ROBE, a gown of state, denoting office
or honour, as the priests' ephod, Exod.
28:4, 34; or the upper garment of
the king, 1 Sam. 24:4, 11.
ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, the righte-
ousness and grace of Christ, by which
the saints are justified, Isa. 61:10;
Phil.
3:9; Rev. 19:8. "[W]hite robes" of
the blessed, indicate their holiness, hap-
piness, and honour, in Heaven, Rev. 6:
11; 7:9-14.
ROCK, God in His Strength and
Permanency--p. 75: HL.
Isa. 26:4. Deu. 32:18.
ROD, a long stick, Gen. 30:37; Exod.
4:17; 21:20: an official staff or sceptre,
Num. 17:2-8. God's word, as consola-
tory in affliction, Psal. 23:4; or as the
means of threatening for correction, Isa.
11:4: affliction, as the means of correc-
tion, Psal. 89:32.
RODE, did ride, Gen. 24:61; Judg.
10:4.
ROE, a beautiful species of deer or
antelope, with small horns: it was ex-
ceedingly swift of foot, 2 Sam. 2:18;
1 Chron. 12:18, living, not in flocks,
but families, and caught wild by nets,
Prov. 6:5. See HART.
ROEBUCK, the male of the roe, Deut.
12:15; 1 Kings 4:23.
ROLL, a volume or book, Ezra 6:2;
Isa. 8:1; Jer. 36:2-6. Anciently
books were of parchment rolled upon a
stick, as the HebrewScriptures still are
in synagogues of the Jews. See BOOK.
ROLL, the Hebrew Scriptures.
Left picture at the top of this file.
List: Ministry.
ROLL, to move circularly, as a stone,
Prov. 26:27; Gen. 29:3-10: to fold
up, as garments, Isa. 9:5: to whirl, as
the clouds driven by the wind, 34:4:
to remove, humble, and degrade, as a
wicked tyrant, Jer. 51:25.
ROLLED, did roll, Gen. 29:3-10:
did remove, Josh. 5:9.
ROLLER, a bandage, as for a weak arm,
Ezek. 30:21.
ROLLING, revolving, moving, as a
wheel, Isa. 17:13.
ROMAMTI-E'ZER, [h] (exaltation
or help), one of the sons of the musician
Heman, 1 Chron. 25:4, 31.
ROMAN,
΄Ρωμαιον, a native or free citi-
zen of Rome, Acts 22:25, 29. See ROME.
ROMANS, EPISTLE TO THE.
Christian converts were numerous at Rome, in
the
days of the apostles, and some connected
with the imperial palace. Paul,
having
heard of their spiritual prosperity, wrote
to them this epistle, to show that Jews
and Gentiles were equally interested in
the salvation of Christ, and equally the
subjects of sovereign grace; it is esteemed
therefore, the most comprehensive, full,
and rich, in its exhibition of the gospel,
of any book in the New Testament.
After introducing the doctrine of the
gospel as the great subject of the epistle,
Paul proves from the corrupt state of the
Gentiles, and then from the depraved
condition of the Jews, their equal need
of Christ as a Redeemer and Saviour; he
shows the perfect work of redemption
by Christ, through which all believers
are fully justified, and by the knowledge
of which, through the grace of the Spirit,
they are sanctified, so as to enjoy peace
with God as His adopted children in the
ways of holiness. Various points of
sacred doctrine are then illustrated, and
Divine Providence, in its relation to the
Jews, vindicated; and the latter part of
the epistle is filled with exhortations to
every necessary duty, moral, civil, and
ecclesiastical, becoming the character of
a Christian. Every Christian should
make himself familiar with the whole
language and design of this epistle, as an
acquaintance with it will be the most
effectual means of his establishment in
the belief and enjoyment of all doctrines
of Christ.
ROOF, the covering of a house, Gen.
19:8; Matt. 8:8. Roofs of the houses
in Palestine were generally flat, on which
persons might walk, Josh. 2:6; 2 Sam.
11:2; Neh. 8:16; the ascent to the roof
was by a trap-door, Mark 2:4; or by
steps on the outside, 13:15: the upper
part of the mouth, Job 29:10.
ROOM, an apartment, Gen. 6:14; Mark
14:15: a seat at a table, Luke 14:8-10:
accommodation, Gen. 24:23-25: con-
venience, as a store-room, Luke 12:17;
or a space of land, Gen. 26:22: or place
of comfort, Psal. 31:8: stead or office,
1 Kings 2:35; 5:1-5.
ROOT, to dig or pull, so as to destroy,
Matt. 13:29: to exterminate, 1 Kings
14:15.
ROOTED, firmly settled in mind, Eph.
5:17; Col. 2:7. Rooted out, is being
exiled or destroyed, Deut. 29:28.
ROPES, thick cords or strings, Judg.
16:11; Acts 27:32. To put ropes on
their heads, is to show the utmost degra-
dation, as if fearing execution, 1 Kings
20:31.
ROSE, a flower celebrated in Arabia,
Persia, Greece, and Rome, for its elegance
of form, glow of colour, and fragrance of
smell, and called the queen of flowers.
There are upwards of two hundred
varieties of the rose, Isa. 35:1; Sol.
Song 2:1. Otto of roses is a very rich
perfume of this flower from India.
RUBY, a very precious gem, of a red
colour, Lam. 4:7; Job 28:18; Prov.
3:15; 31:10. A perfect ruby above
3½ carats, or 14 grains in weight, exceeds
in value a diamond of the same size: a
large ruby is called carbuncle.
RUDDER-BANDS: the rudder was the
instrument of steering a ship at sea, and
the bands were rope fastenings of it to
the helm, Acts 27:40.
RUDDY, reddish, as a bloom on the
cheek, indicative of health, 1 Sam. 16:
12; Sol. Song 5:10; Lam. 4:7.
RULE, to govern, Gen. 1:16-18. God
rules throughout the universe, Dan. 4:
26; 5:21. A king rules in a nation, Isa.
19:4: a father rules in his family, 1
Tim. 3:5: divine grace rules in the
heart, Col. 3:15.
RUTH, THE BOOK OF: this
is regarded
as an appendix to the book of Judges,
relating to about the time of Gideon, and
is so named as recording the history of
Ruth, the Moabitess, illustrating the
overruling providence of God. Influenced
by affection to her mother-in-law, and
attachment to the religion and people of
Israel, she left her country and became
an honourable personage among the pro-
genitors of Messiah. List:
Commentary.
RYE, a coarse kind of bread corn,
resembling wheat: some have supposed
that rue is intended, Exod. 9:32; Isa.
28:[25]: the Hebrew word is rendered
fitches, Ezek. 4:9.
