Abundance

A state of plenty. Since Israel was often restricted in resources, abundance was an important feature of her future hope, and became a symbol of spiritual well-being.

Examples of material abundance

Rain

Deuteronomy 32:2 See also 1 Kings 18:41, 1 Kings 18:45; Job 36:28; Psalm 68:9; Joel 2:23

Let my teaching fall like rain and my speech settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass, like showers on tender plants.

Water, streams and rivers

Psalm 78:20 See also Numbers 24:7; 2 Chronicles 32:4; Psalm 1:3; Isaiah 44:4; Ezekiel 47:5

When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?”

Luxuriant growth and fruitfulness

Ezekiel 47:12 See also Ezekiel 19:10, Ezekiel 31:2–9; Daniel 4:12, Daniel 4:21; Revelation 22:2

Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”

Harvest, food, milk and wine

Amos 9:13 See also 2 Chronicles 31:10; Psalm 4:7, Psalm 23:5, Psalm 37:19; Proverbs 3:10; Isaiah 7:22; Jeremiah 44:17; Joel 3:13; Micah 2:11

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes, the sower of seed. The mountains will drip with sweet wine, with which all the hills will flow.

Spaciousness

Psalm 31:8 See also Genesis 26:22; Psalm 66:12

You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open.

Wealth and possessions

Genesis 24:35 See also Genesis 30:43, Genesis 36:7; 2 Samuel 19:32; 2 Chronicles 1:15, 2 Chronicles 9:22; Job 1:3

“The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys.

Canaan

Exodus 3:8 See also Numbers 13:27; Deuteronomy 8:8; Jeremiah 2:7

I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey— the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

Material abundance a reward for obedience

Leviticus 26:5 See also Deuteronomy 30:9; Job 42:12; Psalm 132:15

Your threshing will continue until the grape harvest, and the grape harvest will continue until sowing time; you will have your fill of food to eat and will dwell securely in your land.

Obedience not always rewarded in this way

Job 1:12, Job 2:6; Philippians 4:12

Examples of spiritual abundance

The abundance of divine power

Deuteronomy 9:26; Psalm 93:4; Joel 2:29–32; Ephesians 1:18–20, Ephesians 3:20

The abundance of divine grace

Romans 5:20; 2 Corinthians 9:8–14; Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:6–7; 1 Timothy 1:14; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:2

The abundance of human thanksgiving

2 Corinthians 4:15 See also Psalm 119:171

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow, to the glory of God.

The abundance of God's future blessing

2 Corinthians 4:17 See also Psalm 36:8; Isaiah 64:4; John 10:10; 1 Corinthians 2:9; 2 Peter 1:11; Revelation 14:3

For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.