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ThreshingAid to Bible Understanding
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knives to cut and break down the grain stalks. Such sledges and roller devices covered an additional swatch each round, and the added weight of the driver riding on top increased the effectiveness.—Compare Isaiah 28:28.
After the grain had been thoroughly threshed, and turned over several times in the process, it was winnowed.—See WINNOWING.
OTHER MENTION
Because of providing an open, level space, threshing floors were often used for other purposes. The mourning rites for Jacob were held on the threshing floor of Atad near the Jordan. (Gen. 50:10, 11) At Jehovah’s direction, David purchased the threshing floor of Araunah (Ornan), built there an altar, and made a sacrifice to Jehovah. (2 Sam. 24:16-25; 1 Chron. 21:15-28) Later this threshing floor became the site of Solomon’s temple. (2 Chron. 3:1) When Jehoshaphat and Ahab conferred about warring against Syria, their thrones were set up on a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria.—1 Ki. 22:10.
FIGURATIVE USE
In a figurative sense, the treatment the stalks of grain receive on the threshing floor is a very fitting symbol of how Jehovah’s enemies will be beaten and cut to pieces. (Isa. 41:15; Jer. 51:33; Mic. 4:12, 13; Hab. 3:12) Threshing also illustrates the crushing treatment men sometimes mete out to others. (Judg. 8:6, 7, 15, 16; 2 Ki. 13:7) Or the separation of wheat from chaff may depict the separation of the righteous from the wicked by Jehovah’s judgment. (Matt. 3:12) In yet another sense, a long and bountiful threshing denotes prosperity and Jehovah’s blessing.—Lev. 26:5; Joel 2:24.
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ThroatAid to Bible Understanding
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THROAT
See NECK.
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ThroneAid to Bible Understanding
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THRONE
[Heb., kis·seʼʹ; Gr., throʹnos].
The Hebrew term kis·seʼʹ basically means “seat” (1 Sam. 4:13), “chair” (2 Ki. 4:10) or a seat of special importance such as a “throne.” (1 Ki. 22:10) Its application is not limited to the seats of ruling monarchs (1 Ki. 2:19; Neh. 3:7; Esther 3:1; Ezek. 26:16), nor does it strictly refer to a seat with a high back and armrests. Eli, for instance, while at the gate of Shiloh, fell backward from his kis·seʼʹ, evidently a backless seat.—1 Sam. 4:13, 18.
Isaiah 14:9 intimates that thrones were universally used by monarchs, the Bible specifically mentioning the thrones of Egypt (Gen. 41:40; Ex. 11:5; 12:29), Assyria (Jonah 3:6), Babylon (Isa. 14:4, 13; Dan. 5:20), Persia (Esther 1:2; 5:1) and Moab. (Judg. 3:17, 20) Archaeologists believe that they have found thrones used by rulers or their associates of all these powers, except Moab. An ivory panel, thought to depict a Canaanite throne and footstool, was found at Megiddo. Generally, these non-Israelite thrones have backs and armrests, being richly carved or ornamented. One extant Egyptian throne was made of wood overlaid with gold, while an Assyrian one was of wrought iron with ivory carvings. The throne seems customarily to have been placed on a dais or raised platform, and in most cases a footstool was present.
The only throne of a ruler of Israel described in detail is the one Solomon made. (1 Ki. 10:18-20; 2 Chron. 9:17-19) It appears to have been located in the “Porch of the Throne,” one of the buildings that stood on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. (1 Ki. 7:7) It was ‘a great ivory throne overlaid with refined gold with a round canopy behind it and armrests.’ Although ivory could have been the basic material in this royal chair, the construction technique generally followed at the temple would seem to indicate that it was made of wood, overlaid with refined gold and richly ornamented with inlaid panels of ivory. To the observer such a throne would appear to be made entirely of ivory and gold. After mentioning six steps leading to the throne, the record continues: “Two lions were standing beside the armrests. And there were twelve lions standing there upon the six steps, on this side and on that side.” The symbolism of the lion denoting ruling authority is appropriate. (Gen. 49:9, 10; Rev. 5:5) The twelve lions appear to have corresponded with the twelve tribes of Israel, possibly symbolizing their subjection to and support of the ruler on this throne. Attached in some way to the throne was a footstool of gold. The description of this ivory-and-gold throne in its lofty, canopied position with the majestic lions in front transcends any throne of this time period discovered by archaeologists, depicted on the monuments or described in the inscriptions. As the chronicler truthfully observed: “No other kingdom had any made just like it.”—2 Chron. 9:19.
FIGURATIVE USAGE
“Throne” figuratively signifies a seat of ruling authority (1 Ki. 2:12; 16:11), or the kingly authority and sovereignty itself (Gen. 41:40; 1 Chron. 17:14; Ps. 89:44); a reigning government or royal administration (2 Sam. 14:9); sovereign control over a territory (2 Sam. 3:10) and a position of honor.—1 Sam. 2:7, 8; 2 Ki. 25:28.
Jehovah, whom even the “heaven of the heavens” cannot contain, does not have to sit on a literal throne or chair. (1 Ki. 8:27) He does, however, picture his royal authority and sovereignty by the symbol of a throne. Certain ones of God’s servants were privileged to see a vision of his throne. (1 Ki. 22:19; Isa. 6:1; Ezek. 1:26-28; Dan. 7:9; Rev. 4:1-3) The Psalms describe Jehovah’s throne, his majesty or power, his position as Supreme Judge, as being established on righteousness and justice “from long ago.”—Ps. 89:14; 93:2; 97:2.
Jehovah extended his throne to earth in a typical, specific way in his dealings with the sons of Israel. Since the one ruling in Israel was to be “a king whom Jehovah your God will choose,” who would rule in Jehovah’s name over Jehovah’s people and according to Jehovah’s law, his throne was really “Jehovah’s throne.”—Deut. 17:14-18; 1 Chron. 29:23.
Besides his kingly identity with the royal line of Judah, Jehovah was enthroned in Israel in another sense as well. As Jeremiah expressed it: “There is the glorious throne on high from the start; it is the place of our sanctuary.” (Jer. 17:12) Jehovah was spoken of as “sitting upon the cherubs” that were on the propitiatory cover of the ark of the testimony in the sanctuary. (Ex. 25:22; 1 Sam. 4:4) This enthronement was symbolized by a cloud that reportedly produced a miraculous light that later Jewish writers called the Shekhi·nahʹ. (Lev. 16:2) While Jeremiah foretold the absence of the ark of the covenant when Israel would be restored from Babylon, this would not mean that Jehovah no longer purposed to be enthroned at his center of worship: “In that time they will call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah.” (Jer. 3:16, 17) Ezekiel’s restoration prophecies are in agreement, for in his vision of Jehovah’s temple in which no ark of the covenant was seen, he was told: “Son of man, this [temple] is the place of my throne.”—Ezek. 43:7.
Jehovah covenanted that the throne of David’s seed should “itself become one lasting to time indefinite.” (1 Chron. 17:11-14) In announcing the fulfillment of this promise, the angel Gabriel said to Mary: “Jehovah God will give [Jesus] the throne of David his father, and he will rule as king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom.” (Luke 1:32, 33) Not only would there be an inheritance of an earthly dominion on Jesus’ part, but he would share Jehovah’s throne, which is universal. (Rev. 3:21; Isa. 66:1) In turn, Jesus promised to share his throne of kingly authority with all those who, like his faithful apostles, were in the new covenant with his Father, and who would conquer the world as Jesus had done. This would be granted to them in the “re-creation,” during Jesus’ second presence.—Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:20, 28-30; Rev. 3:21.
In harmony with Jehovah’s prophecy through Zechariah that the man named “Sprout,” the builder of the future temple for Jehovah, “must become a priest upon his throne,” Paul records concerning Jesus: “We have such a high priest as [Melchizedek, a king-priest], and he has sat down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens.” (Zech. 6:11-13; Heb. 8:1) In addition to Christ Jesus, John saw the whole spiritual house or sanctuary of God, the faithful Christian congregation, enthroned as king-priests to rule for a thousand years.—Rev. 20:4, 6; 1 Pet. 2:5.
As foretold in Psalm 45:6, and applied by Paul in Hebrews 1:8, Jesus’ throne, his office or authority as sovereign, has its source in Jehovah: “God is your throne forever.” On the other hand, the Devil, too, provides basis or authority for his organizations to rule, as emphasized in Revelation 13:1, 2, with respect to the ‘wild beast that came out of the sea’: “The dragon gave the beast its power and its throne and great authority.” When Satan offered similar power and authority to Jesus Christ, his price was stated: “If you do an act of worship before me, it will all be yours.” (Luke 4:5-7) Correspondingly, the grant of a throne or authority to the “wild beast” must have been on the condition of its serving Satan.
In discussing Jesus’ position as God’s Master Worker, Paul mentions that through Christ “thrones” were created. The term appears to refer to positions of official authority, both visible and invisible, within God’s administrative arrangement.—Col. 1:16.
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ThumbAid to Bible Understanding
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THUMB
Because man has thumbs that can be moved against each of his fingers, he can grasp things and perform many delicate operations that would be impossible if he did not have opposable thumbs. Anciently, a captive was sometimes incapacitated for military service by cutting off his thumbs and big toes.—Judg. 1:6, 7.
The Hebrew word boʹhen is used to designate both the thumb and the big toe; the appendage that boʹhen has reference to in any given text is indicated by the accompanying expressions ‘of the hand’ and ‘of the foot.’ Whenever the thumb is mentioned in the Scriptures, the big toe is referred to in the same text.—Ex. 29:20; Lev. 14:14, 17, 25, 28.
During the installation of Aaron and his sons as priests a ram was killed, and Moses put some of its blood on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, the thumb of his right hand and the big toe of his right foot. Then he did the same to each of Aaron’s sons. (Lev. 8:23, 24) The blood on the right thumb figuratively represented that they should carry out their priestly duties, working with the best (right) hand of their ability.
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ThummimAid to Bible Understanding
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THUMMIM
See URIM AND THUMMIN.
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ThunderAid to Bible Understanding
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THUNDER
The loud sound that follows a flash of lightning. Thunder is caused by the sudden expansion of air that has been heated by such electrical discharge, the air violently moving away from the lightning’s path and then back again behind it.—Job 28:26; 38:25.
The Hebrew word ra·ʽamʹ means “to rage, to roar, to thunder” and is at times mentioned in connection with Jehovah (1 Sam. 2:10; 2 Sam. 22:14; Ps. 18:13), the One who has on occasion employed thunder to accomplish his will. For example, in the time of Samuel, Jehovah threw the Philistines into confusion by means of thunder. (1 Sam. 7:10; compare Isaiah 29:6.) Another Hebrew word, qohl, sometimes translated “thunder” (1 Sam. 12:17, 18), basically means “to call” or “to sound, to say.” This term, depending on the context, may also be rendered “sound” (Ex. 28:34, 35; 1 Sam. 15:14; 2 Sam. 6:15) or “voice.”—Deut. 21:18; 1 Ki. 19:12.
The awesome sound of thunder is associated with Jehovah’s voice. (Job 37:4, 5; 40:9; Ps. 29:3-9) When certain Jews heard Jehovah speak from heaven to Jesus, there was a difference of opinion as to whether the sound was thunder or the voice of an angel. (John 12:28, 29; compare Revelation 6:1; 14:2; 19:6.) The sound of thunder often being an advance indication of an approaching storm, “thunders” can designate divine warnings, as at Revelation 8:5; 10:3, 4; 16:18.
To the Jews at the foot of Mount Sinai, the thunder that they heard was a manifestation of God’s presence. (Ex. 19:16; compare Revelation 4:5; 11:19.) Either this event or God’s leading Israel by means of a pillar of cloud (a place of thunder) may be alluded to by the psalmist’s words: “I [Jehovah] began to answer you in the concealed place of thunder.”—Ps. 81:7.
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Thunder, Sons ofAid to Bible Understanding
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THUNDER, SONS OF
See BOANERGES.
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ThyatiraAid to Bible Understanding
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THYATIRA
(Thy·a·tiʹra).
The city rebuilt early in the third century B.C.E. by the former general of Alexander the Great, Seleucus Nicator. It was situated some forty miles (64 kilometers) inland from the Aegean Sea along a tributary of the Hermus River in western Asia Minor. Thyatira’s Christian congregation received a message written by the hand of the apostle John at the dictation of the Lord Jesus Christ.—Rev. 1:11.
Thyatira today is called Akhisar and is located about 157 air miles (253 kilometers) S-SW of Constantinople and some 230 miles (370 kilometers) E of Athens. In the days of the Roman Empire it was an important city about halfway along the road between Pergamum and Sardis in the region of Lydia, within the Roman province of Asia.
This city was never a great metropolis or a center of special political significance or importance; but it was a wealthy industrial center, noted for its numerous crafts, including weaving, dyeing, brass-working, tanning and pottery making. Its dye business is frequently mentioned in inscriptions. Dyemakers of Thyatira used madder root as a source for their celebrated scarlet or purple color, known in later times as “Turkey Red.”
The polytheistic religion of the Thyatirans was just another variety of the more ancient Babylonian cult. Thyatira was very near Pergamum, to which city Chaldean priests had emigrated and where they established a religious center. The local chief deity was Tyrimnos, who in time became identified with the sun-god Apollo, the brother of the goddess Diana or Artemis.
Lydia, converted to Christianity during Paul’s first visit to Philippi in Macedonia, was a “seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira.” She may have been an overseas representative of Thyatiran manufacturers, a businesswoman of some means who owned a house spacious enough to entertain Paul and his companions during their stay in Philippi.—Acts 16:12-15.
When and by whom Christianity was first introduced to the Thyatirans is not known. There is no record of Paul or other evangelists ever visiting the city, or of Lydia’s returning there. Possibly the message reached there during the two years (c. 53-55 C.E.) that Paul was active in Ephesus some seventy miles (113 kilometers) SW of Thyatira, for during that time “all those inhabiting the district of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” (Acts 19:10) What is known is that some forty years later there was a rather vigorous congregation of Christians in Thyatira.—Rev. 1:10, 11.
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