Lexical Summary ammos: Sand Original Word: ἄμμος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sand. Perhaps from hama; sand (as heaped on the beach) -- sand. see GREEK hama NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom psammos (sand) Definition sand NASB Translation sand (5). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 285: ἄμμοςἄμμος, , ἡ, sand; see. to a Hebrew comparison ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης and ἄμμος ἡ παρά τό χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης are used for an innumerable multitude, Romans 9:27; Hebrews 11:12; Revelation 20:8, equivalent to Revelation 12:18 (Revelation 13:1). According to the context sandy ground, Matthew 7:26. (Xenophon, Plato, Theophrastus often, Plutarch, the Sept. often.) Topical Lexicon Natural and Cultural Background In the biblical world sand was a familiar part of daily life—gathered along riverbanks, strewn across desert tracks, edging the shores of the Mediterranean, the Sea of Galilee, and the Dead Sea. Its countless grains offered an immediate illustration of vastness and fragility. While soil provided stability and stone spoke of strength, sand was the epitome of the shifting and the innumerable. The Spirit-inspired authors drew upon this ready symbol to communicate both covenant promise and solemn warning. Occurrences in the New Testament The term appears five times: Matthew 7:26; Romans 9:27; Hebrews 11:12; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 20:8. Though few in number, these references span the themes of wisdom versus folly, prophetic promise, covenant fulfillment, cosmic conflict, and final judgment. Symbolism of Innumerability Sand’s most frequent figurative use is as a measureless quantity. Paul cites Isaiah in Romans 9:27, stressing that Israel’s population may be “like the sand of the sea,” yet only a remnant will experience saving mercy. The writer of Hebrews, reflecting on Genesis, celebrates the faith of Abraham: “descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the sand on the seashore were born” (Hebrews 11:12). Sand therefore underscores both the overflowing generosity of divine promise and the sober reality that blessing is received by faith, not mere physical lineage. Judgment and Foolishness In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus employs sand as an image of instability: “everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand” (Matthew 7:26). Here sand becomes a moral metaphor; the substance that slips and shifts warns against any life erected on self‐reliance, empty profession, or partial obedience. The audience, aware of flash floods and eroding wadis, would grasp the peril immediately. Spiritual Warfare and the Church Revelation moves the image from quantity and weakness to the arena of conflict. After the dragon’s failed assault on the woman and her Child, he “stood on the sand of the seashore” (Revelation 12:17). The shoreline functions as a vantage point from which the dragon summons the sea beast, launching persecution against the saints. The sand pictures humanity’s uncountable mass, among whom the adversary prowls, seeking collaborators for his war on “those who keep God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” Eschatological Hostility The final biblical occurrence intensifies this martial note: Satan, released from his thousand-year confinement, will deceive the nations “to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the seashore” (Revelation 20:8). The imagery stresses both the staggering scale of opposition and its ultimate futility, as fire from heaven will swiftly consume the hosts arrayed against the beloved city. Theological Threads 1. Covenant Faithfulness: Sand magnifies the gracious breadth of God’s promise to Abraham, yet reminds that faith, not descent, secures participation. Pastoral and Devotional Applications • Assurance: Believers may rest in the God who counts and cherishes what humans deem countless. Thus, the humble grain of sand becomes a multidimensional witness—testifying to promise, probing the heart, portraying the clash of kingdoms, and pointing to the unshakeable Kingdom to come. Forms and Transliterations αμμον άμμον ἄμμον αμμος άμμος ἄμμος άμμου άμμω αμνάδα αμνάδας αμνάδες αμνάδων αμνάς αμνάσιν αμνήστευτον ammon ámmon ammos ámmosLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 7:26 N-AFSGRK: ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον NAS: built his house on the sand. KJV: house upon the sand: INT: upon the sand Romans 9:27 N-NFS Hebrews 11:12 N-NFS Revelation 12:17 N-AFS Revelation 20:8 N-NFS |
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