Recently we have had so many storms that had high winds and were capable of producing tornadoes, that I thought I would do a study on reasons why God sends the whirlwinds. Here is an overview of this very interesting study. May it be a blessing to you as it was to me.
God's Purposes for the Whirlwind
Nahum 1:3 says, “The LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.” Whirlwinds and storms can be very frightening, but oh how comforting it is to know the One who controls them! In the Bible, God tells about His many purposes for the whirlwind.
Job 37:9 explains which directions whirlwinds usually come from. It says, “Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.”
II Kings 2:1,11 describes how God used a whirlwind to take the prophet Elijah up into heaven.
In the Job 38:1 and Job 40:6 the Bible says that God spoke to Job out of the whirlwind.
Psalm 58:9 and Amos 1:13-15 teach that God uses the whirlwind to punish the wicked.
Proverbs 10:25 teaches that the life of the wicked is short and passes away as the whirlwind.
According to Hosea 13:3, those that worship false gods will blow away like the chaff before the whirlwind.
In Proverbs 1:26 and Zechariah 7:8-14, the whirlwind is used as an example of the punishment of those who refuse to obey when God calls them, through wisdom, to fear the Lord. The whirlwind is used by God to punish those who despise wisdom and instruction.
In Isaiah 5:25-29 and Jeremiah 4:11-13 the whirlwind is used to illustrate how God will chastise His disobedient children.
Isaiah 17:13 talks about the whirlwind as an illustration of how God will punish the nations that fight against Him.
Isaiah 40:18-25 shows that the whirlwind is used by God to remove rulers who follow after other gods instead of acknowledging God as the guide of their leadership.
According to Isaiah 66:14-16; Jeremiah 25:30-33; and Zechariah 9:12-17 the whirlwind will be used by God to destroy the enemies of Israel. He will use it to render His anger and His fury on those who try to destroy His people.
Jeremiah 23:16-25 teaches that the whirlwind will be used by God to punish false prophets who prophesy lies in His name.
Ezekiel 1:4-14 and Zechariah 9:14 reveal that the whirlwind is used by God to carry His chariot. It is one of God’s methods of transportation.
In Daniel 11:36-45, the whirlwind is used to describe the army that will come down from the north to destroy the Antichrist.
Hosea talks about the whirlwind as an illustration of the law of sowing and reaping. A person will always reap more than he sows. (See Hosea 8:7)
In Habakkuk 3:1-15 and Zechariah 9:12-17 the whirlwind is used to describe the greatness of God’s power.