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More than a third of the Hebrew Scriptures contain lines of poetry. Poetry is the main vehicle for expressing prayer (Psalms), wisdom (Proverbs), love (Song of Songs), complaint (Job), hymns and prophecy. This makes it very important that we understand poetry.
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Symbolism is to convey the hidden meaning to the reader or listener. It tells us about artistic expression and represents abstract ideas. However, it is not limited to poetry and art.
- Walk with God: To "walk" with someone is to live in fellowship and harmony with him. Since God can only live in a way that reflects His holy character, to "walk with God" is to live according the path He has laid out, to obey Him.
- Dust, stars, sand: The Bible often uses these metaphors to represent the number of descendants God promised to Abraham. This would include Abraham’s physical descendants (Jews and Arabs) as well as Abraham’s spiritual progeny (those who live by faith, Galatians 3:7).
- Flowing with milk and honey: God often referred to Canaan as "a land flowing with milk and honey." An abundance of milk and honey was symbolic of lush, fertile farmland, plenty of water, and rich grass for dairy animals and flowers for bees.
- Circumcised hearts: Physical circumcision was the sign of the covenant between God and His chosen people, the Jews. It was, of course, an external alteration.
- Rainbow
- Stairway
- White Hair
- Rock
- Dove
- Lamb
- Anointing with Oil
Genesis 9:13, Ezekiel 1:28, Revelations 4:3 A sign of promise from God, we see references to rainbows in various forms, including being called a “bow in the clouds.” We can interpret a rainbow as a way of God revealing his covenant with us. For instance, at the conclusion of the Great Flood, God presents to Noah and his family a rainbow as a sign o...
Genesis 28:11-13, John 1:51 While staircases can sometimes appear daunting in life, they can easily serve as a connection between two spaces. Noticing stairways in biblical passages can remind us of the bridge between earth and heaven. Specifically, we can think of Jesus awaiting us at the top of the stairs, having paved a way to follow him and ent...
Daniel 7:9, Revelations 1:14 In today’s age, we are fed many messages about self-image and appearance, including hair coloring in order to hide the fading of our natural color. Along this point, our five-year-old son has begun to notice gray strands of hair creeping in on my head, commenting occasionally, “Daddy, you’re old!” While this can be diff...
Psalm 18:2, Psalm 40:2, Matthew 7:24-27 A symbol we analyze in some of my classes, a rock denotes strength and permanence, as opposed to the temporary nature of sand, for instance. We can rely on a rock’s stability, just as we can always depend on God as our unwavering and eternal foundation. Whether it’s in Jesus’ parable of the two houses, his ap...
Genesis 8:11, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:22 A beautiful bird portraying innocence and purity, the dove widely symbolizes the Holy Spiritshowered upon us. As we are made perfect in the image of the perfect Creator, our faith reminds us continually of how God rests with us, restoring us always. We can observe the Holy Spirit revealed by a dove several times i...
Genesis 22:8, Exodus 12:7, John 1:29, Revelation 5:6 Considered to be such a docile animal, why would anyone wish to harm a sheep—a lamb, especially? Yet, in the Bible we often read about God’s people sacrificing lambs. Whether an offering to God from humanity or an offering to the world from God, the sacrificial lamb is a symbol that can never be ...
1 Samuel 16:13, Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18 When celebrating the sacraments, we are, at times, anointed by a priest. However, do we actually understand the impact of this action, or the effect of the oils with which the priest anoints us? The ceremony of anointing and the oils used symbolize further connection to God. As David was anointed king by the p...
Aug 5, 2024 · Poems emphasizing the Bible's profound role in providing wisdom, guidance, and solace in life. Poems celebrating the unwavering promises and faithfulness of God throughout history. Poems exploring the deeper truths and timeless wisdom found within Biblical teachings.
Nov 28, 2021 · Symbolism: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. Examples of this include: …[G]olden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Rev 5:8) And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea… (Rev 13:1; beast represents an end times world-ruling Antichrist system)
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Symbolism in the Bible takes many forms. The extent to which it occurs in Scripture, of course, is open to the interpretation of the reader. Those who are biblical literalists obviously...
