Throughout the Bible, the metaphors of Bride, Bridegroom, and Weddings are used to illustrate God’s relationship with his people—both positively and negatively. In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel is often portrayed as God’s bride. For example, Isaiah 62:5 says, “As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” This shows the intimacy and joy God desires to have with his chosen people.
Author: Curtis L. Mattson
Looking for God and Finding Ourselves
SO MANY SEEKERS, philosophers, and the like try to “find God” simply within their own experience and frame of reference. Some go to the mountains, some to the desert. In those places, however, they may only see the creative power of God. And, if they are so inclined, they will perhaps praise him in their…
Of Shepherds and Kings
YOU WOULD THINK THAT, for a deity to identify itself, its attributes, and its intentions by equating itself with menial members of its creation, it would be the ultimate in humiliation. But indeed, that is what the Judeo-Christian God has done. And in so doing, he demonstrates his grace and, ultimately, his love. Did you…
Heaving Up Jonah
THERE ARE ‘NICE’ METAPHORS in the Bible and … there are ‘not-so-nice’ ones. For a usually repulsive word, this one occurs on a fairly regular basis throughout scripture. The word “vomit” and its various forms appears some 25 times from Genesis to Revelation, depending on your translation. Not all instances are used as metaphors, but…
Bread … the Boring Frontier
CUE THE FRENCH HORNS. Cue the starfield background. Cue the commanding male voice-over: “Bread … the boring frontier.” With apologies to fellow Star Trek fans, I think they would agree, bread is a rather uninteresting subject. Every country, every culture uses grain products. And in most of those cultures, I would venture to say that…
Reborn or Just Renovated?
BORN AGAIN … such an overused and misused word in recent years. From politics to moisturizing creams to rock bands, this term with such biblical richness has become tawdry and tattered. When Jesus spoke to the pharisee Nicodemus, telling him he must be “born again” to see the kingdom of God (John 3), Nicodemus’ response…
Is It Rotating or Revolving?
Each time we turn the calendar on a new year, we hope for a new start. Some years are worse than others, either personally or for the whole world. This is obviously one of those ‘worse than others’ years. Which Calendar Does God Use? Now, is it revolving on its axis and rotating around the…
Naked Before the Foe
NEWS STORIES THESE DAYS often feature two unwelcome images: one is healthcare workers armed with masks, gowns, and face shields. The other is law enforcement officers armed with helmets, body armor, and riot shields. Figures attempting to arm themselves against unseen viruses. Figures attempting to arm themselves against bullets, bottles, and rocks. Still Naked Underneath…
Blood from the Beginning
ONE OF THE ELEMENTS that flows through every living thing in creation and becomes one of the earliest symbols in the Bible is blood. In fact, it is so prevalent I hesitate to call it a metaphor for fear that that may belittle it. That is, some may think of a metaphor as just a…
Enough Good Metaphors to Go Around
IN THIS TIME OF FEAR of shortages, there is one thing we will never run out of—a supply of biblical images of God. So, we should never need to make up our own man-made images of the true God. Now, I am going to try my best to be completely positive on this entire blog…