Doctrinal Essays

The word incline is a Middle English word meaning to 'bend the head, body, or oneself to something'. It is used in a number of scriptures, such as Proverbs 2:2, which reads "So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding." The positions involved in this case are the ear in its un-inclined state, and the movement of the ear to an inclined state.  The implication is that when the ear is inclined in just the right way, wisdom at its source will more readily flow into the ear.  Joshua 24:23 reads "Now therefore put away, said he , the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel." The original position presented here is the un-inclined hearts of the Israelite s to the true and living God. The Israelite s apparently wanted to serve the true God, but the false gods among them had caused their hearts to be inclined in many directions, except for the correct one. In the natural world, ...