In the context of the Bible, a crisis is often a pivotal moment or period of intense difficulty or danger that requires a decisive response. Throughout Scripture, crises serve as opportunities for individuals and nations to demonstrate faith, obedience, and reliance on God. These moments often reveal the character of those involved and the sovereignty of God in guiding the course of events.

Old Testament Examples

1. The Exodus Crisis: One of the most significant crises in the Old Testament is the Israelites' escape from Egypt. Faced with the Red Sea before them and Pharaoh's army behind, the Israelites were in a dire situation. In Exodus 14:13-14 , Moses reassures the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the LORD’s salvation, which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." This crisis demonstrated God's power and faithfulness in delivering His people.

2. David and Goliath: In 1 Samuel 17, the young shepherd David faces the Philistine giant Goliath, a crisis for the Israelite army. David's faith in God is evident when he declares in 1 Samuel 17:45 , "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." David's victory over Goliath underscores the theme of divine intervention in times of crisis.

3. The Babylonian Exile: The destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent Babylonian exile was a national crisis for the people of Judah. The prophet Jeremiah, in Lamentations, expresses the deep sorrow and distress of this period. Yet, even in this crisis, there is hope. Lamentations 3:22-23 states, "Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!"

New Testament Examples

1. Jesus Calms the Storm: In Mark 4:35-41, the disciples face a life-threatening storm while on the Sea of Galilee. In their panic, they wake Jesus, who rebukes the wind and the waves, saying, "Peace, be still!" (Mark 4:39). This crisis reveals Jesus' authority over nature and His disciples' need to trust in Him.

2. The Crucifixion: The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the ultimate crisis in the New Testament, both for His followers and for the cosmic battle between good and evil. Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will" (Mark 14:36), highlights His submission to the Father's will. The resurrection that follows is the divine resolution to this crisis, offering salvation to humanity.

3. Paul's Shipwreck: In Acts 27, the Apostle Paul faces a severe storm and shipwreck on his journey to Rome. Despite the dire circumstances, Paul encourages the crew with his faith in God's promise, saying, "But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed" (Acts 27:22). This crisis illustrates God's providence and the importance of faith in His promises.

Theological Insights

Crisis moments in the Bible often serve as tests of faith and character. They reveal human limitations and the necessity of divine intervention. In these moments, believers are called to trust in God's sovereignty and His ability to bring about His purposes, even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. The Bible consistently portrays God as a refuge and strength, "an ever-present help in times of trouble" (Psalm 46:1). Through crises, God refines His people, drawing them closer to Himself and demonstrating His power and faithfulness.1. (n.) The point of time when it is to be decided whether any affair or course of action must go on, or be modified or terminate; the decisive moment; the turning point.

2. (n.) That change in a disease which indicates whether the result is to be recovery or death; sometimes, also, a striking change of symptoms attended by an outward manifestation, as by an eruption or sweat.

5062. tessarakonta -- forty.
... 5062 -- , sometimes with added symbolic sense, ie "a period." That is, the full
time (of a crisis, etc.) needed to successfully pass through to know God's ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5062.htm - 6k

A Crisis of Neglect and Success.
... The Pressing Emergency A Crisis of Neglect and Success. But quite distinct
from that, and in addition to it, it is quite safe to ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/a crisis of neglect and.htm

February the Second How to Approach a Crisis
... FEBRUARY The Second HOW TO APPROACH A CRISIS. "It shall be given you in that same
hour." "Matthew 10:16-28. And so I am not to worry about the coming crisis! ...
/.../jowett/my daily meditation for the circling year/february the second how to.htm

The Crisis in Galilee.
... XV THE CRISIS IN GALILEE. "Many therefore of His disciples, when they
heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it? ...
/.../the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol i/xv the crisis in galilee.htm

The Crisis in Galilee
... The DESIRE of AGES Chapter 41 The Crisis in Galilee. [This chapter is based on John
6:22-71.] ... Yet knowing this, He took no measures to avert the crisis. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 41 the crisis in.htm

The Great Crisis in Popular Feeling - the Last Discourses in the ...
... CHAPTER XXXII. THE GREAT CRISIS IN POPULAR FEELING - THE LAST DISCOURSES IN THE
SYNAGOGUE OF CAPERNAUM - CHRIST THE BREAD OF LIFE - WILL YE ALSO GO AWAY?'. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxxii the great crisis.htm

Christ Lifted Up
... IT was an extraordinary occasion upon which the Saviour uttered these words.
It was the crisis of the world. We very often speak ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/christ lifted up.htm

Carnal or Spiritual?
... These words indicate the turning point in the life of Peter, "a crisis. ... Do you
grow into it? Or do you come into it by a crisis suddenly? ...
/.../murray/the deeper christian life/iii carnal or spiritual.htm

Man's Bad Break.
... The Purpose in Jesus' Coming Man's Bad Break. Then come the climax and the crisis. ...
A crisis is the meeting place of possible victory and possible disaster. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks about jesus/mans bad break.htm

Lessons from Nature
... We are told that we are passing through a crisis, but I recollect that it was a
crisis twenty years ago, and our grandsires could tell us of a crisis every ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/lessons from nature.htm

Out of and Into
... I have spoken of the crisis that comes in the life of the man who sees that his
Christian experience is low and carnal, and who desires to enter into the full ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/murray/the deeper christian life/iv out of and into.htm

Crisis (1 Occurrence)
... outward manifestation, as by an eruption or sweat. Multi-Version Concordance
Crisis (1 Occurrence). 1 Corinthians 7:26 I think that it ...
/c/crisis.htm - 7k

Nahum (3 Occurrences)
... One thing is made quite clear by the prophecy itself, namely, that at the time the
words were spoken or written, Nineveh was passing through some grave crisis. ...
/n/nahum.htm - 21k

Eschatology
... supersedes the other more common representation, according to which the present
state continues to lie this side of the eschatological crisis, and, while ...
/e/eschatology.htm - 70k

Hezekiah (124 Occurrences)
... the warnings and directions called out by the course of the history, there is a
narrative section (Isaiah 36, 39) recounting the Sennacherib crisis much as do ...
/h/hezekiah.htm - 72k

Tabeel (2 Occurrences)
... supersedes the other more common representation, according to which the present
state continues to lie this side of the eschatological crisis, and, while ...
/t/tabeel.htm - 101k

Conversion (1 Occurrence)
... 3. Mode: The mode of conversion Varies greatly according to the former course of
life. It may be a sudden crisis in the moral and intellectual life. ...
/c/conversion.htm - 21k

Jehoiakim (37 Occurrences)
... The Prophetic Attitude: With the onset of the Chaldean power, prophecy, as represented
in the great seers whose words remain to us, reached a crisis which only ...
/j/jehoiakim.htm - 33k

Mouth (534 Occurrences)
... supersedes the other more common representation, according to which the present
state continues to lie this side of the eschatological crisis, and, while ...
/m/mouth.htm - 91k

Isaiah (64 Occurrences)
... Ahaz, king of Judah, at this crisis refused to co-operate with the kings of Israel
and Syria in opposition to the Assyrians, and was on that account attacked ...
/i/isaiah.htm - 66k

Jeremiah (141 Occurrences)
... The rumour of the approach of the Egyptians to aid the Jews in this crisis induced
the Chaldeans to withdraw and return to their own land. ...
/j/jeremiah.htm - 75k

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