WORDS AND PHRASES FROM THE BIBLE.
Origins of these expressions…

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL – The phrase for something inevitable that we can all see is going to happen.

This originated from Daniel 5.4-6 “They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.”

The carnal King Belshazzar, having seen a hand appears and writes a mysterious message, called upon Daniel to interpret it. His kingdom was to disappear that night – and it did!

 

THE APPLE OF MY EYE – Someone, cherished above others.

“For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.” Zechariah 2:8

“..which shows how near and dear the Lord’s people are to him. The pupil or apple of the eye is a little aperture or perforation in the middle of the tunic or coat of the eye, called the uvea and iris, about which the iris forms a ring; and through this little opening the rays of light pass to the crystalline humour, to be formed on the retina or net, at the bottom of the eye. It is a very weak and tender part, and easily hurt with the least thing; and fitly describes the feeble state of Christ’s people; and how soon and easily they may be disturbed, distressed, and hurt by their enemies: and as this is a principal part of the eye, and a part of a man’s self, dear and valuable to him; so are the Lord’s people parts, as it were, of himself; they are members of his body, closely united to him; ” – John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible. 

BITE THE DUST – To fall to the ground, wounded or dead

“..And His enemies will lick the dust.” Psalms 72:9 clearly the Bible forerunner to the dust-biting which we’ve been talking about ever since!

 

THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT – Now means doing something we know to be wrong, often of a sensual nature.

This is the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that Adam and Eve were instructed not to eat in Genesis 2:17.

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17.

Both Adam and Eve disobeyed God, and the consequence of that decision – we still have to live with today.

 

*DO NOT THROW PEARLS BEFORE SWINE – Implying that one should not put what is valuable in front of those who will reject the notion that it has value and furthermore that they will seek to diminish or destroy what one offers.

Matthew 7:6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” A warning from Jesus in not to waste the message of salvation on those openly hostile to the Gospel.

 

FIRE AND BRIMSTONE – When talking about judgement or when searching for a vivid phrase meaning punishment.

Was what God used to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, as recorded in Genesis 19:24.

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” Revelation 20:10

“But the cowardly, unbelieving,[a] abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

 

LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL – Makes the point that lusting after money gets us into trouble

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10

 

A THORN IN THE SIDE – To describe an ongoing problem

Paul used this in 2 Corinthians 12:7 to describe an ailment he had. God didn’t take it away, in order to keep him humble.

“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.” 2 Corinthians 12:7

 

LIKE A LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER – Now usually describes an innocent or naive victim losing something in their life.

First used Isaiah 53:7 to describe the promised Messiah’s (Jesus’) willingness to accept His fate.

“He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He opened not His mouth;

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,

And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.” Isaiah 53:7