Topical Bible: Water: (Rapidly Flowing Away) the Career of the Wicked

◄ Water: (Rapidly Flowing Away) the Career of the Wicked ►

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

Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical literature, water often symbolizes life, purity, and divine provision. However, when associated with the wicked, water can also represent instability, transience, and inevitable judgment. The imagery of water rapidly flowing away is a powerful metaphor for the fleeting and ultimately futile pursuits of the wicked.

Biblical Imagery and Symbolism

The Bible frequently uses water as a metaphor for the instability and impermanence of the wicked. In Job 24:18, the wicked are described as "swift on the surface of the waters," suggesting their fleeting and unstable nature. This imagery conveys the idea that, like water that quickly flows away, the wicked are transient and their apparent success is short-lived.

Psalm 58:7 further illustrates this concept: "Let them vanish like water that runs off; when they draw the bow, let their arrows be blunted." Here, the psalmist prays for the downfall of the wicked, likening their demise to water that quickly disappears. This verse underscores the belief that the wicked, despite their temporary power, will ultimately face divine justice and their influence will dissipate.

The Fate of the Wicked

The Bible consistently teaches that the wicked will not endure. Proverbs 10:25 states, "When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are secure forever." This verse contrasts the fleeting nature of the wicked with the enduring stability of the righteous, emphasizing that the wicked, like water rapidly flowing away, will not stand the test of time.

Isaiah 57:20-21 provides another vivid depiction: "But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. 'There is no peace,' says my God, 'for the wicked.'" The restless and chaotic nature of the sea serves as a metaphor for the inner turmoil and lack of peace experienced by those who reject God's ways.

Moral and Theological Implications

The imagery of water rapidly flowing away serves as a cautionary reminder of the ultimate futility of a life lived in opposition to God. The Bible warns that the apparent prosperity of the wicked is temporary and that their end is destruction. This theme is echoed in Psalm 73, where the psalmist initially envies the prosperity of the wicked but ultimately recognizes their precarious position: "Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin" (Psalm 73:18).

For believers, this imagery reinforces the importance of living a life rooted in righteousness and obedience to God. It serves as a reminder that true security and lasting fulfillment are found not in the fleeting pursuits of the world, but in a steadfast relationship with the Creator.

Conclusion

The metaphor of water rapidly flowing away effectively captures the transient and unstable nature of the wicked. Throughout Scripture, this imagery serves as a powerful reminder of the ultimate futility of a life lived apart from God. While the wicked may appear to thrive temporarily, their end is as inevitable as water flowing away, underscoring the biblical truth that only a life grounded in righteousness will endure.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 24:18
He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholds not the way of the vineyards.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 58:7
Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bends his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

From the Close of the General Conference of 1836 to the ...
... gave the first impetus to this flowing stream of ... grandeur of his theme, now soared
away into the ... pure atmosphere, drinking the wholesome water, and enjoying ...
/.../chapter 14 from the close.htm

Period iii. The Critical Period: AD 140 to AD 200
... of the second century the Church spread rapidly into all ... procured for him during
his subsequent career no small ... Urbicus ordered him to be led away to punishment ...
/.../a source book for ancient church history/period iii the critical period .htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1820 to the Beginning ...
... hindrance is, white men cheat Indians, take away their money ... for we believe some
white men are wicked yet, that ... as she went to the spring for water she turned ...
/.../chapter 6 from the close.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... concerning his daughter: he dreamt that water gushed forth so ... suffetes had followed
one another rapidly"Eknibaal ruled ... which stood nearly a mile away in the ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

Period iii. The Dissolution of the Imperial State Church and the ...
... The Franks rapidly became the dominant power in the West ... as he stepped into the
baptismal water, the saint ... have subjected to our kingdom, led away into heresy ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iii the dissolution of.htm

A Traveler's Note-Book
... Woe unto the wicked; it shall be ill with him ... victory, and the Lord God will wipe
away tears from ... of retribution hereafter to crown the mortal career with fit ...
/.../merriam/the chief end of man/iii a travelers note-book.htm

Introduction. Chapter i. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of ...
... not concern themselves with men, and deifies water or earth ... of conscience; it is
equally vain and wicked to attempt ... that almost all had drifted away from Christ ...
/.../introduction chapter i the life and.htm

part i
... Our thoughts are constantly flowing conditionally with the existence ... up playfully
on the surface of the water. ... Is it possible to pray rapidly without injuring ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm