Seclusion
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Seclusion, in the biblical context, refers to the act of withdrawing from society or public life, often for the purpose of prayer, reflection, or spiritual renewal. This practice is evident throughout Scripture, where individuals seek solitude to commune with God, gain clarity, or prepare for significant tasks.

Old Testament Examples

In the Old Testament, seclusion is often associated with prophets and leaders who sought God's guidance. Moses is a prominent example; he frequently withdrew to Mount Sinai to receive the Law and commune with God. Exodus 24:18 states, "Then Moses entered the cloud as he went up on the mountain, and he remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights." This period of seclusion was crucial for receiving divine instruction.

Elijah also experienced seclusion when he fled to Horeb, the mountain of God. In 1 Kings 19:9, it is recorded, "There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'" This time alone allowed Elijah to hear God's still, small voice and receive encouragement for his prophetic mission.

New Testament Examples

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ exemplifies the practice of seclusion. He often withdrew from the crowds to pray and seek the Father's will. Mark 1:35 notes, "Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray." This pattern of seeking solitude is seen throughout His ministry, especially before significant events such as choosing the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12) and His transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-2).

The Apostle Paul also experienced seclusion after his conversion. In Galatians 1:17-18, Paul recounts, "I did not go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus. Only after three years did I go up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas." This period of isolation likely served as a time of preparation and revelation for his future ministry.

Purpose and Benefits

Seclusion in the Bible is often portrayed as a time for spiritual renewal, preparation, and divine encounter. It allows individuals to focus on God without the distractions of daily life. In Psalm 46:10, believers are encouraged to "Be still and know that I am God," highlighting the importance of quietness and solitude in recognizing God's presence and sovereignty.

Moreover, seclusion can be a time for introspection and repentance. In the book of Jonah, the prophet's time in the belly of the great fish serves as a forced seclusion, leading to repentance and renewed obedience to God's call (Jonah 2:1-9).

Practical Application

For contemporary believers, the biblical principle of seclusion can be applied through personal retreats, dedicated prayer times, and moments of silence before God. These practices can help cultivate a deeper relationship with God, provide clarity in decision-making, and offer rest for the soul amidst the busyness of life. As Jesus demonstrated, seclusion is not an end in itself but a means to engage more fully with God's mission and purpose.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(n.) Separation from society or connection; a withdrawing; privacy; as, to live in seclusion.
Greek
4032. perikrupto -- to conceal entirely
... around it). Word Origin from peri and krupto Definition to conceal entirely
NASB Word Usage kept...in seclusion (1). hide. From ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4032.htm - 6k
Library

The Classes and the Masses
... Shut in for millenniums by the gigantic wall of the Himalayas on the North, and
by the impassable ocean on the South, they have lived in seclusion from the ...
/.../wilson-carmichael/things as they are/chapter ix the classes and.htm

All Saints' Day
... To sink down with them in absolute seclusion, in that good ground in which they
have lost themselves, and in which their great blessedness is to be found. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/sermon xxv all saints day.htm

Instruction iii
... and how, on the other hand, he must bear his own nothingness, and then contemplate
the unknown wastes and deserts of the Divine Attributes in quiet seclusion. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/instruction iii.htm

Chrysostom as a Monk. AD 374-381.
... this mode of life as "the true philosophy" from the purest motives, and brought
into it intellect and cultivation enough to make the seclusion available for ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/chapter v chrysostom as a monk.htm

Jesus' Brothers Advise Him to Go to Jerusalem.
... This keeping away or seclusion began at the Passover season, and led Jesus not only
to keep away from Jud??a, but even to hover upon the outskirts of Galilee ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxxv jesus brothers advise him.htm

Smerdis the Magian.
... Such royal personages were often accustomed to live thus, in a state of great seclusion,
spending their time in effeminate pleasures within the walls of their ...
/.../abbott/darius the great/chapter iii smerdis the magian.htm

The Mother of Xerxes.
... Such seclusion, so far as related to the ladies of the royal family, was not unusual
after the death of a king, and Smerdis did not deviate from the ordinary ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter i the mother of.htm

The Home Scene.
... that sunlit home, and that, when the calls and duties of His public ministry were
suspended, many an hour was spent in the enjoyment of its peaceful seclusion. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macduff/memories of bethany/ii the home scene.htm

The Nativity of Jesus the Messiah.
... [946] Bearing in mind the simple habits of the East, this scarcely implies, what
it would in the West; and perhaps the seclusion and privacy from the noisy ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vi the nativity of.htm

From the Commencement of the Revolution in 1776, to Its ...
... engaged in preaching the gospel in Queen Anne's county, in the state of Maryland.,
After having paid a visit to Mr. Asbury in his seclusion at Judge Whites ...
/.../chapter 2 from the commencement.htm

Thesaurus
Seclusion (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Separation from society or connection; a withdrawing;
privacy; as, to live in seclusion. ...Seclusion (1 Occurrence). ...
/s/seclusion.htm - 6k

Retirement (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The act of retiring, or the state of being retired;
withdrawal; seclusion; as, the retirement of an officer. ...
/r/retirement.htm - 7k

Secluded (7 Occurrences)

/s/secluded.htm - 8k

Birth (357 Occurrences)
... A Hebrew mother remained forty days in seclusion after the birth of a son,
and after the birth of a daughter double that number of days. ...
/b/birth.htm - 71k

Bethany (13 Occurrences)
... Seen from a distance, the village has been described as "remarkably beautiful, the
perfection of retirement and repose, of seclusion and lovely peace." Now a ...
/b/bethany.htm - 14k

Confinement (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Restraint within limits; imprisonment; a restraint
of liberty; seclusion. 2. (n.) Restraint within doors by sickness, esp. ...
/c/confinement.htm - 8k

Ahimelech (17 Occurrences)
... not unto it" (1 Chronicles 13:3), though there is nothing to forbid the idea that
it may, on occasion, have been brought out from its seclusion (1 Samuel 14:18 ...
/a/ahimelech.htm - 20k

Ahijah (23 Occurrences)
... If the Hebrew reading is correct, then the seclusion of the ark, from the time of
its return from Philistia to the time of David, was not so absolute as many ...
/a/ahijah.htm - 21k

Secrecy (1 Occurrence)
... spite of their secrecy. 2. (n.) That which is concealed; a secret. 3.
(n.) Seclusion; privacy; retirement. 4. (n.) The quality of ...
/s/secrecy.htm - 7k

Solitude (3 Occurrences)
... loneliness. 2. (a.) Remoteness from society; destitution of company; seclusion;
-- said of places; as, the solitude of a wood. 3 ...
/s/solitude.htm - 7k

Resources
Why, when, and for how long was the apostle Paul in Arabia? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Gospel Coalition? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Elizabeth in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Seclusion: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Seclusion (1 Occurrence)

Luke 1:24
After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
(See NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Seclusion

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Secluded
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