In the biblical narrative, plagues and pestilences are frequently depicted as divine judgments or as consequences of human actions, often following periods of war and famine. These events serve as both literal and symbolic manifestations of God's displeasure and as calls for repentance and return to righteousness.

Biblical Instances and Contexts

1. Divine Judgment and Warning: Plagues are often portrayed as instruments of divine judgment. In the Book of Exodus, God sends ten plagues upon Egypt to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage. The plagues, ranging from the Nile turning to blood to the death of the firstborn, demonstrate God's power and serve as a warning against disobedience (Exodus 7-12).

2. Consequences of War and Famine: In the ancient world, war often led to famine, which in turn could lead to pestilence. The siege of a city, for example, would cut off food supplies, leading to starvation and disease. In the prophetic literature, such as in the Book of Jeremiah, pestilence is frequently mentioned alongside sword and famine as a triad of divine punishment for the nation's sins (Jeremiah 14:12: "Although they fast, I will not hear their cry, and although they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.").

3. Symbolic Representation: In the apocalyptic literature, pestilence is often symbolic of the broader chaos and judgment that accompany the end times. The Book of Revelation describes the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, with one rider bringing pestilence as part of the divine judgment upon the earth (Revelation 6:8: "Then I looked and saw a pale horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed close behind. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword, by famine, by plague, and by the beasts of the earth.").

4. Calls for Repentance: Throughout the Bible, pestilence serves as a call for repentance. In 2 Chronicles 7:13-14, God speaks to Solomon, saying, "If I shut the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land" . This passage underscores the conditional nature of divine judgment and the possibility of restoration through repentance.

5. Historical and Theological Reflections: Historically, the occurrence of plagues has often been interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure. Theologically, they are seen as reminders of human mortality and the need for reliance on God. The biblical response to pestilence is often one of humility, prayer, and a return to covenant faithfulness.

Conclusion

The theme of plague and pestilence in the Bible is multifaceted, serving as a tool of divine judgment, a consequence of human sin, and a call to repentance. It reflects the broader biblical themes of justice, mercy, and the sovereignty of God over creation.Jeremiah 27:13
Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 28:8
The prophets that have been before me and before you of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 29:17,18
Thus said the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Of the Fourth Seal.
... family, and also sonic friends who had often given him ... Nor was there ever a greater
plague read of ... for lie means that which preceded the pestilence,) "both war ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/of the fourth seal.htm

The First vision "On Earth"
... and wine are three words often linked together ... three " "sword, famine and pestilence,"
are frequently ... usual accompaniments, famine and plague, and ravenous ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the first vision on earth.htm

Knox's Book of Common Order.
... be at any time any present plague, famine, pestilence, war, or such ... An appropriate
Psalm of thanksgiving followed the prayer ... How often this Sacrament was to be ...
/.../johnston/presbyterian worship/chapter iii knoxs book of.htm

Plagiarism by the Greeks of the Miracles Related in the Sacred ...
... by the Athenians offering sacrifice previous to the pestilence, effected a delay
of the plague for ten ... And often in the woods, when the leaves are moved by a ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter iii plagiarism by the greeks.htm

Women who Witnessed the Fall of Rome
... That the confidence reposed in the latter was often abused is ... The outbreak of a
pestilence soon added to the ... was less than during the Great Plague, a century ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/vii women who witnessed the.htm

Justinian.
... The year after his recal came the worst plague of all ... in the question of faith itself,
but often as to ... Famine and pestilence, following on the steps of war, had ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter iv justinian.htm

An Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of Immortality.
... by fire and water are frequent, plague and pestilence ... those who in Scripture are
so often called "the ... caused by the three scourges, war, pestilence, and famine ...
/.../an essay on the scriptural.htm

The Seventh Book
... betrayed by the theft of Achar, a pestilence arose from the jealousy of Saul, and
a plague came from ... Hence, as I have often said before, it should cause ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the seventh book.htm

The Sibylline Oracles.
... wrath and anger, war and pestilence, yea, lamentable ... shall be aided by Nature: plague,
fire, famine ... revelation, are necessarily vague, and often contradictory. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the sibylline oracles.htm

Treatise iii. On the Lapsed.
... with smell, still almost breathing of the plague-bearing idol ... the trees; as the
destruction of pestilence to the ... same man He saith, when he often entreated and ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise iii on the lapsed.htm

What were the emerods God afflicted the Philistines with in 1 Samuel 5? | GotQuestions.org

What are the seven trumpets of Revelation? | GotQuestions.org

Why was God so angry at David for taking the census? | GotQuestions.org

Plague: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus