Topical Encyclopedia In biblical times, burial practices were deeply significant and often accompanied by expressions of profound grief and lamentation. The act of burial was not merely a practical necessity but a deeply spiritual and communal event, reflecting the beliefs and emotions of the people involved.Old Testament Instances One of the earliest examples of burial attended by great lamentation is found in the account of Jacob's death. In Genesis 50:1-3 , we read about Joseph's response to his father's passing: "Then Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him. And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So they embalmed him, taking the full forty days required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days." This passage highlights the extensive period of mourning, which included both the family and the Egyptians, indicating the high regard in which Jacob was held. Another significant instance is the death of Moses. Although the exact location of his burial is unknown, Deuteronomy 34:8 records the mourning of the Israelites: "The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end." This period of lamentation underscores the deep respect and love the Israelites had for their leader. New Testament Instances In the New Testament, the burial of Jesus Christ is a pivotal event marked by sorrow and lamentation. While the Gospels do not explicitly describe the lamentation at His burial, the surrounding events convey the deep grief of His followers. In Luke 23:27 , as Jesus is led to His crucifixion, "A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him." This mourning continued through His death and burial, as seen in the actions of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who lovingly prepared His body for burial (John 19:38-42). The burial of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, also involved great lamentation. Acts 8:2 states, "God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him." This expression of grief reflects the early Christian community's sorrow over the loss of a faithful servant and the persecution they faced. Cultural and Theological Significance The practice of lamentation during burials in biblical times was not only a cultural expression of grief but also a theological acknowledgment of the reality of death and the hope of resurrection. Mourning rituals often included weeping, wailing, and the wearing of sackcloth, symbolizing repentance and humility before God. In the biblical worldview, death was seen as a consequence of sin, yet it was also a transition to a future hope. The lamentation at burials served as a reminder of the temporary nature of life and the promise of eternal life through faith in God. This hope is poignantly expressed in passages such as 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 , where Paul writes, "Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him." In summary, burials attended by great lamentation in the Bible reflect a deep-seated cultural and theological understanding of death, mourning, and the hope of resurrection. These events were marked by communal expressions of grief, underscoring the significance of the deceased and the shared hope of life beyond the grave. Torrey's Topical Textbook Genesis 50:10,11And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days. Torrey's Topical Textbook 2 Samuel 3:31,32 Library Seed Scattered and Taking Root The Wicked Man's Life, Funeral, and Epitaph Acts VIII Chapter l Carey's Last Days The Review of the Troops at Doriscus. Ripe for Gathering Answer to Mr. W's Sixth Objection. Huss and Jerome. Huss and Jerome Resources What does the Bible say about cremation? Should Christians be cremated? | GotQuestions.orgIs it true that Jesus was crucified above the tomb of Adam? | GotQuestions.org Why are the circumstances of the death of Moses so mysterious? | GotQuestions.org Burial: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Burial for Criminals, Marked by Heaps Burial of Enemies, Sometimes Performed by the Conquerors Burial of Persons Embalmed, Deferred for Seventy Days Burial of Persons Hanged, Always on the Days of Execution Burial of the Friendless, a Kind Act Burial were Ceremonially Unclean Burial: An Ignominious, Compared to the Burial of an Ass Burial: Antiquity of Coffins For Burial: Antiquity of Purchasing Places For Burial: Attended by Family of the Dead Burial: Attended by Female Friends Burial: Attended by Great Lamentation At Burial: Attended by Hired Mourners Burial: Attended by Numbers of Friends Burial: Attended by Relatives and Friends of Jacob Burial: Attended by Relatives and Friends: Abner Burial: Attended by Relatives and Friends: Child of Jeroboam Burial: Attended by Relatives and Friends: Stephen Burial: Attended by Relatives and Friends: The Son of the Widow of Nain Burial: Burial of Gog (Multitude) Requiring Seven Months Burial: Burying Places for Poor and Strangers Burial: Burying Places in Caves Burial: Burying Places in Gardens Burial: Burying Places in Houses Burial: Burying Places in Valleys Burial: Burying Places of Kings Burial: Burying Places with Shelves Burial: Burying Places: A Place of Honor Burial: Burying Places: And Inscriptions Burial: Burying Places: Anyone Who Touched, Were Unclean Burial: Burying Places: Bought by Abraham Burial: Burying Places: Closed With Stones Burial: Burying Places: Demoniacs Lived In Burial: Burying Places: Family Burial: Burying Places: Joseph Burial: Burying Places: King Saul's Burial: Burying Places: Marked With Pillars, Rachel's Burial: Burying Places: On Hills Burial: Burying Places: Painted and Garnished Burial: Burying Places: Refused to the Dead Burial: Burying Places: Robbed Burial: Burying Places: Sealed Burial: Burying Places: Under Trees, Deborah's Burial: Directions Given About, Before Death by Jacob Burial: Directions Given About, Before Death by Joseph Burial: Frequently Prepared and Pointed out During Life Burial: Held in High Veneration Burial: Illustrative of Regeneration Burial: Members of a Family Interred in the Same Burial: Often Desecrated by Idolatry Burial: Often Took Place Immediately After Death Burial: Orations Sometimes Made At Burial: Places Used for Caves Hewn out of Rocks Burial: Places Used for Gardens Burial: Places Used for Houses of the Deceased Burial: Places Used for Natural Caves Burial: Places Used for The City of David for the Kings of Judah Burial: Places Used for Tops of the Hills Burial: Places Used for Under Trees Burial: Privation of, Considered a Calamity Burial: Privation of, Threatened As a Punishment Burial: Provided for Aliens and Strangers Burial: Provided for the Common People Burial: Sometimes had Inscriptions Burial: Sometimes not Apparent Burial: The Body Was: Anointed For Burial: The Body Was: Carried on a Bier To Burial: The Body Was: Preserved With Spices Burial: The Body Was: Sometimes Burned Before Burial: The Body Was: Washed Before Burial: The Body Was: Wound in Linen For Burial: The Jews Anxious to be Interred in Their Family Places of Burial: The Right of all Nations Burial: Visited by Sorrowing Friends Related Terms |
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