Dictionaries :: Decision

Decision:

de-sizh'-un: Has several different shades of meaning. It expresses the formation of a judgment on a matter under consideration. It expresses the quality of being firm or positive in one's actions. It expresses the termination of a contest or question in favor of one side or the other, as the decision of the battle, or the decision of the judge.

1. National Decisions:

Until recent times the decision of disputed points between nations was determined by force of arms. Thus the questions of dispute were decided between Israel and the surrounding tribes, between Israel and Assyria, between Israel and Egypt, and later between Judea and Rome.

2. Judicial Decisions:

In the earliest times the questions of dispute between individuals were decided by the patriarch who was the head of the family. When Israel became a nation men were appointed to decide the difficulties between the people. At first this was one of the most important duties of Moses, but when the task became too great he appointed judges to assist him (see Ex 18:13-26). One important function of those who are called judges was to decide the difficulties between the people (see Jud 4:4,5). The kings also decided questions of dispute between individuals (see 2Sa 15:1-6; 1Ki 3:16-28). As the people developed in their national ideals the decisions in judicial matters were rendered by councils appointed for that purpose.

3. Methods of Forming Decisions:

Perplexing questions were many times decided by the casting of lots. The people believed that God would in this way direct them to the right decision (Pr 16:33; Jos 7:10-21; 14:2; 1Sa 10:20 f). Casting lots must have been a common method of deciding perplexing questions (see 1Sa 14:41,42; Jon 1:7). It was resorted to by the apostles to decide which of the two men they had selected should take the place of Judas (Ac 1:21-26). The custom gradually lost in favor, and decisions, even of perplexing questions, were formed by considering all the facts.

Written by A. W. Fortune

See AUGURY

See LOTS

Decision: General Scriptures Concerning

Deu 30:19; Jos 23:8; 24:15; 1Sa 12:20; 1Ki 18:21; Psa 37:34; 69:13; Pro 4:25-27; Isa 50:7; Mat 10:22; 11:6; 24:13; 25:23; Mar 13:13; Luk 7:23; Jhn 8:31; 15:4, 5, 7, 9; Act 11:23; 13:43; 14:22; Rom 2:7; 8:38, 39; 11:22; 1Cr 15:8; 16:13; Gal 5:1, 10; 6:9; Eph 4:14; 6:13; Phl 1:27; 4:1; Col 1:23; 1Th 3:8, 13; 2Th 2:15, 17; 3:13; 2Ti 1:13, 14; 2:1, 3; 3:14; Tts 1:7, 9; Hbr 2:1; 3:6-8, 14; 4:14; 10:23, 35; 12:1; 13:9, 13; Jam 1:4, 12, 25; 1Pe 1:13; 5:8, 9; 2Pe 1:10, 11; 3:17, 18; 1Jo 2:24, 28; 2Jo 1:8; Jud 1:20, 21; Rev 2:7, 10, 11, 17, 25, 26; 3:5, 11, 12, 21; 15:2; 21:7; 22:11

Decision: References Concerning

See CHARACTER; PERSEVERANCE; STABILITY; INDECISION; INSTABILITY.

Decision: Exhortation To

Jos 1:7; 1Ch 16:15; 2Ch 19:11; Mat 4:17; 6:24; 8:21, 22; 10:32; 12:30; Luk 9:59-62; 11:23; 12:8; 16:13; 17:32; Col 2:6, 7; 1Ti 6:11-14

Decision: Instances Of

ABEL:

Hbr 11:4.

ENOCH:

Hbr 11:5, 6.

NOAH:

Hbr 11:7.

ABRAHAM:

Hbr 11:8, 17-19.

JACOB:

Gen 28:20, 21.

JOSEPH:

Gen 39:7-20.

MOSES:

Hbr 11:24-26; Num 12:7; Hbr 3:5.

ISRAELITES:

Exd 19:7, 8; 24:3, 7; Deu 4:4; 5:27; 26:17; 29:12; Jos 22:34; 24:21-25; 1Ki 19:18; 2Ki 11:17; 2Ch 11:16; 13:10, 11; 15:12, 15; 23:16; 29:10; Ezr 10:3-44; Neh 9:38; 10:1-39; Psa 50:5; Jer 34:15; 42:5, 6; 50:5; Hsa 11:12

CALEB:

Num 14:6-10, 24, 37, 38; Deu 1:36; Jos 14:14

BALAAM:

Num 22:15-18.

PHINEHAS:

Num 25:7-13.

JOSHUA:

Jos 24:15, 18-24.

GIDEON:

Jdg 6:25-40; 7.

RUTH:

Rth 1:16; 1Sa 11:4-7.

ABIGAIL:

1Sa 25:4-37.

DAVID:

1Sa 17:20-54; 2Sa 22:22-24; Psa 17:3; 26:6, 11; 40:9, 10; 56:12; 66:16; 71:17; 86:11; 101:2, 3; 108:1; 57:7, 8; 116:9, 13, 14, 16; 119:8, 30, 31, 38, 44-46, 57, 94, 106, 115, 125, 145, 146; 143:12

A PROPHET:

1Ki 13:8-10.

ELIJAH:

1Ki 18:22.

JEHOSHAPHAT:

1Ki 22:7; 2Ch 18:6.

NAAMAN:

2Ki 5:15, 17.

JEHU:

2Ki 9:11-37; 10.

HEZEKIAH:

2Ki 18:6; 2Ch 15:17.

JOASH:

2Ki 22:2; 23:3, 25; 2Ch 34:31.

NEHEMIAH:

Neh 6:11.

MORDECAI:

Est 3:2, 3.

ESTHER:

Est 4:16.

JOB:

Job 2:3; 23:11, 12.

MATTHEW:

Mat 9:9.

JOSEPH:

Mar 15:43.

NATHANIEL:

Jhn 1:49.

MARTHA:

Jhn 11:27.

THE DISCIPLES:

Luk 18:28; Jhn 6:68, 69; Act 2:42; 9:29; 26:6; Rom 1:16; Phl 1:20, 21; Col 2:5; 2Ti 4:7, 8

EPHESIANS:

Rev 2:2, 3.

CHURCH OF SARDIS:

Rev 3:4, 8, 10.

SAINTS:

Rev 14:4.

See PERSERVERANCE; STABILITY; ZEAL, RELIGIOUS.

Decision: Necessary to the Service of God

Luk 9:62

Decision: Exhortations To

Jos 24:14,15

Decision: Exhibited In

Seeking God with the heart

2Ch 15:12

Keeping the commandments of God

Neh 10:29

Being on the Lord's side

Exd 32:26

Following God fully

Num 14:24; 32:12; Jos 14:8

Serving God

Isa 56:6

Loving God perfectly

Deu 6:5

Blessedness of

Jos 1:7

Decision: Opposed To

A divided service

Mat 6:24

Double-mindedness

Jam 1:8

Halting between two opinions

1Ki 18:21

Turning to the right or left

Deu 5:32

Not setting the heart aright

Psa 78:8,37

Decision: Exemplified

Moses

Exd 32:26

Caleb

Num 13:30

Joshua

Jos 24:15

Ruth

Rth 1:16

Asa

2Ch 15:8

David

Psa 17:3

Peter

Jhn 6:68

Paul

Act 21:13

Abraham

Hbr 11:8