Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake, and a flying serpent from its egg. Do not rejoice, all you PhilistinesThe Philistines were a perennial enemy of Israel, often in conflict with them throughout the Old Testament. This command not to rejoice suggests a warning against premature celebration over the perceived weakening of an adversary. Historically, the Philistines occupied the coastal region of Canaan and were known for their military prowess. The admonition here implies that their joy over a temporary victory or relief is misplaced, as further challenges are imminent. that the rod that struck you is broken
The "rod" symbolizes authority or power, often used in Scripture to denote a ruler or nation that exercises control or inflicts punishment. In this context, it likely refers to the Assyrian empire, which had been a dominant force and a threat to the Philistines. The breaking of the rod suggests a change in political power or a temporary cessation of oppression. However, the warning implies that this is not the end of their troubles. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake
The imagery of a viper and a snake suggests a continuation or escalation of danger. The "root" indicates that the new threat is connected to the previous one, possibly a successor or a new form of the same oppressive power. This could be seen as a prophecy of future adversities that will arise from the same source, emphasizing that the Philistines' troubles are not over. and a flying serpent from its egg
The "flying serpent" intensifies the imagery of danger, suggesting a more formidable and swift threat. In ancient Near Eastern symbolism, serpents often represented chaos and evil. The mention of an "egg" indicates the birth or emergence of a new threat, possibly more dangerous than the previous one. This could be interpreted as a prophetic warning of a future enemy or calamity that will arise unexpectedly. Theologically, it underscores the theme of divine judgment and the futility of relying on temporary relief from worldly powers. Persons / Places / Events 1. PhilistiaA region and people located on the southwestern coast of Canaan, often in conflict with Israel. Known for their enmity against God's people. 2. The RodSymbolic of the power or authority that previously oppressed Philistia. In the context of Isaiah, it may refer to Assyria or another oppressor. 3. Serpent's RootRepresents the origin or source of a new threat. In Hebrew, "serpent" (nachash) often symbolizes cunning or danger. 4. ViperA more dangerous offspring of the serpent, indicating an escalation of threat. 5. Flying SerpentA metaphor for an even more formidable and swift danger, suggesting that the threat will be more severe and pervasive. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty Over NationsGod is in control of the rise and fall of nations. Philistia's temporary relief from oppression is not a cause for celebration, as God’s plans are beyond human understanding. The Nature of EvilEvil may seem to be defeated temporarily, but it often reemerges in more dangerous forms. Believers must remain vigilant and rely on God's strength. Trust in God's JusticeEven when it seems that oppressors are broken, God’s justice will ultimately prevail. Trust in His timing and righteousness. Spiritual Warfare AwarenessThe imagery of serpents and vipers reminds us of the spiritual battles we face. Equip yourself with the armor of God to stand firm against these threats. Hope in Christ's VictoryDespite the presence of evil, Christians have hope in the ultimate victory of Christ over all forms of evil, as promised in Scripture. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the historical context of Philistia's relationship with Israel enhance our understanding of Isaiah 14:29? 2. In what ways can the imagery of the serpent, viper, and flying serpent be applied to modern spiritual challenges? 3. How does the prophecy against Philistia in Isaiah 14:29 relate to the broader theme of God's judgment in the Bible? 4. What lessons can we learn about God's sovereignty and justice from the rise and fall of nations as depicted in Isaiah 14:29? 5. How can we apply the concept of spiritual vigilance, as suggested by the imagery in Isaiah 14:29, to our daily lives and spiritual walk? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 3:15The enmity between the serpent and the seed of the woman, highlighting the ongoing spiritual battle. Exodus 7:10-12The transformation of Aaron's rod into a serpent, symbolizing God's power over Egypt, a historical oppressor of Israel. Revelation 12:9The great dragon, identified as the ancient serpent, showing the ultimate defeat of evil. Jeremiah 47:1-7A prophecy against the Philistines, reinforcing the theme of judgment against Philistia. People Ahaz, Isaiah, Jacob, Lucifer, SaraphPlaces Babylon, Lebanon, Philistia, ZionTopics Adder, Basilisk, Broken, Cockatrice, Darting, Emerge, Fiery, Flying, Forth, Fruit, Glad, O, Palestina, Philistia, Philistines, Poison-snake, Rejoice, Rod, Root, Saraph, Serpent, Serpent's, Smiter, Smote, Snake, Snake's, Spring, Struck, Venomous, Viper, WingedDictionary of Bible Themes Isaiah 14:29 4500 poison
4687 snake Isaiah 14:29-30 4504 roots
4823 famine, physical
8739 evil, examples of Library The victory of Life (Preached at the Chapel Royal. )
ISAIAH xxxviii. 18, 19. The grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee. I may seem to have taken a strange text on which to speak,--a mournful, a seemingly hopeless text. Why I have chosen it, I trust that you will see presently; certainly not that I may make you hopeless about death. Meanwhile, let us consider it; for it is in the Bible, and, like all words in the Bible, was written …
Charles Kingsley—The Water of Life and Other SermonsThe Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
Presented to the World in a Familiar Dialogue Between Mr. Wiseman and Mr. Attentive. By John Bunyan ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. The life of Badman is a very interesting description, a true and lively portraiture, of the demoralized classes of the trading community in the reign of King Charles II; a subject which naturally led the author to use expressions familiar among such persons, but which are now either obsolete or considered as vulgar. In fact it is the only work proceeding from the prolific …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The First Trumpet.
The first trumpet of the seventh seal begins from the final disturbance and overthrow of the Roman idolarchy at the close of the sixth seal; and as it was to bring the first plague on the empire, now beginning to fall, it lays waste the third part of the earth, with a horrible storm of hail mingled with fire and blood; that is, it depopulates the territory and people of the Roman world, (viz. the basis and ground of its universal polity) with a terrible and bloody irruption of the northern nations, …
Joseph Mede—A Key to the Apocalypse The Evil of Sin visible in the Fall of Angels and Men.
1 When the great Builder arch'd the skies, And form'd all nature with a word, The joyful cherubs tun'd his praise, And every bending throne ador'd. 2 High in the midst of all the throng, Satan, a tall archangel, sat, Amongst the morning stars he sung [1] Till sin destroy'd his heavenly state. 3 ['Twas sin that hurl'd him from his throne, Grov'ling in fire the rebel lies: "How art thou sunk in darkness down, "Son of the morning, from the skies!" [2] 4 And thus our two first parents stood Till sin …
Isaac Watts—Hymns and Spiritual Songs Epistle xviii. To John, Bishop.
To John, Bishop. Gregory to John, Bishop of Constantinople [1586] . At the time when your Fraternity was advanced to Sacerdotal dignity, you remember what peace and concord of the churches you found. But, with what daring or with what swelling of pride I know not, you have attempted to seize upon a new name, whereby the hearts of all your brethren might have come to take offence. I wonder exceedingly at this, since I remember how thou wouldest fain have fled from the episcopal office rather than …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great Epistle xxi. To Constantina Augusta .
To Constantina Augusta [1593] . Gregory to Constantina, &c. Almighty God, who holds in His right hand the heart of your Piety, both protects us through you and prepares for you rewards of eternal remuneration for temporal deeds. For I have learnt from the letters of the deacon Sabinianus my responsalis with what justice your Serenity is interested in the cause of the blessed Prince of the apostles Peter against certain persons who are proudly humble and feignedly kind. And I trust in the bounty …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great That the Ruler Should Be, through Humility, a Companion of Good Livers, But, through the Zeal of Righteousness, Rigid against the vices of Evildoers.
The ruler should be, through humility, a companion of good livers, and, through the zeal of righteousness, rigid against the vices of evil-doers; so that in nothing he prefer himself to the good, and yet, when the fault of the bad requires it, he be at once conscious of the power of his priority; to the end that, while among his subordinates who live well he waives his rank and accounts them as his equals, he may not fear to execute the laws of rectitude towards the perverse. For, as I remember to …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great The Doctrine of Satan.
I. HIS EXISTENCE AND PERSONALITY. 1. EXISTENCE. 2. PERSONALITY. II. HIS PLACE AND POWER. 1. A MIGHTY ANGEL. 2. PRINCE OF POWER OF THE AIR. 3. GOD OF THIS WORLD. 4. HEAD OF KINGDOM OF DARKNESS. 5. SOVEREIGN OVER DEATH. III. HIS CHARACTER. 1. ADVERSARY. 2. DIABOLOS. 3. WICKED ONE. 4. TEMPTER. IV. OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS SATAN. 1. LIMITED POWER OF SATAN. 2. RESIST HIM. V. HIS DESTINY. 1. A CONQUERED ENEMY. 2. UNDER ETERNAL CURSE. VI. DEMONS. THE DOCTRINE OF SATAN. Throughout the Scriptures Satan is set …
Rev. William Evans—The Great Doctrines of the Bible The Disciple, -- Master, Some People Say that the Comfort and Joy that Believers Experience...
The Disciple,--Master, some people say that the comfort and joy that believers experience are simply the outcome of their own thoughts and ideas. Is this true? The Master,--1. That comfort and abiding peace which believers have within themselves is due to My presence in their hearts, and to the life-giving influence of the fullness of the Holy Spirit. As for those who say that this spiritual joy is the result only of the thoughts of the heart, they are like a foolish man who was blind from his birth, …
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet The Power of God
The next attribute is God's power. Job 9:19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong.' In this chapter is a magnificent description of God's power. Lo, he is strong.' The Hebrew word for strong signifies a conquering, prevailing strength. He is strong.' The superlative degree is intended here; viz., He is most strong. He is called El-shaddai, God almighty. Gen 17:7. His almightiness lies in this, that he can do whatever is feasible. Divines distinguish between authority and power. God has both. …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Sargon of Assyria (722-705 B. C. )
SARGON AS A WARRIOR AND AS A BUILDER. The origin of Sargon II.: the revolt of Babylon, Merodach-baladan and Elam--The kingdom of Elam from the time of the first Babylonian empire; the conquest's of Shutruh-nalkunta I.; the princes of Malamir--The first encounter of Assyria and Elam, the battle of Durilu (721 B.C.)--Revolt of Syria, Iaubidi of Hamath and Hannon of Gaza--Bocchoris and the XXIVth Egyptian dynasty; the first encounter of Assyria with Egypt, the battle of Raphia (720 B.C.). Urartu …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7 Use to be Made of the Doctrine of Providence.
Sections. 1. Summary of the doctrine of Divine Providence. 1. It embraces the future and the past. 2. It works by means, without means, and against means. 3. Mankind, and particularly the Church, the object of special care. 4. The mode of administration usually secret, but always just. This last point more fully considered. 2. The profane denial that the world is governed by the secret counsel of God, refuted by passages of Scripture. Salutary counsel. 3. This doctrine, as to the secret counsel of …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion The Holy War,
MADE BY SHADDAI UPON DIABOLUS, FOR THE REGAINING OF THE METROPOLIS OF THE WORLD; OR, THE LOSING AND TAKING AGAIN OF THE TOWN OF MANSOUL. THE AUTHOR OF 'THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS.' 'I have used similitudes.'--Hosea 12:10. London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms in the Poultry; and Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1682. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Bunyan's account of the Holy War is indeed an extraordinary book, manifesting a degree of genius, research, and spiritual …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Covenanting According to the Purposes of God.
Since every revealed purpose of God, implying that obedience to his law will be given, is a demand of that obedience, the announcement of his Covenant, as in his sovereignty decreed, claims, not less effectively than an explicit law, the fulfilment of its duties. A representation of a system of things pre-determined in order that the obligations of the Covenant might be discharged; various exhibitions of the Covenant as ordained; and a description of the children of the Covenant as predestinated …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting Opposition to Messiah in Vain
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision. T he extent and efficacy [effects] of the depravity of mankind cannot be fully estimated by the conduct of heathens destitute of divine revelation. We may say of the Gospel, in one sense, what the Apostle says of the Law, It entered that sin might abound (Romans 5:20) . It afforded occasion for displaying the alienation of the heart of man from the blessed God, in the strongest light. The sensuality, oppression and …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Isaiah 14:29 NIVIsaiah 14:29 NLTIsaiah 14:29 ESVIsaiah 14:29 NASBIsaiah 14:29 KJV
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