Topical Bible: The Horse: Vanity of Trusting To

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In biblical times, the horse was a symbol of strength, speed, and military might. However, the Scriptures consistently caution against placing trust in horses for deliverance or victory, emphasizing reliance on God instead. The horse, while a valuable asset in warfare and transportation, is portrayed as an unreliable foundation for security and salvation.

Biblical References:

1. Psalm 20:7 · "Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." This verse contrasts the reliance on military power, represented by horses and chariots, with the superior trust in God. It underscores the futility of depending on human strength and technology over divine intervention.

2. Psalm 33:17 · "A horse is a vain hope for salvation; even its great strength cannot save." Here, the psalmist explicitly states the inadequacy of horses as a means of salvation. Despite their might, horses cannot deliver from peril, highlighting the necessity of trusting in God's power.

3. Proverbs 21:31 · "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD." This proverb acknowledges the role of preparation and the use of horses in warfare, yet it firmly attributes the outcome of battles to the Lord. It serves as a reminder that ultimate success and protection come from God, not from human preparations or resources.

4. Isaiah 31:1 · "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD." The prophet Isaiah warns against seeking military alliances and trusting in the might of horses and chariots from Egypt, urging the people to seek the Lord instead. This passage highlights the spiritual danger of relying on worldly power rather than divine guidance.

5. Hosea 14:3 · "Assyria will not save us; we will not ride on horses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods,’ to the work of our own hands. For in You the fatherless find compassion." In this context, the prophet Hosea calls for repentance and a return to God, rejecting reliance on foreign powers and military strength, symbolized by horses. The verse emphasizes the need for faith in God’s compassion and provision.

Theological Implications:

The biblical narrative consistently presents the horse as a metaphor for human reliance on earthly power and strength. The warnings against trusting in horses serve as a broader admonition against idolatry and self-reliance. The Scriptures advocate for a life of faith, where trust is placed in God’s sovereignty and providence rather than in human capabilities or material resources.

The horse, while a creation of God and a testament to His creativity and provision, is not to be the object of ultimate trust. Instead, believers are called to recognize the limitations of human power and to place their confidence in the Lord, who alone is the source of true security and salvation.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 33:17
An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Amos 2:15
Neither shall he stand that handles the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rides the horse deliver himself.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of Boasting.
... Theophrastus used to say, It was safer trusting to an unbridled horse, than to ... Yea,
so stupid a vanity is this, that it works alike upon all materials: not ...
/.../allestree/the government of the tongue/section ix of boasting.htm

Sowing in the Wind, Reaping under Clouds
... wrong-doing, and to make Divine Providence the pack-horse upon which ... are trusting
God, not trusting the soil, nor trusting the seed. ... All that cometh is vanity. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/sowing in the wind reaping.htm

The Noachic Covenant
... fruits, and its sunshine, there is no trusting it; we ... themselves in the fire for
very vanity, we seem ... The huge elephant and the swift horse shall become your ...
/.../kingsley/twenty-five village sermons/sermon xi the noachic covenant.htm

Meanwhile, the Marquis Fontenelle had Been Nearly a Fortnight in ...
... Fontenelle at once dismounted, and tied his horse to the ... so sweet she was, so childlike,
so trusting, so fair ... and who had wasted all their substance on vanity. ...
/.../corelli/the master-christian/xxiii meanwhile the marquis fontenelle.htm

Salvation Published from the Mountains
... he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his ... of morality and goodness, and trusting
to his ... Disappointment, dissatisfaction, vanity, and vexation of spirit ...
/.../newton/messiah vol 1/sermon vi salvation published from.htm

Sovereignty and Salvation
... But when man has found the vanity of one system ... indefatigable; but it is like a blind
horse turning round ... Christ, the desire after Christ, the trusting in Christ ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/sovereignty and salvation.htm

Homilies on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians.
... 1526]348; blasphemed through idlers, [1527]ib.; jealous of our trusting in man ... History,
proves vanity of earthly things, [1683]379. ... Horse race, [1696]206. ...
/.../homilies on philippians colossians and.htm

The Eternal Revolution
... I shall think it wrong to sit on a horse. ... It is a mystical adventure; it is specially
trusting those who ... O Lord, in all our doings." Without vanity, I really ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chesterton/orthodoxy/vii the eternal revolution.htm

Who is the Rich Man that Shall be Saved?
... nor is by any means saved by trusting and believing ... they also shall be delivered
from the vanity of the ... and like a hard-mouthed and powerful horse, had taken ...
/.../clement/who is the rich man that shall be saved/who is the rich man.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1812 to the Death of ...
... Leaving his saddle-bags, valise, and some books with his Indian guide, he
mounted his horse and attempted to ride through the creek. ...
/.../chapter 2 from the close.htm