Meaning of restore in the Bible

The idea of restoration in the Bible is broad. Because it carries so many meanings, a variety of English words are used for it.

What does restore mean in the Bible?

The biblical definition of restore ranges from ideas that have to do with repentance, to the idea of repairing something to the idea of reclaiming a political position.

Let’s dig in.

Meaning of restore in Hebrew

The English word restore has a variety of meanings. There are a number of Hebrew words that carry the idea of restore.

They don’t all mean the same thing though. In this post, I will only look at one Hebrew word for restore and the ways in which it is used.

What is the Hebrew definition of restore?

One Hebrew word for restore is shub (also spelled shuv). 

This word carries many different ideas in Scripture. I will only look at a few. 

Shub means to turn back, or to return. It probably seems strange that restore has this definition in the Bible. 

Let me explain.

To turn back or return carries the idea of repenting. When an individual repents, God brings them back or restores them to their former spiritual position.

Therefore thus says the Lord: “If you return [shuv], I will restore [shuv] you,… (Jeremiah 15:19a ESV)

Shuv also conveys the idea of causing someone to return, turn back or repent.

For example, David expresses in what we call the shepherd’s Psalm:

He restores my soul [shuv]. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:2 ESV)

If you know anything about sheep you will know they are wayward. Always going off and getting lost.

But the shepherd constantly goes after them and brings them back. 

This is how sheep get to return or turn back to the fold. This is how they get to be restored.

It is God, our shepherd, who is responsible for coming after us and getting us to return to him. And that is how we too are restored.

Jeremiah said it well:

Restore [shuv] us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored [shuv]! Lamentations 5:21 ESV

Shuv not only refers to spiritual restoration but also to the idea of physically moving someone or something from one place to another.

For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore [shuv] the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back [shuv] to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.” Jeremiah 30:3 ESV

Jeremiah speaks of what God will do. He will bring the people back to the physical land after a period of captivity and give them back the physical things that they lost due to enemy invasion.

Notice, it is all God who is doing the restoring.

Meaning of restore in Greek

There are two Greek words that carry the idea of restore.

Definition of restore in Greek

The first word is apokathistemi. It means to set in order, to reinstate, to return to a previous condition.

This word is sometimes used in the New Testament to describe what Jesus did during his healing miracles for the sick.

Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored [apokathistemi], healthy like the other. Matthew 12:13 ESV

Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored [apokathistemi], and he saw everything clearly. (Mark 8:25)

Apokathistemi is also used to refer to political restoration of a kingdom. Let me explain further here.

One of the beliefs that the disciples had was that Jesus had come to release Israel from the rule of the Romans.

A few of the disciples in fact were convinced that Jesus would overthrow the Romans and would set up an earthly kingdom. 

Jesus would be king and they would occupy lofty positions. This is why the mother of James and John asked Jesus to put her sons on his right and left in his kingdom (Matthew 20:20-22).

After Jesus had died and was raised from the dead, the disciples were still concerned about the earthly kingdom of Israel.

So, they asked Jesus

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore [apokathistemi], the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6 ESV

In response, Jesus redirected their attention to their purpose – to become witnesses to the rest of the world.

Spiritual meaning of restoration (another Greek word for restore)

Another Greek word which carries the idea of restore is katartizo. This word has a variety of meanings.

Let’s look at a few contexts in the New Testament.

It can refer to the act of fixing, mending, or repairing something that is torn or broken.

As Jesus is calling his disciples, he saw two brothers who were fishermen working on their nets that were torn.

And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending [katartizo] their nets, and he called them. (Matthew 4:21 ESV).

Katartizo also means to put something in order, to complete something or whole again. It carries the idea of making something perfect.

In one letter to members of the early church, Peter uses this word to encourage their hearts as they faced hard times:

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore [katartizo], confirm, strengthen, and establish you… (2 Peter 5:10 ESV) 

In this verse, Peter told them that Jesus himself would put them back together again after the damage they were suffering.

Peter told them they would be made whole, complete, sufficient again by Jesus himself.

Their suffering would cause them to fall apart but they would not be left in such a state. 

They would be restored in all the ways and in all the places that needed restoration.

Final thoughts on the meaning of restore in the Bible

This word study could go on. There are other Hebrew and Greek words that carry the idea of restore.

Nevertheless, I pray this helped you get a deeper understanding of what restore means in the Bible.

Know that God is all about wiping away sin and brokenness. He is all about repairing and perfecting us. 

He is all about restoring us back to himself.

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