Topical Encyclopedia In the Bible, the imagery of birds making their nests in deserted cities serves as a powerful symbol of desolation and divine judgment. This motif is found in several passages, where the presence of birds in once-thriving urban centers underscores the complete abandonment and ruin brought upon these places due to their iniquity and rebellion against God.One of the most notable references is found in the book of Isaiah. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the judgment upon Babylon, a city renowned for its grandeur and might. In Isaiah 13:21 , it is written, "But desert creatures will lie there, and their houses will be full of owls; ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about." This passage vividly portrays the transformation of a bustling city into a desolate wilderness, where only creatures of the wild, including birds, find habitation. Similarly, the book of Zephaniah prophesies the downfall of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. Zephaniah 2:14 states, "Flocks will lie down in her midst, creatures of every kind. Both the pelican and the hedgehog will lodge in the tops of her pillars. Birds will sing in the windows; rubble will be in the doorways, and the beams of cedar will be exposed." Here, the presence of birds in the ruins of Nineveh serves as a testament to the city's utter destruction and the fulfillment of divine prophecy. The book of Jeremiah also contains similar imagery concerning the fate of Edom. In Jeremiah 49:33 , it is declared, "Hazor will become a haunt of jackals, a desolation forever. No one will dwell there; no man will abide there." Although birds are not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the desolation described aligns with the broader biblical theme of abandoned cities becoming habitats for wild creatures, including birds. These passages reflect a consistent biblical theme where the presence of birds in deserted cities symbolizes the consequences of sin and the certainty of God's judgment. The once-proud cities, now reduced to ruins, serve as a stark reminder of the transient nature of human achievements when they stand in opposition to divine will. The imagery of birds nesting in these forsaken places not only highlights the physical desolation but also serves as a metaphor for spiritual barrenness and the loss of divine favor. In the broader biblical narrative, the motif of birds inhabiting deserted cities also points to the hope of restoration and renewal. While these cities lie in ruins as a result of judgment, the presence of life, even in the form of birds, suggests the possibility of future redemption and the eventual restoration of God's creation according to His purposes. Torrey's Topical Textbook Isaiah 34:15There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate. Torrey's Topical Textbook Library The Conquest of Babylon. Sennacherib (705-681 BC ) The Flight into Egypt and St. John the Baptist in the Desert The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty --(Continued) Homilies on the Statues. The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt A Canticle of Love Resources What does it mean that Jesus had nowhere to lay His head? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the meaning of the Parable of the Mustard Seed? | GotQuestions.org What does God want me to do? | GotQuestions.org Birds: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Birds are Hostile to Strange Kinds Birds of Cruel and Rapacious Kings Birds of People of Different Countries Birds of the Devil and his Spirits Birds: (Snaring) Designs of the Wicked Birds: Called: Birds of the Air Birds: Called: Fowls of Heaven Birds: Called: Fowls of the Air Birds: Clean: Offered in Sacrifice Birds: Confinement of, in Cages Alluded To Birds: Created for the Glory of God Birds: Creation of, on the Fifth Creative Day Birds: Differ in Flesh from Beasts and Fishes Birds: Early Distinguished Into Clean and Clean Birds: Have Each Their Peculiar Note or Song Birds: Herb of the Field Given As Food To Birds: Inhabit: Deserted Cities Birds: Instinct of, Inferior to Man's Reason Birds: Lessons of Wisdom to be Learned From Birds: Make Their Nests in Clefts of Rocks Birds: Make Their Nests in Deserted Cities Birds: Make Their Nests in Trees Birds: Make Their Nests: On the Ground Birds: Make Their Nests: Under the Roofs of Houses Birds: Make, and Dwell in Nests Birds: Many Kinds of, Carnivorous Birds: Many Kinds of, Graniverous Birds: Many Kinds of, Migratory Birds: Moses' Law Protected the Mother from Being Taken With the Young Birds: Names Given To, by Adam Birds: No Likeness of, to be Made for Worship Birds: Not to be Eaten With Their Young Birds: Often Remove from Places Suffering Calamities Birds: Often Suffered for Man's Sin Birds: Often Worshipped by Idolaters Birds: Power Over Given to Man Birds: Rapid Flight of, Alluded To Birds: Solomon Wrote the History of Birds: Songs of, at the Break of Day Birds: Taken in Snares or Nets Birds: The Blood of, not to be Eaten Birds: Unclean: Not to be Eaten Birds: What Species Were Unclean Related Terms |
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