In the context of the Bible, the term "defies" often refers to acts of rebellion, disobedience, or challenge against God, His commandments, or His chosen leaders. This concept is illustrated through various narratives and teachings throughout Scripture, highlighting the consequences of defiance and the importance of obedience to divine authority.

Old Testament Instances

1. Goliath's Defiance: One of the most notable examples of defiance in the Old Testament is the Philistine giant Goliath, who defied the armies of Israel. In 1 Samuel 17:10 , Goliath declares, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight." This act of defiance is met with divine intervention when David, a young shepherd, defeats Goliath with God's help, demonstrating that defiance against God's people is ultimately futile.

2. Korah's Rebellion: In Numbers 16, Korah, along with Dathan, Abiram, and others, defies Moses and Aaron's leadership, challenging their God-given authority. This rebellion is seen as a direct defiance against God Himself, as Moses states in Numbers 16:11 , "Therefore, it is against the LORD that you and all your followers have banded together." The earth swallows the rebels, serving as a stark warning against defying God's appointed leaders.

3. Pharaoh's Hardened Heart: The narrative of the Exodus features Pharaoh's repeated defiance against God's command to let the Israelites go. Despite witnessing numerous plagues, Pharaoh's heart remains hardened, as seen in Exodus 7:13 , "Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said." This defiance leads to severe consequences for Egypt, illustrating the dangers of resisting God's will.

New Testament Teachings

1. The Pharisees and Sadducees: Throughout the Gospels, the religious leaders often defy Jesus, questioning His authority and seeking to undermine His ministry. In Matthew 16:1 , the Pharisees and Sadducees test Jesus, asking Him to show them a sign from heaven. Their defiance is rooted in unbelief and a refusal to accept Jesus as the Messiah, ultimately leading to their spiritual blindness.

2. The Parable of the Tenants: In Matthew 21:33-46, Jesus tells the parable of the tenants who defy the landowner by mistreating and killing his servants and son. This parable serves as an allegory for Israel's leaders who defy God's messengers and His Son, Jesus. The consequence of their defiance is the loss of their privileged position, as Jesus concludes in Matthew 21:43 , "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit."

Theological Implications

Defiance in the biblical sense is often associated with pride, unbelief, and a refusal to submit to God's authority. It is portrayed as a serious offense with significant consequences, both for individuals and communities. The Bible consistently calls for humility, repentance, and obedience as the antidotes to defiance, emphasizing that true wisdom and blessing come from aligning oneself with God's will.

Practical Application

Believers are encouraged to examine their own hearts for areas of defiance against God. Scriptures such as James 4:7 exhort, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." This submission involves a willingness to trust and obey God's commands, recognizing His sovereignty and goodness. Through prayer, study of the Word, and fellowship with other believers, Christians are equipped to overcome defiance and live in accordance with God's purposes.

A Challenge and a Shield
... First, he boldly defies anyone to charge the chosen of God with sin: "Who shall
lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" and then, even if any charges ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/a challenge and a shield.htm

The Last Few Decades have Been Marked by a Special Cultivation of ...
... But there is one feature in the past which more than all the rest defies and depresses
the moderns and drives them towards this featureless future. ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 4 the last few.htm

Introduction
... nothing else but reduce it. Science can admit into its world nothing that
successfully defies descriptive treatment. The poet may know ...
/.../jones/spiritual reformers in the 16th and 17th centuries/introduction.htm

Synopsis. --Account to be Made of the Law of Atrophy through ...
... It may suit the overweening pride which defies both the past and the present to
say with Bonaparte, that history is only a fable that men have agreed to believe ...
/.../whiton/miracles and supernatural religion/vii synopsis account to be made.htm

Successful Methods of Public Speaking
... Well-known Speakers and Their Methods. Chalmers. There is a rugged type of speaker
who transcends and seemingly defies all rules of oratory. ...
/.../successful methods of public speaking/successful methods of public speaking.htm

The Preacher's Cry --Pray for Us!
... Units of prayer combined, like drops of water, make an ocean that defies
resistance""EMB How far does praying for the preacher help preaching? ...
/.../bounds/the weapon of prayer/x the preachers crypray for.htm

Perpetuity
... 592. The falseness of other religions."They have no witnesses. Jews have. God defies
other religions to produce such signs: Isaiah 43:9; 44:8. 593. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pascal/pensees/section ix perpetuity.htm

Books and Reading.
... It delves into the earth, rides upon the air, defies the cold of the north, the
heat of the south; it stands upon the brink of the spitting volcano ...
/.../judy/questionable amusements and worthy substitutes/vi books and reading.htm

Crossing the Hellespont.
... He hates and defies you, object as you are, through your insatiable cruelty, and
the nauseous bitterness of your waters, of the common abomination of mankind.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter v crossing the hellespont.htm

The Sower and the Seed.
... I call it a mysterious vital power, because all life is a mystery to us. The very
thought of life lands us in mystery, in mystery which defies analysis. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/percival/sermons at rugby/xii the sower and the.htm

Defies (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Defies (1 Occurrence). Proverbs 18:1 An unfriendly man
pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment. (WEB NIV). ...
/d/defies.htm - 6k

Unfriendly (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Unfriendly (1 Occurrence). Proverbs 18:1 An unfriendly
man pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment. (WEB NIV). ...
/u/unfriendly.htm - 6k

Defiers (1 Occurrence)

/d/defiers.htm - 6k

Pursues (15 Occurrences)
... He loveth. (See NAS RSV). Proverbs 18:1 An unfriendly man pursues selfishness,
and defies all sound judgment. (WEB NIV). Proverbs ...
/p/pursues.htm - 10k

Solemnity (3 Occurrences)
... word mo`edh ("appointed" time, etc.). See FEASTS. RV's treatment of these
passages defies analysis. "Solemnity" is kept in Isaiah 33 ...
/s/solemnity.htm - 12k

Selfish (14 Occurrences)
... selfish gain. (WEB NIV). Proverbs 18:1 An unfriendly man pursues selfishness,
and defies all sound judgment. (Root in WEB NIV). Proverbs ...
/s/selfish.htm - 10k

Solemn (100 Occurrences)
... word mo`edh ("appointed" time, etc.). See FEASTS. RV's treatment of these
passages defies analysis. "Solemnity" is kept in Isaiah 33 ...
/s/solemn.htm - 43k

Selfishness (4 Occurrences)
... excellent than yourselves -- (See NAS RSV). Proverbs 18:1 An unfriendly man
pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment. (WEB). ...
/s/selfishness.htm - 7k

Defile (63 Occurrences)

/d/defile.htm - 38k

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