Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. The phrase rāʿâ yōṣēʾṯ miggôy ʾel-gôy (רָעָה יֹצֵאת מִגּוֹי אֶל־גּוֹי, evil shall go forth from nation to nation) depicts judgment spreading like contagion from one nation to the next. The Babylonian conquests proceeded systematically—Egypt, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and ultimately Babylon itself would fall to Persia. Each conquest enabled the next, creating a domino effect of judgment.
The phrase saʿar gāḏôl yēʿôr miyyarkĕṯê-ʾāreṣ (סַעַר גָּדוֹל יֵעוֹר מִיַּרְכְּתֵי־אָרֶץ, great whirlwind shall be raised from the coasts/remotest parts of the earth) employs storm imagery for overwhelming, destructive judgment. The term saʿar (סַעַר, whirlwind/tempest) suggests violent, irresistible force. The 'remotest parts of earth' (yarkĕṯê-ʾāreṣ) emphasizes that judgment originates from unexpected quarters—Babylon arose from distant Mesopotamia, just as later the Medes and Persians came from the east. God raises up instruments of judgment from wherever He chooses, demonstrating absolute sovereignty over history.
Historical Context
The pattern of judgment spreading 'from nation to nation' describes the succession of empires—Babylon conquering the ancient Near East, then Persia conquering Babylon, then Greece conquering Persia, then Rome conquering Greece. Each empire became God's instrument of judgment on its predecessor. This succession, prophesied in Daniel 2 and 7, demonstrates divine sovereignty orchestrating human history. The 'great whirlwind' describes the violence and rapidity of these imperial transitions—established powers swept away seemingly overnight.
Questions for Reflection
How does judgment spreading 'from nation to nation' demonstrate that no human power is permanent and all stand under God's sovereignty?
What does the 'whirlwind from the remotest parts of earth' teach about God's ability to raise up instruments of judgment from unexpected sources?
How should the pattern of empires rising and falling throughout history humble national pride and remind us that only God's kingdom endures?
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Analysis & Commentary
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. The phrase rāʿâ yōṣēʾṯ miggôy ʾel-gôy (רָעָה יֹצֵאת מִגּוֹי אֶל־גּוֹי, evil shall go forth from nation to nation) depicts judgment spreading like contagion from one nation to the next. The Babylonian conquests proceeded systematically—Egypt, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and ultimately Babylon itself would fall to Persia. Each conquest enabled the next, creating a domino effect of judgment.
The phrase saʿar gāḏôl yēʿôr miyyarkĕṯê-ʾāreṣ (סַעַר גָּדוֹל יֵעוֹר מִיַּרְכְּתֵי־אָרֶץ, great whirlwind shall be raised from the coasts/remotest parts of the earth) employs storm imagery for overwhelming, destructive judgment. The term saʿar (סַעַר, whirlwind/tempest) suggests violent, irresistible force. The 'remotest parts of earth' (yarkĕṯê-ʾāreṣ) emphasizes that judgment originates from unexpected quarters—Babylon arose from distant Mesopotamia, just as later the Medes and Persians came from the east. God raises up instruments of judgment from wherever He chooses, demonstrating absolute sovereignty over history.