The concept of "divides" in the Bible encompasses both physical and metaphorical separations, often signifying God's sovereign actions, moral distinctions, and the establishment of order. The term is used in various contexts, from the creation narrative to the delineation of spiritual truths.

Creation and Physical Separation

In the creation account, God establishes order by dividing elements of the natural world. Genesis 1:4 states, "God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness." This act of dividing light from darkness is foundational, symbolizing the establishment of time and the rhythm of day and night. Similarly, Genesis 1:6-7 describes God creating an expanse to separate the waters, forming the sky and the seas, further illustrating His power to organize creation through division.

Moral and Spiritual Distinctions

The Bible frequently uses the concept of division to highlight moral and spiritual distinctions. In Leviticus 10:10, God commands the Israelites to "distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean." This division underscores the importance of holiness and purity in the life of God's people, setting them apart from other nations.

In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of division in a spiritual context. In Matthew 10:34-36, He states, "Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’" Here, division is portrayed as a consequence of allegiance to Christ, emphasizing the cost of discipleship and the inevitable separation between those who follow Him and those who do not.

Divine Judgment and Separation

The theme of division is also prominent in the context of divine judgment. In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus describes a future separation based on righteousness. Matthew 25:32-33 states, "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left." This division signifies the ultimate judgment and the eternal destinies of individuals based on their response to Christ.

Unity and Division in the Church

While division can signify judgment or moral distinction, the New Testament also warns against unnecessary divisions within the body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 1:10, Paul urges believers, "I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction." Here, division is seen as detrimental to the unity and witness of the church, highlighting the need for harmony and collective purpose among believers.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of "divides" serves as a multifaceted theme that underscores God's authority in creation, the moral and spiritual distinctions required of His people, the reality of divine judgment, and the call for unity within the church. Through these various applications, the Bible presents division as both a necessary and a cautionary element in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan.6536. paras -- to break in two, divide
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to break in two, divide NASB Word Usage
break (1), breaks (1), divide (8), divides (4), hoofs (1). ...
/hebrew/6536.htm - 6k

2505a. chalaq -- to divide, share
... 1), allotted (3), apportion (2), apportions (1), assigned (1), disperse (1), distribute
(1), distributed (2), divide (12), divided (18), divides (1), dividing ...
/hebrew/2505a.htm - 6k

Whether the Firmament Divides Waters from Waters?
... ON THE WORK OF THE SECOND DAY (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether the firmament divides
waters from waters? Objection 1: It would seem that ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the firmament divides waters.htm

Of the Reason Why Forty Generations (Not Including Christ Himself) ...
... Chapter IV."Of the Reason Why Forty Generations (Not Including Christ Himself) are
Found in Matthew, Although He Divides Them into Three Successions of ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter iv of the reason why.htm

Christ About his Father's Business
... notable passage of Isaiah the prophet""I will divide him a portion with the great
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong." God divides, and Christ ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/christ about his fathers business.htm

How Error Cannot Stand with Truth.
... By the word of truth He certainly divides the kingdom of the world, which is founded
in error, and every home in it, that error may fall, and truth may reign. ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter xxxv how error cannot stand.htm

Gregory Further Shows that the Only-Begotten Being Begotten not ...
... the distinctions of their kinds. Which, then, of these divides its own
essence by the process of generation? Does not the nature ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 7 gregory further shows.htm

After Proof that the Spirit is the Giver of Revelation Equally ...
... But if the Father also effects those things which the Spirit effects, since the
Spirit divides His operations, according to His own will, you must of necessity ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xii after proof that.htm

Opinions of Thales and Plato.
... First Thales, as those who have accurately examined his opinions report,
divides [superior beings] into God, demons, and heroes. ...
/.../athenagoras/a plea for the christians/chapter xxiii opinions of thales and.htm

Contents of Christian Doctrine.
... The author divides his work into two parts, one relating to the discovery,
the other to the expression, of the true sense of Scripture. ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books /contents of christian doctrine.htm

Book i.
... Argument"The author divides his work into two parts, one relating to the discovery,
the other to the expression, of the true sense of scripture. ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books /book i .htm

Contents of Christian Doctrine
... The author divides his work into two parts, one relating to the discovery,
the other to the expression, of the true sense of Scripture. ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books/contents of christian doctrine.htm

Divides (9 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Divides (9 Occurrences). ... (See NAS). Psalms 68:12 "Kings
of armies flee! They flee!" She who waits at home divides the spoil, (WEB). ...
/d/divides.htm - 8k

Divider (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) One who, or that which, divides; that which separates
anything into parts. 2. (n.) One who deals out to each his share. ...
/d/divider.htm - 7k

Bar (27 Occurrences)
... 5. (n.) Any railing that divides a room, or office, or hall of assembly, in order
to reserve a space for those having special privileges; as, the bar of the ...
/b/bar.htm - 21k

Divide (71 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To cause to be separate; to keep apart by a partition, or by an imaginary
line or limit; as, a wall divides two houses; a stream divides the towns. ...
/d/divide.htm - 31k

Semites
... McCurdy divides into two words, Arpach or Arpath, unidentified, and kesedh, the
singular of kasdim, ie the Chaldeans; Schrader also holds to the Chaldean ...
/s/semites.htm - 27k

Semitic
... McCurdy divides into two words, Arpach or Arpath, unidentified, and kesedh, the
singular of kasdim, ie the Chaldeans; Schrader also holds to the Chaldean ...
/s/semitic.htm - 28k

Divideth (20 Occurrences)

/d/divideth.htm - 12k

Ziba (13 Occurrences)
... verse 27) with Septuagint and Syriac for Massoretic Text `I will have saddled me')
the ass." He then accuses Ziba of falsehood, and David divides the estate ...
/z/ziba.htm - 14k

Zarephath (4 Occurrences)
... It can be no other than the modern Sarafend, about 13 miles North of Tyre, on the
spur of the mountain which divides the plain of Tyre from that of Sidon. ...
/z/zarephath.htm - 11k

Overcomes (21 Occurrences)
... Luke 11:22 But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from
him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. ...
/o/overcomes.htm - 13k

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