More Bible Birds

Listen from:
THE PEACOCK AND HIS FEATHERS (Job 39:1313Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? (Job 39:13)). How majestically he walks across the lawn, with his gay colored train of feathers. He is no doubt a pretty bird. His crested head, blue neck, back of yellow and green, give him a very graceful appearance, but then, he knows it. “As proud as a peacock” is a common proverb. His gorgeous train does all very well in fine weather, but it is a sore battle for him in a storm. He has a very poor voice, only a croaking scream.
We may see in the peacock what we all are and love to be by nature; proud, self-willed, unruly, mischievous. When the peacock dies his beauty passes away. His feathers adorn him no more. So will it be with the proud, unconverted sinners when they come to leave this world. Their beauty will consume away. The world will soon forget them. But for the believer in Christ, there is a much brighter hope. He will rise in the image of his Lord. His body will be fashioned like unto His most glorious body, and he will go to be with Him forever. How wonderful to be a Christian!
THE OSTRICH (Job 39:1414Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, (Job 39:14)). This bird is called the camel-bird by the Arabs. It is a bird of the desert, very large, powerful and swift in its fight. The mother ostrich is referred to in Scripture as heartless and cruel. (Lam. 4:33Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. (Lamentations 4:3); Job 39:13-1813Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? 14Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, 15And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. 16She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labor is in vain without fear; 17Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding. 18What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider. (Job 39:13‑18)). Her eggs and her young are often left behind. Her nest is scooped out in the sand. There she lays her eggs and goes off in search of food for herself, leaving them to be hatched in the sun or trodden underfoot of man or beast. When men go out to hunt the ostrich, it is said she leaves her young and flees. How unlike the care God has over little ones who put their trust under the shadow of His wings! To them He says, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Heb. 13:55Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5).
THE SWALLOW AND HER YOUNG (Psa. 84:33Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. (Psalm 84:3)). Here we have a home bird, one that we all know—a bird of liberty and swift wing. The swallow is very careful of her young. She builds a cozy nest for them and faithfully cares for them all through. The psalmist thought of the swallow’s nest built in the tabernacle of God, as the emblem of his own soul’s rest. How sweet and safe a resting place for the soul is the sacrifice of Christ! There the weary sinner finds peace and safety.
How wondrous a SAVIOUR is God’s blessed Son!
How great and eternal the work He has done!
God’s glory maintained by His death on the tree,
While mercy flows freely to you and to me.
ML-04/29/1962