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Forces Of the Gentiles (Isa 60:5, Isa 60:11; R.V., "the wealth of the nations") denotes the wealth of the heathen. The whole passage means that the wealth of the Gentile world should be consecrated to the service of the church.

Ford Mention is frequently made of the fords of the Jordan (Jos 2:7; Jdg 3:28; Jdg 12:5, Jdg 12:6), which must have been very numerous; about fifty perhaps. The most notable was that of Bethabara. Mention is also made of the ford of the Jabbok (Gen 32:22), and of the fords of Arnon (Isa 16:2) and of the Euphrates (Jer 51:32).

Forehead The practice common among Oriental nations of colouring the forehead or impressing on it some distinctive mark as a sign of devotion to some deity is alluded to in Rev 13:16, Rev 13:17; Rev 14:9; Rev 17:5; Rev 20:4. The "jewel on thy forehead" mentioned in Eze 16:12 (R.V., "a ring upon thy nose") was in all probability the "nose-ring" (Isa 3:21). In Eze 3:7 the word "impudent" is rightly rendered in the Revised Version "an hard forehead." (See also Eze 3:8, Eze 3:9.)

Foreigner A Gentile. Such as resided among the Hebrews were required by the law to be treated with kindness (Exo 22:21; Exo 23:9; Lev 19:33, Lev 19:34; Lev 23:22; Deu 14:28; Deu 16:10, Deu 16:11; Deu 24:19). They enjoyed in many things equal rights with the native-born residents (Exo 12:49; Lev 24:22; Num 15:15; Num 35:15), but were not allowed to do anything which was an abomination according to the Jewish law (Exo 20:10; Lev 17:15, Lev 17:16; Lev 18:26; Lev 20:2; Lev 24:16, etc.).

Foreknowledge of God Act 2:23; Rom 8:29; Rom 11:2; Pe1 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite (Sa1 23:9; Jer 38:17; Jer 42:9, Mat 11:21, Mat 11:23; Act 15:18).

Forerunner John the Baptist went before our Lord in this character (Mar 1:2, Mar 1:3). Christ so called (Heb 6:20) as entering before his people into the holy place as their head and guide.

Forest Heb. ya'ar , meaning a dense wood, from its luxuriance. Thus all the great primeval forests of Syria (Ecc 2:6; Isa 44:14; Jer 5:6; Mic 5:8). The most extensive was the trans-Jordanic forest of Ephraim (Sa2 18:6, Sa2 18:8; Jos 17:15, Jos 17:18), which is probably the same as the wood of Ephratah (Psa 132:6), some part of the great forest of Gilead. It was in this forest that Absalom was slain by Joab. David withdrew to the forest of Hareth in the mountains of Judah to avoid the fury of Saul (Sa1 22:5). We read also of the forest of Bethel (Kg2 2:23, Kg2 2:24), and of that which the Israelites passed in their pursuit of the Philistines (Sa1 14:25), and of the forest of the cedars of Lebanon (Kg1 4:33; Kg2 19:23; Hos 14:5, Hos 14:6). "The house of the forest of Lebanon (Kg1 7:2; Kg1 10:17; Ch2 9:16) was probably Solomon's armoury, and was so called because the wood of its many pillars came from Lebanon, and they had the appearance of a forest. (See BAALBEC.) Heb. horesh , denoting a thicket of trees, underwood, jungle, bushes, or trees entangled, and therefore affording a safe hiding-place. place. This word is rendered "forest" only in Ch2 27:4. It is also rendered "wood", the "wood" in the "wilderness of Ziph," in which david concealed himself (Sa1 23:15), which lay south-east of Hebron. In Isa 17:9 this word is in Authorized Version rendered incorrectly "bough." Heb. pardes , meaning an enclosed garden or plantation. Asaph is (Neh 2:8) called the "keeper of the king's forest." The same Hebrew word is used Ecc 2:5, where it is rendered in the plural "orchards" (R.V., "parks"), and Sol 4:13, rendered "orchard" (R.V. marg., "a paradise"). "The forest of the vintage" (Zac 11:2, "inaccessible forest," or R.V. "strong forest") is probably a figurative allusion to Jerusalem, or the verse may simply point to the devastation of the region referred to. The forest is an image of unfruitfulness as contrasted with a cultivated field (Isa 29:17; Isa 32:15; Jer 26:18; Hos 2:12). Isaiah (Isa 10:19, Isa 10:33, Isa 10:34) likens the Assyrian host under Sennacherib (q.v.) to the trees of some huge forest, to be suddenly cut down by an unseen stroke.

Forgiveness of Sin One of the constituent parts of justification. In pardoning sin, God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, and that on account of the work of Christ, i.e., he removes the guilt of sin, or the sinner's actual liability to eternal wrath on account of it. All sins are forgiven freely (Act 5:31; Act 13:38; Jo1 1:6). The sinner is by this act of grace for ever freed from the guilt and penalty of his sins. This is the peculiar prerogative of God (Psa 130:4; Mar 2:5). It is offered to all in the gospel. (See JUSTIFICATION.)

Fornication In every form of it was sternly condemned by the Mosaic law (Lev 21:9; Lev 19:29; Deu 22:20, Deu 22:21, Deu 22:23; Deu 23:18; Exo 22:16). (See ADULTERY.) But this word is more frequently used in a symbolical than in its ordinary sense. It frequently means a forsaking of God or a following after idols (Isa 1:2; Jer 2:20; Ezek. 16; Hos 1:2; Hos 2:1; Jer 3:8, Jer 3:9).

Fortunatus Fortunate, a disciple of Corinth who visited Paul at Ephesus, and returned with Stephanas and Achaicus, the bearers of the apostle's first letter to the Corinthians (Co1 16:17).