Biblical Concept: Leading, Divine

Observations:

God’s incalculable omniscience and omnipotence qualify Him to lead. (Isaiah 40:26 ²⁶ Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power Not one of them is missing.)

Christ is the leader for the Christian. (Matthew 23:10 ¹⁰ "And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.)

God’s leading is just. (Psalm 25:9 ⁹ He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.)

God’s leading is righteous. (Psalm 5:8 ⁸ O LORD, lead me in Thy righteousness because of my foes; Make Thy way straight before me.

God’s leading of Abraham from Ur to Canaan was unique. (Joshua 24:3 ³ 'Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac.)

God’s personal, visible, leading of nation Israel for 40 years in the wilderness is rather remarkable. The cloud pillar and the fire pillar must have been quite a sight to non-Israelites. (Exodus 13:21 ²¹ And the LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.) (Deuteronomy 8:2 ² "And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.) (Amos 2:10 ¹⁰ "And it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, And I led you in the wilderness forty years That you might take possession of the land of the Amorite.)

Divine leading for millennial Israel. (Isaiah 49:10 ¹⁰ "They will not hunger or thirst, Neither will the scorching heat or sun strike them down; For He who has compassion on them will lead them, And will guide them to springs of water.)

The God-Man Jesus Christ was led by the Holy Spirit. (Luke 4:1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness.)

The Christian, the believer in the Biblical Jesus Christ, is lead by the Holy Spirit:

Romans 8:14 ¹⁴ For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Galatians 5:18 ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

It is interesting to note that the context of these two passages touches on the problem of flesh versus Spirit. The passage contexts are provided below (hyperlinks: Romans 8:14 and Galatians 5:18), and contain quite a bit of theology. We humans are in a fix--our flesh fighting against the Holy Spirit! The human needs to use their volition to want to be led by the Spirit instead of their flesh. The desire to be led by the Spirit is an important step in how to be led by the Spirit. A recognition of the need to be led is another way to think of it. “Led” in both verses (Romans 8:14 and Galatians 5:18) are verbs that employ an indicative present passive inflection and describe the need of being led as a continual reality for the believing human. A continual desire to be led is the human’s contribution to the process of “being led.” Humbling for one’s flesh me thinks.

God uses truth and teaching to lead believers in Him:

2 Corinthians 2:14 ¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

Psalm 25:5 ⁵ Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, For Thou art the God of my salvation; For Thee I wait all the day.

Psalm 43:3 ³ O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Thy holy hill, And to Thy dwelling places.

God leads humans to eternal life:

2 Timothy 3:15 ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads

to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:24 ²⁴ Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith.

Romans 2:4 ⁴ Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

The negative relationship between being led and rebellion. (Psalm 68:6 ⁶ God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.)

The relationship between humility and being led. (Psalm 25:9 ⁹ He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.)

God guides us by giving us proper desires in our hearts. (Psalm 21:2 ² Thou hast given him his heart's desire, And Thou hast not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.)

_____

Exodus 13:18 ¹⁸ Hence God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up in martial array from the land of Egypt.

Exodus 15:13 ¹³ "In Thy lovingkindness Thou hast led the people whom Thou hast redeemed; In Thy strength Thou hast guided them to Thy holy habitation.

Deuteronomy 8:2 ² "And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

Deuteronomy 8:15 ¹⁵ "He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water; He brought water for you out of the rock of flint.

Joshua 24:3 ³ 'Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac.

Judges 2:1 Now the angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, "I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, 'I will never break My covenant with you,

Psalm 68:18 ¹⁸ Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captive Thy captives; Thou hast received gifts among men, Even among the rebellious also, that the LORD God may dwell there.

Psalm 78:14 ¹⁴ Then He led them with the cloud by day, And all the night with a light of fire.

Psalm 78:52-53 ⁵² But He led forth His own people like sheep, And guided them in the wilderness like a flock; ⁵³ And He led them safely, so that they did not fear; But the sea engulfed their enemies.

Psalm 106:9 ⁹ Thus He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up; And He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness.

Psalm 107:7 ⁷ He led them also by a straight way, To go to an inhabited city.

Psalm 136:16 ¹⁶ To Him who led His people through the wilderness, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

Isaiah 48:21 ²¹ And they did not thirst when He led them through the deserts. He made the water flow out of the rock for them; He split the rock, and the water gushed forth.

Isaiah 63:13 ¹³ Who led them through the depths? Like the horse in the wilderness, they did not stumble;

Jeremiah 2:6 ⁶ "And they did not say, 'Where is the LORD Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and of pits, Through a land of drought and of deep darkness, Through a land that no one crossed And where no man dwelt?'

Jeremiah 2:17 ¹⁷ "Have you not done this to yourself, By your forsaking the LORD your God, When He led you in the way?

Jeremiah 23:8 ⁸ but, 'As the LORD lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.' Then they will live on their own soil."

Hosea 11:4 ⁴ I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; And I bent down and fed them.

Amos 2:10 ¹⁰ "And it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, And I led you in the wilderness forty years That you might take possession of the land of the Amorite.

Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Luke 4:1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness

Acts 8:32 ³² Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He does not open His mouth.

Acts 12:17 ¹⁷ But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, "Report these things to James and the brethren." And he departed and went to another place.

Acts 13:17 ¹⁷ "The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it.

Romans 8:14 ¹⁴ For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:9-17 ⁹ However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. ¹⁰ And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you. ¹² So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- ¹³ for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.)

Galatians 5:18 ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. (Galatians 5:16-17 ¹⁶ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.)

Ephesians 4:8 ⁸ Therefore it says, "When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men."

Exodus 13:17 ¹⁷ Now it came about when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, "Lest the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt."

Exodus 13:21 ²¹ And the LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.

Nehemiah 9:12 ¹² "And with a pillar of cloud Thou didst lead them by day, And with a pillar of fire by night To light for them the way In which they were to go.

Psalm 5:8 ⁸ O LORD, lead me in Thy righteousness because of my foes; Make Thy way straight before me.

Psalm 25:5 ⁵ Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, For Thou art the God of my salvation; For Thee I wait all the day.

Psalm 27:11 ¹¹ Teach me Thy way, O LORD, And lead me in a level path, Because of my foes.

Psalm 31:3 ³ For Thou art my rock and my fortress; For Thy name's sake Thou wilt lead me and guide me.

Psalm 43:3 ³ O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Thy holy hill, And to Thy dwelling places.

Psalm 60:9 ⁹ Who will bring me into the besieged city? Who will lead me to Edom?

Psalm 61:2 ² From the end of the earth I call to Thee, when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 77:20 ²⁰ Thou didst lead Thy people like a flock, By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 80:1 ¹For the choir director; set to El Shoshannim; Eduth. A Psalm of Asaph. Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel, Thou who dost lead Joseph like a flock; Thou who art enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!

Psalm 108:10 ¹⁰ Who will bring me into the besieged city? Who will lead me to Edom?

Psalm 125:5 ⁵ But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, The LORD will lead them away with the doers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 139:10 ¹⁰ Even there Thy hand will lead me, And Thy right hand will lay hold of me.

Psalm 139:24 ²⁴ And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

Psalm 143:10 ¹⁰ Teach me to do Thy will, For Thou art my God; Let Thy good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Isaiah 40:11 ¹¹ Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs, And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

Isaiah 42:16 ¹⁶ "And I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone."

Isaiah 49:10 ¹⁰ "They will not hunger or thirst, Neither will the scorching heat or sun strike them down; For He who has compassion on them will lead them, And will guide them to springs of water. (Divine leading for millennial Israel.)

Isaiah 57:18 ¹⁸ "I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners,

Isaiah 63:14 ¹⁴ As the cattle which go down into the valley, The Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. So didst Thou lead Thy people, To make for Thyself a glorious name.

Jeremiah 31:9 ⁹ "With weeping they shall come, And by supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk by streams of waters, On a straight path in which they shall not stumble; For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My first-born."

Ezekiel 34:15 ¹⁵ "I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest," declares the Lord God.

Matthew 6:13 ¹³ 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.'

Luke 11:4 ⁴ 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'"

Galatians 3:24 ²⁴ Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith.

Hebrews 8:9 ⁹ Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers On the day when I took them by the hand To lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My covenant, And I did not care for them, says the Lord.

Matthew 23:10 ¹⁰ "And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.

Psalm 23:2 ² He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.

Psalm 25:9 ⁹ He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way. (God’s leading is just.) (The relationship between humility and being led.)

Psalm 68:6 ⁶ God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land. (The negative relationship between being led and rebellion.)

Proverbs 19:23 ²³ The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

Isaiah 40:26 ²⁶ Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power Not one of them is missing. (God’s incalculable omniscience and omnipotence qualify Him to lead.)

Isaiah 48:17 ¹⁷ Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go.

Matthew 7:14 ¹⁴ "For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.

John 10:3 ³ "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.

Acts 11:18 ¹⁸ And when they heard this, they quieted down, and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."

Romans 2:4 ⁴ Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

2 Corinthians 2:14 ¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

2 Timothy 3:15 ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 21:2 ² Thou hast given him his heart's desire, And Thou hast not withheld the request of his lips. Selah. (God guides us by giving us proper desires in our hearts.)

A-Z