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◄ Leopard: Swift►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The leopard, a member of the big cat family, is frequently mentioned in the Bible as a symbol of swiftness and agility. Its characteristics are often used metaphorically to convey speed, stealth, and power. The leopard's ability to move quickly and silently makes it an apt representation of certain biblical themes and messages.

Biblical References:

1.Habakkuk 1:8 : "Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their horsemen charge ahead; their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like an eagle swooping to devour." In this passage, the prophet Habakkuk describes the Chaldeans' army, emphasizing their speed and ferocity by comparing their horses to leopards. The imagery of the leopard underscores the rapid and unstoppable nature of the impending invasion.

2.Jeremiah 5:6 : "Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down, a wolf of the deserts will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their cities. Everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces, for their rebellion is great, and their backslidings are many." Here, the leopard is depicted as a predator lying in wait, ready to pounce on those who stray. This serves as a warning of the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness and rebellion against God.

3.Daniel 7:6 : "After this I looked, and there was another beast, like a leopard. On its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule." In Daniel's vision, the leopard represents the Greek Empire under Alexander the Great. The wings signify the empire's swift conquests, and the multiple heads indicate its division after Alexander's death. The leopard's speed and agility are symbolic of the rapid expansion and influence of the Greek Empire.

4.Hosea 13:7 : "So I will be like a lion to them; like a leopard I will lurk by the path." In this verse, God uses the imagery of a leopard to describe His judgment on Israel. The leopard's stealth and readiness to attack serve as a metaphor for the sudden and unexpected nature of divine retribution.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In biblical literature, the leopard's swiftness is often associated with judgment and conquest. Its presence in prophetic visions and warnings highlights the themes of divine justice and the consequences of disobedience. The leopard's characteristics—speed, stealth, and power—are used to convey the urgency and inevitability of God's actions.

The leopard's role in these passages reflects the broader biblical narrative of God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His purposes. As a creature of the natural world, the leopard serves as a reminder of the Creator's authority over all creation and His ability to use even the most fearsome aspects of nature to accomplish His will.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Habakkuk 1:8
Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hastens to eat.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

That Evening Vergilius Went to Feast with the Young Herodian...
... You shall be punished; you shall enter the cage of theleopard.".... with a slow, creeping
movement put his head and fore-paws into the arena; then aswift step or...

The Testament of Judah Concerning Fortitude, and Love of Money...
... [94] I wasswift and active in... Aleopard in Hebron leaped upon the dog, and I caught
it by the tail, and flung it from me, and it was dashed to pieces in the...

The Prophet --His Youth and his Call.
... them, Theleopard shall prowl round their towns, All faring forth shall be torn.
Even the stork in the heavens Knoweth her seasons, And dove,swift and swallow...

Why Man is Destitute of Natural Weapons and Covering
... Now, however, the lion, the boar, the tiger, theleopard, and all the like have
natural... but man alone of all is slower than the beasts that areswift of foot...

On the Question of an Accused Bishop Appealing to the Seat of the...
... righteousness of God." [2870] Hence it is said again, "Let every man beswift to
hear... and it shall be sent upon them as a lion, and devour them as aleopard....

Life in the Villages
... gate, passed the great tanks of lotus bloom to the edge of theswift, shallow river...
yet another woman who, nursing her baby in the cave, saw aleopard spring on...

The Poet.
... the incomparable olive, the dropped sheaf and even the dung upon the fields; the
vulture, stork, crane andswift; the lion, wolf and spottedleopard coming up...

The Lord that Healeth Thee'
... he wished to hint to us the Lord's discernment of men's necessities, theswift
compassion which... How shall the Ethiopian change his skin or theleopard his spots...

The Festival of Games, in Honor of Augustus, were About to Begin...
... The circles were now revolving, one around another, withswift and bewildering motion...
their swords met, Antipater sprang aside with the quickness of aleopard....

What Crouches at the Door
... Then there follow, with a singularswift transition of the metaphor, other words...
the tragic significance of the prophets question, 'Can theleopard change his...