ELTB Rabbit
ELTB Rabbit [∞]
RABBIT: NO DISCERNMENT
Rabbits symbolize some teachers. Adam saw the rabbits jumping everywhere but could not tell if they were happy, scared, or jumping for fun. A warren of rabbits sometimes looks like popcorn popping. It appears like they are celebrating everything. The name given to them was 'divided jubilation'.
Rabbits symbolize teachers who mix many religions together. they hop about from one religion to another. They celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa one day, and Hindi dust the next. To them all religions are good. They have no discernment about what to celebrate or believe.
The Bible says that rabbits are unclean because they do not have a split hoof, though they chew the 'gerah'. They chew their food twice, not by burping, but by eating their night droppings. That's kind of gross.
Unlike the clean animals that meditate on God's word, the rabbit-like teacher is not a good teacher. He doesn't understand God's word because the second time he eats it, he is meditating on his opinion. He came to a conclusion the first time. The clean animal doesn't come to a conclusion until he has thought about it many times. [1]
A new life is not produced from thinking about his own opinions. For him, the knowledge of God did not produce a changed life.
hare or rabbit arnebeth - ארנבת - house בת of divided א jubilation רנ
1. Ps 1:2 But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
1. BP Ps 1:2 He enjoys meditating on the law of the Lord day and night.
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RABBIT: NO DISCERNMENT
The **rabbit** in biblical symbolism serves as a vivid image of certain kinds of teachers. Adam, observing the behavior of rabbits, saw them leaping and hopping about in all directions. But their movements were ambiguous—were they happy, frightened, or just playful? The **name given to them**, "divided jubilation," reflects this confusion. A group of rabbits in a warren can even resemble popcorn popping, appearing to celebrate everything indiscriminately.
Rabbits as Teachers with No Discernment
In the **sensus plenior**, rabbits symbolize **teachers** who lack discernment. These are individuals who mix elements of many religions together, hopping from one belief system to another. They celebrate a variety of traditions, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa one day, and engage in practices from Hinduism the next. To them, **all religions appear good**, and they fail to distinguish between truth and falsehood. This lack of discernment makes them unfit as teachers of God’s Word.
The Rabbit as an Unclean Animal
According to ▸ ± Leviticus 11:6, the rabbit is considered unclean:
> "The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is unclean for you." (▸ ± Leviticus 11:6)
The unclean nature of the rabbit offers a deeper symbolic lesson:
- Rabbits appear to "chew the cud," but their chewing is not genuine meditation. Instead of regurgitating and re-chewing their food like clean animals, rabbits consume their **night droppings** (a process called **coprophagy**). This behavior is a metaphor for **teachers who reprocess their own ideas** rather than returning to God’s Word for true understanding.
- A clean animal, in contrast, meditates on God’s Word repeatedly, allowing it to shape their thoughts over time. The rabbit-like teacher, however, **rushes to conclusions** based on their first reading, then later reflects on their own opinions rather than the truth of Scripture.
Divided Jubilation and Superficial Teaching
The **house of divided jubilation** (from the Hebrew **arnebeth**, ארנבת) reflects the nature of these teachers:
- They appear joyful and celebratory, but their jubilation is **divided and superficial**. They do not anchor their joy in the truth of God's Word but in a shallow acceptance of all belief systems as equally valid.
- This behavior can mislead others, as it masks a lack of true spiritual depth and discernment.
Meditation on God's Word: The Contrast of the Clean Teacher
The Bible offers a different model for teachers in ▸ ± Psalm 1:2:
> "But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (▸ ± Psalm 1:2)
The clean teacher:
- **Meditates repeatedly** on God’s Word, allowing it to transform their heart and mind. They refrain from drawing premature conclusions and remain open to God's deeper revelations over time.
- Produces new life through the knowledge of God. This life is not rooted in human opinions or superficial understanding but in a profound engagement with Scripture.
In contrast, the rabbit-like teacher’s knowledge fails to lead to spiritual transformation because it is based on personal opinion rather than divine truth.
Key Takeaway: Rabbits as a Warning Against Superficial Teaching
The rabbit teaches us the danger of **lacking discernment** in teaching and belief. It warns against celebrating everything indiscriminately, blending truth with error, and relying on personal opinions rather than meditating deeply on God’s Word.
When we think of the rabbit, we are reminded to:
- Avoid being a teacher who "chews the cud" of their own ideas.
- Meditate day and night on the Word of God, as the truly clean teacher does.
- Anchor our joy in the truth of Scripture, not in divided and superficial jubilation.
The **rabbit**, with its divided jubilation and unclean status, symbolizes the consequences of failing to discern God’s truth—a stark reminder for us to seek wisdom, clarity, and transformation through God’s Word.
