Topical Bible: Millstone: Figurative of a Hard Heart

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In biblical literature, the millstone is often used as a powerful symbol, representing various spiritual and moral truths. While its primary function in ancient times was to grind grain into flour, the millstone also carries significant metaphorical weight in Scripture. One of the more profound figurative uses of the millstone is as a representation of a hard heart, illustrating the stubbornness and unyielding nature of those who resist divine truth and righteousness.

The millstone's association with hardness is evident in its physical characteristics. Made from dense, durable stone, the millstone is designed to withstand the constant friction and pressure required to crush grain. This inherent toughness makes it an apt metaphor for a heart that is resistant to change, repentance, or the softening influence of God's Spirit.

In the Old Testament, the concept of a hard heart is frequently addressed, often in the context of Israel's rebellion against God. For instance, in Ezekiel 36:26 , God promises, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Here, the "heart of stone" is emblematic of Israel's obstinacy and spiritual insensitivity, akin to the unyielding nature of a millstone.

The New Testament also reflects on the hardness of heart, particularly in the teachings of Jesus. In Mark 6:52 , after the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, the disciples are described as having "hardened hearts" because they did not understand the significance of the miracle. This hardness is not unlike the millstone, which remains impervious to the transformative power of Christ's works and words.

Furthermore, the millstone's role as a symbol of judgment is evident in Jesus' stern warning in Matthew 18:6 : "But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." This vivid imagery underscores the severity of leading others into sin, equating the weight and finality of a millstone with the consequences of a hardened, unrepentant heart.

The Apostle Paul also touches on the theme of hardness in Romans 2:5 , where he writes, "But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed." Here, the hard heart is likened to a millstone, accumulating the weight of divine judgment due to its resistance to God's call for repentance and transformation.

In summary, the millstone serves as a potent metaphor for a hard heart throughout Scripture. Its physical properties of strength and resistance parallel the spiritual condition of those who are unyielding to God's truth. The biblical narrative consistently warns against the dangers of such hardness, urging believers to seek the transformative power of a softened heart, receptive to the grace and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Nave's Topical Index

Job 41:24
His heart is as firm as a stone; yes, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
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Library

A Discourse Upon the Pharisee and the Publican
... to such of the saints, that are under hard usages by ... out of the evil treasure of
his heart bringeth forth ... Nay rather, will not this, like a millstone about thy ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse upon the pharisee.htm

Mr. Bunyan's Last Sermon:
... ALLEGORICAL, FIGURATIVE, AND SYMBOLICAL ... of his grace, maintains the work already
begun in the heart: by the ... fire, that is to teach thee that it is hard for the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/mr bunyans last sermon .htm

An Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of Immortality.
... make manifest and consummate the wickedness that reigns in the heart of the ... but from
being expressed in symbolic language, they are generally "hard to be ...
/.../an essay on the scriptural.htm

part i
... Having Christ in your heart, fear that you may lose Him, and with Him the peace
of your heart; it is hard to begin again; efforts to attach oneself afresh to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... with the dazzling splendour of that sacred city-his heart, which had ... one so low,
contemptible, and inconsiderable should busy himself with so hard and knotty a ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm