Leviticus 11:13-19 — And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, and the vulture, and the kite after his kind; every raven after his kind; and the owl, and the nighthawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind, and the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, and the swan, and the pelican, and the gier-eagle, and the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
I haven’t written much of today’s devotion! A much greater author is making my points for me today …
There are so many times when I am brought to a stopping point by something I read in the Bible. The other day, it was this passage in Leviticus.
I have extracted just a few verses from Chapter 11. The chapter is really about clean and unclean foods — but what struck me when I read it this time was the amazing variety, especially in this passage about the birds.
I love the many passages in the Bible that can be read as hymns to creation. Of course there is the beautiful opening in Genesis, but there are so many others. Here are just a few …
Job, chapters 39 and 40 — “Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?” (Job 39:9-10)
Psalm 19 — “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.” (Psalm 19:1-2)
Psalm 29 — “The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. … The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.” (Psalm 29:5-6, 9)
Psalm 104 — “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.” (Psalm 104:24-25)
Nehemiah, chapter 9 — “Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.” (Nehemiah 9:6)
Revelation, chapter 5 — “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Revelation 5:13)
Wherever you read in the Bible, if you let the Word speak to you, you will find the truth that God made the world and all that is in it, as well as the infinite universe that surrounds it. There are, I know, many who deny it:
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:20-21)
Once again, my reading was brought to a stop and my imagination was seized by the Bible’s consistent declaration of the glory of God’s creation. I’m looking forward to the next stopping point!