In biblical times, the cessation of travel was often perceived as a significant calamity, reflecting societal instability, divine judgment, or the presence of danger. The ability to travel safely was crucial for trade, communication, and the spread of the Gospel. When travel ceased, it indicated a disruption in these essential activities, often due to warfare, oppression, or divine displeasure.

Judges 5:6-7 provides a vivid depiction of such a scenario during the time of Deborah and Barak: "In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted, and travelers took winding paths. The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel." This passage highlights a period of oppression under Canaanite rule, where the normalcy of travel and village life was disrupted until God raised up Deborah as a deliverer.

The cessation of travel is also seen as a consequence of divine judgment. In Isaiah 33:8, the prophet describes the desolation brought upon the land due to the people's iniquity: "The highways are deserted, travelers have quit the road. The treaty is broken, the witnesses are despised, and no one is respected." Here, the breakdown of societal order and the abandonment of roads signify the severity of God's judgment upon a rebellious nation.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul experienced firsthand the challenges and dangers associated with travel. In 2 Corinthians 11:26, he recounts his perils: "I have been in danger on rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers." While this passage does not describe a complete cessation of travel, it underscores the constant threats that could lead to such a situation.

The cessation of travel, therefore, is not merely an inconvenience but a reflection of deeper spiritual and societal issues. It serves as a reminder of the need for divine intervention and the restoration of peace and order. Throughout Scripture, the resumption of safe travel often accompanies periods of deliverance and divine favor, as seen in the restoration narratives of the Old Testament and the missionary journeys of the New Testament.Isaiah 33:8
The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceases: he has broken the covenant, he has despised the cities, he regards no man.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

St. Augustine (Ad 354-430)
... be killed, threatening to kill the travellers if they ... One of their bishops threatened
that, if he were ... walls for shelter, he laboured without ceasing among them ...
/.../chapter xxi st augustine ad.htm

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