Topical Bible: Eagle: The Swift Flight of

◄ Eagle: The Swift Flight of ►

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The eagle, a majestic bird of prey, is frequently mentioned in the Bible, symbolizing strength, swiftness, and the divine protection of God. Its swift flight is particularly noted in various passages, illustrating both the power and the speed with which God acts or delivers His people.

In the Old Testament, the eagle's swiftness is often used metaphorically to describe rapid movement or the quick execution of God's will. In Deuteronomy 28:49 , the Lord warns Israel of impending judgment, saying, "The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand." Here, the eagle's swift descent signifies the sudden and overwhelming nature of the coming invasion.

The prophet Jeremiah also employs the imagery of the eagle to convey the speed of Babylon's conquest. In Jeremiah 4:13 , he writes, "Behold, he advances like the clouds, his chariots like a whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!" The comparison to the eagle underscores the rapid and unstoppable advance of the enemy forces.

In the book of Job, the eagle's flight is used to illustrate the natural order and the wisdom of God's creation. Job 39:27-29 asks, "Does the eagle soar at your command and make his nest on high? He dwells on a cliff and lodges there; his stronghold is on a rocky crag. From there he spies out food; his eyes see it from afar." The eagle's ability to swiftly spot and capture its prey from great heights is a testament to the Creator's intricate design.

The swift flight of the eagle also serves as a metaphor for divine deliverance and renewal. In Isaiah 40:31 , the prophet offers a message of hope and encouragement: "But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." Here, the eagle's flight symbolizes the strength and endurance granted by God to those who trust in Him.

The New Testament continues to reflect on the eagle's attributes, though less frequently. In Revelation 12:14 , the imagery of the eagle is used to describe God's protection and provision for His people: "But the woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time." The eagle's wings represent the swiftness and security of God's deliverance from evil.

Throughout Scripture, the eagle's swift flight is a powerful symbol of God's might, judgment, and salvation. Its presence in biblical texts serves as a reminder of the divine attributes of speed, strength, and protection, encouraging believers to trust in the Lord's providential care and sovereign power.

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Deuteronomy 28:49
The LORD shall bring a nation against you from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies; a nation whose tongue you shall not understand;
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Job 9:26
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hastens to the prey.
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Proverbs 30:19
The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent on a rock; the way of a ship in the middle of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
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Jeremiah 4:13
Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! for we are spoiled.
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Jeremiah 49:22
Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
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Lamentations 4:19
Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us on the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
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Library

The Sheltering Wing
... in Moses' song, of God's protection and guidance as that of the eagle who stirred ...
Does it not speak to us of the necessity of swift flight, with all the powers ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the sheltering wing.htm

Mighty in Word and Deed
... This new Teacher would startle all, as an eagle suddenly appearing in a ... With another
'straightway,' Mark paints the swift flight of the rumour over all the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/mighty in word and deed.htm

"What is Your Life?"
... Rather the quickness, the rapid flight through the thin web ... or sudden than the swoop
of an eagle on its ... seaside, nothing more fleet than the swift sailing away ...
//christianbookshelf.org/drummond/the ideal life/what is your life.htm

Caput xv.
... The representation of the Eagle [224] denotes the kingly, and soaring, and swift
in flight, and quickness in search of the nourishment which makes strong, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/dionysius/on the heavenly hierarchy/caput xv.htm

Touching Next Upon the Training of a virgin, He Speaks of ...
... you let that bird of which we read, "Thy youth shall be renewed like the eagle's,"
[3272] holding its course on high, swift in its virgin flight, be ignorant ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter ii touching next upon.htm

The Strong Forerunner and the Stronger Son
... The beginning of the gospel was the anticipation and the proclamation of strength
like the eagle's, swift of flight, and powerful to strike and destroy. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/the strong forerunner and the.htm

There is a Blessedness in Reversion
... So riches make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven ... Riches and
honour are constantly in flight; they pass away like a swift stream, or ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/2 there is a blessedness.htm

Striking Similes
... Like a summer-dried fountain. Like a swift eagle in the morning glare breasting
the whirlwind with impetuous flight. Like a thing at rest. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section viii striking similes.htm

The Secret of Immortal Youth
... shall lift up their wings as the eagle,' implying, of course, the steady upward
flight towards the ... however severe the struggle, and however swift the pace ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the secret of immortal youth.htm

The Creation of Fowl and Water Animals.
... of living, sharp talons, curved beak, swift wings, allowing ... for his support, and
even in their flight they help ... The eagle shows the greatest injustice in the ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily viii the creation of.htm