8224 dependence

Reliance upon God or upon others. Dependence on God for help with spiritual and physical needs arises out of an awareness of human helplessness, though dependence may be wrongly directed. People may look to others for encouragement and support, but over-dependence is not commended.

Dependence arising from a sense of helplessness

Physical helplessness Ps 18:6 See also Ps 107:4-6; Ps 116:6; Mk 4:38 pp Mt 8:25 pp Lk 8:24; Mk 5:25-26 pp Mt 9:20 pp Lk 8:43

Spiritual helplessness Isa 64:6; Mk 9:17-18 pp Mt 17:14-16 pp Lk 9:38-40; Ro 5:6; Ro 7:18

Dependence on God encouraged

God is to be trusted Heb 4:16 See also Ex 14:31; Dt 8:3; Ps 4:5; Ps 9:10; Ps 20:7; Ps 37:3; Pr 3:5-6; Na 1:7; Jn 15:4-5

God is a refuge Ps 46:1 See also Dt 33:27; Ps 62:8; Ps 71:1

God can help those who depend on him Heb 13:6 See also Ps 118:6-7; Ps 22:4-5; Ps 33:18-20; Ps 94:17-18

God will help those who depend on him Lk 11:13 pp Mt 7:11 See also Ps 121:2-4; Ps 145:18-19; Jas 1:5

Examples of failure to depend on God Nu 20:12; Dt 1:32; Dt 9:23; 2Ki 17:14; Ps 49:6,13; Isa 42:17

Dependence on God for physical help

2Ch 20:12 Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. See also 2Ki 19:14 pp Isa 37:14 Hezekiah; 2Ch 13:18 the men of Judah Asa: 2Ch 14:11; 2Ch 16:8
Ps 22:9-10 David; Mt 9:27-28 two blind men; Jn 2:3-5 Mary; 2Co 1:8-10 Paul

Dependence on God for spiritual needs

Mk 10:14-15 pp Mt 19:14 pp Lk 18:16-17 Childlike dependence is necessary for those who would enter God’s kingdom; Jn 3:27 See also Ru 2:12; Lk 23:40-42; Lk 24:47-49; 2Co 3:4-5

Dependence on God expressed in prayer

Ps 5:2 See also Ps 22:24; Ps 88:13; Ps 102:1; Ps 119:147; Ps 130:1-2

Examples of those crying out in dependence on God

Ex 2:23 the Israelites in Egypt; Job 30:28 Job in his suffering; Isa 30:19 the people of Jerusalem; La 3:55 Jeremiah; Jnh 2:2 Jonah from within the fish; Lk 18:13 the tax collector in the temple; Ac 12:5 the church praying for Peter; 2Co 1:11 the Corinthians praying for Paul

Misplaced dependence

Dependence on surrounding nations Jer 2:18 See also 2Ki 18:20-21 pp Isa 36:5-6; Isa 31:1

Dependence on false gods and religions Ps 40:4 See also Dt 31:20; Isa 42:17; Col 2:8

Dependence on human strength and resources Jer 17:5; Ro 9:16 See also Ps 33:16-17; Ps 118:8-9; Ps 127:1-2; Eph 2:8-9

Dependence on sinful behaviour Isa 30:12; Isa 59:4

The futility of misplaced dependence

Pr 25:19; Jer 2:13 See also Isa 8:6-8; Isa 31:3; Hos 10:13-14; Ac 12:20; 1Th 4:11-12

A proper dependence on others is commended

Human help can strengthen Gal 6:2 See also Ecc 4:9-12

Examples of a right dependence on others Lev 21:3 a priest’s support for an unmarried sister Support for the poor and needy: Dt 15:11; Mt 25:35-36
1Sa 29:6 Achish found David to be a reliable soldier; Isa 8:2 Uriah and Zechariah were reliable witnesses; 2Ti 2:2 Reliable teachers are a blessing to the church.

See also