Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of being "withdrawn" in the Bible often relates to the idea of retreating, either physically or spiritually, from a particular situation or presence. This can be seen in various contexts throughout Scripture, where individuals or groups withdraw for reasons such as seeking solitude, avoiding danger, or experiencing a spiritual separation.
Physical Withdrawal1.
Jesus' Withdrawal for Prayer: One of the most notable examples of withdrawal in the New Testament is Jesus' frequent retreats to solitary places for prayer. In
Luke 5:16, it is recorded, "But Jesus Himself frequently withdrew to the wilderness and prayed." This withdrawal was not an act of avoidance but a deliberate choice to seek communion with the Father, demonstrating the importance of solitude in spiritual life.
2.
Avoidance of Danger: In the Gospel of John, Jesus withdraws to avoid premature confrontation with those who sought to harm Him.
John 11:54 states, "Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, where He stayed with the disciples." This strategic withdrawal highlights the balance between divine mission and human prudence.
Spiritual Withdrawal1.
God's Withdrawal: The Bible also speaks of God withdrawing His presence as a form of judgment or discipline. In
Hosea 5:6, it is written, "They will go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them." This withdrawal serves as a wake-up call for repentance and a return to covenant faithfulness.
2.
Withdrawal from Sin: Believers are called to withdraw from sinful practices and associations. In
2 Corinthians 6:17, Paul exhorts, "Therefore, 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.'" This withdrawal is an act of sanctification, setting oneself apart for holiness and obedience to God.
Emotional and Relational Withdrawal1.
David's Lament: In the Psalms, David often expresses feelings of being withdrawn or distant from God, reflecting a deep sense of longing for restored fellowship.
Psalm 13:1 captures this sentiment: "How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?" Such expressions reveal the human experience of feeling spiritually withdrawn, yet they also point to the hope of renewed closeness with God.
2.
Community and Withdrawal: The early church faced challenges of individuals withdrawing from fellowship.
Hebrews 10:25 warns against "forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some," emphasizing the importance of community and mutual encouragement in the faith journey.
ConclusionThe theme of withdrawal in the Bible encompasses a range of experiences, from intentional retreats for spiritual growth to the consequences of sin leading to divine separation. Whether physical, spiritual, or emotional, withdrawal serves as a reminder of the need for intentionality in one's relationship with God and others.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
p. p.) of Withdraw.
Greek
522. apairo -- to lift off... apairo Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ah'-ee-ro) Short Definition: I take away, remove
Definition: I take away, remove; pass: I am taken away,
withdrawn.
...645. apospao -- to draw off, draw away
... from, drag away, withdraw Definition: lit: I wrench away from, drag away, but perhaps
sometimes in the well-attested weakened sense: I am parted orwithdrawn....
Strong's Hebrew
1639. gara -- to diminish, restrain, withdraw... 1638, 1639. gara. 1640 . to diminish, restrain, withdraw. Transliteration:
gara Phonetic Spelling: (gaw-rah') Short Definition:
withdrawn. Word Origin a prim
...5800a. azab -- to leave, forsake, loose
... 2), leaving (1), left (22), left me behind (1), left the behind (1), left behind
(1), let it go (1), neglect (2), stopped (1), surely release (1),withdrawn (1...
5493. sur -- to turn aside
... turned (2), turned aside (24), turned away (3), turning aside (1), turning away
(3), turns aside (1), turns away (3), undone* (1), wanderer (1),withdrawn (1)....
622. asaph -- to gather, remove
... 1), surely gathered (1), take (3), take my away (1), take away (2), taken away
(5), took (1), victims (1), wane (1), withdraw (3),withdrawn (1), withdraws (1...
5927. alah -- to go up, ascend, climb
... take me away (1), taken (4), thrown (1), took (4), trims (1), using (4), vanish
(1), wear (1), went (161), went away (1), withdraw (3),withdrawn (1), withdrew...
2502a. chalats -- to draw off or out, withdraw
... delivered (4), delivers (1), offer (1), plundered (1), pull (1), removed (1), rescue
(5), rescued (4), rescues (1), take (1), tear (1), torn (1),withdrawn (1...
7092. qaphats -- draw together, shut
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition draw together, shut NASB Word Usage close (1),
gathered (1), leaping (1), shut (2), shuts (1),withdrawn (1)....
Library
Whether Paul, when in Rapture, wasWithdrawn from his Senses?
... OF RAPTURE (SIX ARTICLES) Whether Paul, when in rapture, waswithdrawn from
his senses? Objection 1: It would seem that Paul, when...
Whether one Ought to beWithdrawn from Entering Religion through...
... OF THE ENTRANCE INTO RELIGIOUS LIFE (TEN ARTICLES) Whether one ought to bewithdrawn
from entering religion through deference to one's parents?...
The Entire Soul Being Indivisible Remains to the Last Act of...
... Chapter LIII."The Entire Soul Being Indivisible Remains to the Last Act of Vitality;
Never Partially or FractionallyWithdrawn from the Body....
Of Some Certain Tokens by the which a Man May Prove Whether He be...
... Nay, so is it not. For from a young ghostly prentice in this work, the actual
feeling thereof is ofttimeswithdrawn for divers reasons....
A Certain Trinity in the Sight. That There are Three Things in...
... Although there is no vision if the visible object bewithdrawn, nor could there
be any vision of the kind at all if there were no body that could be seen; yet...
Watching the Horizon
... These events are unseen on the earth. They take place in heaven. The Holy Spirit
will bewithdrawn from the Church. He will not bewithdrawn from individuals....
The Empty Throne Filled
... When the gifts that we have misused arewithdrawn, we can see the heaven that they
too often hide from us. When the leaves drop there is a wider prospect....
The Gethsemane Prayer
... His Father's approving voice is silent. The Holy Spirit, who had been with Him in
all the trying hours of His life, seems to havewithdrawn from the scene....
If this be True, Doubtless Also the Providing for the Interment of...
... dead which become specially distinguished, is that they recall to memory, and by
putting in mind cause us to think of, them who by death arewithdrawn from the...
Argument: Moreover, it is not at all to be Wondered at if this...
... Do you think that, if anything iswithdrawn from our feeble eyes, it perishes
to God? Every body, whether it is dried up into dust...
Thesaurus
Withdrawn (28 Occurrences)...Withdrawn (28 Occurrences).
... Luke 22:41 He was
withdrawn from them about a stone's
throw, and he knelt down and prayed, (WEB KJV DBY WBS YLT).
...Withholds (11 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 18:8 he that hath not given forth upon interest, neither hath taken any
increase, that hathwithdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true...
Excessive (12 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 18:8 he who has not given forth on interest, neither has taken any increase,
who haswithdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice...
Executes (11 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 18:8 he that hath not given forth upon interest, neither hath taken any
increase, that hathwithdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true...
Theirs (96 Occurrences)
... Numbers 36:3 And -- they have been to one of the sons of the 'other' tribes of the
sons of Israel for wives, and their inheritance hath beenwithdrawn from the...
Idea (64 Occurrences)
... BBE). John 5:13 But he who was healed didn't know who it was, for Jesus
hadwithdrawn, a crowd being in the place. (See NIV). John...
Executed (39 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 18:8 he who has not given forth on interest, neither has taken any increase,
who haswithdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice...
Interest (35 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 18:8 he who has not given forth on interest, neither has taken any increase,
who haswithdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice...
Epicureans (1 Occurrence)
... They are apotheoses of the Epicurean sage, entirelywithdrawn from the world's turmoil,
enjoying a life of calm repose, and satisfied with the bounty that...
Wives (159 Occurrences)
... Numbers 36:3 And -- they have been to one of the sons of the 'other' tribes of the
sons of Israel for wives, and their inheritance hath beenwithdrawn from the...
Resources
What is the significance of a scarlet thread? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Lo-ruhamah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is alienation? What does it mean that we are alienated from God? | GotQuestions.orgWithdrawn: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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