Topical Bible: The Heart: Know the Plague of

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The concept of the heart in biblical literature is rich and multifaceted, often symbolizing the innermost part of a person, encompassing emotions, will, intellect, and moral character. In the Scriptures, the heart is frequently addressed as the seat of spiritual life and the center of human experience. Understanding the "plague of the heart" involves recognizing the inherent sinfulness and moral corruption that can reside within.

Biblical References

The phrase "know the plague of" the heart is notably found in 1 Kings 8:38, during Solomon's prayer of dedication for the temple: "and each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this house." Here, Solomon acknowledges the personal awareness of sin and moral failings that each individual must confront. This acknowledgment is crucial for genuine repentance and seeking God's forgiveness.

The Heart's Condition

The Bible consistently portrays the heart as deceitful and prone to evil. Jeremiah 17:9 states, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" This verse underscores the natural inclination of the human heart towards sin and the difficulty of comprehending its depths. The heart's deceitfulness is a fundamental aspect of the human condition, necessitating divine intervention for transformation.

Repentance and Renewal

Recognizing the plague of the heart is a step towards repentance and spiritual renewal. Psalm 51:10 reflects King David's plea for a pure heart: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." This prayer highlights the need for God's creative power to cleanse and renew the heart, emphasizing that true change comes from divine grace rather than human effort.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The New Testament further elaborates on the transformation of the heart through the work of the Holy Spirit. In Ezekiel 36:26-27, God promises, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances." This prophetic promise is fulfilled in the New Covenant, where believers receive the Holy Spirit, enabling them to live in obedience to God.

Guarding the Heart

Proverbs 4:23 advises, "Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life." This exhortation emphasizes the importance of protecting the heart from corrupt influences and maintaining its purity. The heart's condition directly affects one's thoughts, actions, and overall spiritual health, making vigilance essential.

The Heart and Worship

True worship is intimately connected with the heart's condition. Jesus emphasizes this in Matthew 15:8-9, quoting Isaiah: "These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men." Authentic worship arises from a heart aligned with God's will, not merely external rituals or traditions.

Conclusion

Understanding the plague of the heart is crucial for recognizing the need for God's grace and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. The biblical narrative consistently calls individuals to examine their hearts, repent of sin, and seek divine renewal, leading to a life that honors God and reflects His righteousness.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Kings 8:38
What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all your people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

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"If we Confess Our Sins, He is Faithful and Just to Forgive us Our ...
... a repenting people is expressed, 1 Kings 8:38, "What prayer or supplication soever
be made by any man, which shall know the plague of his own heart, and spread ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xix if we confess.htm

Joel's Rhapsody of the Locust Plague
... LYRICS JOEL'S RHAPSODY OF THE LOCUST PLAGUE. ... and with weeping, and with mourning:
and rend your heart, and not ... And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/joels rhapsody of the locust.htm

Nothing but Leaves
... Ah! they know the humblings of heart and the plague of human nature! They know the
depths of corruption, and the heights of divine fellowship, and so on. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/nothing but leaves.htm

"He Hardened his Heart"
... "Thou knowest," the king began, plunging into the heart of the ... "That I know. ... the Hebrews,"
was the undisturbed reply; "through destruction and plague we have ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxx he hardened his.htm

To Nanna, Daughter of Benincasa a Little Maid, Her Niece, in ...
... We know that at the time of the plague, in 1374, Lapa was ... Dost thou know what this
means, daughter mine ... By the lamp is meant our heart, because a heart ought to ...
/.../benincasa/letters of catherine benincasa/to nanna daughter of benincasa.htm

A Description of Heart-Purity
... In the law, when the plague of leprosy was in a man's head the ... That heart cannot
be very pure which is a dungeon. ... He cannot love that which he does not know'. ...
/.../16 a description of heart-purity.htm

On his Father'S Silence, Because of the Plague of Hail.
... A deadly cattle plague, which had devastated their herds, had been ... [3092] I know
the emptying ... void, the making waste, the melting of the heart, and knocking of ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xvi on his fathers.htm

The Abiding of the Spirit the Glory of the Church
... so common that it has been the plague of Israel ... be powerful upon the conscience or
converting to the heart. Know ye not the difference between the power that ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/the abiding of the spirit.htm

First, I am to Consider what the Keeping of the Heart Supposes and ...
... their accounts, yet upright hearts will know whether they ... Hezekiah humbled himself
for the pride of his heart. ... to God in prayer, realising the plague of their ...
//christianbookshelf.org/flavel/on keeping the heart/first i am to consider.htm

The Plagues of Egypt
... time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon ... of changing its shape, as you
all know, again and ... extreme cleanliness of theirs the next plague struck at ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon x the plagues of.htm