Whirlwind: Called the Whirlwind of God
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The term "whirlwind" in the Bible often signifies a powerful and divine manifestation of God's presence and judgment. It is frequently associated with God's might and the execution of His will, serving as a symbol of His sovereign power and authority over creation.

Biblical References:

1. Job 38:1 (BSB): "Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said." In this passage, the whirlwind is the medium through which God speaks to Job, emphasizing His omnipotence and the vastness of His wisdom compared to human understanding. The whirlwind here is not just a natural phenomenon but a divine vehicle for revelation.

2. 2 Kings 2:11 (BSB): "As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind." The whirlwind is depicted as the means by which the prophet Elijah is taken up to heaven, signifying a divine intervention and the fulfillment of God's promise to Elijah.

3. Nahum 1:3 (BSB): "The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet." Here, the whirlwind is a metaphor for God's judgment and power. It illustrates His ability to control and direct the forces of nature to accomplish His purposes.

4. Isaiah 66:15 (BSB): "For behold, the LORD will come with fire—His chariots are like a whirlwind—to execute His anger with fury and His rebuke with flames of fire." The whirlwind is used to describe the swiftness and intensity of God's coming judgment, portraying His righteous anger against sin.

5. Jeremiah 23:19 (BSB): "Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone out in fury, a whirlwind swirling down upon the heads of the wicked." This passage uses the whirlwind as a symbol of God's wrath against the wicked, emphasizing the inevitability and force of divine retribution.

Theological Significance:

In the biblical narrative, the whirlwind is more than a meteorological event; it is a theophany, a visible manifestation of God to humankind. It serves as a reminder of God's transcendence and His active role in the world. The whirlwind's unpredictable and uncontrollable nature mirrors the incomprehensibility of God's ways and His ultimate authority over all creation.

The whirlwind also serves as a tool of divine communication and transportation, as seen in the accounts of Job and Elijah. It underscores the idea that God is not distant but actively involved in the affairs of humanity, guiding, correcting, and sometimes chastising His people.

In prophetic literature, the whirlwind often accompanies descriptions of eschatological events, symbolizing the coming of God's kingdom and the final establishment of His justice. It is a powerful image that conveys both the terror and the majesty of God's presence, calling believers to reverence and awe.

Overall, the whirlwind as depicted in the Bible is a multifaceted symbol that reflects God's power, judgment, and intimate involvement with His creation. It challenges believers to recognize the might and mystery of God, encouraging a posture of humility and trust in His divine plan.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Jeremiah 23:19
Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously on the head of the wicked.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 30:23
Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goes forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain on the head of the wicked.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

They Shall be Called the Children of God
... The saints are called heirs of the promise' (Hebrews 6:17). ... Death works for good
to the children of God. It is like the whirlwind to the prophet Elijah, which ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/19 they shall be called.htm

The Intercourse of God and his Friend
... The whirlwind of temporal judgments makes no distinctions between the ... by prayer which
is acceptable to God by its ... when He has said, 'I have called you friends ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the intercourse of god and.htm

The Patriarchs.
... Their country, afterwards called Idumea, was full of rocks and precipices, and in
these the ... At length God answered him from the whirlwind, and proclaimed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson ii the patriarchs.htm

God's Dealings with the Earth During the Tribulation Period.
... of vengeance" (Is.61:2). It is called "the time ... This "pouring out of God's indignation"
is described in ... the land." Again we read, "Behold, the whirlwind of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/3 gods dealings with the.htm

The Chariot of Fire
... burned like a fire, and in fire and whirlwind he disappeared. ... from it to Bethel could
not have been called a going ... God does not show all the road at once, even ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the chariot of fire.htm

God's Restraining Power.
... not have answered Job out of the whirlwind, and"which ... throughout this discourse,
as He who has called into being ... is contained in this fact, that God the Lord ...
/.../selected sermons of schleiermacher/xii gods restraining power.htm

"The Spirit and Power of Elijah" --Not the Soul --Were in the ...
... Elijah, therefore, was not called John because of the soul ... God none knoweth save
the Spirit of God." [5842] But ... having been caught up by a whirlwind into heaven ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/2 the spirit and power.htm

Utterances of the Prophet Isaiah Regarding the Resurrection of the ...
... be wounded by the Lord." By fire, whirlwind, sword, he ... but perhaps they may, without
absurdity, be called carcases, as ... the good, for the people of God shall be ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 21 utterances of the prophet.htm

Elijah's Translation and Elisha's Deathbed
... and swept with it and all the celestial pomp, by the whirlwind, into heaven ... before
the change of his name, the angels of God met him and 'he called the name ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture f/elijahs translation and elishas deathbed.htm

The Hopeless Condition of the Left-Behind Ones.
... God will laugh at them, laugh at their calamity and ... of Holy Writ""Because I have
called, and ye ... and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/2 the hopeless condition of.htm

Resources
Who was Methuselah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What is the behemoth? | GotQuestions.org

What is the flesh? | GotQuestions.org

Whirlwind: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Whirlwind

Whirlwind in the Land of Canaan

Whirlwind in the Valley of the Euphrates

Whirlwind of Divine Judgments

Whirlwind of the Fruits of Unrighteousness

Whirlwind of the Judgment of God

Whirlwind: Arose up from the Earth

Whirlwind: Called the Whirlwind of God

Whirlwind: Destructive

Whirlwind: Destructive Nature of

Whirlwind: Elijah Transported Upward In

Whirlwind: Frequently Continued for a Long Time

Whirlwind: from the North

Whirlwind: from the South in the Land of Uz

Whirlwind: Generally Came from the South

Whirlwind: God Answered Job In

Whirlwind: Illustrative of The: Fury of God's Judgments

Whirlwind: Illustrative of The: Speed With Which God Executes his Purposes

Whirlwind: Illustrative of The: Sudden Destruction of the Wicked

Whirlwind: Illustrative of The: Unavoidable Fruit of a Life of Sin and Vanity

Whirlwind: Illustrative of The: Velocity of Christ's Second Coming

Whirlwind: Illustrative of The: Velocity of the Chariots in Hostile Armies

Whirlwind: Miracles Connected With: Elijah Taken to Heaven In

Whirlwind: Miracles Connected With: God Spoke to Job From

Whirlwind: Sometimes Came from the North

Related Terms

Stayeth (10 Occurrences)

Tempest (30 Occurrences)

Winds (35 Occurrences)

Storm (62 Occurrences)

Grievously (17 Occurrences)

Whirling (7 Occurrences)

Whirl (5 Occurrences)

Piercing (7 Occurrences)

Continuing (24 Occurrences)

Rolling (32 Occurrences)

Elihu (11 Occurrences)

Passes (74 Occurrences)

Scatter (65 Occurrences)

Flames (54 Occurrences)

Sown (45 Occurrences)

Wind (180 Occurrences)

Thunder (48 Occurrences)

Hurricane (14 Occurrences)

Grievous (73 Occurrences)

Eli'jah (93 Occurrences)

Quaked (13 Occurrences)

Visitation (17 Occurrences)

Undone (20 Occurrences)

Overtakes (16 Occurrences)

Lattice (6 Occurrences)

Lit (10 Occurrences)

Lively (5 Occurrences)

Lightnings (17 Occurrences)

Gloating (1 Occurrence)

Whisper (9 Occurrences)

Wheel (20 Occurrences)

Wheels (30 Occurrences)

Winnowest (1 Occurrence)

Winnow (5 Occurrences)

Waterspout

Windstorm (1 Occurrence)

Wretched (14 Occurrences)

Whirlwinds (2 Occurrences)

Whirls (1 Occurrence)

Invade (15 Occurrences)

Infolding (1 Occurrence)

Inspected (18 Occurrences)

Fan (8 Occurrences)

Fleet (7 Occurrences)

Thing (4185 Occurrences)

Troublest (2 Occurrences)

Rejoicest (4 Occurrences)

Raw (10 Occurrences)

Establisheth (16 Occurrences)

Eliphaz (14 Occurrences)

Escaping (13 Occurrences)

Eagles (11 Occurrences)

Exulting (14 Occurrences)

Eli'sha (52 Occurrences)

Disappears (4 Occurrences)

Devouring (20 Occurrences)

Billows (18 Occurrences)

Bows (28 Occurrences)

Citadels (15 Occurrences)

Collide (1 Occurrence)

Crash (7 Occurrences)

Chimney (1 Occurrence)

Cavalry (11 Occurrences)

Amber (3 Occurrences)

Assunder (1 Occurrence)

Acquit (11 Occurrences)

Stalk (7 Occurrences)

Swirling (5 Occurrences)

Swirls (1 Occurrence)

Shafts (6 Occurrences)

Scarcely (14 Occurrences)

Scattereth (18 Occurrences)

Stirring (20 Occurrences)

Swifter (6 Occurrences)

Stormed (2 Occurrences)

Wither (30 Occurrences)

Clouds (99 Occurrences)

Sudden (33 Occurrences)

Passeth (100 Occurrences)

Whirlwind: Arose up from the Earth
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