It could, in this one case, be given its original meaning; namely, “drought.” Perhaps the Lord prevented fallen man from receiving the benefits of the garden which he planted “eastward in Eden” simply by withholding moisture from that section of the country—“a flaming sword [or drought] which turned every way.” Well might this explain the disappearance of the garden in so short a time. Enlightening . Would you do this to the Bible? We Must Learn as Much as We Can about the Sword. The ruler--beareth not the sword in vain. Warfare was part of day-to-day life in the ancient world, so Isaiah’s prophecy that in the end times people would beat their swords into plowshares and not lift up swords against other nations (2:4) was significant. ( Log Out /  Our future in God's Kingdom Its reasonings are most subtle, and only by applying strictly the principles of the truth to every situation will we be able to keep self where it belongs. the work that needs to be done. Another element which is now entering into the self-destruction of this present evil world is fear, even as in the case of the Midianites. The Romans relied in part on assailing their enemy from a distance with javelins Orr, James, M.A., D.D. The Word of the Lord also helps us when the devil launches defenses against Christianity. The foes of spiritual Israel are not people, not literal armies equipped with weapons of, carnal warfare; but they are, nevertheless, real and formidable. To learn more about the meaning, context, and purpose of each piece of armor in the spiritual life of the believer, visit the articles below. All rights reserved. In this remarkable story we are given an insight into some of the important ways in which the Lord’s “sword” is used in the destruction of his enemies, and the fact that he makes it possible for his people to join in the battle with him. Gideon was thus assured again that the battle was the Lord’s and that victory was sure. When the new heaven and the new earth come, we will no longer need weapons and swords, since no evil or warfare will exist. this lesson? Throughout the world, there are certain individuals—real and fictional—whose Psalm 149:5-9 shows the “little flock” army of the Lord, particularly in this end of the age, making effective use of the sword of the Spirit, here spoken of as a “two-edged” sword, and interpreted to be the “high praises of God.” No matter from which standpoint we view the truth of the divine plan, it certainly reflects the praises of our God. Figuratively, destruction by war. Finally, with only 300 men, Gideon and his little army The significance of rhema (as distinct from logos) is exemplified in the injunction to take "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," Eph 6:17; here the reference is not to the whole Bible as such, but to the individual scripture which the Spirit brings to our remembrance for use in time of need, a prerequisite being the regular storing of the mind with Scripture. SWORD, n. 1. For instance, say you read Philippians 4:13. Allied with our flesh is the world, and the prince of this “present evil world,” the devil. A sword needs to be sharpened if it is to remain useful—and it certainly What does God want us to learn from the sword of the Spirit? would like to improve and delve into it. When sharpened, its dual edges wreaked havoc on unarmored foes, while But this doesn’t leave us vulnerable on the battlefield. He has outlined every strategic move we are to make. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. that lies within us. The sword is a symbol representing the power of God to fight the influences of evil and bring people to repentance, for it has “divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Cor 10:4 ESV) Sources: The A To Z Guide To Bible Signs & Symbols Understanding Their Meaning and Significance. Questions about this lesson? Thus it appeared to the Midianites that Gideon commanded a tremendous host, one large enough to require hundreds of captains. it is the sword and only the sword that allows us to attack—to directly do we were able to fight our battles from a distance, we would never experience Please enter your email address associated with your Salem All-Pass account, then click Continue. No wonder we tremble when we think of self. This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright © 2020, Crosswalk.com. And as this is done, we will also be giving battle to our other enemies, which are, primarily, Satan and the world. In order to do this, our earthen vessels must be broken—broken and emptied, for the Master’s use made meet. Adapted from a Spanish design, the prowess of the gladius in Deut.33. All in all, we must put on any piece of the armor through prayer and through regularly engaging with Scripture, including the sword of the Spirit. 2. Heavenly Father, equip me with the sword of the Spirit today. Word, we will make it to the end, and we will be saved. 2:3; I Tim. If Hebrews 4:12 Set aside some time every day for regular Bible study. The Word of the Lord has the ability to penetrate stubborn human hearts, to open their eyes to the truth of God, and to give them an opportunity to accept the gift of salvation from Jesus. marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. This latter thought is suggested by the Apostle Paul when he tells Timothy to endure as a “good soldier of Jesus Christ,” and urges him to “war a good warfare.” (II Tim. Thus the “sword of the Lord” and the “sword of the Spirit” are not literal weapons of steel, but rather the power of Jehovah which he employs to destroy those things which are out of harmony with his will, the enemies of righteousness. The Apostle Paul speaks of the Word of God, the truth, as being “quick” and “powerful,” and sharper than any “twoedged” sword, “piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. The influences he brought to bear upon them resulted in their turning upon one another. And even so, the Lord did not use extraneous force against the enemies of Israel. —Psalm 138:2, KJV. More than 600 of her works have been featured in various publications ranging from Writer's Digest to Keys for Kids. The sixth piece of armor Paul mentions in Ephesians 6 is "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." This, in a general way, is the background of thought associated with the Bible’s symbolic use of the term sword. Psalm 149:6 describes the praise of God as a double-edged sword. The only “weapons” they used in this particular strategy were trumpets, torches, and earthen pitchers. 6:17. Vengeance or justice. The shout of Gideon and his three hundred, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon,” was merely an interpretation of the significance of the trumpets and the torches. One of the early instances in the Scriptures where the Lord is associated with the symbolic use of the sword is in the story of Gideon and his little band of 300 who defeated a vast army of Midianites. sword, we amount to little more than heavily armored moving targets. defeat. 2:7, 11, 17, 26 and 3:5, 12 and 21 are given "to him who overcomes" and not God's promises are as sure as the one The Holy Spirit uses the power of the Word to save souls and then to give them spiritual strength to be mature soldiers for the Lord in fighting this corrupt and evil world we live in. . The sword is primarily an instrument of destruction, and by analogy, in the hands of a nation’s army, it symbolized the strength of the nation; that is, a nation with a large army, wielding many swords, was considered capable of subduing its enemies, thus maintaining its position of superiority and power. And how effectively the “enemy” is thus put to rout! We later find out that this sword will “defeat the nations” (Rev 19:15). A Roman infantryman would go into battle armed with more than just his gladius. Article Images Copyright ©. Jesus, the antitypical Gideon, and his “little flock” of “good soldiers,” are prophetically represented as saying of the Heavenly Father, “He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me.” (Isa. For a complete Scripture study system, try SwordSearcher Bible Software, which includes the unabridged version of this dictionary. 14:12. of From Spain, El Cid and his long sword, He cuts right to the heart and changes lives entirely. Both offensive and defensive in nature, a sword can protect a soldier against the blows of an enemy. 6:12; II Tim. Up the Whole Armor of God, Lesson 3: The But he who endures to the end shall be saved. We have only one offensive piece of armor, instead of defensive: the sword of the Spirit, or, the Word of the Lord (the Bible). God bless all mankind please. Salem Media Group. promises in God's Word tell us that if we remain dedicated to God and His will keep our blades razor sharp and always be ready to defend the hope Seemingly evil continues to triumph. A land, or country, that suffers the ravages of the sword is often described as being utterly wasted; and thus are the enemies of God and of righteousness represented under the withering power of the “sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”—Eph. The Bible, in Judges 7, records the story of Gideon and his 300 men: Gideon and 32,000 Israelite troops gathered near the Midianite camp, but they were severely outnumbered by their 135,000 oppressors. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Lev.26. It’s Logos, the same word used to describe God in John 1:1. KJV Dictionary Definition: sword sword. We read our Bibles and study commentaries and hear sermons preached on the word, so we can gain an understanding of Scripture. It would be impossible for the strongest Christian to fight victoriously against these unrighteous allies without the wisdom and strength furnished by the Lord. So that we can be changed. So take up your sword. Sanctify them by Your truth. The Bible, in Judges 7, records the story of Gideon and his 300 men: Gideon and 32,000 Israelite troops gathered near the Midianite camp, Matthew 26:47 | View whole chapter | See verse in context And while … Romans 8:31 is on the line, and we take up the battle so that we may hold fast to the The Lord’s enemies died not by the swords of other men, but by “swords not made by human hands” (Isa 31:8). The vessel was used to conceal the light of the torch until Gideon gave the signal for the attack. So important was its place in the battles of ancient nations that the term sword became practically synonymous with war. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. “Vengeance” is thus executed upon the nations; and “punishments” upon the people. I In addition to this, they were all to shout, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.”.