Topical Bible: The Sword: Hurtful

◄ The Sword: Hurtful ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of the sword in the Bible often symbolizes judgment, warfare, and divine retribution. It is a powerful image that conveys both physical and spiritual realities. The sword, as a hurtful instrument, is frequently associated with God's judgment against sin and rebellion, as well as the consequences of human conflict.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, the sword is frequently depicted as an instrument of God's judgment. In Genesis 3:24, after Adam and Eve's disobedience, God places cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life, symbolizing the separation between humanity and divine holiness. The sword here is a barrier, a hurtful reminder of the consequences of sin.

The sword is also a tool of divine retribution against nations and individuals who oppose God's will. In Deuteronomy 32:41-42, God declares, "When I sharpen My flashing sword, and My hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on My adversaries and repay those who hate Me." The sword is a symbol of God's righteous anger and the execution of His justice.

In the prophetic literature, the sword often represents impending judgment. Ezekiel 21:9-11 speaks of a sword sharpened for slaughter, a vivid image of the destruction awaiting those who defy God. The hurtful nature of the sword is a warning to the unrepentant and a call to return to righteousness.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, the sword continues to symbolize judgment but also takes on a spiritual dimension. In Matthew 10:34, Jesus states, "Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." Here, the sword represents the division that the message of Christ brings, separating those who accept the gospel from those who reject it. The hurtful aspect of the sword is seen in the division and conflict that arise from the truth of the gospel.

The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 6:17, describes the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." This spiritual sword is a weapon in the believer's armor, used to combat spiritual forces of evil. While not hurtful in a physical sense, it is powerful in its ability to pierce the heart and convict of sin, as described in Hebrews 4:12: "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword."

Symbolism and Application

The sword as a hurtful instrument serves as a reminder of the seriousness of sin and the reality of divine judgment. It underscores the need for repentance and the pursuit of righteousness. The imagery of the sword calls believers to recognize the spiritual battle they are engaged in and to wield the word of God effectively.

In the eschatological context, Revelation 19:15 depicts Christ returning with a sharp sword coming from His mouth, with which He will strike down the nations. This imagery reinforces the ultimate authority and power of Christ to judge and to rule, emphasizing the hurtful consequences for those who oppose His reign.

The sword, in its hurtful capacity, is a multifaceted symbol throughout Scripture, representing both the immediate and eternal consequences of sin, the division brought by the gospel, and the spiritual warfare faced by believers.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 144:10
It is he that gives salvation to kings: who delivers David his servant from the hurtful sword.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

If You Wish Me to Keep Silence, Cease from Accusing Me. Lay Down ...
... [3241] The bludgeon and the sword and the arrow are hurtful things; [3242]
so is the man who beareth false witness against his friend. ...
/.../43 if you wish me.htm

Christ Bringing a Sword.
... may appear to him dangerous; what is most salutary he may think hurtful; even what
is ... that was the cause, in the first place, of His bringing a sword on earth ...
/.../selected sermons of schleiermacher/xvii christ bringing a sword.htm

Psalm 144
... salvation doth send; Who his own servant David doth. from hurtful sword defend.
^11O free me from strange children's hand,. whose mouth speaks vanity; ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/psalm 144.htm

The Ninth Commandment
... lie he witnesses to; and he is a sword: his tongue is a sword to wound ... This city
(ie Jerusalem) is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces.' Ezra ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 9 the ninth commandment.htm

The Dispersion of the Jews, and their Desolate Condition for ...
... of gold and of silver, which they made into useless and hurtful objects of ... Israel
unto anger." [3422] So likewise that conditional threat of the sword, "If ye ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter xxiii the dispersion of the.htm

How Much God Desires we Should Love Him.
... into the heavenly paradise who is not pierced through with the sword of love ... you
love childishness, and fools covet those things which are hurtful to themselves ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter viii how much god.htm

Whether the Pain of Christ's Passion was Greater than all Other ...
... there was internal pain, which is caused from the apprehension of something hurtful,
and this is ... because they do not die at once like those slain by the sword. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the pain of christs.htm

Spanish Conquest-The Propagation, Decay, and Downfall of Spanish ...
... It took the sword, and perished by the sword. ... elsewhere marked the Spanish occupation;
but the paternal kindness of the stronger race was hardly less hurtful. ...
/.../chapter ii spanish conquest-the propagation.htm

What Things King Agrippa did for Claudius; and How Claudius when ...
... aside, and complained of the cold [14] he said, that cold was never hurtful to Lupus ...
used to, or whether this was the first time of his using his sword in that ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 4 what things king.htm

Britain's Mercies, and Britain's Duty
... and furnish us with abundant motives to love and obey that glorious Jehovah, who
giveth salvation unto kings, and delivers his people from the hurtful sword. ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/britains mercies and britains duty.htm