Topical Bible: The Devil: Compared to Fowls

◄ The Devil: Compared to Fowls ►

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In the Scriptures, the devil is often symbolically compared to fowls, particularly in the context of his role as a deceiver and destroyer. This imagery is used to convey the subtlety, swiftness, and pervasive nature of his influence over humanity.

One of the most direct comparisons can be found in the Parable of the Sower, as recounted in the Synoptic Gospels. In Matthew 13:4, Jesus describes how "as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it." Later, in Matthew 13:19, Jesus explains, "When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path." Here, the birds represent the devil, who swiftly removes the word of God from the hearts of those who do not grasp its meaning, preventing it from taking root and growing.

Similarly, in Mark 4:4 and Luke 8:5, the same parable is recounted with the birds symbolizing the devil's immediate interference with the reception of God's word. In Mark 4:15, Jesus clarifies, "Some are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them." This imagery underscores the devil's role in obstructing spiritual growth and understanding.

The comparison to fowls also highlights the devil's opportunistic nature. Just as birds are quick to seize exposed seeds, the devil is ever watchful, ready to exploit any vulnerability in a person's spiritual defenses. This portrayal serves as a warning to believers to remain vigilant and grounded in their faith, ensuring that the word of God is deeply rooted in their hearts.

Furthermore, the devil's comparison to fowls can be seen as a reflection of his pervasive presence in the world. Birds are ubiquitous, found in nearly every environment, much like the devil's influence, which permeates various aspects of life. This symbolism serves to remind believers of the constant spiritual battle they face and the need for continual reliance on God's strength and wisdom.

In summary, the biblical comparison of the devil to fowls serves as a powerful metaphor for his deceptive, swift, and pervasive nature. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and internalizing God's word to guard against the devil's attempts to snatch it away and hinder spiritual growth.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 13:4
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Covenant of Works
... Sin in Scripture is compared to a menstruous cloth,' Isaiah 30 ... do they tire themselves
in doing the devil's drudgery ... mix with the feathers of other fowls; so God ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/1 the covenant of works.htm

I Would Lay Open Before My God that Nine-And-Twentieth Year of ...
... by name, a great snare of the Devil, and many ... remembered much of the philosophers,
I compared some things ... slay their own soaring imaginations, as fowls of the ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter iii i would lay.htm

Having Heard Faustus, the Most Learned Bishop of the Manich??ans ...
... by name Faustus, a great snare of the devil, and in ... do they slay their own pride,
as fowls of the ... visible manifestations of the stars; and I compared them with ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter iii having heard faustus the.htm

Book Five a Year of Decision. ...
... by name, a great snare of the devil; and many ... own pride"as they do the sacrificial
fowls"nor their ... And I compared this with the doctrines of Mani, who in ...
/.../augustine/confessions and enchiridion/book five a year of.htm

Psalm CIV.
... waves so great that they may be compared to mountains. ... and fowls of the air, but
small fowls are wont ... sublime realms of the heavens, and made devil instead of ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm civ.htm

A Bundle of Myrrh
... living, and kept close from the fowls of heaven ... the small dust of the balance compared
with the ... The devil, like Nebuchadnezzar, heated the furnace seven times ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/a bundle of myrrh.htm

Psalm LXXVIII.
... with visible manna, and those same winged fowls; but, "I ... what vice is it more
appropriately compared, than to ... through evil angels." Now that the devil and his ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxviii.htm

The Church.
... moon, so her virtues are as naturally compared to a ... Joshua shall succeed him; and
if the devil break the ... is the tree under whose branches the fowls of heaven ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xxi the church.htm

Trust in God --True Wisdom
... Without wisdom, man may be compared to a soil untilled ... all living, and kept close
from the fowls of the ... After hypocrites, the greatest dupes the devil has are ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/trust in godtrue wisdom.htm

Letter cxxiii. To Ageruchia.
... It should be compared with the letters to Furia (LIV ... rather to be called synagogues
of the devil than congregations ... for food, to go back to the fowls which "sow ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxiii to ageruchia.htm