Topical Bible: Mill: Sound of, to Cease

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In biblical times, the sound of the millstone was a familiar and essential part of daily life, symbolizing productivity, sustenance, and the normalcy of domestic and economic activity. The cessation of this sound is often used in Scripture as a metaphor for desolation, judgment, and the end of normal life.

The millstone was an integral tool in ancient households and communities, used primarily for grinding grain into flour. This process was typically carried out by women, and the rhythmic sound of the millstone was a comforting and constant presence, signifying the preparation of daily bread and the sustenance of life. The sound of the mill was so common that its absence would be immediately noticeable and deeply unsettling.

In the prophetic literature of the Old Testament, the cessation of the sound of the mill is frequently associated with divine judgment and the downfall of cities and nations. For instance, in Jeremiah 25:10 , the prophet declares God's impending judgment on Judah and the surrounding nations: "I will banish from them the sound of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp." Here, the absence of the millstone's sound is paralleled with the loss of joy, celebration, and light, painting a picture of complete desolation and the cessation of normal life.

Similarly, in Revelation 18:22 , the fall of Babylon is described with vivid imagery: "And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsman of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again." This passage underscores the total and irreversible nature of Babylon's destruction, where the absence of the millstone's sound signifies the end of economic activity and the obliteration of daily life.

The cessation of the millstone's sound serves as a powerful symbol of divine judgment and the disruption of societal order. It reflects the broader biblical theme of God's sovereignty over nations and His ability to bring about both prosperity and desolation according to His divine will. The imagery of the silent millstone invites reflection on the fragility of human endeavors and the ultimate dependence on God's provision and grace.

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Revelation 18:22
And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in you; and no craftsman, of whatever craft he be, shall be found any more in you; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in you;
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Library

The Conclusion of the Matter
... and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they ... 'The
sound of the ... the 'doors' are the lips, and the figure of the mill is continued ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the conclusion of the matter.htm

The Poet.
... tears run down, By night and by day, Let them not cease from weeping ... harlot by the
wayside; the light in the home and sound of the hand-mill"all everyday ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/lecture ii the poet.htm

A Blast of the Trumpet against False Peace
... because they thus brought grist to their own mill, and glory ... But no, you beat your
drums, and sound your trumpets ... Cease to shut thy soul out of heaven; be wise ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/a blast of the trumpet.htm

Letter xxiv (Circa AD 1126) to Oger, Regular Canon
... who seeks wool from a goat, a mill expecting water from an oven, a wise man expecting
sound counsel from a ... which does not cease to load us with benefits, not ...
/.../some letters of saint bernard abbot of clairvaux/letter xxiv circa a d 1126.htm

Effects Require Causes
... physical experience would be to abolish Africa, or to cease to go ... No fever can attack
a perfectly sound body; no fever of ... Hence we must allgo through the mill. ...
/.../the greatest thing in the world and other addresses/effects require causes.htm

A Call to Prayer and Testimony
... Never cease to pray, since intercession is benediction ... anything"there is no grist
in the mill, no intelligent ... a man, in the proverb, "He is as sound asleep as ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/a call to prayer and.htm

Come from the Four Winds, O Breath!
... happen in the day when "the trumpet shall sound, and the ... to utilize it; he makes
it turn his mill-wheel ... without prayer, I will not advise you to cease your work ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/come from the four winds.htm

How Sweetness and Tenderness in Prayer Differ from Consolations. ...
... while in other parts, drowned by the sound of the ... I should suffer keenly were I forced
to cease praying on ... it disturb or grieve you, but let the mill clack on ...
/.../teresa/the interior castle or the mansions/chapter i how sweetness and.htm

Meditations of the Blessed State of the Regenerate Man after Death ...
... 2. At the sound of the last trumpet, or voice of ... it finds them, either grinding in
the mill of provision ... God, even the Father, that is, shall cease to execute ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/3 meditations of the blessed.htm

1875-1877. Mrs. Way's Sewing --Class for Jewesses --Bible Flower ...
... to Christ, before I leave for Africa, I cease not to ... money; and now I have moved
to Parry Sound, to the ... post-office, and sawmill; I think a flour-mill will be ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lowe/gods answers/chapter vi 1875-1877 mrs ways.htm