Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of "refresh" in the Bible encompasses both physical and spiritual rejuvenation. It is a theme that appears throughout Scripture, illustrating God's provision, the renewal of strength, and the restoration of the soul.
Old Testament ReferencesIn the Old Testament, the idea of refreshment is often associated with physical rest and the renewal of strength. For instance, in
Exodus 23:12 , God commands the Israelites to observe the Sabbath: "For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your maidservant and the foreigner may be refreshed." Here, refreshment is linked to the Sabbath rest, a divine ordinance for physical and spiritual renewal.
Psalm 23:3 speaks to the spiritual aspect of refreshment: "He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name." This verse highlights God's role in restoring and refreshing the soul, providing guidance and righteousness.
New Testament ReferencesIn the New Testament, refreshment takes on a more spiritual dimension, often associated with the presence of the Holy Spirit and the community of believers.
Acts 3:19-20 calls for repentance and promises times of refreshing: "Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you."
The Apostle Paul frequently mentions refreshment in the context of fellowship and mutual encouragement among believers. In
Romans 15:32 , he expresses his desire to visit the Roman Christians: "so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed." Similarly, in
Philemon 1:7 , Paul acknowledges the refreshment brought by Philemon's love: "Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints."
Spiritual RefreshmentSpiritual refreshment is a recurring theme in the Bible, often linked to the work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
Isaiah 40:31 promises renewal for those who trust in the Lord: "But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." This verse underscores the divine source of true refreshment and strength.
The refreshment of the soul is also tied to the living water that Jesus offers. In
John 4:14 , Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well, "But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life." This metaphor of living water signifies the eternal refreshment and satisfaction found in Christ.
Practical ApplicationBelievers are encouraged to seek refreshment through prayer, Scripture, and fellowship. The practice of Sabbath rest, as instituted in the Old Testament, remains a model for finding physical and spiritual renewal. Engaging in community with other believers, as seen in the New Testament, provides mutual encouragement and refreshment.
In summary, the biblical concept of refreshment encompasses both the physical and spiritual realms, offering a holistic view of God's provision for His people. Through rest, repentance, and relationship with God and others, believers can experience the refreshment that God intends for them.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v.) To make fresh again; to restore strength, spirit, animation, or the like, to; to relieve from fatigue or depression; to reinvigorate; to enliven anew; to reanimate; as, sleep refreshes the body and the mind.
2. (v.) To make as if new; to repair; to restore.
3. (n.) The act of refreshing.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
REFRESH; REFRESHINGre-fresh', re-fresh'-ing: "Refresh" occurs a few times in the Old Testament as the translation of naphash, "to take breath," figurative "to be refreshed" (Exodus 23:12; Exodus 31:17 2 Samuel 16:14); of rawach, "to have room (1 Samuel 16:23 Job 32:20, margin "find relief," the King James Version margin "may breathe"); of ca`adh, "to support" (1 Kings 13:7); and in the New Testament as the translation of anapauo, "to give rest" (1 Corinthians 16:18 2 Corinthians 7:13 Philemon 1:7, 20; in compound middle, Romans 15:32 the King James Version); also of anapsucho, "to invigorate," "revive" (2 Timothy 1:16), and other words. "Refreshing" is in Isaiah 28:12 marge`ah, "rest" or "quiet"; and in Acts 3:19, anapsuxis, "seasons of refreshing," through the coming of Jesus, the Christ; compare 2 Esdras 11:46 and the King James Version, Sirach 43:22 hilaroo).
W. L. Walker
Greek
373. anapauo -- to give rest, give intermission from labor, by ... ... refresh. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: anapauo Phonetic Spelling:
(an-ap-ow'-o) Short Definition: I make to rest, give rest to, rest, take my ease
... 404. anapsucho -- to refresh
... to refresh. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: anapsucho Phonetic Spelling:
(an-aps-oo'-kho) Short Definition: I refresh, revive, comfort Definition: I ...
1879. epanapauo -- to refresh, rest upon
... to refresh, rest upon. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: epanapauo Phonetic
Spelling: (ep-an-ah-pow'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I rest upon, rely on, trust ...
2711. katapsucho -- to cool
... to cool. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: katapsucho Phonetic Spelling:
(kat-ap-soo'-kho) Short Definition: I cool, refresh Definition: I cool, refresh. ...
4875. sunanapauomai -- to lie down to rest with, fig. to be ...
... to be refreshed in spirit with NASB Word Usage find...rest (1). refresh with. Middle
from sun and anapano; to recruit oneself in company with -- refresh with. ...
5594. psucho -- to breathe, blow, to make cool
... J. Thayer) -- properly, "to blow, refresh with cool air" (Zod, ); (figuratively)
"to breathe cool by blowing, to grow cold, 'spiritual energy blighted or ...
5177. tugchano -- to hit, hit upon, meet, happen
... neuter (as adverb) perhaps; or (with another verb) as adverb, by accident (as it
were) -- be, chance, enjoy, little, obtain, X refresh...self, + special. ...
1958. epimeleia -- attention, care
... careful attention. From epimeleomai; carefulness, ie Kind attention (hospitality) -- +
refresh self. see GREEK epimeleomai. (epimeleias) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
Strong's Hebrew
5095. nahal -- to lead or guide to a watering place, bring to a ...... to lead or guide to a watering place, bring to a place of rest,
refresh.
Transliteration: nahal Phonetic Spelling: (naw-hal') Short Definition: guide.
... 5582. saad -- to support, sustain, stay
... root Definition to support, sustain, stay NASB Word Usage hold (1), refresh (2),
support (1), sustain (3), sustains (1), uphold (2), upholds (2). ...
7502. raphad -- to spread
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to spread NASB Word Usage make (1),
refresh (1), spreads (1). comfort, make a bed, spread. A ...
5314. naphash -- to be refreshed
... Word Origin denominative verb from nephesh Definition to be refreshed NASB
Word Usage refresh (1), refreshed (2). be refreshed. A ...
4390. male -- to be full, to fill
... 1), mount* (1), mounted (1), ordain* (4), ordained* (4), ordination* (1), overflowing*
(1), overflows* (1), passed (1), presume* (1), refresh (1), required (2 ...
7725. shub -- to turn back, return
... go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again,
put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render ...
Library
Nisibene Hymns. Hymn i. O God of Mercies who Didst Refresh Noah ...
... Hymn I. O God of mercies Who didst refresh Noah, he too refreshed Thy mercies. 1.
O God of mercies Who didst refresh Noah, he too refreshed Thy mercies. ...
Certainly in all These Things, as You Can Learn or Refresh Your ...
... Book III. Chapter 18. " 21. Certainly in all these things, as you can
learn or refresh your memory? "21. Certainly in all ...
Shepherd of Souls, Refresh and Bless
... III. SACRAMENTS AND RITES Holy Communion: The Communion 324. Shepherd of souls,
refresh and bless. CM ... Alt.; cento. Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless. ...
Acts xxvi. 30-32
... "And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto
his friends to refresh himself. Julius gave Paul liberty ...
The Race of Life
... Paul says: but he does not forbid a man to refresh and amuse himself harmlessly
and rationally, from time to time, with all the pleasant things which God has ...
With How Great Reverence Christ must be Received
... eternal life and glory. Come unto Me, sayest Thou, all that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Oh, sweet and lovely ...
Honour the Bishop.
... Ye have refreshed me in all things, and Jesus Christ [shall refresh] you. ... As ye,
brethren, have refreshed me, so will Jesus Christ refresh you. ...
Continue in Unity and Love.
... Continue in harmony among yourselves, and in prayer with one another; for it becomes
every one of you, and especially the presbyters, to refresh the bishop, to ...
Congratulations and Entreaties.
... received as the manifestation [502] of your love, hath in all things refreshed
[503] me, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ shall also refresh [504] him ...
Conclusion.
... at hand. For they are all worthy, both of God and of you; and it is becoming
that you should refresh them in all things. I have ...
Thesaurus
Refresh (18 Occurrences)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
REFRESH; REFRESHING.
... WL Walker. Multi-Version
Concordance
Refresh (18 Occurrences). Acts 27:3 The next day, we touched at Sidon
...Refreshing (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Refresh. 2. (a.) Reviving;
reanimating. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. REFRESH; REFRESHING. ...
Refreshed (16 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Refresh. Multi-Version Concordance
Refreshed (16 Occurrences). Romans 15:32 That I may come ...
Visited (40 Occurrences)
... had incurred just censure. (WEY). Genesis 18:5 I will get a morsel of bread
so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go ...
Kindly (57 Occurrences)
... Acts 27:3 The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave
him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself. (WEB ASV DBY RSV). ...
Onesiph'orus (2 Occurrences)
... 2 Timothy 1:16 may the Lord give kindness to the house of Onesiphorus, because many
times he did refresh me, and of my chain was not ashamed, (See RSV). ...
Julius (5 Occurrences)
... Acts 27:3 The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and
gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself. ...
Love-sick (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Love-sick (2 Occurrences). Song of Songs 2:5 Stay ye me
with raisins, refresh me with apples; For I am sick from love. (See JPS). ...
Lovesick (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Lovesick (3 Occurrences). Song of Songs 2:5 Stay ye me
with dainties, refresh me with apples; for I am love-sick.' (See NAS). ...
Land (19790 Occurrences)
... a conduit cut in the rock. It was used to drive certain mills, and also to
refresh the neighboring land. This seems to be the fountain ...
Resources
Why did Jesus speak so strongly against lukewarm faith? | GotQuestions.orgWhen is civil disobedience allowed for a Christian? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about overcoming grief? | GotQuestions.orgRefresh: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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