The Word for today:
1 Kings 5
mark these:
1 Kings 5
mark these:
1 Kings 5:17--
Costly, precious stones were hewn and set in place for the foundation of the temple.
&
Costly, precious stones were hewn and set in place for the foundation of the temple.
&
1 Peter 2:6--
Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."
The Bible is sublime, sophisticated literature. Every poetic technique is employed to convey the character of God and his work of salvation.
So much of the Bible, so much about God, cannot be understood unless we enter into this poetic dimension.
But don't think of "poetry" as that smarmy, banal, insipid "roses are red violets are blue" stuff. Yuck! Biblical poetry conveys the power, majesty, bravery, humility, humor and love of Jesus.
Biblical poetry uses "metaphor" to convey God--who is spirit (1)--in concrete, physical terms that we can begin to understand. "Metaphor" is when we describe one thing in terms of another.
One of the metaphors the Bible uses to help us understand Jesus is "rock" or "stone." Throughout your Bible you will see Jesus described in this way.
The rock in the wilderness from which water gushed forth is Jesus. Says who? The Bible says so, in 1 Corinthians 10:4:
They all drank from the miraculous rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.
Why describe Jesus as a rock? What's a rock like? I leave that to you. Think about it; turn it over in your mind.
In our reading today, costly and precious stone is used for the foundation of the temple (2). That was real stone, but it also is a metaphor for Jesus, who is the foundation of our faith and salvation:
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1Co 3:11)
We're also told that he's the stone the builders rejected, which became the cornerstone (3).
He's the Rock of our salvation! (4)
There are hundreds of metaphors, besides rock and stone, which the Bible uses to describe Jesus. Be on the lookout for them whenever you read your Bible.
(1) John 4:24; (2) 1 Kings 5:17; (3) 1 Peter 2:7; (4) Psalm 95:1
The Bible is sublime, sophisticated literature. Every poetic technique is employed to convey the character of God and his work of salvation.
So much of the Bible, so much about God, cannot be understood unless we enter into this poetic dimension.
But don't think of "poetry" as that smarmy, banal, insipid "roses are red violets are blue" stuff. Yuck! Biblical poetry conveys the power, majesty, bravery, humility, humor and love of Jesus.
Biblical poetry uses "metaphor" to convey God--who is spirit (1)--in concrete, physical terms that we can begin to understand. "Metaphor" is when we describe one thing in terms of another.
One of the metaphors the Bible uses to help us understand Jesus is "rock" or "stone." Throughout your Bible you will see Jesus described in this way.
The rock in the wilderness from which water gushed forth is Jesus. Says who? The Bible says so, in 1 Corinthians 10:4:
They all drank from the miraculous rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.
Why describe Jesus as a rock? What's a rock like? I leave that to you. Think about it; turn it over in your mind.
In our reading today, costly and precious stone is used for the foundation of the temple (2). That was real stone, but it also is a metaphor for Jesus, who is the foundation of our faith and salvation:
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1Co 3:11)
We're also told that he's the stone the builders rejected, which became the cornerstone (3).
He's the Rock of our salvation! (4)
There are hundreds of metaphors, besides rock and stone, which the Bible uses to describe Jesus. Be on the lookout for them whenever you read your Bible.
(1) John 4:24; (2) 1 Kings 5:17; (3) 1 Peter 2:7; (4) Psalm 95:1
Thank you, Franklyn, for helping me to truly see Jesus every where in the Bible. I love that Christ Jesus is the rock of my salvation. I cling to that daily!!!
ReplyDeleteHi, Karen--
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to run out and buy more gold stars for Sunday!
Standing on James 1:5, I asked God to give you wisdom in the matter you are dealing with. One voice is a solo, two voices is a choir.
Forever,
Franklyn
Thank you so much, Franklyn. I also asked God for the peace that you need. I know that he is faithful, yet in my own weakness I sometimes forget for myself.
ReplyDelete:-)