Flitting
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Flitting, in a biblical context, refers to the act of moving or relocating from one place to another. This concept is often associated with the transient nature of human life and the spiritual journey of believers. The Bible provides numerous examples of individuals and groups who experienced flitting, whether due to divine command, persecution, or the pursuit of God's promises.

Biblical Examples of Flitting:

1. Abraham's Journey: One of the most notable instances of flitting is found in the life of Abraham. In Genesis 12:1-4 , God commands Abram to leave his country, his people, and his father's household to go to a land that He would show him. This act of obedience required Abram to flit from his familiar surroundings to an unknown destination, demonstrating faith and trust in God's promises.

2. The Exodus: The Israelites' exodus from Egypt is another significant example of flitting. Under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites left their life of bondage in Egypt to journey toward the Promised Land. This event, described in the book of Exodus, highlights the theme of liberation and the pursuit of divine inheritance. Exodus 12:31-32 records Pharaoh's command to Moses and Aaron, urging them to leave Egypt with the Israelites.

3. The Babylonian Exile: The forced relocation of the Israelites during the Babylonian Exile is a poignant example of flitting due to divine judgment. The Babylonian conquest led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, resulting in the deportation of many Israelites to Babylon. This period of exile is chronicled in 2 Kings 25 and the book of Daniel, illustrating the consequences of disobedience and the hope of eventual restoration.

4. The Early Church: In the New Testament, the early Christians experienced flitting as they spread the Gospel. Persecution in Jerusalem led to the dispersion of believers, as described in Acts 8:1 : "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria." This scattering facilitated the spread of Christianity beyond its initial confines.

Spiritual Implications:

Flitting in the Bible often symbolizes the transient nature of earthly life and the believer's journey toward a heavenly home. Hebrews 11:13-16 speaks of the patriarchs who "acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth," seeking a better country, a heavenly one. This passage underscores the idea that believers are pilgrims on a spiritual journey, flitting through this world with their eyes set on eternal promises.

Practical Applications:

For contemporary believers, the concept of flitting can serve as a reminder of the call to obedience and faith in God's guidance. Just as biblical figures trusted in God's direction during their relocations, Christians today are encouraged to seek God's will in their own life's journey, whether it involves physical relocation or spiritual growth. The transient nature of life on earth should inspire believers to focus on eternal values and the ultimate destination of their faith.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Flit.

2. (n.) A flying with lightness and celerity; a fluttering.

3. (n.) A removal from one habitation to another.

Strong's Hebrew
5110. nud -- to move to and fro, wander, flutter, show grief
... root Definition to move to and fro, wander, flutter, show grief NASB Word Usage
console (1), consoled (1), drive away (1), flee (2), flitting (1), grieve (1 ...
/hebrew/5110.htm - 6k
Library

Letter Lxxvii. To Oceanus.
... [2323] Only two years have elapsed since I sent a brief letter to my dear
Pammachius on the sudden flitting of his Paulina. [2324 ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter lxxvii to oceanus.htm

Sparrows and Altars
... Sparrows and swallows have very small brains. They build their nests, and
they do not know whose altars they are flitting around. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/sparrows and altars.htm

Follies of the Greek Mythology.
... Furies. [2502] And Procne is to this day flitting about, lamenting; and
her sister of Athens shrills with her tongue cut out. For ...
/.../justin/justins discourse to the greeks/chapter iii follies of the greek.htm

The Failure of Plato and Other Ancient Philosophers to Construct a ...
... Not despairing of the truth, he sternly put away "innumerable fancies flitting on
all sides around him," and by searching observation and experiment, brought ...
/.../a theodicy or vindication of the divine glory/section i the failure of.htm

Providence
... It is absurd to believe anything else; absurd to believe that man was meant to live
like the butterfly, flitting without care from flower to flower, and, like ...
/.../kingsley/sermons for the times/sermon xiii providence.htm

Meditation and Reflection.
... mercies. Do you listen to them? Do they not pass you unperceived like the flitting
zephyrs' leaving no trace to mark their passage. Did ...
/.../serious hours of a young lady/chapter xviii meditation and reflection.htm

Twenty-Seventh Day. Activity in Duty.
... forget not the motive of our motto verse, "The night cometh!" Soon our tale shall
be told; our little day is flitting fast, the shadows of night are falling. ...
/.../macduff/the mind of jesus/twenty-seventh day activity in duty.htm

On the Immeasurable Joys of Heaven.
... here all delights of summer, here sunny meads of May, here the very valley of bliss,
here the glad moments are seen flitting from joy to joy; here harps and ...
/.../suso/a little book of eternal wisdom/chapter xii on the immeasurable.htm

I must not Go on Describing what Cannot be Described...
... I do not exactly know where it is, or what it means; and I don't hear much of it,
only the odour of its music, as it were, flitting across the great billows of ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 7 i must not.htm

Christmas Day
... on the dripping porch; One twilight, without rise or set of sun, Till beetles drone
along the hollow lane, And round the leafless hawthorns, flitting bats Hawk ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/christmas day.htm

Thesaurus
Flitting (1 Occurrence)
...Flitting (1 Occurrence). Proverbs 26:2 As the sparrow for flitting about, as the
swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come. (DBY NAS RSV). ...
/f/flitting.htm - 6k

Float (4 Occurrences)

/f/float.htm - 10k

Flirting (1 Occurrence)

/f/flirting.htm - 6k

Resources
Flitting: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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