A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 2 · Part 2 · Subpart 45
Christ compared to an Eagle.
Exod. 19.4.
Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on Eagles Wings, and brought you unto my self.
Deut. 32.11, 12.
As an Eagle stirreth up her Nest, fluttereth over her Young, spreadeth her Wings, looketh to them, beareth them on her Wings; so the Lord did lead him, &c.
Rev. 12.14.
And to the Woman were given two Wings of a great Eagle, that she might flie into the Wilderness, &c.
SOme say, that the word foreign, Aquila, an Eagle, is derived of foreign, to be carried violently: Others from an intensive foreign, and foreign, which signifies a Year, because it is lively, from whence came the Proverb, Vivacior Aquilâ, livelier than an Eagle. Others say, That the Latin, Aquila, is derived ab aquilo colore, from its dun colour. For its swiftness, and seldom returning, Job says, chap. 9.26. My days pass away as the Eagle, &c. that is, swiftly, and never to return. Because of its velocity and forcible flight, it denotes the quick invasion of an Enemy. Jer. 48.40. & 49.22. Hos. 8.1. Micha 1.16. which describes the greatness of the Calamity.
Exod. 19.4. I have born you on Eagles Wings; that is, the Lord hath lovingly supported and cherished you, as Eagles do their young, who bear them safe over craggy and dangerous places. See Jer. 4.13. Lam. 4.19. It's said, Psal. 103.5. Thy youth is renewed like the Eagles; that is, he hath strengthned thee so, as to go through all Difficulties, &c. Galatinus saith, that the Messiah is called an Eagle, Prov. 30.19, &c.
But in the Texts alledged, viz. Deut. 32.12. Exod. 19.4, &c. the Lord is compared to an Eagle, with respect to the Protection and Safety of his People, the Swiftness of his Deliverances, and his tender Care and Affection to them.
The great Eagle (Annotators tell us) signifieth the Lord Jesus: and it seems to be an Allusion to that Flight of the Church from Egypt to Canaan, Ainsworth Wilson.which she undertook not by her own Counsel, but by the Lord's Command; and performed not by her own Strength, but by the Lord's. As the Church of Israel fled from the Dragon,Deut. 32.11, 12. Eze…. 29.3 Rev. 12.14 Exod. 9.4. Deut. 32.11, 12. Pharaoh, as he is called, Ezek. 29.3. So the Christian Church fled from the Serpent or Dragon here,Ainsworth with two Wings of a great Eagle.
Now tho I deny not, but these Scriptures refer to God the Father; yet may they as safely, and in the Judgment of some, more properly refer to the Lord Jesus Christ. Stephen, speaking of Christ, saith, This was he that was with the Fathers in the Wilderness, which spake to them in Mount Sinai, &c.
Simile.
See Caryl on Job 39.30.I. THe Eagle is a Royal Bird, the Princess or Queen of all the Birds of the Air.
II. The Eagle is a very strong Fowl; Naturalists speak much of the Eagle in this respect: Eagles carry the Prize, saith Pliny, both for Honour and Strength.
Plin. lib. 10. c. 3. Job 39.27.III. The Eagle mounts up exceeding high, out of the reach, or sight of Men.
IV. The Eagle hath a very piercing Eye: when she is on high, can see down to the Earth,Pliny. nay, behold the small Fish in the Sea.
Deut. 28.49. Job 9.25. 2 Sam. 1.23. Job 8.1.V. The Eagle is a mighty swift Creature: My Days are swifter than an Eagle. She is swift in pursuit of her Prey.
VI. The Eagle, Historians tell us, fights with Dragons and Serpents,Pliny, lib. 10. cap. 4. and overcomes them.
VII. The Eagle hath strong▪ and long Wings, which she easily spreads forth for the succor and help of her young.Ezek. 17.3
VIII. The Eagle bears and carries her young upon her Wings, she spreads abroad her Wings,Deut. 32.11, 12. takes them, beareth them upon her Wings.
IX. The Eagle hides her Young in high and mighty Rocks, where her Nest is, even in the same ragged place of inaccessible Rocks.Job 39.27, 28.
X. The Eagles Voice (Naturalists tell us) is so terrible, that when he is angry,Wolfang, Frantz. Hist Animal. de Aquil. p. 325, 338. he makes all living Creatures to be afraid. Dracones, audito etangore Aquilarum, fugerunt in speluncas: The Dragons, when they hear the angry Voice of the Eagles, flie into the Dens to hide themselves.
XI. The Eagles way in the Air cannot be known.Prov. 30.
XII. Historians say, the Eagle can look on the Sun in its brightest Splendor without being dazled. She tries her young Ones the same way, to see whether they be her true Off-spring; for if they cannot behold the Sun but wink, or their Eyes water, they turn them out of their Nest, and disown them, as Degenerates or Bastards.
XIII. The Eagle trains up her Young to be like her self, and to mount up as she mounts.
XIV. The Eagle is very careful and tender of her Young.
Aelian. l. 14. c. 14. See Caryl on Job 39.XV. Naturalists tell us, the Eagle gives her Young Ones of her own Blood, when she cannot get other Blood for them to drink.
XVI. The Eagle is very long-liv'd. The Greeks express her by a word signifying Longevity. And some give the Reason, not only from the excellent Temperament of her Body, but because she lives in such a pure Air, free from all evil Vapours, and noisom Smells.
Parallel.
I. JEsus Christ is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, King of Kings,Rev. 1 5. Rev. 19.16 and Lord of Lords. As the Eagle among Birds, so Christ, both amongst Men and Angels, hath the preheminence.
II. The Lord Jesus Christ is called the Mighty God: I have laid help on one that is mighty. Psal. 89.19For Strength he is compared to a Lion. What is all human and natural Power, to the Strength and Power of Jesus Christ!
III. The Lord Jesus, after his Resurrection, mounted up exceeding high, into the highest Heavens,Eph. 4.10. Heb. 7.26. far out of the sight of Man's natural Eye, where he cannot be reached by wicked Men or Devils.
IV. Jesus Christ hath a wonderful piercing Eye, seeth not only from the highest Clouds, (whither the Eagle mounts) but from the highest Heaven; can look into the Secrets of every Man's Heart, even into the Hell of wicked Mens diabolical Counsels, and can throughly see their bloody Purposes and Contrivances; altho they dig never so deep, yet they cannot hide themselves from his Omniscience, for he sees what they are doing.
V. The Lord Jesus is swift when he comes to fight against the Enemies of his Church, he is swift in the executing of his Judgments, swift to deliver and help his People. See Metaph. Sun, Hart, &c.
VI. Jesus Christ, the spiritual Eagle, fought with that great red Dragon the Devil,Gen. 3.15. and hath bruised the head of the Dragon.
VII. The Lord Jesus hath strong Love, enlarged and great Affections, which like two long Wings he stretcheth out easily in the way of his gracious Providences, for the help and succor of his People; He shall arise with healing under his Wings.Mal. 4.2.
VIII. The Lord Jesus beareth and carrieth his faithful Children upon the Wings of his Power and Sovereign Grace; thus he bare and carried Israel of old, I have borne you upon Eagles Wings. Hearken unto me, O House of Jacob,Exod. 19.14. Isa. 46.3, 4. and all the Remnant of the House of Israel, who are borne by me from the Belly, which were carried from the Womb: I will bear you, I will carry you, &c.
IX. The Lord Jesus hides his Children in the Secrets of the Almighty, that glorious Rock of Ages:Isa. 33.16. Their Place of Defence shall be a Munition of Rocks. David knew what he did, when he fled to God for Shelter: Ʋnder the Shadow of thy Wings will I make my Refuge, Psal. 57.1.until these Calamities are overpast. See Refuge.
X. Jesus Christ when he utters his Voice in Anger, and rises up to the Prey, he will cause all the Inhabitants of the Earth to tremble; they will call to the Hills and Mountains to fall upon them, Rev. 6.18.and to hide them from the Face of him that sitteth upon the Throne, and from the Wrath of the Lamb. Nay, the Time will come, when the old Dragon will be glad to flie into his Den. The Devils were afraid of him, when he came as a Lamb: Art thou come to torment us before the time? Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings; be instructed, O ye Judges of the Earth: Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the day, Psal. 2.10, 12▪when his Wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their Trust in him.
XI. The way of Christ's Love, Wisdom, Providence,Job 11.17 Eph. 3.1…. &c. cannot be known or found out to perfection.
XII. Jesus Christ hath a glorious and clear Sight, can behold with open Face the Glory of the excellent Majesty, and the highest Splendor and Beauty of that immortal and inaccessible Light, which no natural Eye can approach unto. And altho none of his People can see as he seeth, who is infinite in Knowledg; yet those that pretend to be his Off-spring,Phil. 2.5, 6 1 Pet. 1.16 Col. 3.1. and are not like him in Grace, Heavenly-mindedness, and Holiness, nor endeavour after it, from that Excellency they behold in it, Christ will utterly disown them, as being none of his Seed or Off-spring.
XIII. The Lord Jesus teacheth all his People to be like himself,Isa. 40, 31. so far as they are able, and to mount up as with Eagles Wings, and to live on high.
XIV. So is the Lord Jesus of his People.Joh. 21.15
XV. The Lord Jesus suffered himself to be wounded for us; his Hands and Feet, yea, his very Heart was pierced, that we might have his Blood to drink in believing: My Blood is Drink indeed.Joh. 6.
XVI. The Lord Jesus Christ is not only long-liv'd, but he lives for ever: He was from everlasting,Rev. 1.18▪ and he will be to everlasting. He is the King eternal, the Father of Eternity; so the Hebrew.Isa. 9.6.
Simile.
THe Eagle hath many evil Qualities: She is neither fair nor comely, hath no sweet Voice, nor is she good for Food; but she is quarrelsom, preying, devouring, solitary, envious to others, proud and lofty, the Plague and Tormentor of all other Birds or Fowls of the Air, an Enemy to Peace: She has horrible Claws; feeds on Serpents, Fish, and Carrion; snatching up Geese, Hares, Lambs, &c. Gesner reports, that a certain Eagle's Nest was found, wherein were three hundred Ducks, one hundred and sixty Geese, forty Hares, and many Fishes. An Eagle is very crafty: She fills her Wings with Dust, and gets upon a Stag's Horns, and beating the Dust and Sand into his Eyes, she blinds him, and then soon conquers him. She carries Shell-Fishes on high, letting them fall upon the Rocks to break them, &c.
Disparity.
IN all these things there can be no greater Disparity imaginable; and upon this account wicked Men, or Tyrants, are compared to Eagles.
Inferences.
I. Flie to Christ, to bear you upon his Wings.
II. To hide you under the Wings of his gracious Protection: Ʋnder thy Wings, saith David, will I make my Refuge, till these Calamities are overpast, &c.Psal. 57.1.