Let's Go Back to the Bible

The Visual Dictionary (Entries I-L)

A “Pictorial Dictionary” or “Visual Dictionary” gives visual representations for each of the entries on its pages.  If you were selecting a Bible character to depict each of the following words, who would you choose to put in your “Visual Dictionary”?

IGNITER. For more than a decade, “the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued…” (Ezra 4:24).  The Jews were unwilling and fearful to continue building when they met with resistance.  Finally, the prophet Haggai came and said, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?…Consider your ways!” (Hag. 1:4-5).  The work that had been dormant and the workers who had been inactive finally resumed and finished their task, because an “igniter” came and moved them to action.

JOYFUL. Within minutes on the same night, the jailer in Philippi went from thoughtlessness to tragedy to triumph.  Somehow he had been negligent in his duties and suspected prisoners had escaped after the earthquake, when they had not.  Such led him to the near tragedy of taking his own life.  However, that very night he was taught the good news about Jesus Christ, he was baptized and he rejoiced (Acts 16:25-34).  To this man’s congregation Paul later wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4).  The jailer might have said, “Oh, I am!”

KINDNESS. One of the greatest stories of kindness in the Bible is in 2 Samuel 9.  King David wanted to show kindness to anyone left of the house of King Saul, and he found out that one of Jonathan’s sons, Mephibosheth, was still alive.  Mephibosheth was brought before the king and bowed himself, fearful of what the king might do to him.  David restored to him all of his grandfather’s land, and three times in this chapter David said, “He shall eat at my table continually…always…like one of the king’s sons.”

LOYAL. It would be difficult to find someone more loyal to a cause than Uriah.  David brought Uriah home from battle, in order that he might try to cover up his sin with Bathsheba.  Twice David compelled Uriah to go to his house and lie with his wife.  (How many soldiers on the battlefield want that more than anything else?)  “But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants” (2 Sam. 11:9).  When David asked him why, Uriah loyally replied, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields” (11:11).  Loyal to a fault!

Now, make the application.  Could your picture be used for igniter, joyful, kindness and loyal?  We must be all!