Topical Bible: The Sword of Severe and Heavy Calamities

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Topical Encyclopedia

The phrase "The Sword of Severe and Heavy Calamities" is not a direct quotation from the Bible but rather a thematic concept that can be derived from various scriptural passages where God uses the metaphor of a sword to signify judgment, punishment, or calamity. This concept is deeply rooted in the biblical understanding of divine justice and the consequences of sin.

Biblical Context and Usage

In the Bible, the sword is frequently used as a symbol of God's judgment and the execution of His divine will. It represents both literal and metaphorical instruments of God's wrath against nations, peoples, and individuals who have turned away from His commandments. The sword is often depicted as a tool of severe and heavy calamities, bringing destruction and desolation as a consequence of disobedience and rebellion against God.

Key Scriptural References

1. Ezekiel 21:9-11 : "Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished—sharpened for the slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! Should we rejoice in the scepter of My son? The sword despises every tree. The sword is appointed to be polished, to be grasped in the hand; it is sharpened and polished, to be placed into the hand of the slayer.’"

In this passage, the sword is a clear symbol of impending judgment. The imagery of a sharpened and polished sword ready for slaughter underscores the severity of the calamity that is to befall those who have provoked God's anger.

2. Jeremiah 25:29 : "For behold, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears My name, and will you indeed go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the LORD of Hosts."

Here, the sword is a metaphor for the widespread calamity that God is about to unleash as a form of divine retribution. It emphasizes the universality of God's judgment, affecting all who have sinned against Him.

3. Isaiah 34:5-6 : "For My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it will descend in judgment upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction. The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood; it is covered with fat, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom."

This passage vividly portrays the sword as an instrument of divine vengeance, bringing about a great slaughter as a form of sacrificial judgment against the wicked.

Theological Implications

The concept of the sword as a harbinger of severe and heavy calamities serves as a sobering reminder of the holiness and justice of God. It underscores the seriousness with which God views sin and the inevitable consequences that follow unrepentant disobedience. The sword, in this context, is not merely a tool of destruction but a means through which God enacts His righteous judgment, calling His people to repentance and faithfulness.

Historical and Prophetic Dimensions

Throughout biblical history, the imagery of the sword has been associated with both historical events and prophetic visions. The destruction of Jerusalem, the fall of Babylon, and the various judgments pronounced against nations in the prophetic books all serve as historical manifestations of this divine principle. In prophetic literature, the sword often points to future judgments, both temporal and eschatological, that will culminate in the ultimate establishment of God's kingdom.

Practical Application

For believers, the imagery of the sword of severe and heavy calamities serves as a call to vigilance and spiritual readiness. It is a reminder to live in accordance with God's commandments, to seek His mercy, and to remain steadfast in faith. The sword, while a symbol of judgment, also points to the hope of redemption for those who turn to God in repentance and humility.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 5:2,17
You shall burn with fire a third part in the middle of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and you shall take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part you shall scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 14:17
Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 21:9
Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus said the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Tears of the Penitent.
... field, during what was evidently a very severe as well ... on the strings of his harp,
as on helmet and sword. ... Day and night God's heavy hand weighed him down; the ...
/.../maclaren/the life of david/xiii the tears of the penitent.htm

Acts xii. 1, 2
... Greater the power, the warfare more severe, the more it was ... James the brother of
John with the sword." Do you ... the smith, who lets fall such a heavy hammer from ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxvi acts xii 1.htm

St. Gregory the Great.
... With heavy heart he approached the burden laid upon ... whom Gregory supported, especially
during the severe winter of ... Rome owes its delivery from the sword of the ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter v st gregory the.htm

Christian Morals. Part ii.
... ALTHOUGH their thoughts may seem too severe, who think that ... neck of the afflicted,
nor load the heavy laden, but ... the point but the pummel [132] of his sword. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/browne/christian morals/christian morals part ii.htm

1 Thessalonians iv. 15-17
... But he suffered punishment; and a heavy one, equivalent to ... For what, though not by
the sword? ... incense was offered, suffered the most severe punishment together ...
/.../homily viii 1 thessalonians iv.htm

"This Thing is from Me"
... was much wiser in putting up his sword into its ... in which this principle applies is
when severe afflictions arise ... service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 42 1896/this thing is from me.htm

Matt. xvi. 28
... But mark thou, I pray thee, the severe goodness of Matthew ... far from flying, he even
drew the sword, and cut ... and the rest, he saith, "They were heavy with sleep ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lvi matt xvi 28.htm

The Prophet Joel.
... their sufferings, and invites the weary and heavy laden to ... devastation by the locusts,
but some severe judgment, to ... shown by Nahum 3:15: "The sword shall eat ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet joel.htm

The Seven Trumpets.
... seats, added their active cavalry to the heavy infantry of ... there agreed to inflict
the most severe penalties on ... of the false prophet by the sword, and founded ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the seven trumpets.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... a wretched lad keeping hogs"deserted, forlorn, his back smarting with severe stripes,
and his ... Each man the share and lot, Which they by dint of sword have won ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm