the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
House
Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary
or The word house, in Scripture, means somewhat more than the mere residence of a family; indeed, it hath various significations. Heaven is called the house of God, "an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." The grave is called "the house appointed for all living." (Job 30:23) The church is called "the house of the living God." Ye also, saith Peter, speaking to the faithful, "are built up a spiritual house." (1 Peter 2:5; Hebrews 3:6) But in a more general way, a family is called an house, such as the house of the Rechabites, (Jeremiah 35:2) the house of David, (Zechariah 13:1) But amidst all these, and more to the like import, that undoubtedly is the highest and the best sense of the word which considers the Lord Jesus Christ himself as the High Priest and Head of his body the church, and the bodies of his people the temple of his indwelling residence by his Spirit. And the conscious sense of his presence, in upholding, acting upon, comforting, refreshing, stengthening, and witnessing to the soul, and for the Lord in the soul, these are among the most blessed evidences in the enjoyment of the household of faith. Here, in the fullest sense of the expression, the church, and every individual believer forming a part in that church, may and is called the house of the living God. "Lo! I come, said JEHOVAH, and I will dwell in the midst of thee;" (Zechariah 2:11) and this scriptural sense of the word may serve to shew why it was the patriarchs, and holy men of old, were so anxious concerning their households and brailles. Thus the faithful Abraham, after that the Lord had revealed himself unto him in vision, and said, "Fear not, Abraham, I am thy shield, and thine exceeding great reward;" the patriarch felt a boldness to ask of God concerning his household. Abram said, "Lord God! what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of ray house is this Eliezer of Damascus?" (Genesis 15:1-2) meaning, that he was not born of his bowels, but Damascus born, probably a black. Now as it is well known, that every black slave when freed by his master, was always after known by the name of "the child" of the house, (for so the phrase steward of my house means,) it is likely, that Abram felt some jealousy concerning this freed slave being his heir. And the very name Eliezer was not a little in countenancing this idea, which signified the help of my God. But I leave the reader to his own views of this subject, only remarking farther, that the Lord's gracious answer concerning Isaac seems a confirmation, that it was in this, or some such like sense, the house or family was regarded. See Genesis 15:4-6.
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Hawker, Robert D.D. Entry for 'House'. Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance and Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/pmd/h/house.html. London. 1828.
