Silver Sunday School Begins.
This is not a "religious" channel but we are scholars of history so here is Today's Silver Sunday School Lesson. The Metaphor "The Lion Lays Down with the Lamb" The call to coexist peacefully.
The Lion Lays Down with the Lamb…The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat.
The idea of "the lion laying down with the lamb" is a metaphor for peace and harmony, where natural predators and prey coexist without violence. This imagery is found in Isaiah 11:6-9, which describes a future messianic age when "the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat."
This metaphor relates to the story of Noah's Ark in that the carnivorous animals like lions had to coexist peacefully with their typical prey like lambs for the duration of the flood (over a year according to Genesis).
Some biblical scholars suggest the carnivores may have been able to subsist on plant-based diets during this time, as many modern carnivores can thrive on vegetarian diets. The 40 days and 40 nights of rain during the flood parallels Jesus' 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, which was a period of spiritual discipline and resisting temptation (Matthew 4:1-11).
Similarly, the Christian observance of Lent leading up to Easter involves 40 days of fasting, repentance, and self-denial as spiritual preparation.
So in both the Noah's Ark account and Jesus' 40-day fast, there is a theme of temporarily suspending normal patterns and impulses (like animals' predatory instincts or human hunger) in order to undergo a spiritually transformative period.
The "lion and lamb" metaphor represents the ideal of sworn enemies coexisting peacefully, which is a foreshadowing of the prophesied future age of harmony that Christ's redemption will ultimately usher in
The Miraculous Paintings of Edward Hicks (a Quaker from Newton Pennsylvania)
Edward’s mother raised him as a Quaker, with the belief that all people and animals contained an inner light, a divine power that could redeem the soul and bring peace to earth. Hicks chased that peace his whole life, first as a rebellious youth, then as a traveling preacher, and finally through sixty-two versions of the “Peaceable Kingdom,” Hick’s vision of Isaiah 11:6: The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
Silver in the Bible
Silver is mentioned 320 times in 282 verses of the King James Bible. It is most frequently mentioned in the books of Exodus and Numbers (32 times each), followed by 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles (21 times each).The main contexts in which silver is mentioned in the Bible are:
As a precious metal used for making various objects and utensils:
It was extensively used in the construction of the Tabernacle and Temple, such as for making sockets, pillars, dishes, bowls, and other vessels.
It was used for making idols and pagan objects of worship, which was condemned.
As a form of money and wealth:
It was used as a medium of exchange and a measure of value, often mentioned alongside gold.
It represented great wealth and abundance, especially during the reign of King Solomon.
In symbolic and metaphorical contexts:
It symbolized something inferior to gold but still valuable, like the silver breast and arms of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream representing an inferior kingdom to Babylon.
It is used metaphorically to represent the refining and purification of people's hearts by God, likened to the refining of silver.
In fulfilling biblical prophecies:
The 30 pieces of silver paid to Judas for betraying Jesus fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy.
Silver will likely be used to purchase the "potter's field" as prophesied by Zechariah.
Silver is frequently mentioned for its practical uses and as a valuable commodity, it also carries significant symbolic meaning and plays a role in the fulfillment of biblical prophecies.
Editors Note - It’s significant to note that I couldn’t find one mention of Bitcoin in the Bible nor any mentions of satellites, space stations, nuclear bombs, AI, solar energy, hydrogen fuel cell catalyst, or torpedoes. There were many mentions of the word war however.
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The graphic novel titled “Tarnished Crown, A chronicle of Silver Wars & Paper Promises”
The first draft is off to the illustrator and set for a book release by end of Summer 2024
Glad I signed up as a member. The Silver Academy has a whole fresh new approach and I like it. Interesting article today.