Topical Encyclopedia In biblical times, the use of beds was often associated with rest, comfort, and normalcy. However, during periods of affliction, distress, or mourning, the use of beds was sometimes deliberately avoided as a sign of humility, repentance, or deep sorrow. This practice is reflected in several passages throughout the Scriptures, where individuals in distress choose to forsake the comfort of their beds.One notable example is found in the life of King David. In Psalm 6:6, David laments, "I am weary from groaning; all night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears." Here, David's bed becomes a place of sorrow rather than rest, as he expresses his deep anguish and repentance before God. The imagery of a bed soaked with tears underscores the intensity of his affliction and his earnest plea for divine mercy. Similarly, in the book of Job, we see a man who, in the midst of profound suffering, finds no solace in his bed. Job 7:13-14 states, "When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, then You frighten me with dreams, and terrify me with visions." Job's experience highlights the futility of seeking comfort in physical rest when the soul is in turmoil. His bed, instead of providing relief, becomes a place of further distress, reflecting the depth of his trials. The prophet Jeremiah also speaks to this theme in Lamentations 2:19, where he calls the people to rise from their beds in the night to pour out their hearts like water before the Lord: "Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street." Here, the act of leaving one's bed to pray and seek God during times of national calamity is portrayed as a necessary response to affliction. In the New Testament, the theme continues with the account of the paralytic in John 5:8, where Jesus commands, "Get up, pick up your mat, and walk." This miracle not only demonstrates Christ's power to heal but also symbolizes the transition from a state of affliction to one of restoration and new life. The bed, or mat, which had been a symbol of the man's infirmity, is now carried as a testimony to his healing. Throughout Scripture, the avoidance of beds during times of affliction serves as a powerful metaphor for the human condition in its need for divine intervention. It reflects a posture of humility and dependence on God, acknowledging that true comfort and restoration come not from physical rest, but from the Lord's presence and deliverance. Torrey's Topical Textbook 2 Samuel 12:16David therefore sought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth. Torrey's Topical Textbook 2 Samuel 13:31 Library And all the Methods I have Mentioned are Constantly Used by Nearly ... Incidents of Childhood Prayer and Trouble (Continued) The Carcass and the Eagles Not Now, but Hereafter! Examples of True Eloquence Drawn from the Epistles of Paul and the ... The Bliss of the Glorified How Ptolemy Philadelphus Procured the Laws of the Jews to be ... A Question for a Questioner What and Whence are These? Resources What is iniquity according to the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhy do Christians practice the indoctrination of children? | GotQuestions.org Is being holy even possible, since only God is holy? | GotQuestions.org Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Beds of the Poor Covered With Upper Garment Beds of the Poor often Sold for Debt Beds used for Reclining on at Meals Beds used for Reclining on by Day Beds: (Made in Darkness) of Extreme Misery Beds: (Made in Sickness) of Divine Support and Comfort Beds: (Made on High) of Carnal Security Beds: (Too Short) Plans Which Afford No Rest or Peace Beds: A Small Pallet or Mattress Used As Beds: Couches or Divans Used As Beds: Covered With Tapestry and Linen Beds: Persons Sometimes Took To, in Grief Beds: Saints Meditate and Praise God While On Beds: Subject to Ceremonial Defilement Beds: The Slothful Too Fond of Beds: The Wicked Devise Mischief While On Related Terms |
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