Houses of the Grave
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Topical Encyclopedia
The term "Houses of the Grave" refers to the concept of burial places or tombs as depicted in the Bible. These structures served as the final resting places for the deceased and held significant cultural and religious importance in biblical times. The Bible provides various references to burial practices, tombs, and the spiritual implications associated with them.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, burial practices were an essential part of honoring the dead. The patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were buried in family tombs, which were often caves or hewn rock structures. Genesis 23:19 records, "After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan." This passage highlights the significance of family burial sites and the care taken to ensure proper burial.

The concept of Sheol, often translated as "the grave" or "the pit," is prevalent in the Old Testament. It is depicted as a shadowy place where the dead reside, as seen in passages like Psalm 6:5 : "For there is no mention of You in death; who can praise You from Sheol?" This reflects the belief in a distinct realm for the dead, separate from the living.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the concept of burial and tombs continues to hold importance. The burial of Jesus Christ is a pivotal event, emphasizing the fulfillment of prophecy and the hope of resurrection. Matthew 27:59-60 states, "So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance of the tomb and went away." This account underscores the care and reverence given to the burial of Jesus, as well as the significance of the tomb in the resurrection narrative.

The New Testament also addresses the spiritual implications of the grave. In 1 Corinthians 15:55 , Paul writes, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" This passage reflects the Christian belief in victory over death through the resurrection of Christ, transforming the grave from a place of finality to one of hope and anticipation of eternal life.

Cultural and Religious Significance

Throughout the Bible, burial practices and tombs are not merely practical necessities but are imbued with cultural and religious significance. They reflect beliefs about the afterlife, the importance of honoring the deceased, and the hope of resurrection. The care taken in burial practices, the construction of tombs, and the rituals associated with them all point to a deep respect for life and death.

The "Houses of the Grave" serve as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly life and the hope of eternal life promised through faith. They are a testament to the enduring human concern with mortality and the desire for a connection with the divine beyond the grave.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Job 30:23
For I know that you will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

That Women Ought not to Live in Bishops' Houses, nor in ...
... the divine Apostle. Now for women to live in Bishops' houses or in monasteries
is ground for grave offence. Whoever therefore is ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon xviii that women ought.htm

Lukewarmness. The Loss of Grace. Inconvenience of Laxity in ...
... 6. I am exceedingly sorry for these houses, because our Lord must of necessity send ...
Christ stood before me, stern and grave, giving me to understand what in my ...
/.../teresa/the life of st teresa of jesus/chapter vii lukewarmness the loss.htm

"Something"
... If the street full of houses had built a house for his brother the mason, the ... A monument
was erected over his grave, only one story high"but that is Something ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/wells/bible stories and religious classics/something.htm

New Orders of Monks; Military Orders
... Often, where monks had built their houses in lonely places, little clusters of huts
grew ... As his funeral was on its way to the grave, the corpse suddenly raised ...
/.../chapter x new orders of.htm

The Christian Home
... wrecked his business, betrayed his friends and gone down to a dishonoured grave
in the ... The True Home may be found, and is found, in great houses and in small ...
/.../sell/studies in the life of the christian/study x the christian home.htm

The Cause and Cure of Earthquakes
... At the same time, it tore up from the foundations everything therein of houses and
buildings ... when the earth opens on a sudden, and becomes the grave of whole ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 129 the cause and.htm

Moravians, or United Brethren.
... by the sums paid for their board, the expenses of these houses are defrayed ... life
and resurrection; and the corpse is deposited in the simple grave during the ...
/.../hayward/the book of religions/moravians or united brethren.htm

Jewish Homes
... former provision was, that in a town people lived together, and the houses were
close ... Here grave citizens discussed public affairs or the news of the day, or ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 6 jewish homes.htm

Bunyan's Last Sermon --Preached July 1688.
... dead, and Christ shall give thee life." To be raised from the grave of sin ...
Coffee-houses will not let you pray, trades will not let you pray, looking-glasses ...
/.../bunyan/miscellaneous pieces/bunyans last sermonpreached july 1688.htm

Excuses Commonly Urged in Defence of Second Marriage their ...
... Of course the houses of none but married men fare well! ... will he die, when he has
left children behind him"perhaps to perform the last rites over his grave! ...
/.../tertullian/on exhortation to chastity/chapter xii excuses commonly urged in.htm

Resources
What is a house blessing? Is a house blessing biblical? | GotQuestions.org

Is a house dedication a biblical concept? | GotQuestions.org

How could the laws of God be written on doorframes, gates, and foreheads? | GotQuestions.org

Houses: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Houses

Houses for Summer Residence

Houses in Cities, Built in Streets

Houses of Brick or Clay: Easily Broken Through

Houses of Brick or Clay: Often Swept Away by Torrents

Houses of Brick or Clay: Plastered

Houses of Criminals, Desolated

Houses of Saints' Inheritance

Houses of the Body

Houses of the Church

Houses of the Grave

Houses of the Rich: Goodly

Houses of the Rich: Great

Houses of the Rich: Pleasant

Houses were Hired

Houses were Mortgaged

Houses were Sold

Houses: (Building of) of Great Prosperity

Houses: (Built and not Inhabited) of Calamity

Houses: (Insecurity of) of Earthly Trust

Houses: (On a Rock) the Hope of Saints

Houses: (On Sand) the Delusive Hope of Hypocrites

Houses: (To Inhabit Those, Built by Others) Abundant Feelings

Houses: Accessible from the Outside

Houses: Admission To, Gained by Knocking at the Door

Houses: Antiquity of

Houses: Apartments of, Were often: Ceiled and Painted

Houses: Apartments of, Were often: Hung With Rich Tapestries

Houses: Apartments of, Were often: Inlaid With Ivory

Houses: Apartments of, Were often: Large and Airy

Houses: Apartments of, Were often: Warmed With Fires

Houses: Built of Bricks

Houses: Built of Clay

Houses: Built of Hewn or Cut Stone

Houses: Built of Stone and Wood

Houses: Custom of Fastening Nails, in Walls of, Alluded To

Houses: Deep and Solid Foundations Required For

Houses: Desolation of, Threatened As a Punishment

Houses: Divided Into Apartments

Houses: Doors of, How Fastened

Houses: Doors of, Low and Small for Safety

Houses: Entered by a Gate or Door

Houses: had often Detached Apartments for Secrecy and for Strangers

Houses: had often Several Stories

Houses: Law Respecting the Sale of

Houses: Liable to Leprosy

Houses: Lighted by Windows

Houses: Not to be Coveted

Houses: Often Broken Down to Repair City Walls Before Sieges

Houses: Often Built on City Walls

Houses: Serpents often Lodged in Walls of

Houses: Sometimes Built Without Foundation

Houses: Street Windows of, High and Dangerous

Houses: The Courts of, Large and Used As Apartments

Houses: The Flat Roofs of had often Booths on Them

Houses: The Flat Roofs of had often Idolatrous Altars on Them

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Often Covered With Week Grass

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Resorted to in Grief

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Surrounded With Battlements

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Used for Devotion

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Used for Drying Flax

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Used for Exercise

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Used for Making Proclamations

Houses: The Flat Roofs of Used for Secret Conference

Houses: Upper Apartments of, the Best, and Used for Entertainments

Houses: Walls of, Plastered

Houses: when Finished Were Usually Dedicated

Renting: Houses

Related Terms

Timber (32 Occurrences)

Mortar (16 Occurrences)

Tear (97 Occurrences)

House-servant (2 Occurrences)

Break (257 Occurrences)

Carry (246 Occurrences)

Houses (308 Occurrences)

Stones (244 Occurrences)

Houses of the Church
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