Cosmos - Metaphors In Bible Poetry

Metaphors In Bible Poetry

What is a metaphor?

Metaphor comes from the Greek word meta-phora: meta: “with, across”, + phora: “to carry”. The term originally denoted the transferring, or carrying across, of the property of one object to another object.

A metaphor a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

Life is a journey

Take for example, “life is a journey”. It draws on a familiar human experience—traveling from one place to another—to help us understand the abstract, complex, and often unpredictable nature of life. This metaphor takes on several creative expressions.

Companionship and Encounters

  • those who walked beside us
  • the paths that crossed ours

Direction and Decisions

  • choosing which road to take
  • finding our way forward

Discovery and Learning

  • what we picked up along the way
  • lessons learned on the road

Challenges and Obstacles

  • weathering the storms
  • a rocky stretch of road

Milestones and Transitions

  • the first step of many
  • crossing into a new season

Reflections and Endings

  • looking back on the road traveled
  • the miles we’ve walked together

What about metaphors in the Bible?

Biblical poetry is replete with metaphorical expressions. Some might be relatively easy to figure out (e.g light is good & dark is bad), but others are deeply rooted in their cultural context, and are heavily influenced by their worldview.

Creation account

To properly understand metaphors in the Bible, we have to slow down and let the Bible speak to us in its own language, instead of us reading our own meaning into what the Bible is saying.

Before we read Genesis 1, write down what you think about the terms “heaven” and “earth”, and write them down. Now let’s read the Bible descriptions of those terms and see if they match our understanding of what they mean.

Too long, please open your Bible Genesis 1:1-2:4
Source: Faithlife Study Bible Infographics, Logos Bible Software
Source: Faithlife Study Bible Infographics, Logos Bible Software

Chaotic waters

In the creation account, God created a 3-tiered cosmos out of watery chaos. We see chaos waters being used metaphorically all through scripture.

Chaotic waters as danger/dangerous people

Too long, please open your Bible Psalm 69: 1-4, 14-15

Chaotic waters as enemy nations

Too long, please open your Bible Isaiah 17: 12-13
Too long, please open your Bible Psalm 89: 8-10

Rock/dry land

In the creation account, God called forth the land out of the watery chaos. The land is the place that is safe for man to live, because it is elevated above the chaos waters and also supports the flourishing of life. Also, the higher on the land you go, the farther you are from the waters; this makes rocks the metaphor for safety/security/deliverance.

Rock/dry land as a place of safety

Too long, please open your Bible Psalm 40: 1-2

God as Rock for safety/deliverance/strength

Too long, please open your Bible Psalm 18: 2-3, 30-32, 46-50
Too long, please open your Bible Psalm 27: 1-6
Too long, please open your Bible Psalm 28: 1
Too long, please open your Bible Psalm 31: 1-5
Too long, please open your Bible Psalm 61: 1-4
Too long, please open your Bible Psalm 46
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It is interesting to see how God consistently exercises his dominion over the waters all through the Bible. From Genesis (creation) to the Exodus, crossing of the Jordan, the prophets (Elijah & Elisha) e.t.c. In the New Testament, we also see Jesus speaking to the boisterous waves and walking on water.