ELTB Bad Birds
ELTB Bad Birds of the Bible [∞]
Eat Learn This Book
Bad Birds of the Bible
Bob Jones
2ndBook c 2023 R.C. Jones Discussion
| 1 Cover
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| 2-3 Inside cover Title
blank -- Eat Learn this Book Bad Birds R.C. Jones bob@2ndBook.org Art: Doris Ong
ISBN: 2ndBook Press, West Jordan, Utah Printed by: Petersmine Ltd.
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| 4-5 Coming, Preface
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ELTH BB 6-7 [∞]
God wants everyone to know him. He teaches about himself through all things that have been created. [1] Observing the things themselves does not teach us, but we learn from his word by what he has said about the things. Looking at air does not teach us much because it is invisible. But the Hebrew word ruwach רוח means both 'spirit' and 'wind'. God tells us that the Spirit is like the wind; though it is invisible, we see the work it does. [2] The Spirit also leads us in truth. We know this by the word for wind as well. See the scroll. [3] In "Eat Learn this Book", the first book in the series, it shows that all the people and animals are actors in the Old Testament Bible are on a stage for us to learn from. [4] Eating is a symbol for learning. That's why the name of the book changes 'Eat' to 'Learn'. The birds or flying things that we are not supposed to eat represent things God doesn't want us to learn. The law was a script for the actors (the Hebrews) so that we could learn from their play.
Bad birds (flying things) The word 'name' also means 'reputation'. Adam watched the flying things that God created and gave them names based on their behaviors. [5] We sometimes give people nicknames based on their behavior. Do you think "Smiley" smiles alot? Maybe "Sandy" played at the beach a lot. The names of the flying things are used in riddles to speak of the behaviors we are to avoid. [6] The behaviors that Adam observed when naming the birds may still be present in their behaviors today. But it is more important that they tell us about the sins that Jesus bore on the cross.
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Clean animals are the ones the Hebrews could eat. [1] They symbolize the people we should learn from. The clean animals of the Bible are cows, sheep, goats, and deer. These animals 'chew the cud'. They eat something and then burp it up to chew it again. [2] If you are a clean animal, you learn from God's word, then you 'chew the cud' by thinking about it over and over again. We remember to learn from people who meditate on God's word by the symbols of the cow, sheep, goat, and deer. Clean animals also walk on split hooves. These symbolize a 'separated walk' or life. The way you walk is a symbol for the way you live. [3] [4] If you have a separated life, you are living a life for God, separated from the things that distract us from God. You learn to walk with God by meditating on his word. A good teacher is like this. cud gerah גרה - pursue ג the revelation ר which was not understood ה 1. Le 11:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These [are] the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that [are] on the earth. 1. BP Le 11:2 Talk to Israel. Say, "Among all the animals on earth. Eat these." 2. Le 11:3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, [and] cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. 2. BP Le 11:3 You will eat whatever has a divided and separated hoof, and chews the cud. 3. Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 3. BP A high priest like this stood out among us, then separated from us sinners higher than the heavens. He is holy, simple, pure and sinless. 4. Ro 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 4.BP Ro 6:4 So baptism is a symbol of us dying to self with Christ. Since he rose from the dead according to the hidden riddles of the Father, we also should walk in a new life.
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| 10-11
Osprey The Hebrew word for 'osprey' has the word 'goat' within it. The goat just thinks of himself. He grabs food, cuts in line pushes and shoves to get his way. The goat, representing the flesh, is not of the spirit, and so should be avoided. Sometimes we act like goats and sometimes like sheep. Even the apostle Paul wrestled with his flesh. [1] Don't feed the goat. Don't do the things you know are wrong.
Vulture Though the vulture is known for eating dead things; the Hebrew name for the vulture is 'cause to wander in ignorance'. Jesus confronted some religious leaders who would not accept his teaching, and they also would not allow others to learn from Jesus as they tried to disrupt him while teaching. They caused others to wander in ignorance. [3] Your classmate who always interrupts the class and doesn't allow others to learn is represented by the vulture.
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| 12-13
Kites Kites have the ability to ride the wind in an almost endlessly like a kite searching. Did it look to Adam as if they were futile in their search? "Where?" is a question of the people who don't know God.[1] and the flesh [2]. The kite represents the doubters. [3] It is OK to have questions if you are willing to learn. But one who chooses to doubt and doesn't want to learn is called a "scoffer".
Raven The word 'oreb' ערב for 'raven' means: blind, naked, mix. Which meaning matches the raven behavior that Adam saw? We can only guess. When ravens are hatched "They are altricial; blind, featherless and helpless" . They also form loose flocks, only congregating to roost and they play with other animals. Perhaps this is the 'mixing' that Adam saw. Blind is a metaphor for not understanding. Naked (featherless) is a symbol for the flesh or sin being exposed. There are laws in the Bible for the actors that don't allow them to mix things. They seem silly: you can't mix seed in the field or the types of cloth you wear. They are part of the play or parable of the law to teach that we cannot mix law and grace, holiness and love, but must wait until we see them properly mixed on the cross. God is Holy [4] and he is Love [5]. Since no man has seen the Father except the Son [6], no one can adequately explain God but the Son.
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| 14-15
Owl 'Owl' means 'why' and 'shovel. The shovel is used in the temple to move ashes from the altar. The ashes of burnt offerings represent Christ's total devotion to his Father. Christ laid down his own life. The scoffer does not understand 'Why', nor does he want to. [1] Only God can tell us what is good and evil. He tells us what is right and wrong. If you make your own rules, you are pretending to be God. You can't know him if you think you are God. Do you think your dad would like it if you always told him he wasn't your dad and you didn't have to follow his rules? If you love your dad, you do what he says. [2]
Night hawk Perhaps Adam saw the Night Hawk hunting when he gave him the name 'must do violence'. God hates those who love to do violence [3]. The night hawk is a symbol of those. If you just like to fight, ask God to help you love instead.
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| 16-17
Cuckows Some cuckows nest on the ground in shrubs so they represent some who are of the flesh. Their name can mean 'shrub death'. Adam may have named them because of that. But the word also means emaciated, or wasted away. By word play, the cuckow could be called 'emaciated' or 'skin and bones'. Those who are spiritually dying are not a good source for spiritual teaching. Jesus used the word 'dead' to refer to those who are spiritually dead [1] The person who does more and more bad things is wasting away and we should not learn from them. When we stop learning good things, we fall backwards and do the old bad things.
Hawk There are many instances in the riddles where referring to the death of Christ is a 'bad' thing and speaking of his resurrection is the 'good' thing. An example is that of the 'shibboleth' [2] A single grain needs planted ( a picture of being buried in a grave). A whole ear of grain refers to being fruitful in the harvest. Those who referred to a single grain 'sibboleth' (the death of Christ), were put to death, but those who referred to a whole ear or stream 'shibboleth' (the resurrection and fruitfulness of Christ), lived. The word 'hawk' refers to Christ's death. We should not learn from the teachers that only speak of the death of Christ, but from those who speak of his resurrection. Long ago many people died on crosses, but only Jesus rose from the dead.
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| 18-19
Little owl 'Owl' means 'cup'. The cup symbolizes the will of God for the cross which has great things and terrible things. It was a great day because God chose to forgive men and dwell with us. But it was a terrible day because Christ, God in flesh, suffered and died at the hands of the men he came to save. [1] Perhaps Adam saw an owl nesting in hole in a tree and named him 'cup' since it looked like he was siting in a cup. The cup is a mixture of judgement and love; it is unclean as other mixtures. We are not to mix them. Only Christ could express them properly.
Cormorant The cormorant is an aquatic bird. It has webbed feet and swims under the water. It eats the fish which are swimming in the water, like the abominable lobster. They both snatch fish living in the word and devour them. When the cormorant dives into the water it looks like it has been cast out of the heavens. Adam named the cormorant 'cast out'. Those who have been cast out are not a good source for teaching. [2] The cormorant represents those under such judgement.
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| 10-21
Great owl 'Darkness' is a positive from God's view, or a negative from our view. God expresses love and mercy symbolized by darkness; if we are in sin, and haven't been destroyed, we are receiving his mercy. We say that being in darkness is being in sin and presuming upon God's mercy; it looks like evil. [1] The Great Owl represents those in the dark who should not be our teachers. [2] Those like owls act like God is not watching them do bad things. They pretend to themselves that God will never do anything about it. [3]
Swan The swan, as a large bird, is not subject to being killed in large numbers by natural predators. Their numbers can swell until they are destructive to an environment. Those who are destructive should not be a source for our learning. [4]. Sometimes people like to break things just to break them. They are like the swans, and we should avoid them. Instead we should build things. The swan might represent those who do things to discourage you. Be encouraged by the love Christ has for you.
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| 22-23
Pelican Perhaps Adam watched a pelican scoop up his meal, and then vomit up the shell and rocks. He named it 'vomit after'. That's gross. Vomit, like spit, is a symbol of rejection. [1] Those who reject the word should not be teachers of the word. [2] The pelican represents those who reject the word of God.
Gier eagle The name contains the Hebrew root 'to love'. The birds are mated and seldom separated. This maybe part of what Adam saw, but if this was all, we would have difficulty understanding why it is an unclean bird. Love is a good thing to learn. But the gier eagle eats almost nothing but carrion or road kill. The name actually means 'not understanding love'. Though they are together in the appearance of love, they eat nothing but dead things. It is true that when we eat the bread of communion, we are learning from his death, but it is followed by the wine or 'blood of the grape' which is a symbol of his life. [3] Paul teaches that if we don't have love, our faith, generosity, and sacrifices mean nothing. [4] The one who truly loves eats the living word of God with others.
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| 24-25
Stork Storks are primarily carnivorous and eat reptiles, small mammals, insects, fish, amphibians and other small invertebrates. He devours almost all living things without mercy. It is perhaps this destruction of living things that Adam observed when he named the stork "not understanding holiness and mercy". Holiness and mercy are the attributes of God, so he named it "Not understanding God". The main purpose of God is to teach us that He is Holy or different and separated. [1]; He alone is God. He also teaches that He is Love. [2]
Heron When the heron hunts, it stand very still in the water looking for it's prey. When it sees something, it moves it's head back and forth to get the targeting range through the water. Perhaps Adam named it 'yearning undulation (back and forth movement)' for this behavior. Once it had that name, by word-play it became 'her anger'. Jesus said that if we were angry, we were guilty of murder. Angry words can hurt people for a very long time. But they hurt you even more. [3] . When you are angry, you allow something else to control you. You think you are real important and should be treated better. But see how easily you are controlled? You can be made to be angry simply if you are told that it is bed time. You are out of control. The one who is in control does not need to be angry. The heron also has a wild headdress that may have made it look angry to Adam.
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| 26-27
Lapwing The lapwing is known for the irregular pattern of beating it's wings. Flap-flap- - flap - flap, flap, flap. God commanded Moses to strike the rock for water the first time. The second time he told him to speak to it, but Moses struck it. This is a silly play on words: Moses gave the rock an irregular (or at the wrong time) beating. He forfeited the privilege of entering into the promised land. [1]
Bat As mentioned previously, the Bible does not say the bat is a bird. It says that it is a 'flying thing'. 'Bird' is a poor translation. Bats are known for their irregular flight patterns. The lapwing had an irregular wing flap and the bat flies all over the place. The name of the bat suggests one who wanders from the path or deviates from God's will. These should not be our teachers. The path represents God's plan for your life. His plan is to bless you [2] if you allow him. God wants us to learn from teachers who are steady in their faith, teaching and lives; not those who are unpredictable.
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| 28 - 29
Summary All of these birds were named by Adam because of the behaviors he observed. [1] By the riddle they become representative of behaviors we don't want for ourselves. When God looks at us, he does not see our behaviors. He sees the work of Christ and gives us a new name or reputation based on that of Jesus. [2] [3]
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| 30-31
Bible References p. 4-5 p. 6-7 p. 8-9 p. 10-11 p. 12-13 p. 14-15 p.16-17 p. 18-19 p. 20-21 p. 22-23 p. 24-25 p.26-27 p.28-29 p.30-31
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