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Meaning of
Symbolic Words in the Bible


Meaning of
Symbolic Words in the Bible

 

Symbolic Word(s)
 
Means or Represents
 
Example(s) in Bible
Adultery  Idolatry  Jeremiah 3:8-9, 5:7;
Ezekiel 23:37
Angel  Messenger, hence minister  Revelation 1:20, 2:1
Arm  Power  Psalms 10:15; Ezekiel 30:21
Arrows  Affliction or judgment of God  Job 6:4; Psalms 38:2
Babylon  Rome, heathenism, ruling power  Revelation 16:19, 17:3
Beasts  Tyrannical kingdoms, wicked men  Daniel 7:17;1Corinthians 15:32
Black  Affliction – anguish  Job 30:30; Joel 2:6
Blindness  Ignorance  Isaiah 29:18; Romans 11:25
Blood  Slaughter – depth  Isaiah 34:3; Ezekiel 32:6
Brimstone  Desolation – torments  Job 18:15; Revelation 14:10
Bride  Israel  Revelation 21:9
Bridegroom  Christ, wedded to Israel  John 3:29
Bulls  Violent or wicked persons  Psalms 22:12, 68:30
Candlesticks  Churches  Revelation 1:20, 2:1
Chariots  Heavenly hosts  Psalms 68:17; Isaiah 66:15
Crown  Victory – reward  James 1:12; Revelation 2:10
Cup  Divine blessings / cursings  Psalms 23:5; Isaiah 51:17
Symbolic Word(s)
 
Means or Represents
 
Example(s) in Bible
Darkness Misery – adversity – ignorance Isaiah 60:2; Amos 4:13
Day Indefinite time – prophetic year Isaiah 34:8; Revelation 2:10;
1Thessalonians 5:5
Deaf Lack of regard for divine things Isaiah 29:18, 42:18, 19
Dogs  Heathen or impure persons – Persecutors  Matthew 15:26; Revelation 22:15; Psalms 22:16
Door  Opening or access to something  Acts 14:27; 1Corinthians 16:9
Dragon  A tyrant – a Satanic force  Ezekiel 29:3; Revelation 12:3, 9
Drunkenness  Effects of divine judgments  Isaiah 29:9
Eagle  Conquering kings or nations  Ezekiel 17:3, 7; Hosea 8:1
Earth  The land – ground  Genesis 7:10; Exodus 9:33;
Numbers 22:5, 11
Earthquake  Calamities – Revolutions  Matthew 24:7; Revelation 6:12
Eyes  Knowledge, understanding  Proverbs. 15:3; Romans 11:10
Face of God  Divine favor  Psalms 13:1; Daniel 9:17
Fat  Abundance  Nehemiah 9:25; Jeremiah 5:28
Fire  Judgments  Numbers 11:1, 3; Isaiah 42:25
Forehead  Beliefs – Personal Character  Revelation 7:3, 13:16
Forest  City – kingdom – polity  Isaiah 10:18, 19; Ezekiel 15:6
Furnace  Affliction  Isaiah 48:10; Jeremiah 11:4
Garments  Outward appearance  Revelation 3:4, etc.
Gates  Security, center of civil concourse  Psalms 147:13; Deuteronomy 16:18
Girdle  Strength  Job 12:18; Isaiah 22:21
Goats  Wicked persons  Zechariah 10:3; Matthew 25:33
Gog and Magog  God’s enemies  Ezekiel 38:2, 39:11; Revelation 20:8
Grass  The lower order, opposed to trees, the higher order  Isaiah 37:27; Revelation 8:7
Hail  Divine vengeance  Haggai 2:17; Revelation 11:19
Hand, right  Protection – support  Psalms 18:35, 73:23
Hand of the Lord  Divine influence or providence  Psalms 63:8; Ezekiel 8:1
Harvest  A time of destruction  Joel 3:13; Matthew 13:30
Head  Rule or ruler  Ephesians 1:22, etc.
Heavens  Atmosphere, solar system  Isaiah 13:13; Haggai 2:6, 21
Hedge  God’s protecting providence  Job 1:10; Ezekiel 13:5
Helmet  Salvation of God’s people  Isaiah 59:17; Ephesians 6:17
Horse  War, military might  Zechariah 9:10; Jeremiah 51:21
Hunger and Thirst  Spiritual desires  Matthew 5:6; Luke 1:53
Incense  Prayer  Malachi 1:11; Revelation 5:8
Jerusalem  City of God  Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 3:12
Keys  Power and authority  Isaiah 22:22; Revelation 1:18
Lamp  A successor or offspring  1 Kings 15:4; Psalms 132:17
Light  Joy – prosperity  Psalms 97:11; Isaiah 58:8
Light  Knowledge by the word of God  Psalms 119:105; Isaiah 8:20
Milk  Great abundance  Ezekiel 25:4; Joel 3:18
Moon  A sign of coming events  Joel 2:31; Revelation 6:12
Mountains  A state – nation – kingdom  Psalms 30:7; Isaiah 2:2
Mystery  Not a thing that is unintelligible, but never before made plain  Romans 16:25, Revelation 17:5, 7 etc.;
Naked  In the sinful state of nature  Genesis 3:10-11; Revelation 3:17
Night  Adversity – affliction – ignorance  Isaiah 21:12; Revelation 21:25
Oaks  Men of rank and power  Isaiah 2:13; Zechariah 11:2
Oil  Abundance – fertility – joy  Psalms 23:5, 92:10
Olive trees  Believers and ministers  Psalms 52:8; Revelation 11:2
Palms  Victory  Psalms 92:12; Revelation 7:9
Paradise  Kingdom of Heaven  Luke 23:43; Revelation 2:7
Pit  Ensnaring devises of crafty men  Psalms 119:85; Ezekiel 19:4
Rain  Something refreshing, delightful  Psalms 68:9; Isaiah 5:6
Rock  God as a refuge and salvation  Psalms 18:2, 94:22, 95:1
Rod / Staff  Authority – correction  Psalms 2:9; Job 9:34, etc.
Salt  Purity – barrenness  Colossians 4:6; Deuteronomy 29:23
Sea  Vast multitudes, an army  Jeremiah 51:42; Ezekiel 26:3
Seal / Sealed  Security – secrecy  Song of Solomon 4:12; Isaiah 29:11; Revelation 5, 6
Serpent  A cunning and evil being  Genesis 3:1; 2Corinthians 11:3
Sheep  Christ’s disciples, followers  John 10:11, etc.
Shepherds  Rulers, civil or ecclesiastical  Nahum 3:18; Ezekiel 34:2
Shield  Defense – protection  Psalms 84:9; Ephesians 6:16
Sleep  Death  Daniel 12:2; 1Thessalonians 4:14
Sores  Spiritual maladies  Isaiah 1:6; Revelation 16:11
Star  A prince or ruler  Numbers 24:17; Daniel 8:10
Sun, moon, stars  Various state heads or rulers  Genesis 37:9; Joel 2:31
Sword  War and slaughter  Isaiah 34:5; Ezekiel 21:3
Tail  Subjection – degradation  Deuteronomy 28:13, 44; Isaiah 9:15
Teeth  Cruelty  Psalms 3:7; Proverbs 30:14
Thorns  Desolation, troubles  Proverbs 24:31; Hosea 2:6
Throne  Kingdom – seat of government  Psalms 122:5; Daniel 7:9
Travail  Anguish – anxiety  Jeremiah 4:31; Galatians 4:19
Trees  The great and noble  Daniel 4:20-22
Vine  God’s elect  Psalms 80:8, etc.
Vineyard  The house of Israel  Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 12:10
Watchman  Prophet – Preacher  Ezekiel 3:17; Isaiah 62:6
Waters  Afflictions – multitudes – ordinances  Psalms 69:1; Isaiah 8:7, 55:1
Week  Seven years  Daniel 9:24-26
Wilderness  Afflicted state  John 1:23; Revelation 12:6
Wind  Judgments – destructive war  Isaiah 27:8; Jeremiah 51:1
Wine  Spiritual blessings – Divine judgments  Isaiah 25:6, 55:1; Psalms 60:3, etc.
Winepress  Slaughter  Isaiah 63:3; Revelation 14:19
Wings  Protection – assistance  Exodus 19:4; Psalms 17:8
Wolves  Furious, ungodly persons  Isaiah 11:6, 65:25
Woman  Jerusalem, the Church  Ezekiel 26:2, 3; Revelation 12:1
Yoke  Labor – restraint  Deuteronomy 28:48; Lamentations 3:27; Matthew 11:29, 30
 
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