creation narrative, suggesting a reversal of creation due to the people's sin and the subsequent judgment. The use of "void" here emphasizes the severity of God's judgment, reducing the land to a state of emptiness and ruin.
Spiritual EmptinessThe concept of void also extends to spiritual emptiness or the absence of God's presence. In the New Testament, while the specific term "void" may not be used, the idea is present in discussions of spiritual desolation. For example, in
Matthew 12:43-45 , Jesus speaks of an unclean spirit that returns to a person, finding the "house" empty, swept, and put in order. This parable illustrates the danger of spiritual void—when a person is not filled with the Holy Spirit, they remain vulnerable to evil influences.
Theological ImplicationsTheologically, the notion of void serves as a reminder of humanity's need for God's presence and order. Just as God filled the physical void at creation, He fills the spiritual void in believers' lives through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The transformation from void to fullness is a central theme in the Christian experience, reflecting the redemptive work of Christ and the ongoing sanctification by the Spirit.
Practical ApplicationIn practical terms, the concept of void challenges believers to examine areas of spiritual emptiness in their lives. It calls for a proactive pursuit of God's presence and a commitment to spiritual disciplines that invite His fullness. The void is not merely an absence but an opportunity for divine intervention and transformation, urging Christians to seek the abundant life promised in Christ.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
a.) Containing nothing; empty; vacant; not occupied; not filled.
2. (a.) Having no incumbent; unoccupied; -- said of offices and the like.
3. (a.) Being without; destitute; free; wanting; devoid; as, void of learning, or of common use.
4. (a.) Not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain.
5. (a.) Containing no immaterial quality; destitute of mind or soul.
6. (a.) of no legal force or effect, incapable of confirmation or ratification; null. Cf. Voidable, 2.
7. (n.) An empty space; a vacuum.
8. (v.) To remove the contents of; to make or leave vacant or empty; to quit; to leave; as, to void a table.
9. (v.) To throw or send out; to evacuate; to emit; to discharge; as, to void excrements.
10. (v.) To render void; to make to be of no validity or effect; to vacate; to annul; to nullify.
11. (v. i.) To be emitted or evacuated.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
VOIDvoid: The uses of "void" in English Versions of the Bible are all modern, except for the phrase "void place" in the King James Version1 Kings 22:10 parallel2 Chronicles 18:9 (the Revised Version (British and American) "open"); 2 Maccabees 14:44 (so the King James Version and the Revised Version margin). On the Old Testament passages see OPEN PLACE. In 2 Maccabees the Greek word is keneon, which may mean either "an open place," in general, or, specifically, "the hollow between the ribs and the hip," whence the Revised Version (British and American) "his side." Moffatt in Charles' Apocrypha translates "the open street."
Greek
2758. kenoo -- to empty... Cognate: 2758 -- properly, to out, render
void; (passive) be emptied -- hence, ,
perceived as (Phil 2:7). See 2756 ().
... empty, make
void, be in vain.
...5465. chalao -- to slacken
... to slacken, let down. From the base of chasma; to lower (as into avoid) -- let
down, strike. see GREEK chasma. (echalasthen) -- 1 Occurrence....
2673. katargeo -- to render inoperative, abolish
... cumber, deliver, destroy, do away, become (make) of no (none, without) effect, fail,
loose, bring (come) to nought, put away (down), vanish away, makevoid....
114. atheteo -- to do away with what has been laid down, set aside
... 114 (literally, , "un-place") -- properly, ; reject what is already laid down; to
(disregard as spurious); nullify, makevoid; to break faith (); remove out of...
1840. exischuo -- to have strength enough
... 1840 (from 1537 , "completely out of from" which intensifies 2479 , " strength,
filling a need orvoid") -- properly, "strength at work," such as overcoming...
378. anapleroo -- to fill up
... 4137 ("fulfill"), 378 () is " the filling up of a perfect vacancy, as with the simple
4137 -- but rather the of what is lacking ; the of a partialvoid" (, 1000...
677. aproskopos -- not causing to stumble, not stumbling
... and a presumed derivative of proskopto; actively, inoffensive, ie Not leading into
sin; passively, faultless, ie Not led into sin -- none (void of, without...
3928. parerchomai -- to pass by, to come to
... Phonetic Spelling: (par-er'-khom-ahee) Short Definition: I pass by Definition: I
pass by, pass away, pass out of sight; I am renderedvoid, become vain, neglect...
Strong's Hebrew
922. bohu -- emptiness... 921, 922. bohu. 923 . emptiness. Transliteration: bohu Phonetic Spelling:
(bo'-hoo) Short Definition:
void. Word
... emptiness,
void. From
...2638. chaser -- needy, lacking, in want of
... destitute, fail, lack, have need,void, want. From chacer; lacking; hence, without --
destitute, fail, lack, have need,void, want. see HEBREW chacer....
5010. naar -- probably to abhor, spurn
... abandoned (1), spurned (1). abhor, makevoid. A primitive root; to reject -- abhor,
makevoid. 5009, 5010. naar. 5011 . Strong's Numbers.
1637. goren -- threshing floor
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition threshing floor NASB Word Usage
threshing floor (34), threshing floors (2). barn,void place....
4003. mebuqah -- emptiness
... Word Origin from the same as buqah Definition emptiness NASB Word Usage desolate
(1).void. From the same as buwqah; emptiness --void. see HEBREW buwqah....
1238. baqaq -- to be luxuriant
... baqaq. 1238a . to be luxuriant. Transliteration: baqaq Phonetic Spelling:
(baw-kah') Short Definition: luxuriant. make empty, fail, utterly, makevoid...
7387. reqam -- emptily, vainly
... Word Origin from riq Definition emptily, vainly NASB Word Usage empty (6),
empty-handed (8), without cause (2). without cause, empty, in vain,void....
6. abad -- to perish
... destroy) -- break, destroy(- uction), + not escape, fail, lose, (cause to, make)
perish, spend, X and surely, take, be undone, X utterly, bevoid of, have no...
5307. naphal -- to fall, lie
... 1), perish (1), present (1), presenting (3), prostrating (1), remains (1), settled
(1), surely fall (1), throw (2), topple (1), turns (1),void (1), waste away...
1238b. baqaq -- to empty
... Definition to empty NASB Word Usage completely laid waste (1), demoralized (1),
devastate (1), devastators have devastated (1), lays the waste (1), makevoid (1...
Library
Do are Then MakeVoid the Law through Faith? God Forbid; Yea, we...
... Do are then makevoid the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish
the law. Romans 3:31. The apostle had been proving that...
Topic xi. If any one Affirms that the Body of Christ isVoid of...
... Topic XI. If any one affirms that the body of Christ isvoid of soul and
understanding? If any one affirms that the body of Christ...
Here Therefore These Men Too Evil, While they Essay to MakeVoid...
... Section 9. Here therefore these men too evil, while they essay to make
void the Law? 9. Here therefore these men too evil, while...
That the First Circumcision of the Flesh is MadeVoid, and the...
... First Book. 8. That the first circumcision of the flesh is madevoid, and
the second circumcision of the spirit is promised instead....
That the Old Yoke Should be MadeVoid, and a New Yoke Should be...
... First Book. 13. That the old yoke should be madevoid, and a new yoke should
be given. In the second Psalm: "For what purpose have...
That the Ancient Sacrifice Should be MadeVoid, and a New one...
... 16. That the ancient sacrifice should be madevoid, and a new one should be celebrated.
In Isaiah: "For what purpose to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?...
The Gradual Development of Cosmical Order Out of Chaos in the...
... He formed it to be inhabited." [6405] Therefore after it was made, and while awaiting
its perfect state, [6406] it was "without form, andvoid:" "void" indeed...
A Curious Inconsistency in Hermogenes Exposed Certain Expressions...
... I want to know also, whether (the substance in question) could have been described
as "void." That certainly is "void" which is imperfect....
The Son by Being Designated Word and Wisdom, (According to the...
... and sound of the mouth, and (as the grammarians teach) air when struck against,
[7839] intelligible to the ear, but for the rest a sort ofvoid, empty, and...
Concerning the Passion of Our Lord's Body, and the Impassibility...
... The Word of God then itself endured all in the flesh, while His divine nature
which alone was passionless remainedvoid of passion....
Thesaurus
Void (64 Occurrences)... 3. (a.) Being without; destitute; free; wanting; devoid; as,
void of learning, or
of common use. 4. (a.) Not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain.
...Null (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Of no legal or binding force or validity;
Of no efficacy; invalid;void; nugatory; useless. 2. (n...
Nullifies (4 Occurrences)
... Numbers 30:8 But if her husband disallow her in the day that he hears it, then he
shall makevoid her vow which is on her, and the rash utterance of her lips...
Lacketh (17 Occurrences)
... (KJV JPS WBS YLT). Proverbs 9:4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: As for
him that isvoid of understanding, she saith to him, (See JPS YLT)....
Frustrate (7 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Vain; ineffectual; useless; unprofitable;
null;void; nugatory; of no effect. 2. (vt) To bring...
Avoid (31 Occurrences)
... 1. (v.) To empty. 2. (v.) To emit or throw out; tovoid; as, to avoid excretions....
4. (v.) To makevoid; to annul or vacate; to refute....
Annuls (4 Occurrences)
... Galatians 3:15 Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man's covenant,
yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes itvoid, or adds to it....
Discernment (43 Occurrences)
... and of evil. (YLT). Deuteronomy 32:28 For they are a nationvoid of counsel.
There is no understanding in them. (See NIV). 1 Samuel...
Nullify (8 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (v.) To makevoid; to render invalid; to deprive of legal
force or efficacy. Multi-Version Concordance Nullify (8 Occurrences)....
Nullified (2 Occurrences)
... Nullified (2 Occurrences). Romans 4:14 For if those who are of the law are heirs,
faith is madevoid, and the promise is made of no effect. (See NAS)....
Resources
What does it mean that the Word of God will not return void? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the meaning of life? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I overcome grieving the loss of a pet? | GotQuestions.orgVoid: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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