A Thread on Birds

Birds are created on the fifth day of creation.

The birds fly across the face of the earth and the waters, similarly to how the Holy Spirit hovers over the waters in Gen 1:2.

But the birds are also described in Gen. 1:22 as multiplying on the earth.

Birds, thus, go back and forth between the sky and the earth, they are in a mediating or messenger position in God's creation, going between heaven and earth.

Angels are described in similar ways, having wings and are messengers between God and man.

After the flood with Noah, a bird (dove) is sent to be a messenger to tell Noah when the creation is ready to be inhabited again.

The dove hovers over the waters, and brings back an olive branch to tell Noah that the waters have gone down.

When Jesus is baptized, when He passed through water, the Spirit hovers over Him to signal THE new creation, the Lord Jesus.

Birds are messengers.

In the tabernacle instructions, the speeches correspond to the days of creation. The fifth day can be seen as associating with the high priests clothing and the cloud of incense smoke in the tabernacle.

This seems strange to us.

How do clothes and smoke correspond to birds?

The high priests clothes were ornate and colorful, like birds, and their garments are described as having wings.

The priests mediated between God and man, & when the high priest went into the holy of holies, it's a picture of him ascending from earth to God's throne-room/heaven.

If you've seen a big flock of birds, you know that they move as one-thing, like a flowing garment (priestly garments) or smoke (tabernacle incense).

Not only that, but ALL Israelites are described as having colorful tassels and wings on their garments. They were ALL to be little priests, birds in the flock of God, with a job to be a messenger from God to the nations. (going back and forth between heaven and earth)

One Application:
We are like the birds. We are mediators/messengers between heaven and earth.

When you pray, and when you worship on Sunday, you go up into God's throne-room.

There, you speak to God, you hear from God, and God listens to you. This is incredible!

When you know God's word, when you speak it (or sing it!) to one another and to those outside of the church - you are speaking the words of the one in heaven, down to those on earth.

You can be like Noah's dove, letting others know that the new creation has come.

So spend some time today looking at the birds.
Look at them, and listen to them.

And just like God takes care of them, know that He will also take care of you.