Topical Bible: Man: Compared to Grass

◄ Man: Compared to Grass ►

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In the Scriptures, the comparison of man to grass serves as a poignant metaphor illustrating the transient and fragile nature of human life. This imagery is employed to emphasize the brevity and impermanence of human existence in contrast to the eternal nature of God and His word.

Biblical References:

1. Psalm 103:15-16 : "As for man, his days are like grass—he blooms like a flower of the field; when the wind passes over, it vanishes, and its place remembers it no more." This passage highlights the fleeting nature of human life, likening it to grass that flourishes briefly before withering away. The imagery underscores the temporal aspect of human existence, which is subject to the forces of nature and time.

2. Isaiah 40:6-8 : "A voice says, 'Cry out.' And I asked, 'What should I cry out?' 'All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.'" Here, the prophet Isaiah contrasts the ephemeral nature of humanity with the enduring word of God. The passage serves as a reminder of the sovereignty and permanence of God's promises in contrast to human frailty.

3. 1 Peter 1:24-25 : "For, 'All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.' And this is the word that was proclaimed to you." The apostle Peter reiterates the message from Isaiah, applying it to the Christian context. This reinforces the idea that while human life is temporary, the gospel and the promises of God remain steadfast and unchanging.

Theological Implications:

The comparison of man to grass serves as a humbling reminder of human limitations and mortality. It calls believers to recognize their dependence on God, who alone is eternal and unchanging. This metaphor encourages a focus on spiritual priorities, urging individuals to seek the eternal rather than the temporal.

Practical Applications:

1. Humility: Recognizing the brevity of life should lead to humility, acknowledging that human achievements and glories are temporary. This perspective encourages reliance on God and His eternal word.

2. Eternal Perspective: Believers are called to invest in what is eternal, prioritizing their relationship with God and the pursuit of His kingdom over worldly pursuits that are destined to fade.

3. Trust in God's Word: The enduring nature of God's word provides a foundation for faith and hope. In a world where everything else is subject to change and decay, the promises of God offer stability and assurance.

In summary, the biblical metaphor of man as grass serves as a powerful reminder of the transient nature of human life and the enduring truth of God's word. It calls believers to live with an eternal perspective, grounded in humility and trust in the divine promises.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 40:6-8
The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Peter 1:24
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass wither, and the flower thereof falls away:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Glory of the Trinity
... You can look neither at the sun in the sky, nor at the grass beneath your ...
diamond"if such a thing were possible"so is the mind of man compared with that ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon xvi the glory of.htm

Psalm LXXII.
... undecaying timbers, because He is the everlasting fruit, all the glory of a man
according to the temporal exaltation of the world is compared to grass; for by ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxii.htm

The Objects of Prayer
... of beauty the physical beauty of woman or child or man. ... is according to the prophet's
language compared to a flower, "All people are grass, their constancy ...
//christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen on prayer/chapter xi the objects of.htm

Man and Machinery.
... is evident in the fibres of the grass-blade and ... sympathy to-night"was in nothing
that man had achieved ... splendor, all the skill, were nothing compared with one ...
/.../chapin/humanity in the city/discourse ii man and machinery.htm

Aron, Brother of Moses, 486, 487.
... Temptation, of the Lord threefold, [991]32; sets forth three classes of man's
temptation, [992]32; can be overcome only ... Ungodly, compared to grass, [1025]174 ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/aron brother of moses 486.htm

Psalm LIV.
... hidden with us?" That Saul was persecutor of the holy man David, very ... For observe
to what flower their glory is compared: "All flesh is grass, and the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm liv.htm

Abraham, his Trial in Egypt; his Humility
... Glory, human, the subject of envy, [708]393; a load of grass, [709]ib ... on the summit
of heavenly wisdom, [1025]308; his lot and the rich man's compared, [1026]324 ...
/.../abraham his trial in egypt.htm

The Divine Hunger and Thirst
... is written, 'And Noah was a just man, and perfect ... flows out unto the smallest blade
of grass beneath thy ... poor and paltry thine own life is, compared with what ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon ii the divine hunger.htm

The Second Part.
... wilt see the honour of the tree, the grass is dried ... the same also he hath writ at
the end: "Man, though he was in honour, understood not, was compared to the ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/the second part.htm

2 Samuel xxiii. 1-7.
... Messiah, especially when those Psalms are compared which refer to ... nature is, and
what is in man, to have ... without clouds; by brightness, by rain,"grass out of ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/2 samuel xxiii 1-7.htm