Topical Bible: Whirlwind: Frequently Continued for a Long Time

◄ Whirlwind: Frequently Continued for a Long Time ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical literature, the term "whirlwind" is often used to describe a powerful and tumultuous natural phenomenon, symbolizing divine intervention, judgment, or the presence of God. The whirlwind is depicted as a force that is both awe-inspiring and fearsome, frequently associated with God's might and authority.

Biblical References:

1. Job 38:1 : "Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said." In the Book of Job, the whirlwind serves as the medium through which God communicates His sovereignty and wisdom to Job. This passage underscores the whirlwind as a divine instrument, emphasizing God's control over creation and His ability to reveal profound truths through natural phenomena.

2. 2 Kings 2:11 : "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 here is a vehicle of divine transport, signifying Elijah's extraordinary departure from earth. It highlights the whirlwind as a symbol of divine power and the supernatural.

3. Nahum 1:3 : "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." This verse from Nahum portrays the whirlwind as an expression of God's judgment and power. It illustrates the whirlwind as part of the divine arsenal used to execute justice and demonstrate God's omnipotence.

4. Isaiah 66:15 : "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." In Isaiah, the whirlwind is associated with God's coming judgment, reinforcing the theme of divine retribution and the overwhelming nature of God's wrath.

Symbolism and Themes:

· Divine Presence and Revelation: The whirlwind is often a manifestation of God's presence, as seen in Job's encounter. It serves as a conduit for divine communication, revealing God's majesty and inscrutability.

· Judgment and Power: Frequently, the whirlwind is linked to themes of judgment, as in Nahum and Isaiah. It symbolizes the swift and unstoppable nature of God's justice, serving as a reminder of His ultimate authority over creation.

· Transformation and Transition: In the account of Elijah, the whirlwind signifies a transition from the earthly to the heavenly realm. It represents a divine intervention that alters the natural order, highlighting God's control over life and death.

Theological Implications:

The whirlwind, as depicted in the Bible, serves as a powerful reminder of God's omnipotence and the mysterious ways in which He interacts with the world. It challenges believers to recognize the limits of human understanding and to trust in God's sovereign will. The whirlwind's frequent association with divine judgment and revelation underscores the importance of humility and reverence in the face of God's mighty works.

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

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty --(Continued)
... distant regions explored by Hatshopsitu continued to pay a ... difficulties into which
their calling frequently brought them ... loose upon them a whirlwind of chariots ...
/.../chapter ithe eighteenth theban dynastycontinued.htm

From his Entrance on the Ministry in 1815, to his Commission to ...
... He who has his way in the whirlwind knows what is ... but the old afflictions are still
continued, both inwardly ... a secret petition which I have frequently put up ...
/.../chapter ii from his entrance.htm

The Genuine Acts of Peter.
... He continued: "Ye know too, beloved, and ye know ... Such a heavy whirlwind of wind and
rain prevailed ... chair;" and when they repeated this frequently, the minister ...
/.../peter/the writings of peter of alexandria/the genuine acts of peter.htm

Good Works
... wind, and likely enough you will reap the whirlwind. ... so much violated God's commands,
and so frequently done all ... for if they continued to hold them, they would ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/good works.htm

Of the Necessity of Divine Influences to Produce Regeneration in ...
... reproaches of its enemies, they have continued to this ... in the preceding instances,
in the whirlwind, the earthquake ... the fire; but he is also frequently in the ...
/.../practical discourses on regeneration/discourse vii of the necessity.htm

Caesar Fell Down.
... claimed by the Byzantine archbishop came frequently into discussion in ... and maintains
it by its continued rule, in ... in the midst of that whirlwind of calamities ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter ii caesar fell down.htm

Heaviness through Manifold Temptations
... 3. Again: When "calamity cometh as a whirlwind, and poverty ... 7. It has been frequently
supposed, that there is ... as her own experience: " "I continued so happy ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 47 heaviness through manifold.htm

Paul Before Felix.
... which seemed to prognosticate conversion, frequently pass away ... by his patience, upon
the continued exercise of ... destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxvii paul before felix.htm

The Flood-Tide of Power.
... highest ideal for men is frequently expressed under ... barren of results, though long
continued; and Jeremiah's ... revealed Himself not in whirlwind nor earthquake ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on power/the flood-tide of power.htm

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... god nor king,"the seventh, a whirlwind, a desolating ... seemed good to him, and frequently
entered into ... journey towards the south, he then continued his journey ...
/.../chapter iithe temples and the.htm