Severity
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Definition and Context:
Severity, in a biblical context, refers to the strictness, sternness, or harshness of God's judgment or actions. It is often contrasted with God's kindness and mercy, highlighting the dual aspects of His nature. The concept of severity is integral to understanding the balance of justice and grace in the biblical narrative.

Biblical References:

1. Romans 11:22 · "Take notice, therefore, of the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off." This verse illustrates the dual nature of God's dealings with humanity. It serves as a warning to remain in God's favor by continuing in His kindness, while also acknowledging the consequences of falling away.

2. Hebrews 10:31 · "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." This passage underscores the seriousness and severity of God's judgment. It serves as a reminder of the reverence and awe due to God, who is both loving and just.

3. 2 Samuel 6:7 · "And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God." This incident reflects the severity of God's holiness and the importance of reverence in worship. Uzzah's death serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of disregarding God's commands.

4. Acts 5:1-11 · The account of Ananias and Sapphira demonstrates the severity of God's judgment in the early church. Their deceit regarding the sale of their property and the subsequent punishment highlight the seriousness with which God views sin and the importance of integrity among believers.

Theological Implications:

· Justice and Holiness: God's severity is a reflection of His justice and holiness. It serves to uphold the moral order and demonstrate the seriousness of sin. The severity of God ensures that His standards are maintained and that sin is not taken lightly.

· Discipline and Correction: Severity can also be seen as a form of divine discipline. Hebrews 12:6 states, "For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives." God's severity in discipline is an expression of His love, aimed at correcting and guiding His people back to righteousness.

· Contrast with Mercy: The severity of God is often juxtaposed with His mercy, providing a fuller picture of His character. While God is severe in His judgment, He is also abundant in mercy, offering forgiveness and restoration to those who repent.

Practical Application:

Believers are called to recognize and respect the severity of God as part of their spiritual walk. This recognition should lead to a healthy fear of the Lord, encouraging obedience and reverence. It also serves as a motivation to remain in God's kindness, as highlighted in Romans 11:22, by living a life that reflects His holiness and righteousness. Understanding God's severity helps believers appreciate the depth of His mercy and the significance of His grace.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (n.) The quality or state of being severe.

2. (n.) Gravity or austerity; extreme strictness; rigor; harshness; as, the severity of a reprimand or a reproof; severity of discipline or government; severity of penalties.

3. (n.) The quality or power of distressing or paining; extreme degree; extremity; intensity; inclemency; as, the severity of pain or anguish; the severity of cold or heat; the severity of the winter.

4. (n.) Harshness; cruel treatment; sharpness of punishment; as, severity practiced on prisoners of war.

5. (n.) Exactness; rigorousness; strictness; as, the severity of a test.

Greek
663. apotomia -- sharpness, steepness
... steepness. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: apotomia Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-ot-om-ee'-ah) Short Definition: harshness, severity Definition: (lit ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/663.htm - 6k

857. apheidia -- unsparing treatment
... unsparing treatment. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: apheidia Phonetic
Spelling: (af-i-dee'-ah) Short Definition: severity Definition: severity ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/857.htm - 7k

664. apotomos -- abruptly, curtly
... Word Origin adverb from apo and temno (to cut) Definition abruptly, curtly
NASB Word Usage severely (1), severity (1). sharpness. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/664.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew
6531. perek -- harshness, severity
... 6530, 6531. perek. 6532 . harshness, severity. Transliteration: perek
Phonetic Spelling: (peh'-rek) Short Definition: severity. ...
/hebrew/6531.htm - 6k
Library

To the Severity of God There Belong Accessory Qualities ...
... and good God. Chapter XVI."To the Severity of God There Belong Accessory
Qualities, Compatible with Justice. If Human Passions ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xvi to the severity of.htm

The Severity of God Compatible with Reason and Justice when ...
... God. Chapter XV."The Severity of God Compatible with Reason and Justice
When Inflicted, Not Meant to Be Arbitrary, But Remedial. ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xv the severity of god.htm

The Judicial Severity of Christ and the Tenderness of the Creator ...
... Jesus is the Christ of the Creator. Chapter XXXV."The Judicial Severity of Christ
and the Tenderness of the Creator, Asserted in Contradiction to Marcion. ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter xxxv the judicial severity of.htm

The Instructor Characterized by the Severity and Benignity of ...
... The Instructor: Book I Chapter XII."The Instructor Characterized by the
Severity and Benignity of Paternal Affection. Having now ...
/.../the instructor paedagogus/chapter xii the instructor characterized by.htm

Every Severity, Therefore, and Apparent Cruelty, Either in Word or ...
... Book 3 Chapter 17. Every severity, therefore, and apparent cruelty, either
in word or deed? 17. Every severity, therefore, and ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 17 every severity therefore.htm

To those who Murmur at the Free Grace of Election and the Just ...
... First Head of Doctrine. Divine Election and Reprobation Article 18 To those who
murmur at the free grace of election and the just severity of? ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/various/the canons of dordt/article 18 to those who.htm

Rule for Interpreting Phrases which Seem to Ascribe Severity to ...
... Book III. Chapter 11."Rule for Interpreting Phrases Which Seem to Ascribe Severity
to God and the Saints. 17. Every severity, therefore ...
/.../chapter 11 rule for interpreting phrases.htm

That Gentleness must be Added to Severity, as is Shown in the Case ...
... That gentleness must be added to severity, as is shown in the case of St.? That
gentleness must be added to severity, as is shown in the case of St. ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xvii that gentleness must.htm

Of the Connection of the Wars which with Great Severity and ...
... Book III. Chapter 30."Of the Connection of the Wars Which with Great Severity
and Frequency Followed One Another Before the Advent of Christ. ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 30 of the connection of.htm

On the Predestination of the Means to the End
... and sufficient to produce faith in [the hearts of] sinful men, in such a manner
as he knows to be comportable with his mercy and with his severity, to the ...
/.../the works of james arminius vol 2/disputation xli on the predestination.htm

Thesaurus
Severity (7 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Gravity or austerity; extreme strictness; rigor; harshness; as, the severity
of a reprimand or a reproof; severity of discipline or government ...
/s/severity.htm - 9k

Rigor (8 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) See 1st Rigor, 2. 5. (n.) Severity of climate or season; inclemency;
as, the rigor of the storm; the rigors of winter. 6 ...
/r/rigor.htm - 9k

Notice (44 Occurrences)
... (WEY NAS RSV NIV). Romans 11:22 Notice therefore God's kindness and God's severity.
On those who have fallen His severity has descended ...
/n/notice.htm - 19k

Tyrannize (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (vi) To act the tyrant; to exercise arbitrary power; to rule with unjust and
oppressive severity; to exercise power others not permitted by law or required ...
/t/tyrannize.htm - 7k

Respond (21 Occurrences)
... (See NAS NIV). Romans 11:22 Notice therefore God's kindness and God's severity.
On those who have fallen His severity has descended ...
/r/respond.htm - 12k

Provided (68 Occurrences)
... (See RSV). Romans 11:22 Notice therefore God's kindness and God's severity.
On those who have fallen His severity has descended, but ...
/p/provided.htm - 28k

Bitter (203 Occurrences)
... They represented the severity of the servitude under which the people groaned; and
have been regarded also as typical of the sufferings of Christ. ...
/b/bitter.htm - 42k

Cease (138 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Romans 11:22 Notice therefore God's kindness and God's severity.
On those who have fallen His severity has descended, but ...
/c/cease.htm - 40k

Scourge (24 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) To whip severely; to lash. 4. (n.) To punish with severity; to chastise;
to afflict, as for sins or faults, and with the purpose of correction. ...
/s/scourge.htm - 17k

Sternness (1 Occurrence)
... (n.) The quality or state of being stern. Multi-Version Concordance Sternness (1
Occurrence). Romans 11:22 See then the goodness and severity of God. ...
/s/sternness.htm - 6k

Resources
What does the Bible say about Christian fathers? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about human rights? | GotQuestions.org

Summary of the Book of Numbers - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org

Severity: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Severity (7 Occurrences)

Matthew 24:51
he will treat him with the utmost severity and assign him a place among the hypocrites: there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
(WEY)

Romans 11:22
See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

2 Corinthians 13:10
On this account I write these things being absent, that being present I may not use severity according to the authority which the Lord has given me for building up, and not for overthrowing.
(DBY NAS)

Colossians 2:23
Which things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but aren't of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.
(WEB WEY ASV RSV)

Leviticus 25:43
You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your God.
(See NAS)

Leviticus 25:46
You may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession; of them may you take your slaves forever: but over your brothers the children of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness.
(See NAS)

Leviticus 25:53
As a servant hired year by year shall he be with him: he shall not rule with harshness over him in your sight.
(See NAS)

Subtopics

Severity

Related Terms

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Sow (61 Occurrences)

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Up (25836 Occurrences)

Lengths (2 Occurrences)

List (17 Occurrences)

Whip (7 Occurrences)

Fell (331 Occurrences)

Fillet (1 Occurrence)

Together (4710 Occurrences)

Results (16 Occurrences)

Ensnare (15 Occurrences)

Elbows (1 Occurrence)

Pads (2 Occurrences)

Pillows (6 Occurrences)

Bottle (28 Occurrences)

Bind (68 Occurrences)

Cushions (5 Occurrences)

Charms (10 Occurrences)

Armholes (2 Occurrences)

Arm-holes (5 Occurrences)

Sewed (2 Occurrences)

Shew (226 Occurrences)

Show (1340 Occurrences)

Stature (22 Occurrences)

Run (147 Occurrences)

Rend (35 Occurrences)

Hem (14 Occurrences)

Various (52 Occurrences)

Catch (46 Occurrences)

Preserve (61 Occurrences)

Silence (80 Occurrences)

Tear (97 Occurrences)

Silent (120 Occurrences)

Belonging (90 Occurrences)

Wo (92 Occurrences)

Hunt (19 Occurrences)

Magic (12 Occurrences)

Arm (110 Occurrences)

Severing
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