The term "immediate" in a biblical context often refers to actions or responses that occur without delay or hesitation. This concept is significant in understanding the urgency and promptness with which individuals in the Bible respond to God's commands, the call of Jesus, or the needs of others.

Immediate Obedience to God

Immediate obedience is a recurring theme in Scripture, highlighting the importance of responding promptly to God's commands. In Genesis 22:3, Abraham's immediate response to God's command to sacrifice Isaac is a profound example of faith and obedience: "So Abraham got up early the next morning, saddled his donkey, and took along two of his young men and his son Isaac." Abraham's prompt action demonstrates his unwavering trust in God's promises.

Immediate Response to Jesus

The Gospels frequently depict individuals responding immediately to Jesus' call. In Matthew 4:20, when Jesus calls Peter and Andrew, "At once they left their nets and followed Him." This immediate response signifies their recognition of Jesus' authority and their willingness to forsake all for His sake. Similarly, in Mark 1:42, when Jesus heals a leper, "Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed." The immediacy of the healing underscores Jesus' divine power and authority.

Immediate Action in Ministry

The early church exemplifies immediate action in ministry, as seen in Acts 9:18, where after Ananias lays hands on Saul (later Paul), "Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized." This immediate baptism signifies Saul's transformation and readiness to begin his ministry.

Immediate Judgment and Consequences

Scripture also records instances of immediate judgment as a consequence of disobedience or sin. In Acts 5:5, Ananias falls dead immediately after lying to the Holy Spirit about the proceeds from the sale of his property: "On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened." This immediate judgment serves as a sobering reminder of the seriousness of sin and the holiness of God.

Immediate Provision and Deliverance

God's immediate provision and deliverance are evident throughout the Bible. In Exodus 14:21-22, when the Israelites are trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, God provides an immediate way of escape: "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left." This immediate deliverance showcases God's power and faithfulness to His people.

Immediate Prayer and Worship

The Bible also emphasizes the importance of immediate prayer and worship in response to God's actions. In Acts 16:25-26, Paul and Silas, imprisoned for their faith, pray and sing hymns to God, resulting in an immediate divine intervention: "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose." Their immediate worship in the face of adversity leads to a miraculous deliverance.

In summary, the concept of "immediate" in the Bible underscores the importance of promptness in obedience, response to divine calls, and action in ministry, as well as the immediacy of God's provision, judgment, and deliverance.1. (a.) Not separated in respect to place by anything intervening; proximate; close; as, immediate contact.

2. (a.) Not deferred by an interval of time; present; instant.

3. (a.) Acting with nothing interposed or between, or without the intervention of another object as a cause, means, or agency; acting, perceived, or produced, directly; as, an immediate cause.

3910. parautika -- immediately, for a moment
... immediately, for a moment. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: parautika Phonetic
Spelling: (par-ow-tee'-kah) Short Definition: immediate Definition: adv. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3910.htm - 6k

737. arti -- just now
... 737 (an adverb) -- (this instant); ; , in the immediate present. 737 ("now") refers
to as -- ie to live "in the" (= " unto God" , cf. Ro 6:11). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/737.htm - 7k

5056. telos -- an end, a toll
... at as a limit, ie (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state (termination
(literally, figuratively or indefinitely), result (immediate, ultimate or ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5056.htm - 7k

5207. huios -- a son
... son, child, foal. Apparently a primary word; a "son" (sometimes of animals), used
very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship -- child, foal, son. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5207.htm - 8k

1448. eggizo -- to make near, refl. to come near
... 1448 () occurs 14 times (indicative mood) in the NT which expresses "extreme ,
immediate imminence -- even a ('It is here') because the moment of this coming ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1448.htm - 8k

3568. nun -- now, the present
... primary particle of present time; "now" (as adverb of date, a transition or emphasis);
also as noun or adjective present or immediate -- henceforth, + hereafter ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3568.htm - 7k

4686. speira -- anything wound up or coiled, by ext. a body (of ...
... Of immediate Latin origin, but ultimately a derivative of haireomai in the sense
of its cognate heilisso; a coil (spira, "spire"), ie (figuratively) a mass of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4686.htm - 6k

3384. meter -- mother
... mother. Apparently a primary word; a "mother" (literally or figuratively, immediate
or remote) -- mother. (metera) -- 26 Occurrences. (meteras) -- 2 Occurrences ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3384.htm - 6k

1. ab -- father
... A primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote
application) -- chief, (fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. ...
/hebrew/1.htm - 6k

Swift Healing and Immediate Service
... ST. MATTHEW Chaps. I to VIII SWIFT HEALING AND IMMEDIATE SERVICE. ... This is one of
the few miracles wrought on one of His more immediate followers. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture a/swift healing and immediate service.htm

Of Immediate Revelation.
... AN APOLOGY FOR THE TRUE CHRISTIAN DIVINITY PROPOSITION II. Of Immediate
Revelation. Of Immediate Revelation. [29] Seeing no man ...
/.../proposition ii of immediate revelation.htm

Whether a Man is Bound to Immediate Restitution, or May He Put it ...
... OF RESTITUTION (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether a man is bound to immediate restitution,
or may he put it off? ... Therefore a man is not bound to immediate restitution. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether a man is bound 2.htm

Death and Immediate Glory, 2 Cor. 5 1 5-8.
... Hymns. Book 1. Hymn 1:110. Death and immediate glory, 2 Cor. 5. 1 5-8. 1
There is a house not made with hands, Eternal and on high ...
/.../watts/hymns and spiritual songs/hymn 0 118055556 death and immediate.htm

The Second Proposition. Concerning Immediate Revelation.
... THE SECOND PROPOSITION. Concerning Immediate Revelation. Concerning Immediate
Revelation. Seeing no man knoweth the Father but the ...
/.../the second proposition concerning immediate.htm

The Awakened Sinner Urged to Immediate Consideration and Cautioned ...
... THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF RELIGION IN THE SOUL. CHAPTER III. THE AWAKENED SINNER
URGED TO IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION AND CAUTIONED AGAINST DELAY. ...
/.../chapter iii the awakened sinner.htm

Whether God Has Immediate Providence Over Everything?
... THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether God has immediate providence
over everything? Objection 1: It seems that God has not ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether god has immediate providence.htm

Touching Certain Forms of Immediate Acts, &C. ...
... OF THE EXERCISES OF IMMEDIATE FORCED ACTS OF THE WILL, BEING THE SECOND DEGREE OF
INTERNAL PRAYER. CHAPTER II. Touching certain forms of immediate acts, &c.? ...
/.../chapter ii touching certain forms.htm

Carey's Immediate Influence in Great Britain and America
... LIFE OF WILLIAM CAREY, DD CHAPTER XIII CAREY'S IMMEDIATE INFLUENCE IN GREAT
BRITAIN AND AMERICA. 1813-1830 Carey's relation to the ...
/.../smith/the life of william carey/chapter xiii careys immediate influence.htm

Besides These Immediate Pleasures Here Beneath
... THE SECOND CENTURY 17 Besides these immediate pleasures here beneath. Besides
these immediate pleasures here beneath, there are many ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/17 besides these immediate pleasures.htm

Immediate (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Not separated in respect to place by anything
intervening; proximate; close; as, immediate contact. ...Immediate (2 Occurrences). ...
/i/immediate.htm - 7k

Father (11359 Occurrences)
... Hebrew 'abh, etymology uncertain, found in many cognate languages; Greek pater,
from root pa, "nourisher," "protector," "upholder"): 1. Immediate Male Ancestor ...
/f/father.htm - 21k

Ready (451 Occurrences)
... superl.) Prepared for what one is about to do or experience; equipped or supplied
with what is needed for some act or event; prepared for immediate movement or ...
/r/ready.htm - 36k

Brethren (528 Occurrences)
... When, then, "Jude,. brother of James" is mentioned (Jude 1:1), the immediate
inference is that Jude is another brother of the Lord. ...
/b/brethren.htm - 51k

Accommodation (1 Occurrence)
... significance. (b) But this is not to say that its meaning and value are
exhausted in that immediate contemporary application. Beyond ...
/a/accommodation.htm - 39k

Vision (106 Occurrences)
... In one aspect it proposes a revelation for immediate direction, as in the ease of
Abram (Genesis 15:2 and frequently); Lot (Genesis 19:15); Balaam (Numbers 22 ...
/v/vision.htm - 45k

Instant (19 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Pressing; urgent; importunate; earnest. 3. (a.) Closely pressing or impending
in respect to time; not deferred; immediate; without delay. ...
/i/instant.htm - 13k

Plagues (28 Occurrences)
... This skepticism of Israel is a valuable asset for the credibility of the account
of the "wonders." The immediate occasion of the plagues was the refusal of ...
/p/plagues.htm - 44k

Education (4 Occurrences)
... and (2) to enlarge the fund of individual and community knowledge beyond the measure
furnished by the direct activities of the immediate environment (compare ...
/e/education.htm - 40k

Revelation (52 Occurrences)
... The impression is strong that what is meant to be conveyed to us is that man dwelt
with God in Eden, and enjoyed with Him immediate and not merely mediate ...
/r/revelation.htm - 89k

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