Reeling, in a biblical context, often refers to a state of staggering or instability, both physically and metaphorically. This term is used in the Scriptures to describe the effects of divine judgment, the consequences of sin, or the overwhelming nature of certain experiences. The imagery of reeling is vivid, conveying a sense of disorientation and lack of control, often as a result of God's intervention or human folly.

Biblical References:

1. Isaiah 51:17 : "Awake, awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of His wrath, you who have drained to the dregs the goblet that makes men stagger." In this passage, reeling is associated with the judgment of God upon Jerusalem. The city is depicted as having drunk from the cup of God's wrath, leading to a state of staggering, symbolizing the severe consequences of their disobedience and sin.

2. Psalm 60:3 : "You have shown Your people hardship; we are staggered from the wine You made us drink." Here, the psalmist acknowledges that God has allowed His people to experience hardship, likened to drinking a potent wine that causes them to reel. This metaphor highlights the intensity of the trials faced by the Israelites, seen as a form of divine discipline intended to bring them back to righteousness.

3. Jeremiah 25:16 : "When they drink it, they will stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them." This verse speaks of the nations that will drink from the cup of God's wrath, leading to a state of madness and reeling. The imagery underscores the chaos and destruction that accompany divine judgment, as the nations are unable to stand firm against the consequences of their actions.

Theological Implications:

Reeling, as depicted in the Bible, serves as a powerful metaphor for the effects of sin and the righteous judgment of God. It illustrates the loss of stability and direction that comes when individuals or nations turn away from God's commandments. The state of reeling is not merely physical but also spiritual, indicating a deeper disorientation and separation from God's will.

In the prophetic literature, reeling often precedes a call to repentance and restoration. It serves as a warning to the people of God to return to Him and seek His mercy. The imagery of reeling is thus both a depiction of judgment and an invitation to redemption, as God desires to restore His people to a place of stability and peace.

Practical Application:

For believers, the concept of reeling can serve as a reminder of the importance of remaining steadfast in faith and obedience to God. It encourages self-examination and a recognition of the areas in life where one may be spiritually unstable or disoriented. By turning to God and seeking His guidance, believers can find the strength to stand firm and avoid the pitfalls that lead to a state of reeling.

Furthermore, the biblical portrayal of reeling emphasizes the seriousness of sin and the reality of divine judgment. It calls Christians to live in a manner that honors God, avoiding the spiritual instability that results from disobedience and aligning their lives with His righteous standards.(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Reel.8653. tarelah -- a reeling
... 8652, 8653. tarelah. 8654 . a reeling. Transliteration: tarelah Phonetic
Spelling: (tar-ay-law') Short Definition: reeling. Word ...
/hebrew/8653.htm - 6k

7478. raal -- a reeling
... a reeling. Transliteration: raal Phonetic Spelling: (rah'-al) Short Definition:
reeling. Word Origin from raal Definition a reeling NASB Word Usage reeling (1). ...
/hebrew/7478.htm - 6k

2283. chagga -- a reeling
... 2282, 2283. chagga. 2284 . a reeling. Transliteration: chagga Phonetic
Spelling: (khaw-gaw') Short Definition: terror. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/2283.htm - 6k

8634. Taralah -- a city in Benjamin
... Taralah. Probably for tar'elah; a reeling; Taralah, a place in Palestine -- Taralah.
see HEBREW tar'elah. 8633, 8634. Taralah. 8635 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/8634.htm - 6k

The Adventures of Saint David of Wales.
... A second time the two Knights charged, when Saint David, mustering all his powers,
struck the Tartar a blow so terrible that he sent him reeling from his saddle ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter ten the adventures of.htm

Talmage -- a Bloody Monster
... Does it not wave the incendiary's torch? Has it not sent the physician reeling into
the sick-room; and the minister with his tongue thick into the pulpit? ...
/.../kleiser/the worlds great sermons volume 8/talmage a bloody monster.htm

Out of the Deep of Suffering and Sorrow.
... he feels no strength, no purpose, and knows not what to determine, what to do, what
to believe, what to care for; when the very earth seems reeling under his ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/out of the deep/i out of the deep.htm

How to Make Use of Christ, as Truth, for Comfort, when Truth is ...
... Now the believer's stay in this case, must be the Rock of Ages, Jesus the Truth.
It is he alone who can keep straight and honest in such a reeling time. ...
/.../brown/christ the way the truth and the life/chapter xiv how to make.htm

Rhapsody
... Divine solution of this problem comes under the image of intoxication: the haughty
career of the Chaldean is no more than the drunkard's reeling which precedes ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/rhapsody 2.htm

The Triumphant Entry
... But men who will not follow Him shall some day learn the same lesson, perhaps in
the crash of their reeling commonwealth, perhaps not until the armies of ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 11 1-11 the triumphant entry.htm

"The Lord is Risen"
... He who had vanquished death and the grave came forth from the tomb with the tread
of a conqueror, amid the reeling of the earth, the flashing of lightning, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 81 the lord is.htm

John's Doubts and Christ's Praise
... The tempest made the good ship stagger. But reeling faith stretched out
a hand to Jesus, and sought to steady itself thereby. We ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/johns doubts and christs praise.htm

The Portrait of a Drunkyard
... The tipsy man cannot take care of himself, and reeling against obstacles, or falling
over them, wounds himself, and does not know where the scratches and blood ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the portrait of a drunkyard.htm

Four Discourses against the Arians.
... one has Arius imitated the dissolute and effeminate tone, in writing Thali?? on his
model; and the other he has rivalled in her dance, reeling and frolicking ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/four discourses against the arians.htm

Reeling (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Reel. Multi-Version Concordance
Reeling (2 Occurrences). Isaiah 51:22 This is the ...
/r/reeling.htm - 7k

Stagger (20 Occurrences)
... 7. (n.) An unsteady movement of the body in walking or standing, as if one were
about to fall; a reeling motion; vertigo; -- often in the plural; as, the ...
/s/stagger.htm - 13k

Reels (2 Occurrences)

/r/reels.htm - 6k

Reelias

/r/reelias.htm - 6k

Steady (10 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To make steady; to hold or keep from shaking, reeling, or falling; to make
or keep firm; to support; to make constant, regular, or resolute. ...
/s/steady.htm - 9k

Staggering (7 Occurrences)
... Zechariah 12:2 behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of reeling unto all the peoples
round about, and upon Judah also shall it be in the siege against Jerusalem. ...
/s/staggering.htm - 8k

Swim (8 Occurrences)
... (n.) A part of a stream much frequented by fish. 12. (vi) To be dizzy; to have an
unsteady or reeling sensation; as, the head swims. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/s/swim.htm - 9k

Poison (17 Occurrences)
... In Zechariah 12:2 Jerusalem is to be such a "cup of reeling unto all the peoples
round about." The semamith, "lizard" (the King James Version "spider ...
/p/poison.htm - 17k

Heavy (110 Occurrences)
... Version (British and American) "sore troubled"); "ademonein denotes a kind of
stupefaction and bewilderment, the intellectual powers reeling and staggering ...
/h/heavy.htm - 44k

Heaviness (14 Occurrences)
... Version (British and American) "sore troubled"); "ademonein denotes a kind of
stupefaction and bewilderment, the intellectual powers reeling and staggering ...
/h/heaviness.htm - 16k

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