I believe one of the most misunderstood words in the Bible is the word heart. Its definition, meaning and significance for the most part have been lost. Similar to misplacing an important document or leaving behind a precious piece of art or jewelry, this is a loss we cannot afford. We must recover the true significance of the heart if we are to journey well in our search for life. More accurately, in our heart’s search for Life.
There are some passages that refer to the physical realm heart and the actual blood-pumping muscle housed in our chest, but the most common definition used for understanding the heart can be summarized by Easton’s Illustrated Dictionary of Biblical Terms. Regarding the heart, Easton’s says, “The heart is that center of spiritual activity and all the operations of human life.”
The Hebrew language term for the heart—leb, and its synonym lebab—appears some 860 times in the Old Testament. Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words states ...
The heart is regarded as the seat of emotions, seat of knowledge and wisdom, and can be used of the man himself or his personality. It is also considered the seat of conscience and moral character.
Here are some significant and noteworthy samples on the heart from the Old Testament:
- Love the Lord your God with all your heart. Deuteronomy 6:5, Luke 10:27
- The Lord searches every heart. 1 Chronicles 28:9
- We will be given a new heart. Ezekiel 36:26
A word with this much weight, with this much significance … it is no wonder the enemy of our hearts has thwarted it.
An excerpt from Search and Rescue.
