[No!]

I KNOW there are angels...

[IronJack]

Beautiful phrase.

[anniegetyourgun]

I think it was simply a poetic allusion to Providence working even in tumult. No more, no less.

[MJY1288]

"We are not this story's author, who fills time and eternity with his purpose. Yet his purpose is achieved in our duty, and our duty is fulfilled in service to one another.

Never tiring, never yielding, never finishing, we renew that purpose today, to make our country more just and generous, to affirm the dignity of our lives and every life.

This work continues. This story goes on. And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm.

I think he was making a reference to the struggle of good over evil, and that this Nation was founded on what is good for the common man and the freedom of religion.

Just my 2 cents

[No!]

"We know the Race is not to the swift nor the Battle to the Strong.
Do you think an Angel rides in the Whirlwind and directs this Storm? --

John Page to Thomas Jefferson (July 20, 1776)

[Cicero]

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job 38:1-7

My conjecture is that in the Old Testament, angels are sometimes the messengers of God, but sometimes also they are God Himself speaking.

We are told in Exodus that no one can look upon God and live. So the Jews speak about the Shekinah, the manifestation of the Glory of God, but not the actual appearance of God himself. Such are the pillars of cloud and fire in Exodus, similar to the ones that appear between the divided sacrifice of Abraham in Genesis.

When the Three Young Men appear to Abraham in Genesis and tell him that Sarah will have a son before a year has passed, before they go down to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, the text sometimes seems to speak of them as angels, and sometimes as God himself. Take a look at the text and you will notice this. The later Christian interpretation is that the three young men represent the Trinity. The Jews believed in the existence of angels, but sometimes the Bible also uses angels when speaking about God himself as He appears to the prophets.

[No!]

I think it's about DIVINE protection and direction during the Revolution for freedom...

(Which CONTINUES!...)

[MadameAxe]

It is a peculiar phrase, one of unknown origin that does not on its face suggest blessing; rather, a providentially directed whirlwind of judgment or chastisement.

My wild guess -- there are two sides to every struggle. Perhaps it was a whirlwind of judgment he spoke of -- against the British.

[mdittmar]

Yet what was the president trying to communicate with this phrase? Probably, the thought that a providential hand had guided the contentious presidential election of 2000,

I don't see it as a reference to the election.

Never tiring, never yielding, never finishing, we renew that purpose today, to make our country more just and generous, to affirm the dignity of our lives and every life.

This work continues. This story goes on. And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm.

I see it as a reference to keeping America the greatest country in the world.

You write well,that big word got me.

I had to look it up.

ex·e·get·i·cal [èks jéttik'l ] adjective 1. of textual study: relating to the study and interpretation of texts, especially religious writings

2. explanatory: intended to explain or interpret something, especially a written text (formal)

Learn something new every day.

[Rose in RoseBear]

I, too, was struck by the phrase in Bush's Inargural Address. I had never heard it before then. It is wonderfully evocative of a powerful image.

I have, over the years, marvelled at our country's ability to have the right people at hand just when their skills become absolutely necessary to the survival of our country. The Founding Fathers, Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, General Eisenhower, Patton, Truman, Martin Luther King ...

An angel in the whirlwind, directing these events, is a valid explanation.

[rimtop56]

I think, like Post #5, that they (both Bush and Jefferson) refer to the fact that even though life often seems chaotic and coincidental, that God is right in the middle of it, working things out according to His marvelous though sometimes inscrutable plan.

[Pinetop]

I think it is a beautiful allusion to Hosea 8:7: "They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind."

[rwfromkansas]

God is Sovereign over all things. The founders believed this also. Ben Franklin even said so! Now, what does the statement mean? Quite easily, it simply means God is in control and directs the turbulent world of Earth. Frankly, I would go further and say God CAUSES the storms, the horrid events. Sept. 11 was caused by God to get our attention....to repent and turn to him.

[AZ Repub]

"...we renew that purpose today, to make our country more just and generous, to affirm the dignity of our lives and every life. This work continues. This story goes on. And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm."

I think he stated, in broad conceptual terms, the highest principles of his vision for his new role as President. (To make our country more just and generous, to affirm the dignity of our lives and every life.)

Then he described his view that the goal is larger than one man's role (This work continues. This story goes on.)

And lastly, he disclosed his view that God's work was being carried out ( And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm.)

At the time I just thought to myself that it was about time a Republican got a decent speech writer.

[okvalvaag]

On the day of the Inauguration of President Bush, my wife and I were in attendance. We had traveled to Washington with a group of RightToLifers from western Michigan, eight buses all together from Grand Rapids. We did not have tickets and ended up watching from a distance down along the parade route. A person from FreeRepublic was standing next to us and we quite enjoyed his company, and so, soon after returning home we started reading posts on FR. Can not remember the persons name but, would sure enjoy meeting him again.

Anyway, after returning to our hotel and finaly being able to watch the inauguration and hear the speach on TV, my wife became very exited about the phrase An Angel Rides in the Whirlwind . So much so that she decided to make up a big poster with the phrase for the Right to Life March on the following Monday. As the husband and (definetly) the physically stronger of the two of us, I was required to carry it. Felt a little silly, since I had never heard the phrase before and really had no good a answer to other marchers questions as to the meaning of my banner.

So I am standing there with my big poster An Angel Rides in the Whirlwind feeling as I mentioned a little silly (such are at times the duties of a husband of an activist), wishing my wife was strong enough to carry it herself. Bob Dornan, my long time hero and idol was the the keynote speaker at the march and lo and behold, his speach was centered around and conluded with indeed ... An Angel Rides in the Whirlwind

Needless to say I was quite proud to carry the poster for the rest of the day. And, yes indeed, let us all hope and pray that God will guide and lead our country and our President through this whirlwind of a time

[Leroy S. Mort]

Some who have previously commented on this phrase have claimed that Page’s inspiration was the manifestation of the Almighty.....

The source is not biblical. Page paraphrased the British poet Joseph Addison, who wrote "The Campaign" in 1705 to celebrate Marlborough's victory at Blenheim:

"And, please the Almighty's orders to perform, rides in the whirlwind and directs the storm." Line 291.

[DB]

I take it to mean that America is the storm of man yielding to or being guided by God through an Angel taking it forward to a higher righteous purpose. I could be wrong… ;-)

[Prodigal Daughter]

I am so enjoying this thread. Reading man's poetry and, best of all, God's poetry in the morning with my cafe con leche. Searching God's poetry for whirlwind: whirlwind search and whirlwind is Strong's #5492 from Strong's 5486 which is from TWOT #1478. I think it was a poor choice for an inaugural speech. Possibly the speechwriters and the President consulted some Biblically ignorant clergy when they wrote the speech?

Also, why do you say angels don't have wings?

[McGavin999]

I think the angel in a whirlwind directing the storm was a beautiful portrayal of faith. It says that whatever trials and turbulance we may go through, (the storm), has God's hand (the angel) directing the ultimate outcome. That was my thought when President Bush first spoke those words, and it applies even more now.

God does not cause tragedies, but he CAN and DOES direct the outcome.