The forefinger, also known as the index finger, is the finger next to the thumb. In biblical times, the forefinger held symbolic and practical significance, often associated with authority, direction, and action. While the Bible does not explicitly mention the forefinger in isolation, its functions and symbolic meanings can be inferred from various scriptural contexts.

Symbol of Authority and Instruction

In the ancient Near Eastern culture, the forefinger was often used to point or indicate direction, symbolizing authority and command. This is reflected in the biblical use of the hand and fingers to denote power and divine intervention. For instance, in Exodus 8:19, the magicians of Egypt acknowledge the "finger of God" when they are unable to replicate the plague of gnats, saying to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." Here, the finger represents God's authority and power over creation, a divine intervention that surpasses human capability.

Instrument of Writing

The forefinger is also implied in the act of writing, a significant activity in biblical narratives. In Exodus 31:18, God gives Moses the tablets of the covenant law, inscribed by the "finger of God." The use of the finger in this context underscores the direct and personal nature of God's communication with His people, as well as the authority and permanence of His commandments.

Symbol of Judgment and Conviction

In the New Testament, Jesus uses the concept of the "finger of God" to describe the power by which He casts out demons, as recorded in Luke 11:20: "But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." Here, the finger signifies divine judgment and the inbreaking of God's kingdom, highlighting the authority of Jesus over evil and His role as the Messiah.

Cultural and Ritual Significance

In Jewish tradition, the forefinger may have been used in various rituals and practices, such as the application of blood during sacrifices. Leviticus 4:6 describes the priest dipping his finger in the blood of a sin offering and sprinkling it before the Lord, symbolizing purification and atonement. The use of the finger in this ritual underscores the precision and intentionality required in the sacrificial system, reflecting the holiness and justice of God.

Conclusion

While the Bible does not explicitly focus on the forefinger, its implied uses and symbolic meanings are woven throughout the scriptural narrative. The forefinger, as part of the hand, serves as a powerful symbol of God's authority, judgment, and covenant relationship with His people. Through its various representations, the forefinger highlights the themes of divine power, instruction, and the fulfillment of God's promises.(n.) The finger next to the thumb; the index.

How to Use this Book
... Coleridge once said of him that one might as well try to dislodge a brick from a
building with one's forefinger as to omit a single word from one of his finest ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/how to use this book.htm

Marriage of the Blessed virgin to Joseph
... I saw that he was in a spiritual ecstasy and saw a vision, and that the forefinger
of his hand was laid upon the passage of Isaiah in the scroll: "And there ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/vii marriage of the blessed.htm

Thou Art the Man
... What a collapse there would be in the king when the pointed forefinger
of the prophet emphasised and drove home the application! ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/thou art the man.htm

God's Mercy or Man's? July 31.
... "Eh? Why, I should be a brute if I were not. Fond of him? why, I would sooner have
given my forefinger than that he should have gone to the dogs.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/daily thoughts /gods mercy or mans july.htm

Love, the Motive Power for Service.
... What shall I do?" He hit upon a happy expedient; he represented the Emperor leaning
on his elbow, with his forefinger upon his brow, accidentally, as it seemed ...
/.../moody/to the work to the work/chapter ii love the motive.htm

The Scaffolding Left in the Body
... In one instance, in which the performer had less than one hour's experience of life,
he hung by both hands to my forefinger for ten seconds, and then ...
/.../the lowell lectures on the ascent of man/chapter ii the scaffolding left.htm

The Procession of Amen
... He pecked the man on the head with the knuckle of his forefinger, saying in colloquial
Egyptian: "Hold thy tongue, brawler, nor presume to flout thy betters!". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter iv the procession of.htm

Go into Peace
... Him. In substance He says to her: 'Thy faith, not thy forefinger, has joined
thee to Me; My love, not My garment, has healed thee.'. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/go into peace.htm

On Descartes' "Discourse Touching the Method of Using One's Reason ...
... Next, return the eyes to their natural position, and, having crossed the forefinger
and the middle finger, put the marble between their tips. ...
/.../lay sermons addresses and reviews/xiv on descartes discourse touching.htm

On the First Floor of an Ancient Mansion, in a Street which Slopes ...
... Sovrani.". "Ah!" and Gherardi balanced a paper-knife lightly on the point
of his long forefinger, "An unpleasant woman that! One ...
//christianbookshelf.org/corelli/the master-christian/xx on the first floor.htm

Forefinger (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The finger next to the thumb; the index.
Multi-Version Concordance Forefinger (1 Occurrence). Leviticus ...
/f/forefinger.htm - 6k

Forefront (11 Occurrences)

/f/forefront.htm - 11k

Forefather's (1 Occurrence)

/f/forefather's.htm - 6k

Forefinger: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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