Reference: Pillars
Fausets
ammud. A chief feature in Eastern building, the flat roofs being supported by pillars. The tent fashion remained even in permanent structures. Open Persian halls have the fronts supported by pillars and shaded by curtains fastened to the ground by pegs or to trees in the court (Es 1:6). The heaven is compared to a canopy supported by pillars (Ps 104:2; Isa 40:22). In Ps 75:3, "the earth ... dissolved, I bear up the pillars of it," literally," I have weighed," i.e. consolidated by exact weight the pillars. I who at creation brought the world from chaos into beautiful order will restore it from its present disorganization. In 1Sa 15:12, "Saul set him up a (not 'place' but) monument," literally, hand, probably a pillar (Ge 28:18; 35:14). The 12 pillars ranged as boundary stones round the consecrated enclosure represented the 12 tribes, as the "altar" represented Jehovah making covenant with them (Ex 24:4; Isa 19:19). In 1Ki 10:12 mis'ad means "a flight of steps" with "rails" or banisters, Matsebah often means a "statue" or "idolatrous image" as well as "pillar" (De 7:5; 2Ch 14:3; Ho 3:4).
Boaz and Jachin were the two great pillars of the temple (1Ki 7:21). In Song 3:10 the pillars support the canopy over the chariot at the four corners. Pillars with silver sockets supported the veil that enclosed the holy of holies. The 'amud on which king Joash stood (2Ki 11:14) was not a "pillar", but a "raised platform" at the E. gate of the inner court (compare Eze 46:2) for the king's use on festive occasions 2Ki 23:3), the brazen scaffold of Solomon (2Ch 6:13; Keil). Pillar is the image of solid firm uprightness, the church's support (Ga 2:9; 1Ti 3:15). The church is "the pillar of the truth," as the continuance of the truth (historically) rests on it. The church rests on the truth as it is in Jesus, not the truth on the church. The truth donkey it is in itself needs no prop. The truth as it is acknowledged in the world needs the church as its human upholder under God.
The pillar is the intermediate, the "ground" (basis) the ultimate, stay of the building (2Ti 2:19). Translated as Greek "the firm foundation of (laid by) God (namely, the word of truth 2Ti 2:15,18, contrasted with Hymenseus' word eating as a canker) standeth" fast; the church being the house (2Ti 2:20) cannot be also the foundation, which would make the house to be founded on the house! The believer shall at last be a pillar immovably firm (unlike earthquake-shaken Philadelphia) and "never more at all go out" (Greek Re 3:12), being under "the blessed necessity of goodness." In Jg 9:6 Abimelech is crowned "by the oak ('elown, not "plain") of the pillar (or memorial) at Shechem," in the same spot where Joshua held the last national assembly and renewed. Israel's covenant with Jehovah (Jos 24:1-26), where also probably Jacob had buried the idol trinkets of his household (Ge 35:4).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Jacob stood up early in the morning and took the stone that he had laid under his head, and pitched it up on end, and poured oil on the top of it.
And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were under their hands, and all their earrings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under an oak at Shechem.
And Jacob set up a mark in the place where he talked with him; even a pillar of stone, and poured drink offering thereon and poured also oil thereon,
Then Moses wrote all the words of the LORD and rose up early and made an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel,
But thus ye shall deal with them: overthrow their altars, break down their pillars, cut down their groves and burn their images with fire.
And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for elders of Israel, and for their heads, judges and officers which presented themselves before God. And Joshua said unto all the people, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, 'Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the water in old time even Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, and served strange gods. read more. But I took your father Abraham from the other side of the water, and brought him into the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. And I gave unto Isaac, Jacob and Esau. And I gave unto Esau mount Seir to possess it. But Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. Then I sent Moses and Aaron. And I plagued Egypt, after the manner as I did among them, and after that I brought you out, and I brought your fathers out of Egypt. And ye came unto the sea: and the Egyptians followed after your fathers with chariots and horsemen, unto the reed sea. And they cried unto the LORD. And he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and brought the sea upon them and covered them. And your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt. And ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. And I brought you into the land of the Amorites which dwelt on the other side Jordan. And they fought with you: and I gave them into your hands. And ye conquered their country. And I destroyed them in your sight. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor for to curse you. But I would not agree to hearken unto Balaam, and therefore he blessed you: And so I delivered you out of his hand. And when ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho, the citizens of Jericho fought against you: the Amorites, Perezites, Cananites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, Jebusites which I delivered into your hands. And I sent hornets before you and ye cast out before you: even the two kings of the Amorites: but not with your own sword or with your own bow. And I gave you a land in which ye did not labor, and cities which you built not, and ye dwelt in them. And vines, and olive trees which ye planted not, and ye ate of them. And now, fear the LORD and serve him in pureness and truth: And put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the water, and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, then choose you this day, whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, that were on the other side of the water, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land, ye dwelt. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." And the people answered and said, "God forbid that we should forsake the LORD and serve strange gods. For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage, and which did those miracles in our sight, and preserved us in all the way we went and among all the nations which we came through. And the LORD did cast out before us all the nations with the Amorites which dwelt in the land, wherefore we will serve the LORD - for he is our God." But Joshua said unto the people, "Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is a holy God and cannot bear your transgression and sin. But when ye have forsaken the LORD and have served strange gods, he will turn and do you evil and consume you, after that he hath done you good." And the people answered Joshua, "Nay, but we will serve the LORD." Then Joshua said unto the folk, "Ye are witnesses unto yourselves, that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses." "Then put away," said he, "the strange gods which are among you, and bow your hearts unto the LORD God of Israel." And the people answered Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve and his voice we will obey." And so Joshua made a covenant with the people the same day and set ordinances and laws before them in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone and pitched it on end in the said place, even under an oak that stood in the sanctuary of the LORD.
And all the citizens of Shechem gathered together with all the house of Mello, and went and made Abimelech king at a certain oak that was by Shechem.
And Samuel rose early, to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel that Saul was come to Carmel, and had set him up a pillar of triumph, and was turned and departed and gone to Gilgal.
And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple, and when he had set up the right pillar, he called the name thereon Jachin, and when he had set up the left pillar, he called the name thereof Boaz.
And king Solomon made of the almug trees pillars in the house of the LORD in the king's palace, and made harps and psalteries for singers. There came no more almug trees so, nor was any more seen unto this day.
And when she saw the king stand by a pillar - as the manner was - and the singers and the trumpets by the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing, and the blowing of the trumpets, she rent her clothes and cried, "Treason! Treason!"
And the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the LORD that they should walk after the LORD, and keep his commandments and his witnesses and his ordinances with all their hearts and all their souls, and make good the words of the said covenant that were written in the foresaid book. And all the people consented to the covenant.
Now Solomon had made a brazen pulpit of five cubits long and five cubits broad, and three of height, and had set it in the midst of the great court, upon that he stepped and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel and stretched out his hands to heaven,
where there hanged white, red and yellow cloths, fastened with cords of linen and scarlet in silver rings, upon pillars of Marble stone. The benches were of gold and silver made upon a pavement of green, white, yellow and black Marble.
The earth is weak, and all that is therein; but I bear up her pillars. Selah.
Thou deckest thyself with light, as it were with a garment, and spreadest out the heaven like a curtain -
the pillars are of silver, the covering of gold, the seat of purple, the ground pleasantly paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem.
At the same time shall the LORD of Hosts have an altar in the midst of the land of Egypt, with this title thereby: "Unto the LORD."
That he sitteth upon the Circle of the world, and that all the inhabiters of the world are, in comparison of him, but as grasshoppers; That he spreadeth out the heavens as a covering, he stretcheth them out as a tent to dwell in;
Then shall the prince come under the door porch, and stand still without by the door check. So the priests shall offer up his burnt and health offerings. And he shall worship at the door post, and go his way forth again: but the door shall no more be shut till the evening.
Thus the children of Israel shall sit a great while without king and prince, without offering and alter, without priest and revelation.
and therefore when James, Cephas, and John, which seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the righthands, and agreed with us that we should preach among the heathen, and they among the Jews:
Study to show thyself laudable unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, dividing the word of truth justly.
which as concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and do destroy the faith of divers persons. But the sure ground of God remaineth, and hath this seal: the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let every man that calleth on the name of Christ, depart from iniquity. read more. Notwithstanding, in a great house are not only vessels of gold and of silver: but also of wood and of earth: Some for honour, and some unto dishonour.
All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all, Amen. {Here ends the Epistle of Saint Paul unto Titus, Written from Nicopolis, a city of Macedonia.}
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out. And I will write upon him, the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new name.