Understanding εἱλίσσω (heilissō) Strong’s G1507: The Divine Rolling Up of Heaven That Reveals God’s Sovereign Power

Pronunciation Guide: hay-lis’-so (with emphasis on the second syllable)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1507: The Greek verb εἱλίσσω (heilissō) describes the action of rolling, coiling, or winding up something, often suggesting a scroll being rolled or folded up. In its biblical usage, it portrays how the heavens will be rolled up like a scroll at the end of the age, emphasizing God’s sovereign power over His creation. This powerful imagery conveys both the temporal nature of the current creation and the dramatic cosmic transformation that will accompany God’s final judgment.

Etymology and Morphology

• Verb (Present, Active, Indicative)
• Derived from the root εἱλέω (heileō) meaning “to roll, wind, or coil”
• Classical Greek origin
• Primarily used in apocalyptic and prophetic literature
• Rare verb in New Testament (appears only once)
• Related to the concept of ancient scrolls being rolled up for storage

εἱλίσσω Morphology:

• εἱλίσσω (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I roll up
• εἱλίσσεις (present active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you roll up
• εἱλίσσει (present active indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it rolls up
• εἱλισσόμενος (present passive participle, masculine nominative singular) – being rolled up
• εἱλιχθήσεται (future passive indicative, 3rd person singular) – it will be rolled up

Origin & History

The verb εἱλίσσω has ancient roots in classical Greek literature, where it often described the coiling or winding motion of objects, including snakes, vines, or fabric. In Homer’s “Iliad,” forms of the word appear when describing twisting movements in battle or the coiling of materials. By the Hellenistic period, the term had developed specialized meaning for the rolling up of scrolls, which were the primary written medium of the ancient world.

In the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, forms of εἱλίσσω appear notably in Isaiah 34:4, describing the dramatic eschatological imagery of the heavens being rolled up like a scroll. This usage provides the foundation for its appearance in Revelation, creating a powerful intertextual link between Old Testament prophecy and New Testament apocalyptic vision. The imagery would have resonated deeply with first-century readers familiar with both scrolls as everyday objects and the prophetic tradition that employed this vivid metaphor of cosmic dissolution.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• The physical action of rolling or winding up a scroll or similar object
• The metaphorical concept of God ending or transforming the current heavens
• The decisive and complete removal of the present cosmic order
• The imagery of complete divine control over creation’s destiny

εἱλίσσω Translation Options:

• Roll up – Emphasizes the physical action similar to rolling up a scroll, highlighting the completeness of the action
• Wind up – Suggests the careful and deliberate nature of God’s action in bringing the current age to its conclusion
• Coil up – Captures the circular motion implied in the original Greek, suggesting how completely the heavens will be transformed
• Fold away – Highlights how the present heavens will be set aside to make way for the new heavens and earth

Biblical Usage

The verb εἱλίσσω appears only once in the New Testament, in Revelation 6:14, where it creates a powerful visual metaphor for cosmic transformation during the apocalyptic judgment. This singular usage gives it particular theological weight as part of John’s vision of the Day of the Lord. The image draws directly from Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 34:4), where the heavens are described as being rolled up like a scroll, emphasizing the Creator’s authority to fundamentally alter or remove the current created order.

This imagery belongs to a broader apocalyptic tradition in both Jewish and early Christian literature, where cosmic dissolution functions as a powerful symbol of divine judgment and the transition from the present age to the age to come. The concept appears in other forms in 2 Peter 3:10-13 and Isaiah 51:6, though using different Greek terms to describe similar cosmic events.

• “The sky rolled up [εἱλίσσω] like a scroll and every mountain and island was removed from its place.” Revelation 6:14
• “All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up [εἱλίσσω in LXX] like a scroll; all the starry host will fall.” Isaiah 34:4

Cultural Insights

In the ancient world, scrolls were the primary medium for important documents, especially sacred texts. Made of papyrus or parchment, these scrolls would be carefully rolled up for storage and protection when not in use. The image of God rolling up the heavens like a scroll would have carried powerful connotations for first-century readers: just as a scroll that is rolled up is no longer accessible for reading, the current heavens would cease to function in their present form. This suggests not necessarily annihilation but transformation—the text of a rolled scroll still exists but is no longer visible or accessible in the same way.

Furthermore, in ancient Near Eastern cosmology, the heavens were often conceptualized as a vast tent or canopy stretched out over the earth. Isaiah 40:22 describes God as “stretching out the heavens like a canopy, and spreading them out like a tent to live in.” The image of rolling up this cosmic tent powerfully conveys God’s sovereign authority over creation—the One who spread out the heavens can just as easily roll them up when their purpose is fulfilled. This imagery would have been especially meaningful in Jewish apocalyptic thought, where cosmic renewal was associated with the coming of the Messianic age.

Theological Significance

The use of εἱλίσσω in Revelation carries profound theological implications regarding God’s sovereignty over creation. The image of the heavens being rolled up like a scroll powerfully illustrates that the created universe exists at Yahweh’s pleasure and can be fundamentally transformed by His decree. This affirms the temporality of the present creation in contrast to God’s eternal nature—”The heavens will vanish like smoke… but my salvation will last forever” (Isaiah 51:6).

This cosmic transformation is presented as part of God’s judgment and redemptive plan. In Revelation’s narrative, the rolling up of the sky accompanies the sixth seal, when the wrath of the Lamb is revealed. Yet this dramatic dissolution is not the final word, as Revelation 21:1 describes “a new heaven and a new earth” that will replace what has passed away. Thus, εἱλίσσω points not merely to destruction but to renewal—the removal of the old creation damaged by sin to make way for the uncorrupted new creation where righteousness dwells. This reveals the Messiah’s ultimate purpose not merely to judge but to renew all things completely (Revelation 21:5).

Personal Application

The imagery of God rolling up the heavens like a scroll invites us to reflect on the temporary nature of even the most seemingly permanent aspects of our world. Just as ancient scrolls were eventually rolled up and put away, our present reality—with all its troubles and trials—will one day be rolled up and replaced by something far more glorious. This should foster both humility about our temporal circumstances and hope for God’s eternal promises.

When we feel overwhelmed by the apparent permanence of evil or suffering in our world, the truth captured in εἱλίσσω reminds us that God remains sovereign over all creation. Nothing exists that He cannot roll up like a scroll when the time comes. This should inspire confident trust in His timing and purposes, even when they remain mysterious to us. Just as a rolled-up scroll contains text that will be revealed again when unrolled, our lives and circumstances are fully known to God even when temporarily hidden from our understanding.

Related Words

• πτύσσω (ptyssō) – “to fold up,” used in Luke 4:20 when Jesus closed the scroll after reading in the synagogue. While similar to εἱλίσσω in describing an action done to scrolls, it emphasizes the completion of reading rather than cosmic transformation. See G4428
• ἑλίσσω (helissō) – An alternate form of εἱλίσσω with the same basic meaning of “to roll or wind up.” This spelling variant appears in some ancient manuscripts. See G1507
• ἀλλάσσω (allassō) – “to change or transform,” used in describing how the heavens and earth will be changed like a garment (Hebrews 1:12). Similar concept of cosmic transformation but using clothing rather than scroll imagery. See G236
• παρέρχομαι (parerchomai) – “to pass away,” used to describe how heaven and earth will pass away (Matthew 24:35). Conveys a similar eschatological concept but without the specific rolling imagery. See G3928
• ἀποχωρίζω (apochōrizō) – “to separate or remove,” conveying the concept of the heavens being removed or separated, similar to the imagery in Revelation but without the scroll metaphor. See G673

Did you Know?

• Did you know that the ancient scroll format directly influenced biblical imagery? When not in use, scrolls were always kept rolled up both for protection and storage efficiency. The average scroll was around 30 feet in length when unrolled. This practical reality of ancient document handling provides the vivid metaphor for God’s handling of the cosmos—suggesting He manages the vast heavens with the same ease we might roll up a document.
• Did you know that the image of rolling up the heavens like a scroll appears in both Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature outside the canonical Bible? The non-canonical 1 Enoch (circa 2nd century BCE) contains similar imagery, suggesting this was a widespread apocalyptic motif in Second Temple Judaism. This shows how the Revelation imagery would have resonated deeply with first-century readers familiar with this apocalyptic tradition, not as a novel concept but as the fulfillment of long-held expectations about God’s ultimate intervention in history.
• Did you know that modern astronomy offers an intriguing parallel to the ancient concept of εἱλίσσω? Contemporary cosmological theories suggest that the universe might eventually undergo a “Big Crunch”—essentially a reversal of the Big Bang where everything collapses back in on itself. While ancient writers obviously didn’t have modern scientific concepts, the image of God rolling up the universe like a scroll presents a theological parallel to these scientific theories about cosmic destiny, suggesting that the end of physical reality has always been part of both human scientific intuition and divine revelation.

Remember This

The powerful image of εἱλίσσω reminds us that even the heavens themselves are but a scroll in the hands of the Almighty, to be rolled up when their purpose is fulfilled—revealing that nothing in creation is more permanent than the Creator’s word and promises.