Insensate
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The term "insensate" refers to a lack of feeling, understanding, or awareness. In a biblical context, it often describes a spiritual or moral insensitivity, where individuals or groups fail to perceive or respond to God's truth, guidance, or moral law. This condition is frequently addressed in Scripture, highlighting the dangers of spiritual insensitivity and the call to awaken to righteousness.

Biblical References and Themes

1. Spiritual Blindness and Deafness: The Bible often uses the metaphor of blindness and deafness to describe those who are insensate to God's word and works. In Isaiah 6:9-10, the prophet is instructed to tell the people, "Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving." This passage underscores the insensate state of Israel, who, despite witnessing God's miracles and hearing His prophets, remain unresponsive.

2. Hardened Hearts: A recurring theme in Scripture is the hardening of hearts, which leads to insensibility towards God's commands. In Exodus 7:3, God says, "But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, he will not listen to you." Pharaoh's insensate heart exemplifies the resistance to divine intervention and truth.

3. Foolishness and Lack of Understanding: The insensate are often equated with fools in the wisdom literature of the Bible. Proverbs 1:7 states, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Here, the insensate are those who reject the wisdom and instruction that come from a reverent relationship with God.

4. Moral Insensitivity: The New Testament addresses the issue of moral insensitivity, particularly in the context of sin and righteousness. In Ephesians 4:18-19, Paul writes, "They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more." This passage highlights the progression from insensate hearts to a lifestyle of sin.

5. Call to Awareness and Repentance: Despite the prevalence of insensate behavior, the Bible consistently calls individuals to awaken from their spiritual slumber. Romans 13:11-12 urges believers, "And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."

Theological Implications

The concept of being insensate in the Bible is not merely about a lack of physical sensation but is deeply tied to one's spiritual and moral state. It serves as a warning against complacency and the dangers of ignoring God's voice. The insensate heart is often portrayed as resistant to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, leading to a life that is out of alignment with God's will.

In the biblical narrative, the insensate are contrasted with those who are spiritually awake and responsive to God's call. The Scriptures encourage believers to cultivate a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, to seek wisdom, and to remain vigilant in their faith. This involves a conscious effort to listen, understand, and act upon God's word, ensuring that one's heart remains open and receptive to divine guidance.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(a.) Lacking sensibility; destitute of understanding; stupid; foolish; as, an insensate decision.
Greek
3105. mainomai -- to rage, be mad
... be beside oneself, rage. Middle voice from a primary mao (to long for; through the
idea of insensate craving); to rave as a "maniac" -- be beside self (mad). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3105.htm - 7k
Library

Him Cyrus, his Grandson by his Daughter, Expelled from the Kingdom ...
... Daniel, laughing at the mistake of the man, replied that it could not possibly be
the case, that that work of brass"mere insensate matter"could use either ...
/.../severus/life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter viii him cyrus his.htm

The Cure of Simon's Wife's Mother.
... The common kind of belief in God is rationally untenable. Half to an insensate
nature, half to a living God, is a worship that cannot stand. ...
/.../macdonald/miracles of our lord/iii the cure of simons.htm

Introduction to Proverbs viii. 22 Continued. Absurdity of ...
... For if the power of framing accrues to anyone from teaching, these insensate men
are ascribing jealousy and weakness [2382] to God;"jealousy, in that He has ...
/.../chapter xvii introduction to proverbs viii.htm

Book x. It is Manifest that There is Nothing which Men have ever ...
... made. 8. As we are answering all, even their most insensate statements,
we come now to the discussion of the unknown hour [1105] . ...
/.../hilary/the life and writings of st hilary of poitiers/book x it is manifest.htm

Mortification
... when the lungs close their gates against the air, when the heart refuses to correspond
with the blood by so much as another beat, the insensate corpse is ...
/.../drummond/natural law in the spiritual world/mortification.htm

Grant that Beauty be not to be Feared: Still it is to be Shunned ...
... God's precepts. Secondly, if all "glory" is "vain" and insensate, [165]
how much more (glory) in the flesh, especially to us? For ...
/.../tertullian/on the apparel of women/chapter iii grant that beauty be.htm

The Fig-Tree.
... that in a moment of disappointed hope, He ventured on a capricious exercise of His
power, uttered a hasty malediction, and condemned the insensate boughs to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macduff/memories of bethany/xix the fig-tree.htm

How Much is the Bible Worth?
... Perfection is perfection. To stoutly affirm that a thing is perfect, and then admit
that it may be in some respects imperfect, is an insensate procedure. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter xiii how much is.htm

Family Habits.
... For one man is quickened into life, where thousands exist as in a torpor, Feeding,
toiling, sleeping, an insensate weary round; The plough, or the ledger, or ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xvii family habits.htm

Of the Remedy for the Second Source of Weariness.
... If, on the other hand, there are any who, blinded by insensate spite, rejoice that
we have committed a mistake, whisperers as they are, and slanderers, and ...
/.../on the catechising of the uninstructed/chapter 11 of the remedy for.htm

Thesaurus
Insensate (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Lacking sensibility; destitute of understanding;
stupid; foolish; as, an insensate decision. ...Insensate (1 Occurrence). ...
/i/insensate.htm - 6k

Insects (17 Occurrences)

/i/insects.htm - 14k

Unfeeling (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Destitute of feeling; void of sensibility; insensible;
insensate. 2. (a.) Without kind feelings; cruel; hard-hearted. ...
/u/unfeeling.htm - 7k

Insensibility (1 Occurrence)

/i/insensibility.htm - 7k

Mad (22 Occurrences)
... The insensate fury of the wicked against the good is called by this name in Psalm
102:8. In Deuteronomy 28:28-34 it is used to characterize the state of panic ...
/m/mad.htm - 19k

Madness (13 Occurrences)
... The insensate fury of the wicked against the good is called by this name in Psalm
102:8. In Deuteronomy 28:28-34 it is used to characterize the state of panic ...
/m/madness.htm - 17k

Delighted (56 Occurrences)
... I have delighted. (YLT). Psalms 119:70 Insensate as fat hath been their
heart, I -- in Thy law I have delighted. (YLT). Psalms 119 ...
/d/delighted.htm - 23k

Resources
Insensate: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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