Topical Bible: The Eagle: Called the Eagle of the Heavens

◄ The Eagle: Called the Eagle of the Heavens ►

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The eagle, often referred to as the "Eagle of the Heavens," is a majestic bird frequently mentioned in the Bible. It symbolizes strength, swiftness, and the divine protection of God. The eagle's characteristics and behaviors are used metaphorically throughout Scripture to convey spiritual truths and divine attributes.

Symbolism and Characteristics

The eagle is renowned for its powerful flight and keen vision, making it a fitting symbol of God's omnipotence and omniscience. In the Bible, the eagle is often associated with God's care and deliverance. For instance, in Exodus 19:4 , God reminds the Israelites of His protection: "You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself."

Strength and Renewal

The eagle's strength is a recurring theme in biblical literature. Isaiah 40:31 famously states, "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." This verse highlights the renewal and vigor that come from trusting in the Lord, likening it to the eagle's ability to soar effortlessly.

Divine Judgment and Swiftness

The eagle is also a symbol of swiftness, often used to describe the rapid execution of divine judgment. In Deuteronomy 28:49 , the Lord warns Israel of impending judgment: "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 is a metaphor for the suddenness and inevitability of God's judgment.

Vision and Insight

The eagle's exceptional vision is emblematic of spiritual insight and discernment. Job 39:27-29 describes the eagle's ability to see from great distances: "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." This imagery underscores the importance of spiritual vigilance and the ability to perceive God's will.

Protection and Care

In addition to strength and judgment, the eagle represents God's nurturing care. Deuteronomy 32:11-12 illustrates this aspect: "Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, He spread His wings to catch them and carried them on His pinions. The LORD alone led him, and no foreign god was with him." This passage portrays God as a protective parent, guiding and sustaining His people.

Conclusion

The eagle, as depicted in the Bible, serves as a powerful symbol of God's attributes and His relationship with humanity. Its strength, swiftness, vision, and nurturing care provide rich metaphors for understanding divine truths and the believer's journey of faith.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

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.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

From the Fourth Chapter.
... He was called a calf. And that He overcame death and ascended into the heavens,
extending His wings and protecting His people, He was named a flying eagle. ...
/.../commentary on the apocolypse of the blessed john/from the fourth chapter.htm

The First Part
... wilderness; the earth trembled and the heavens dropped at ... a man, the fourth of a
flying eagle, representing doubtless ... For what is called in the Apocalyptic text ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the first part .htm

Ridicule of the Heathen Divinities.
... on whose account what is now Delos was called Ortygia ... a swan, or takes the form of
an eagle, and, making ... The Bull is in the heavens, and you slaughter its image ...
/.../tatian/tatians address to the greeks/chapter x ridicule of the heathen.htm

Selections from the Work against Heresies by Irenaeus, Bishop of ...
... our Lord, and his coming from the heavens in the ... of the knowledge which is falsely
so called, [writing] to ... and the fourth was like a flying eagle, making plain ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/selections from the work against 2.htm

Ezekiel's vision (Preached Before the Queen at Windsor, June 16 ...
... by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened ... ox signifying labour, the lion
power, the eagle foresight, and ... to call Himself, what He called Ezekiel, the ...
/.../the water of life and other sermons/sermon ix ezekiels vision preached.htm

A vision of the Latter-Day Glories
... THE PROPHETS OF GOD wore anciently called seers, for ... eagle wing, and scanned futurity
with eagle eye; he ... hill the top whereof reacheth to the seventh heavens. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/a vision of the latter-day.htm

The Light of Glory.
... can spend whole nights in the contemplation of the heavens. ... It is called supernatural,
because it comes from God ... equal here; for the man whose eagle eye can ...
/.../boudreaux/the happiness of heaven/chapter xiii the light of.htm

Life and Conduct of the Holy Women, Xanthippe, Polyxena, and ...
... Then Probus called Xanthippe to supper, and when she ... Paul, without arrogance, filling
the heavens, speaking within ... from the eastern parts an eagle, and seized ...
/.../unknown/the acts of xanthippe and polyxena/life and conduct of the.htm

On the Creation of the World
... a man, a calf, a lion, an eagle; and four ... This sixth day is called parasceve, [2200]
that is to say ... Moreover, the seven heavens agree with those days; for thus ...
/.../victorinus/on the creation of the world/on the creation of the.htm

Aron, Brother of Moses, 486, 487.
... Eagle, explanation of characteristics, [302]285, [303]506 ... Gentiles, called in,
[423]478; vast numbers of, in the ... be bought, [501]466; heaven of heavens, [502]502 ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/aron brother of moses 486.htm