The concept of imagination, while not explicitly detailed in the Bible, is implicitly present in various passages and themes throughout Scripture. Imagination, in a biblical context, often refers to the thoughts, plans, and intentions of the heart and mind, which can be directed towards either righteousness or wickedness.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word "yetser," often translated as "imagination" or "intent," is used to describe the thoughts and inclinations of the human heart. Genesis 6:5 states, "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time." Here, imagination is associated with the sinful nature of humanity before the flood, highlighting the potential for human thoughts to be corrupted.

Similarly, in Jeremiah 17:9 , the prophet declares, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure—who can understand it?" This verse underscores the idea that the human heart, and by extension the imagination, can be deceitful and lead individuals away from God's will.

New Testament Insights

In the New Testament, the Greek word "dianoia" is often used to describe the mind or understanding, which encompasses the concept of imagination. Ephesians 4:17-18 warns believers, "So I tell you this, and testify to it in the Lord: You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts." This passage suggests that the imagination, when not aligned with God's truth, can lead to spiritual darkness and separation from God.

Imagination in Worship and Creativity

While imagination can lead to sin, it is also a God-given faculty that can be used for good. The Bible encourages believers to use their minds and imaginations to meditate on God's word and to worship Him. Philippians 4:8 exhorts, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things." This verse encourages the use of imagination to dwell on virtuous and godly things.

The Psalms often reflect the use of imagination in worship, as the psalmists creatively express their thoughts and emotions to God. Psalm 19:14 says, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Here, the meditation of the heart can be seen as an imaginative reflection on God's character and works.

Warnings Against Vain Imaginations

The Bible also warns against vain imaginations that lead to idolatry and false beliefs. Romans 1:21 states, "For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts." This passage highlights how imagination, when misused, can result in a rejection of God and the worship of created things rather than the Creator.

Imagination in Spiritual Warfare

In spiritual warfare, believers are called to take control of their thoughts and imaginations. 2 Corinthians 10:5 instructs, "We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." This verse emphasizes the importance of aligning one's imagination with the truth of Christ and rejecting any thoughts that oppose God's knowledge.

Conclusion

The Bible presents imagination as a powerful aspect of the human mind that can be used for both good and evil. Believers are encouraged to cultivate a sanctified imagination that aligns with God's truth, leading to worship, creativity, and spiritual growth.1. (v. t.) To form in the mind a notion or idea of; to form a mental image of; to conceive; to produce by the imagination.

2. (v. t.) To contrive in purpose; to scheme; to devise; to compass; to purpose. See Compass.

3. (v. t.) To represent to one's self; to think; to believe.

4. (v. i.) To form images or conceptions; to conceive; to devise.

5. (v. i.) To think; to suppose.

IMAGINE

i-maj'-in (chashabh; meletao): The word most frequently translated "to imagine" in the Old Testament, only in the King James Version and the English Revised Version, not in the American Standard Revised Version, is chashabh, "to bind," "combine," "think" (Job 6:26 Psalm 10:2; Psalm 21:11; Psalm 140:2 Hosea 7:15 Nahum 1:9, 11 Zechariah 7:10; Zechariah 8:17); we have also haghah in the King James Version and the English Revised Version, but not in the American Standard Revised Version, "to meditate," "mutter," "speak" (Psalm 2:1; Psalm 38:12); zamam, "to devise" (Genesis 11:6 the King James Version); charash, "to grave," "devise" (Proverbs 12:20 the King James Version); hathath, "to break in upon," to "attack unjustly" (Psalm 62:3 the King James Version); meletao, "to meditate" (Acts 4:25).

W. L. Walker

3191. meletao -- to care for, practice, study
... imagine, premeditate. From a presumed derivative of melo; to take care of, ie (by
implication) revolve in the mind -- imagine, (pre-)meditate. see GREEK melo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3191.htm - 6k

3633. oiomai and oimai -- to suppose, expect
... Speech: Verb Transliteration: oiomai and oimai Phonetic Spelling: (oy'-om-ahee)
Short Definition: I think, suppose Definition: I think, suppose, expect, imagine ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3633.htm - 6k

5274. hupolambano -- to take or bear up, to receive, to assume
... ban'-o) Short Definition: I take up, receive, answer, suppose, welcome Definition:
(a) I take up, (b) I welcome, entertain, (c) I answer, (d) I suppose, imagine ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5274.htm - 7k

2050. hathath -- imagine mischief
... 2049, 2050. hathath. 2051 . imagine mischief. Transliteration: hathath Phonetic
Spelling: (haw-thath') Short Definition: mischief. ... imagine mischief ...
/hebrew/2050.htm - 5k

2161. zamam -- to consider, purpose, devise
... consider, devise, imagine, plot, purpose, think evil. A primitive root; to
plan, usually in a bad sense -- consider, devise, imagine ...
/hebrew/2161.htm - 6k

1897. hagah -- to moan, growl, utter, speak, muse
... 2), uttering (1), utters (1). imagine, meditate, mourn, mutter, roar, sore,
speak, study,. A primitive root (compare hagiyg); to ...
/hebrew/1897.htm - 6k

2790. charash -- to cut in, engrave, plow, devise
... altogether, cease, conceal, be deaf, devise, ear, graven, imagine, A primitive
root; to scratch, ie (by implication) to engrave, plough ...
/hebrew/2790.htm - 6k

2803. chashab -- to think, account
... compute -- (make) account (of), conceive, consider, count, cunning (man, work, workman),
devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine, impute, invent, be ...
/hebrew/2803.htm - 6k

2554. chamas -- to treat violently or wrong
... A primitive root; to be violent; by implication, to maltreat -- make bare, shake
off, violate, do violence, take away violently, wrong, imagine wrongfully. ...
/hebrew/2554.htm - 6k

1819. damah -- to be like, resemble
... root Definition to be like, resemble NASB Word Usage alike (1), compare (3), compared
(1), equal (1), gave parables (1), imagine (1), intend (1), intended (2 ...
/hebrew/1819.htm - 6k

Little did I Imagine That
... THE THIRD CENTURY 66 Little did I imagine that. Little did I imagine that,
while I was thinking these things, I was conversing with God. ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/66 little did i imagine.htm

Some Clever Men Imagine that the Lord's Supper was Instituted for ...
... Part 32 Some clever men imagine that the Lord's Supper was instituted
for two reasons.? Some clever men imagine that the Lord's ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 32 some clever men.htm

Now Imagine the Duelist Fasting and Confessing his Sins to God ...
... Address 188: Now imagine the duelist fasting and confessing his sins to
God today? Now imagine the duelist fasting and confessing ...
/.../address 188 0 0 now imagine the.htm

So that None Should Imagine God the Father to be Other than Our ...
... THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE APOSTOLIC PREACHING Chapter 99 So that none should
imagine God the Father to be other than our Creator? ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 99 so that none.htm

In what Follows, Some May Imagine that He Says Something Plausible ...
... Chapter XII. In what follows, some may imagine that he says something
plausible against us.? In what follows, some may imagine ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter xii in what follows.htm

But I do not Understand How He Can Imagine the Overturning of the ...
... Chapter XXI. But I do not understand how he can imagine the overturning
of the tower of? But I do not understand how he can imagine ...
//christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen against celsus/chapter xxi but i do.htm

But if in These Matters any one were to Imagine that it is ...
... Chapter LXXIX. But if in these matters any one were to imagine that it
is superstition rather? But if in these matters any one ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen against celsus/chapter lxxix but if in.htm

In Opposition to those who Foolishly Imagine that Christ Converted ...
... the harmony of the gospels.Book I. Chapter XI."In Opposition to Those Who Foolishly
Imagine that Christ Converted the People to Himself by Magical Arts. 17. ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter xi in opposition to those.htm

But this Only Son of God, the Father Almighty...
... Do not in the least imagine any time before that Nativity of Christ whereby He was
begotten of the Father; of that Nativity I am speaking by which He is Son of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/on the creeds/section 6 but this only.htm

The World's Consternation at the Sudden and Secret Removal of the ...
... One can better imagine than describe the awe-inspiring effect upon the world
which will be occasioned by the secret removal of the Church. ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/1 the worlds consternation at.htm

Imagine (24 Occurrences)
... 5. (vi) To think; to suppose. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. IMAGINE. ... WL
Walker. Multi-Version Concordance Imagine (24 Occurrences). ...
/i/imagine.htm - 14k

Fancy (1 Occurrence)
... 7. (vi) To figure to one's self; to believe or imagine something without proof. ... 9.
(vt) To form a conception of; to portray in the mind; to imagine. 10. ...
/f/fancy.htm - 8k

Suspect (1 Occurrence)
... 5. (vt) To imagine to exist; to have a slight or vague opinion of the existence
of, without proof, and often upon weak evidence or no evidence; to mistrust; to ...
/s/suspect.htm - 7k

Suppose (47 Occurrences)
... another, not as true or real, but as if so, and with a view to some consequence
or application which the reality would involve or admit of; to imagine or admit ...
/s/suppose.htm - 20k

Revelation (52 Occurrences)
... But this people was not permitted to imagine that it owed its segregation to anything
in itself fitted to attract or determine the Divine preference; no ...
/r/revelation.htm - 89k

Imagining (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Imagine. Multi-Version
Concordance Imagining (3 Occurrences). 2 Corinthians 12:19 ...
/i/imagining.htm - 7k

Imaginations (9 Occurrences)

/i/imaginations.htm - 9k

Mischief (64 Occurrences)
... the midst of it. (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV). Psalms 62:3 How long will
ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all ...
/m/mischief.htm - 26k

Vision (106 Occurrences)
... optasia): Psychologists find that man is prevailingly and persistently "eye-minded."
That is, in his waking life he is likely to think, imagine and remember in ...
/v/vision.htm - 45k

Unpunished (24 Occurrences)
... Romans 2:3 And you who pronounce judgement upon those who do such things although
your own conduct is the same as theirs--do you imagine that you yourself will ...
/u/unpunished.htm - 13k

What does it mean that God can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine in Ephesians 3:20? | GotQuestions.org

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If Adam and Eve hadn't sinned, introducing death into creation, wouldn't the world have gotten overpopulated? | GotQuestions.org

Imagine: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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