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LABAN [la´-ban] (white) — father-in-law of Jacob. He lived in the city of Nahor in Padan Aram where Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac. Laban was Rebekah’s brother. When he found out the servant was there and saw the golden jewelry given to Rebekah, he invited him into their home (Gen. 24:29–60). Laban took control of the marriage arrangements. He was stubborn and greedy. This was discovered in his later dealings with Rebekah’s son, Jacob.
LABOR — work (1 Cor. 3:8, NKJV).
LAD — a child (John 6:9, NKJV).
LAMB — a young sheep used as a sacrificial offering (Exod. 29:38).
LAMB OF GOD — a phrase used by John the Baptist to describe Jesus (John 1:29, 36).John publicly identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God” who “takes away the sin of the world!”
LAME, LAMENESS — a disability in one or more limbs, especially in a foot or leg. This makes it hard for a person to walk. Lameness is one of the physical imperfections that kept a priest from entering the Holy Place or offering sacrifices (Lev. 21:17–21, NKJV). Jesus healed many lame people (Matt. 11:5, NKJV; Luke 7:22, NKJV). Peter and John also healed a man who had been lame from birth (Acts 3:1–11, NKJV).
LAMECH [la´-mek] — a descendant of Cain (Gen. 4:18–24). Lamech is the first man mentioned in the Bible as having two wives (Gen. 4:19). By Adah he had two sons, Jabal and Jubal; and by Zillah he had a son, Tubal-Cain, and a daughter, Naamah.
Another man named Lamech was the first son of Methuselah, and the father of Noah (Gen. 5:25–26, 28–31). He lived to be 777 years old (Gen. 5:31). He is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3:36).
LAMENTATIONS, BOOK OF — a short Old Testament book, written in poetic form. It expresses (tells) the deep sadness felt about the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the temple. Its English title comes from a Greek verb meaning “to cry aloud.”
LANGUISH — to become weak; to fade away; to lose strength (Hosea 4:3, NKJV).
LAODICEA [la´-od-i-se´-ah] — a city in the Lycus Valley where one of the seven churches of Asia Minor was located (Rev. 3:14).
LASCIVIOUSNESS — another word for licentiousness (KJV).
LAST SUPPER — (See Lord’s Supper.)
LATIN — the Roman language (John 19:20).
LAVER — a basin (bowl) that the priests washed their hands and feet in before offering sacrifices (Exod. 30:18–21, NKJV).
LAW — a system of rules and regulations to keep the people under control. In the Old Testament, God gave the people a unique law code by direct revelation. He told them what to do in their worship, how to behave in their relationship to Him, and how to behave in their relationships with each other.
LAWFUL — authorized, allowed or permitted (Matt. 12:2, NKJV).
LAWLESS — unauthorized; allowed; permitted (1 Tim. 1:9, NKJV).
LAYING ON OF HANDS — the act of placing hands on a person to bless them, or for the purpose of dedication and consecration (Acts 6:6, NKJV).
LAZARUS [laz´-a-rus] (God has helped) —the brother of Martha and Mary who died and Jesus brought him back to life (John 11). Because everyone was talking about what Jesus had done, the chief priest got angry and made a plan to kill Lazarus (John 12:9–11). Another man named Lazarus was the beggar in Jesus’ story about a rich man and a poor man (Luke 16:19–25).
LEAH [le´-ah] — the older daughter of Laban. Laban tricked Jacob into marrying her instead of her younger sister Rachel (Gen. 29:16–30). God blessed Leah and Jacob with six sons—Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah (Gen. 29:31–35), Issachar, and Zebulun (Gen. 30:17–20)—and a daughter, Dinah (Gen. 30:21). Leah’s maid, Zilpah, had two sons named Gad and Asher (Gen. 30:9–13).
LEARN — to gain knowledge and understanding (Deut. 5:1; Matt. 11:29).
LEAVEN — a substance used to make dough rise (Exod. 12:15, 19–20, NKJV; yeast, ICB). In Bible times, leaven was usually a piece of fermented dough saved from a previous baking that was placed in the new dough to make it rise.
LEBANON [leb´-a-non] (white) — a nation of the Middle East that includes much of what was ancient Phoenicia in Bible times. This territory has been an important trade center linking Europe and Asia for more than four thousand years.
Ruins of the city gate in the wall of ancient Laodicea. The church of Laodicea was rebuked by John because of its lukewarm spirit (Rev. 3:14–22).
This laver on a stand with wheels dates to about the twelfth century B.C. It was discovered in the excavation of a tomb on the island of Cyprus.
LEES — the leftover residue from wine after it was fermented. In Bible times, the word was used in reference to the happiness and enjoyment of the righteous (Isa. 25:6, NKJV).
LEFT — the side of the body where the heart is located. The left side is a position of honor next to a king (Matt. 20:21–27).
LEGACY — an inheritance (Prov. 3:35, NKJV).
LEGION — the principal (main) unit of the Roman army. There were between three thousand and six thousand infantry troops and one hundred to two hundred cavalrymen in a legion. The New Testament uses the word “legion” to mean a large number. When Jesus healed a man possessed by demons, He asked the man his name. The man said,“My name is Legion; for we are many” (Mark 5:9). The man had many demons inside of him.
LENTIL — a pea-like seed used for food, especially in soups and stews (2 Sam. 17:28, NKJV).
LEPER, LEPROSY — a horrible skin disease that had no cure. In the Bible the word “leprosy” refers to a variety of symptoms (Matt. 8:3). Modern medicine has discovered some of those symptoms were actually other diseases and not leprosy.
LEST — in fear of (Matt. 7:6, NKJV).
LET — to allow (Matt. 8:22).
Traditional tomb of Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by Jesus (John 11:1–44).
Cedars of Lebanon on the mountainsides of Lebanon. Reckless cutting of these magnificent trees across the centuries has almost eliminated them from the landscape.
LETTERS — written messages between people who were separated by distance. Epistle was another word for letter (Acts 15:30). In Bible times, letters were written on sheets of parchment (animal skins), fragments of pottery, papyrus, and tablets made of clay.
LEVI [le´-vi] (joined) — the name of four men and one tribe in the Bible:
1. The third son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:34).
2. A tribe descended from Levi (Exod. 6:19).
3. Another name for Matthew, one of the twelve apostles (Mark 2:14).
4. An ancestor of Jesus (Luke 3:24) who was a son of Melki.
5. Another ancestor of Jesus (Luke 3:29) who was a son of Simeon.
LEVIATHAN [le-vi´-a-than] — a large sea creature (Job 41) that was sometimes a symbol for a cruel enemy defeated by God (Job 3:8).
LEVITES [le´-vites] — the descendants of Levi who served as assistants (helpers) to the priests in the worship system of the nation of Israel. Aaron and his sons were Levites, and they had the responsibility of the priesthood. They offered burnt offerings and led the people in worship and confession. Any Levite who was not a blood relative of Aaron had to serve as priestly assistants. They took care of the tabernacle and the temple and performed other small jobs (Num. 8:6).
LEVITICUS, BOOK OF — an Old Testament book filled with worship instructions for God’s chosen people. The Levites were the priestly family of the nation, and the title of the book seems to mean that its instructions were given specifically for them. But because of its directions on three important Spiritual truths: holiness, sacrifice, and atonement, the Book of Leviticus has an important message for modern believers too.
Without the information in Leviticus, we could not understand the fulfillment of these truths in the life and ministry of Jesus.
The mound of Gibeon, a city assigned to the Levites and priests at the time of Joshua’s conquest of Canaan (Josh. 21:17). The modern village of el-Jib is on the right.
LEVY — a forced labor, fine, or taxation (Num. 31:28, NKJV).
LEWD, LEWDNESS — always having bad thoughts about sex; lust (Judg. 20:6, NKJV; Hosea 2:10, NKJV; 6:9, NKJV; Rom. 13:13, NKJV).
LIBERAL, LIBERALITY — generosity, the opposite of stinginess. The apostle Paul taught that Christians should be liberal and generous in their financial giving (Rom. 12:8, NKJV; 2 Cor. 8:2, NKJV).
LIBYA [lib´-e-ah] — a country in northern Africa (Ezek. 27:10, NKJV).
LICENTIOUSNESS — undisciplined (bad) behavior, especially concerning sex (Mark 7:22; 2 Cor. 12:21; lasciviousness, KJV). The Greek word translated as licentiousness means “outrageous conduct.” It is a behavior that goes beyond accidental sin. It is a total disregard for what is right.
LIE — any statement or act designed to deceive (trick) another person. People usually lie to hurt someone (Rom. 3:13, KJV) or to protect one’s self because of fear or pride (Matt. 26:69–75; Acts 5:1–11, KJV).
LIFE, BOOK OF — (See Book of Life.)
LIGHT — illumination; the opposite of darkness (Gen. 1:3–4). The Bible also speaks of light as the symbol of God’s presence and righteous activity.
LIKENESS — in the image of (Gen. 1:26).
LOATHE, LOATHSOME — when used as a verb it means to hate or despise (Job 7:16, NKJV); when used as an adjective it means rejected (Prov. 13:5, NKJV).
LOCUST — a flying insect with a strong appetite. They usually travel together in large groups (swarms) and cause large amounts of damage (Joel 2:25).
LODGE, LODGING — to spend the night. Most of the words translated “lodge” in the Bible are referring to the idea of a temporary resting place (Josh. 2:1, NKJV; Acts 10:18, NKJV).
LOFTY — high (Isa. 57:7, NKJV); proud (Isa. 2:12, NKJV).
LOINS — the lower abdomen, including the reproductive organs.When a man was ready to work, he put a belt around his waist and tucked his robe up into the belt so he could move his legs without his robe getting in the way. This is the meaning of “girded up his loins” (1 Kings 18:46, NKJV).
LOINCLOTH — a piece of clothing worn by men (Job 12:18, NIV).
LONGING — desire (Ps. 119:20, NKJV).
LORD — a name for God and Jesus.
LORD’S PRAYER — the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples (Matt. 6:5–15; Luke 11:1–4). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that a person’s attitude in prayer is very important. We aren’t supposed to say the same prayer over and over again just trying to get God’s attention. We need to tell God our needs and trust Him to take care of us.
LORD’S SUPPER — a ceremony where Christians eat bread and drink wine (or grape juice). It is a time to remember how Jesus died for our sins. The bread is a symbol of his body and the wine is a symbol of his blood.
The first Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:17–30; Mark 14:12–26; Luke 22:1–23; 1 Cor. 11:23–25) happened on the night before Jesus died at a meal commonly known as the Last Supper.
LOT [laht] — Abraham’s nephew. Lot traveled with Abraham from Mesopotamia to Canaan and to Egypt and back (Gen. 11:27–31; 12:4–5; 13:1). Lot and Abraham both had large herds of cattle. The men who took care of their cattle (herdsmen) were always fighting over their pasturelands so Abraham decided it might be a good idea for them to separate.
Abraham let Lot choose which land he wanted. Lot chose the Jordan River valley instead of the rocky hill country. He ended up living in the sinful city of Sodom. The people in that city were so bad that God decided to destroy it and all the people who lived there. An angel of the Lord told Lot and his family to leave the city and never look back. Lot’s wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26).
LOTS, CASTING OF — a way of making decisions in Bible times, sort of like drawing straws or throwing dice. The casting of lots happened in early times when little of the Bible was available. At that point in time, God approved of this method for determining His will (Prov. 16:33).
LOVE — strong feelings of care and concern. There are hundreds of references to love in the Bible. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10).
LOVINGKINDNESS — merciful and steady; God’s love (Ps. 17:7, NKJV). (See Kindness.)
LOW, LOWLY — humble (Isa. 2:12, NKJV; Luke 1:52, NKJV).
LUCIFER [lu´-sif-er] (morning star) — the word “Lucifer” is found only once in the Bible: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!” (Isa. 14:12, NKJV). This passage describes the overthrow of the evil king of Babylon, but many Bible scholars say this passage is actually a description of Satan, who rebelled against the throne of God and was “brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the pit” (Isa. 14:15, NKJV).
LUKE — a man who traveled with the apostle Paul (Philem. 24) and the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. He was a doctor (Col. 4:14).
LUKE, GOSPEL OF — the third gospel in the New Testament written by Luke.
Luke cared a lot about people and their problems. The stories he shares in the Gospel of Luke really show how much compassion Jesus had for everyone. Luke was probably not Jewish. Matthew traces Jesus’ family history back to Abraham, the father of the Hebrew people (1:2). Luke traces it back to Adam, the father of the human race (3:38). In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus sends his disciples only “to the people of Israel,” because they were like lost sheep (10:6). Luke says that Jesus sent his disciples to everyone.
LUST — a desire for what is forbidden. God allows certain desires (Deut. 12:15, 20–21, NKJV), but lust refers to the desire for things that are against the will of God. Christians are able to resist lust by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Chapel of Lydia by the riverside at Philippi. Lydia was converted to Christianity through the ministry of the apostle Paul (Acts 16:13–15).
The mound of ancient Lystra, a city in the province of Lycaonia where Paul was stoned by a mob (Acts 14:8–20).
LUZ [luhz] (almond tree) — a Canaanite city that was renamed Bethel by Jacob (Gen. 28:19). Another city named Luz was a city of the Hittites (Judg. 1:26).
LYDIA [lid´-e-ah] — a wealthy businesswoman from the city of Thyatira who became a Christian after hearing the apostle Paul preach a sermon in the city of Philippi (Acts 16:12–15, 40).
Lydia is also the name of a large territory in western Asia Minor (modern Turkey). The Lydians are mentioned by the prophet Ezekiel as “men of war,” who fought to defend Tyre (Ezek. 27:10) and who made an alliance with Egypt (Ezek. 30:5).
LYRE — a small harp.
LYSTRA [lis´-trah] — a city of Lycaonia where Paul preached after being asked to leave Iconium (Acts 14).
A reconstructed lyre from Mesopotamia. This was a popular musical instrument about 2500 B.C., several centuries before Abraham’s time.