Whirlwind: Illustrative of The: Sudden Destruction of the Wicked
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In biblical literature, the whirlwind is often employed as a powerful symbol of God's might and the sudden, inescapable destruction that befalls the wicked. This imagery is used to convey the swiftness and totality of divine judgment, serving as a stark reminder of the consequences of unrighteousness.

Biblical References:

1. Proverbs 1:27 (BSB): "when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you." This verse highlights the sudden and overwhelming nature of the judgment that comes upon those who reject wisdom and choose the path of wickedness. The whirlwind here symbolizes the unexpected and unavoidable calamity that befalls them.

2. 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." In this passage, the whirlwind is associated with the Lord's chariots, emphasizing the speed and force with which divine retribution is delivered. It underscores the certainty of God's judgment against the wicked.

3. 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." Here, the whirlwind is depicted as a manifestation of the Lord's wrath, directly targeting the wicked. It serves as a vivid illustration of the inescapable nature of divine justice.

4. Hosea 8:7 (BSB): "For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; it will yield no grain. Even if it should produce, foreigners would swallow it up." This verse uses the whirlwind to illustrate the principle of sowing and reaping. The wicked, who sow vanity and sin, will face the whirlwind as a consequence—an intensified and destructive return on their actions.

5. 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." The whirlwind here is part of the imagery describing God's majestic and fearsome presence. It signifies the inevitability of punishment for the guilty, despite God's patience.

Theological Implications:

The whirlwind as a symbol of sudden destruction serves as a sobering reminder of the holiness and justice of God. It reflects the biblical theme that while God is patient and merciful, there is a point at which His judgment is executed swiftly and decisively against those who persist in wickedness. The whirlwind's unpredictability and power underscore the futility of resisting God's will and the importance of living in accordance with His commandments.
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Psalm 58:9
Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
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Proverbs 1:27
When your fear comes as desolation, and your destruction comes as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish comes on you.
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Isaiah 17:13
The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
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Isaiah 40:24
Yes, they shall not be planted; yes, they shall not be sown: yes, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow on them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
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Isaiah 41:16
You shall fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and you shall rejoice in the LORD, and shall glory in the Holy One of Israel.
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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.
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Library

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... His simple but illustrative commentary"his book of Antichrist ... Now therefore let all
the wicked men be far ... in his attempts after our destruction, maketh use of ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm

The Holy War,
... in earth, and his members, being most wicked, shall be ... fire and sword, and utter
destruction; but the ... that appeared to be explanatory or illustrative in other ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy war.htm

Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ;
... and of "ignorance," is strikingly illustrative; as is ... fulfil the Scripture in his
destruction, as well ... leastwise questionable, by erroneous and wicked men: for ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/come and welcome to jesus.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... in which he was hurrying to destruction, distracted him. ... Whence came those sudden
suggestions, those gloomy fears ... away with them as with a mighty whirlwind. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm

Resources
What does it mean to sow the wind and reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7)? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that God speaks in a still small voice? | GotQuestions.org

What is the “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” sermon? | GotQuestions.org

Whirlwind: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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