Showing posts with label Job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Job. Show all posts

Monday, August 11, 2025

Telepathy or Psycho-kinesis - the Bible mentions cases of objects moving or changing into something else. Humans cannot use their minds to move or create objects. Those in the spirit realm can. So, every mysterious occurrence must be powered either by God or the enemy. If God is glorified through the event, we can deduce the event occurred through Him. If, however, the event was frivolous and had nothing to do with God’s glory, it must have come through another source. The Bible makes it clear that witchcraft and sorcery are to be avoided at all costs. Trying to read another’s thoughts, move objects around a room, or create an energy ball takes time and effort away from the business of loving God and opens a dangerous door into the world of the occult

What does the Bible say about telepathy or psycho-kinesis?

Telepathy (the ability to read another’s thoughts) and telekinesis (the ability to move an object with one’s mind) are stalwart tools in the realm of superheroes.

From Star Wars to the X-Men, mental powers seem to be ubiquitous. 

But what does the Bible say about such “super powers”?

The Bible actually has quite a bit to say about knowing another’s thoughts. 

Genesis 6:5 says, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” 

In 1 Chronicles 28:9, David tells his son Solomon, “The LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the
thoughts.” 

Psalm 94:11 says, “The LORD knows the thoughts of man.” 

And Jesus knew the thoughts of the scribes in Matthew 9:4. 

But we cannot know the thoughts of another. 

First Corinthians 2:11 says, “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?” 

God did not create humans to be able to communicate simply through thought. 

Instead, he gave us forms of communication that require much more work and humility, forms that breed community instead of simple, quick information transfers.

There are those who seem to have abilities that resemble telepathy. 

Mothers are particularly good at this. 

But it isn’t anything mysterious. 

It’s simply knowing others well enough, and knowing their situation well enough, to be able to make an accurate, educated guess about their motives. 

Job exemplifies this in Job 21:27 when he tells one of his “comforters,” “Behold, I know your thoughts, and the plans by which you would wrong me.” 

He knows his friend well, and he’s sat through enough lectures to be able to figure out where Zophar is coming from. 

That’s not telepathy. That’s just paying attention.

The Bible also mentions cases of objects moving or changing into something else. 

In Genesis 5:24 “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” 

In I Kings 17:15, a widow’s flour and oil miraculously continue to provide throughout a long drought. 

In the next chapter, fire falls from heaven to consume a water-saturated sacrifice. 

In John 2, water turns into wine. 

But in all these cases, the purpose of the transformation or movement of materials was to glorify God and authenticate His messenger. 

At no time was it used merely for convenience or for frivolous purposes.

It is possible, however, for the enemy to use similar signs to draw attention to himself. 

Moses faced this when Pharaoh’s magicians turned their staffs into snakes (Exodus 7:12) and brought up frogs (Exodus 8:7). 

It is possible even now for people to make strange things happen. 

But we must examine what exactly is going on.

Humans cannot use their minds to move or create objects. Those in the spirit realm can. 

So, every mysterious occurrence must be powered either by God or the enemy. 

If God is glorified through the event, if He caused the event to occur to validate His prophet, we can deduce the event occurred through Him. 

If, however, the event was frivolous and had nothing to do with God’s glory, it must have come through another source. 

And the Bible makes it clear that witchcraft and sorcery are to be avoided at all costs.

God made humans to interact in specific ways, ways that foster community and glorify Him. 

Some people may be blessed with a keen insight, but that doesn’t mean they have telepathy. 

The prophets of old were given the ability to ask God to act on their behalf in miraculous ways, but they didn’t have powers of psycho-kinesis. 

We are to look to the Holy Spirit for our strength.

Trying to read another’s thoughts, move objects around a room, or create an energy ball takes time and effort away from the business of loving God and loving others and opens a dangerous door into the world of the occult.

Welcome to GotQuestions.org, the flagship website of Got Questions Ministries, a network of sites with a shared mission: to glorify God and reach people for Christ by providing biblical answers to spiritually related questions. We are Christian, evangelical, theologically conservative, and nondenominational. As a parachurch ministry, our purpose is to come alongside the Church, joining in the Great Commission Jesus entrusted to His followers, by offering support and answers to those seeking clarity on spiritually related questions.

Whether you are seeking guidance, looking for 7answers, or are curious about spiritual matters, we are here to serve you, support you, and share the profound truths of God’s Word with you. Got questions? The Bible has answers. We’ll help you find them!

gotquestions.org

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Halos in the Bible - the Bible does not directly speak of halos. The closest expressions are found in examples of Jesus in Revelation described in glorious light or when He changed at the Transfiguration

The Belief in Auras - the belief in auras is connected with psychics and is integral to the occult, New Age, Wicca, and witchcraft - there is no biblical basis for auras

Hypnosis - hypnosis has long been associated with those in the occult who want to reach evil spirits - despite the success stories, despite how much we may trust the hypnotist, the Bible tells us to stay away from anyone trying to control our minds

Friday, August 8, 2025

Angry at God - throw at him your grief, your anger, your doubt, your bitterness, your betrayal, your disappointment — he can absorb them all

 The Big Question: Is It Wrong to Be Angry with God?

When things go wrong in life, it’s easy to feel lost, afraid, or even angry. This is especially so after an accident or tragedy. Oftentimes, those feelings of helplessness have nowhere to go, and can leave us feeling angry at God.

Because if God is all knowing, all powerful, couldn’t he have stopped something bad from happening?

That’s why we decided to explore the question: Is it wrong to be angry with God? We turned to the wisdom of the following pastors, authors and theologians for answers.

 John Piper, author of Pierced by the Word

“Anger at sin is good, but anger at goodness is sin. That is why it is never right to be angry with God. He is always and only good, no matter how strange and painful his ways. Anger toward God signifies that he is bad or weak or cruel or foolish. None of those is true and all of them dishonor him. Therefore, it is never right to be angry at God.”

Pastor Kyle Chastain

“Is it okay to be angry with God? Of course. Is it okay to stay angry? That’s like being angry at life itself: it hurts not only you, but everyone with whom you come in contact. If you feel angry towards God, you might need a change in perspective. Very often, the thing you’re so angry about right now will make sense to you further on down the road.”

Joyce Meyer, author and speaker

“Forgive God if you are angry with Him because your life didn’t turn out the way you thought it should. God is always just. There may be things you don’t understand, but God loves you, and people make a serious mistake when they don’t receive help from the only One who can truly help them.”

Regina Brett, author of God Never Blinks

“It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.”

Pastor Robert Hampshire

“Yes, it is okay to be angry with God — as long as you go on to either let that anger go or use it to accomplish good. Do not sin by cursing, becoming bitter, hurting yourself or others, or disobeying. Instead, use your anger to drive you to discover your own incorrect beliefs, to refocus on the truth, and to grow in your relationship with God.”

R.C. Sproul, theologian

“By considering the scope of the Bible’s teaching on this subject, we may conclude that it is acceptable to bring all our cares to God, including matters that may move us to frustration or anger. However, we must not come to God in a spirit of complaint or anger against Him, for it is never proper to accuse God of wrongdoing.”

James 1:20 (NIV)

“…Human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”


Philip Yancey, author of Disappointment with God: 

“One bold message in the Book of Job is that you can say anything to God. Throw at him your grief, your anger, your doubt, your bitterness, your betrayal, your disappointment — he can absorb them all.”

 John Starke, lead pastor at Apostles Uptown Church

“God isn’t insecure and he knows what we need. He can handle our questions and our anger. He also knows what to do with our anger as well. He knows how to heal and restore. Consider the grace, then, that God knows what men become like when we get desperate, so he gives us the words to say and invites us into his presence to be honest and clear, without fear.”

ELENA TAFONE

guideposts.org

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqUY_3Djxls

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

When Satan Attacks - Christians have been taught how to give so they can get more back from God. God will bless and prosper His people. But we must be careful to have a full understanding of what God's Word teaches concerning prosperity and God's provision for our lives. We must be careful not to get our eyes more on what we can receive from God than what we can do for God. In the economic shaking of the days ahead, there will be many Christians who are going to be shaken. We must not forget that there will be times when we are going to suffer. There are going to be times when our faith will be tested. There may be times when Satan will attack

Job 2:9-13

The accusation Satan brought against Job was, “Does Job (reverently) fear God for nothing?” - (Job 1:9).

 Satan accused Job of serving God only for the blessings God had given him. 

He said, “You've poured out Your blessings upon him, You've prospered him, You've protected him, his house and all that he has.

"But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to your face” - (Job 1:11, TAB).

Satan's accusation against Christians today is the same. 

He points his finger at us and tells God, “Look at those people who call themselves Christians!

"They don't really love You. 

"Just look at them! 

"As long as You are pouring out Your blessings upon them — as long as they are prospering, as long as everything is going well — they are willing to serve You. 

"But the minute hardships and trials come, they fall by the wayside.

"They turn their backs on You and go their own way.” 

What an indictment against the Church today!

Our churches are filled with Christians who are committed to serving God only for what they can receive from Him.

The Church has become unbalanced in its teaching.

New Christians have not been taught that they must be willing to lose their lives for Christ's sake and that they must be willing to deny themselves before they can be true disciples of Jesus Christ.

Instead, they have been taught how to be prosperous, how to use their faith to gain material possessions, and how to give so they can get more back from God.

Christians today know all about how to receive from God, but very few know how to stand true to God when their faith is being tested and everything is shaking and crumbling around them. 

Most Christians have become so prosperity-minded that they are more concerned about the material possessions they can receive from God than they are about what they are willing to give up for the sake of the Gospel.

In the economic shaking of the days ahead, there will be many Christians who are going to be shaken. 

There will be many who have been taught that if they have enough faith they will be prosperous and never have financial problems, and they will turn their backs on God when they begin to face financial losses. 

Their faith will be shaken because they do not have a firm foundation. 

They do not know the truth.

Please don't misunderstand me. I believe God will bless and prosper His people. 

But we must be careful to have a full understanding of what God's Word teaches concerning prosperity and God's provision for our lives. 

We must be careful not to get our eyes more on what we can receive from God than what we can do for God.

We must not forget that there will be times when we are going to suffer. 

There are going to be times when our faith will be tested, like Job. 

There may be times when Satan will attack.

Make this declaration:

I am committed to God, not for what I receive from Him, but for Who He is.

The late Dr. Morris Cerullo is recognized around the world for his dedication to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. Emboldened by the power of the Holy Spirit, he repeatedly brought the salvation message to more than 130 nations throughout his nearly seven decades in the ministry.

Morris Cerullo World Evangelism exists to support and extend the evangelistic calling and ministries of Dr. Morris Cerullo, by proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to every person, through every effective means available to us, and by training Nationals and other to do the same.

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Satan Is Real - one of the reasons we so often walk around in discouragement and defeat is because we don’t really understand who our real enemy is. Your battle is with Satan. He’s the enemy who has been disrupting your life. We blame everyone but the one the Bible calls a thief and a liar, who is out to destroy anyone who loves and follows Jesus. To find victory in your life start by attacking the right enemy. When you do, keep these truths in mind as you battle against your true enemy, Satan. He doesn’t have a chance against God’s power in your life when you call on Jesus’ name

Sifted Like Wheat - some of you are being “sifted like wheat.” Your faith is being tested. You may feel weak and on the verge of giving up. In the Name of Jesus, resist Satan. You have the power and authority. Don't rely on your own natural strength. God has placed the Holy Spirit within you, giving you power over all the power of the enemy. Draw upon that Holy Ghost power. Your position during every test, trial, and temptation is one of power, confidence, and victory knowing that as you resist Satan, he will flee from you

Hidden Riches of Secret Places - the riches God has provided and hidden for us in Christ are so glorious and inexhaustible. It is from this riches God supplies our needs. The major way we access these riches and inheritance is by the wisdom and revelation of Christ – the Gospel. In Christ, God has deposited His glorious riches and inheritance in us and He wants to open our eyes to them. As the wisdom and revelation of Christ fills our lives, we are transformed, and we walk in higher dimensions of God’s glory. A major part of God's inheritance in us is the fruit and gifts of the Spirit

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Luck according to the Bible - from an earthly perspective, things may seem to happen at random, but God is in control of all of His creation and is somehow able to take the random acts of natural law, the free will of both good and evil men, and the wicked intent of demons and combine them all to accomplish His good and perfect will. God’s active will or sovereignty would involve something He causes to happen. God’s passive will involves Him allowing, rather than causing, something to happen. Christians are given the promise that God works all things, whether seemingly good or bad, together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose

What does the Bible say about luck?

The American Heritage Dictionary defines “luck” as follows:

1. The chance happening of fortunate or adverse events

2. Good fortune or prosperity; success ... to gain success or something desirable by chance: “I lucked out in finding that rare book.”

The main question is, do things happen by chance? 

If they do, then one can speak of someone being lucky or unlucky. 

But if they do not happen by chance, then it is inappropriate to use those terms. 

Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 states, “I have seen something else under the sun: 

"The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.

"Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: 

"As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them. 

"Much of what Ecclesiastes shares is from the perspective of a person who looks at life on earth without God, or life 'under the sun.'” 

From such a perspective — leaving God out of the picture — there seems to be good luck and bad luck.

A runner in a race may be the swiftest, but because someone in front of him stumbles, he trips over him and falls and does not win the race. 

How unlucky for him? 

Or a warrior king may have the strongest army but some “chance” arrow shot up into the air at random by a no-name enemy soldier just happens to pierce his armor in its most vulnerable location (2 Chronicles 18:33) resulting in that king’s death and the loss of the battle. 

How unlucky for King Ahab? 

Was it a matter of luck? 

Reading the whole of 2 Chronicles 18, we find that God had His hand in the matter from the beginning. 

The soldier who shot the arrow was totally unaware of its trajectory, but God in His sovereignty knew all along it would mean the death of wicked King Ahab.

A similar “chance” occurrence takes place in the book of Ruth. 

Ruth, a widow who was caring for her widowed mother-in-law, seeks a field to glean grain to provide for them. 

“So she went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters.

"As it turned out, she found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech” (Ruth 2:3). 

Elimelech had been the husband of her mother-in-law, Naomi, so Boaz was a relative of hers and was generous to Ruth. 

As Ruth returns home with a great deal more grain than Naomi expected, “her mother-in-law asked her, ‘Where did you glean today? 

"Where did you work? 

"Blessed be the man who took notice of you!’ 

"Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working.

"‘The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,’ she said. 

"‘The LORD bless him!’ Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. 

"‘He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.’

"She added, ‘That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers.’" - (Ruth 2:19-20). 

So Naomi did not see it as a “chance” occurrence but as the providence of God, as do others later on (Ruth 4:14).

Proverbs 16:33 states a general principle: “The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord.” 

This refers to the use of casting lots (similar to the tossing of a coin or the rolling of dice) to settle certain judicial cases. 

The case involving Achan in Joshua 7 is an example in which the principle of Proverbs 16:33 is used to find the guilty party. 

Proverbs 18:18 states something similar: “Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart.”

Again, the idea is that God’s providence plays the determining role in the results of the casting of lots so that judicial conflicts can be resolved no matter how great the contention. 

Proverbs 16:33 would indicate that something as random as the rolling of dice or the tossing of a coin is not outside of God’s sovereign control.

 And, therefore, its results are not merely of chance.

God’s sovereignty involves two aspects. 

God’s active will or sovereignty would involve something He causes to happen such as the leading of wicked King Ahab into battle (2 Chronicles 18:18-19).

Ahab’s death was not merely the result of a randomly shot arrow, but as 2 Chronicles 18 reveals, God actively directed the events that led Ahab into battle and used that randomly shot arrow to accomplish His intended will for Ahab that day.

God’s passive will involves Him allowing, rather than causing, something to happen

Chapter 1 of the book of Job illustrates this in what God allowed Satan to do in the life of Job. 

It is also involved in the evil that God allowed Joseph’s brothers to do to Joseph in order to accomplish a greater good, a good not apparent to Joseph until years later (Genesis 50:20).

Because we do not have the curtains drawn back to see what is taking place in heaven, we cannot always determine whether God’s active or passive will is involved in the events of our lives, but we do know that all things that take place are under the umbrella of His will, whether active or passive, and, therefore, nothing is a matter of mere chance. 

When a person rolls the dice to play a board game, God may sometimes cause the dice to land a certain way, but more often than not in such inconsequential matters, He may allow the dice to land as His laws of nature would determine without any active involvement. 

But even when He is not actively involved, how the dice land is still under His sovereignty.

So it is for any event of life; no matter how small (Matthew 10:29-31) or how large (Daniel 4:35; Proverbs 21:1), God is sovereign over all (Ephesians 1:11; Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:9-10), and thus nothing is merely the matter of chance.

From an earthly perspective, things may seem to happen at random, but throughout the whole of Scripture, it is clear that God is in control of all of His creation and is somehow able to take the random acts of natural law, the free will of both good and evil men, and the wicked intent of demons and combine them all to accomplish His good and perfect will (Genesis 50:20; Job chapters 1 and 42; John 9:1-7). 

And Christians, specifically, are given the promise that God works all things, whether seemingly good or bad, together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

GotQuestions.org is the primary site of Got Questions Ministries

Got Questions Ministries is an internet based ministry whose mission is to glorify God and reach people for Christ by providing biblical answers to spiritually-related questions.

GotQuestions.org

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Superstitions - a religious rite is superstitious if the petitioned does not exist or does not have the authority the petitioner believes it to have. Superstitions are thought to alter luck, for good or bad. Good luck charms are probably an attempt to recover the circumstances that led to a good result. Religion and superstition are often connected because of the mystical, unknowable character of the supernatural. Biblically, if the action is calling on a deity, force, or power that doesn't exist or doesn't have the ability to respond, then the action cannot bring about the result. If the action is done in hopes that God will act, then it had better be an action God approves of, performed with a humble, submissive attitude

Omens Good or Bad - superstition is not biblical, and the Bible has serious warnings about everything related to the occult, such as fortune-telling and divination. Simple superstitions are easily explained, such as breaking a mirror supposedly resulting in seven years' bad luck. But those who believe strongly in omens might see a diviner to explain the omen or receive instruction on how to avoid the back luck on the way. Biblical signs are always clearly from God and explained by Him. Christians do not believe in superstition or omens. Christians are granted the Holy Spirit to instruct and guide them. God's Word itself, the Bible, is our source of spiritual insight

Friday the 13th - paraskevidekatriaphobia - Christians should disregard any superstition, including those associated with numbers, certain days, or even bad luck. We are to have faith that God is sovereign over the universe, His people, and the circumstances and events of each day

Saturday, May 3, 2025

Don't Blame God - there is no circumstance that Satan can bring into your life without God's permission. The first question asked when a tragedy strikes, is “Why?” God placed a limit on what Satan could do to Job. So many Christians are defeated because they do not understand that God is in control of all the circumstances that come into their lives. They cannot understand how or why God, whose purpose is to do His people good, would allow Satan to attack them through their circumstances. Satan's strategy is to disguise his evil deeds so that people will not recognize him and will blame God for the pain, sickness, and heartache that come into their lives

Job 6:1-13

Satan accused Job of serving God onl because of the benefits and blessings he received. 

Then Satan challenged God to take away all the blessings He had given Job. 

Satan said, “But put forth Your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face” - Job 1:11, TAB). 

Satan tried to move God to bring destruction on Job.

Since God is altogether good and His purposes toward His people are only to do us good, He is not the source of pain, heartache, failure, sickness, or anything that is evil. 

He did not use His hand to bring destruction upon His faithful servant, Job, but He removed the hedge — the shield of protection — from around Job and allowed Satan to afflict him. 

God told Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power” - (Job 1:12, RSV).

It is vital to your spiritual survival that you know there is no circumstance that comes into your life that God does not allow. 

Satan cannot touch you, your children, or your possessions without permission from God. 

Jesus told Peter, “Satan has asked excessively that (all of) you might be given up to him-out of the power and keeping of God that he might sift (all of you) like grain” - (Luke 22:31, TAB).

God allowed Satan to touch all that Job had. 

He allowed Satan to take away all of Job's possessions.

He allowed Satan to steal his oxen and donkeys, burn his sheep, steal his camels and kill his servants. 

He allowed Satan to kill his seven sons and three daughters — but it was also God Who later restored double what Job had lost!

There is no circumstance that Satan can bring into your life without God's permission. 

One of the reasons so many Christians are defeated is because they do not understand that God is in control of all the circumstances that come into their lives, whether they are good or bad. 

They cannot understand how or why God, whose purpose is to do His people good, would allow Satan to attack them through their circumstances. 

Why did God allow Satan to steal Job's livestock, destroy all that he had and kill his children? 

The first question asked when a tragedy strikes, is “Why?”

God placed a limit on what Satan could do to Job. 

He told Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon himself do not put forth your hand …” - (Job 1:12, RSV). 

Satan was given permission to attack and destroy Job's possessions, including his children.

Satan was convinced that he could cause Job to turn his back on God by taking away all his possessions.

Satan, being the arch deceiver, disguised himself. Working through Job's enemies and the wind and lightning, he made it appear as if the tragedies in Job's life happened as a result of natural causes. 

His strategy is to disguise his evil deeds so that people will not recognize him and will blame God for the pain, sickness, and heartache that comes into their lives.

Make this declaration:

Every good gift comes to me from God. 

It is the enemy who comes to steal, kill, and destroy in my life.

The late Dr. Morris Cerullo is recognized around the world for his dedication to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. Emboldened by the power of the Holy Spirit, he repeatedly brought the salvation message to more than 130 nations throughout his nearly seven decades in the ministry.

Morris Cerullo World Evangelism exists to support and extend the evangelistic calling and ministries of Dr. Morris Cerullo, by proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to every person, through every effective means available to us, and by training Nationals and other to do the same.

You might also like:

When Satan Attacks - Christians have been taught how to give so they can get more back from God. God will bless and prosper His people. But we must be careful to have a full understanding of what God's Word teaches concerning prosperity and God's provision for our lives. We must be careful not to get our eyes more on what we can receive from God than what we can do for God. We must not forget that there will be times when we are going to suffer. There are going to be times when our faith will be tested. There may be times when Satan will attack

God Knows How Much You Can Take - when trials and temptations come into the life of a child of God, the devil must first ask permission. He can do nothing in our lives that God has not allowed, and God never will give us more than we can handle. Sometimes, it may seem as though you’re overwhelmed. God won’t give you too much. God isn’t going to give you more than you can take. He knows your breaking point. And you might be able to handle a lot more than you think you can. Jesus is standing up for you

Blaming God for everything that happens since He is in control of everything - the word blame means “to find fault with.” Blaming goes beyond acknowledging God’s sovereignty. Blaming God implies that He messed up, that there is a fault to be found in Him. Since God is supposedly in control of everything, the thinking goes, He could have stopped what happened. When we blame God, we make ourselves His judge and jury. But mere human beings have no right to pass judgment on the Almighty









Monday, April 7, 2025

Double Portion - the firstborn son was to receive twice as much of an inheritance as any other son in the family. A double portion is the right of a firstborn in terms of inheritance but can also be a sign of love. Hannah's husband gave her a double portion. This double portion was not required, but was a way Hannah's husband could show her preference and was considered a great gift. Elijah was about to leave the earth and asked Elisha what gift he would desire. Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit God had given to Elijah. Elisha wanted to be Elijah's successor; in some senses he was requesting both to be considered as a firstborn and to be shown love. This double portion was associated with joy and gladness

In what ways does the Bible refer to a double portion?

The concept of a double portion is mentioned six times in the Bible.

Deuteronomy 21:17 says, "he shall acknowledge the firstborn … by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. 

"The right of the firstborn is his." 

The firstborn son was to receive twice as much of an inheritance as any other son in the family.

The rights of the firstborn were extremely important in antiquity.

The influence of the firstborn is seen as early as the animal sacrifice given by Abel in Genesis 4:4: 

"Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions." 

The final judgment upon Egypt was the death of the firstborn (Exodus 11:5). 

Israel was called God's firstborn: 

"Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son" - (Exodus 4:22). 

Genesis 27 also demonstrates the importance of the firstborn. 

Despite the fact that Jacob and Esau were twins, Esau had been delivered first and expected a special blessing. 

Jacob instead deceitfully took it, pretending to be Esau to his aged father, causing tremendous family problems. 

Colossians 1:15 refers to Jesus as the firstborn over all creation. 

This is not a reference to Jesus being born, but rather a reference to His position of importance over all created things.

A double portion is the right of a firstborn in terms of inheritance, but can also be a sign of love. 

In 1 Samuel 1:5 we read that Hannah's husband gave her a double portion:

"But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb." 

This double portion was not required, but was a way Hannah's husband could show her preference and was considered a great gift.

In 2 Kings 2, Elijah was about to leave the earth and asked Elisha what gift he would desire. 

Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit God had given to Elijah: 

"Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me" - (2 Kings 2:9). 

Elisha wanted to be Elijah's successor; in some senses he was requesting both to be considered as a firstborn and to be shown love.

Isaiah 61:7 mentions the double portion twice in the same verse: 

"Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy." 

In contrast with shame, there would be a double blessing. 

This double portion was associated with joy and gladness. 

In some ways this is similar to the restoration of Job, in which he received twice what he had prior to his tribulations (Job 42:10).

However, the double portion is not always positive. 

In Revelation 18:6 we read, "Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed." 

In this context, the double portion refers to a heavy judgment upon a future city of Babylon due to its evil.

CompellingTruth.org

CompellingTruth.org is a network site of Got Questions Ministries.

The purpose statement of CompellingTruth.org is: "Presenting the truth of the Christian faith in a compelling, relevant, and practical way."

Our mission is to take the questions, issues, struggles, and disagreements that exist within the Christian faith and shine the truth of God's Word on them. We believe the truth of God's Word is compelling. God's Word does not directly address every situation we face in life, but it does contain truth that can apply to anything and everything we deal with.

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Weeping in the Night - “On the day when Elkanah sacrificed . . . to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb." Hannah got vexed and heartbroken, but she kept her eyes on the Lord, and God said, “That’s the woman I want to be the mother of my future prophet.” When she had her son, Samuel, she dedicated him to God. God wants to show his power and do extraordinary things. When the jeweler brings out his best diamonds, he puts them on black velvet so the darkness will show the gem’s luster. That’s how God is. Out of the worst situations, God does his best work

Action Through Faith - the great hindrance to faith that brings miracle release is unforgiveness. Whether or not the attitude is justified by the circumstances, resentment, bitterness, jealousy, and envy are the obstacles to faith’s release. Faith will require something of us and several conditions must be noted. We are not to doubt. Those who are double-minded will not receive anything. The mountain-moving hand of God must begin in our lives by moving the mountain of hard-heartedness out of our own hearts. To see action through faith, there must be forgiveness and love. “Whenever you stand praying, and you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you”

Your Deep Frustrations Are A Sign God Will Use You Mightily - desperate hunger is a great gift - when you first get it, you will be convinced you are being punished. Your frustration and desperate hunger is qualifying you for something astounding. God is carving out your soul to create a greater capacity for His power. It seems cruel but it makes perfect sense: God wants you to want something you can’t have. It is in the not having it, that your desire intensifies. Desperate hunger from God can test us to the maximum. We look for signs that our hunger will be fulfilled. We yearn for proof that we will not die from disappointment. If you hunger, you are blessed because that is the proof you shall be filled