CAROL’S GEMS: PERIDOT—THE FOUNDATION OF HEAVEN

Every month has a birthstone. The birthstone for the month of August is peridot. And it reminds me of Jesus.



Peridot from: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

　

Biblical Gemstones

Translations of mineral names from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic to English are not always exact. Most scholars and historians, however, believe that the green stone referred to in Bible translations as chrysolite, is beautiful lime-green peridot.

　

Back in the Garden

Without getting into a discussion of who Ezekiel meant by the King of Tyre, Ezekiel says peridot (chrysolite) was present in the Garden of Eden:

You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. (Ezekiel 28:13)

In the Middle Ages, peridot was believed to have the power to drive away evil. Too bad Eve didn’t know that back in the Garden…
　

The High Priest

Peridot (chrysolite) was named as one of the stones adorning the breastplate of the High Priest (Exodus 28) and represented the Tribe of Zebulun (the sixth son of Jacob and Leah). When the Hebrews entered the Promised Land, the Tribe of Zebulun’s inheritance was generally the territory toward the Sea of Galilee where Jesus conducted his Galilean ministry. It also included Bethlehem—the birthplace of Jesus.

Only the High Priest was allowed to wear the jeweled Breastplate. Because Jesus became our High Priest forever, Jesus symbolically wears the Breastplate of the High Priest—and August’s birthstone, the peridot—forever.
　

Heaven

The Apostle John shares his vision of heaven, saying,

The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. (Revelation 21:19)

Did you see? The seventh layer (the number of perfection in biblical symbolism) of the foundation of heaven is peridot.
　

I fell in love with peridot when my son was born in the month of August. When I wear peridot, I think of my son. After this post, I’ll also think of Jesus—the Son of God. I hope you will, too.

Happy birthday to everyone born in August.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for the beauty in our world—in mountains and oceans, flowers and gemstones. Thank you also for your beautiful son, Jesus. Please open our eyes and hearts to see your love through Jesus in the world around us today. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Written on those 12 jeweled foundations in heaven are the names of the 12 apostles. John doesn’t say which layer represents which apostle. Any guess at who peridot represents?


Today is a cross-posting with Chris Vonada. Please visit him often at: ChrisVonada.com

CAROL'S GEMS: TREASURE HUNTING

“Carol’s Gems” is a glitter-loving gal’s way to find a place on a geologists’ blog site. This begins a year-long series that focuses on the birth stone for each month of the calendar and how they remind us of Jesus. It is a cross-posting with my Christian Writer colleague, Chris Vonada. Please visit him at: www.ChrisVonada.com

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When God created Earth, He filled it with beauty. Mountains, plains, oceans, lakes, rivers, creeks, ponds and puddles. The cloud-filled sky. The grass, trees, flowers, critters. All reflect God’s beauty.

But when God finished covering the Earth's surface with beauty, He still had lots of beauty left. So He hid some deep inside the earth.

Mankind digs into God's rich soil. Underneath the beauty at the surface of our earth, past the wiggly worms, gnarly roots and crumbly dirt, are sparkling, glittering treasures. We dig them up, dust them off and hold them to the light, exclaiming, "Beautiful!"

And we call them "precious."

We name those treasures diamond, sapphire, emerald, ruby. They are a reflection of God's glorious, excessive beauty.

Matthew 13:44 recounts Jesus' parable of the man who found a treasure in the ground. The man covered it back up and sold everything he owned. He then bought the land so the treasure could be his.

The treasure in Jesus’ parable was the Gospel, the priceless good news of our salvation through Christ.  

When I think of gemstones, I am reminded that God has placed His beauty all around me. It is in nature, in people, in God’s Word. Sometimes, His beauty requires us to dig. But when we find it, it is a sparkling, glittering, precious delight. And it is worth the seeking.

Hidden treasures also remind us that God has placed a sparkling, precious delight inside each of us. With God’s help we can dig through the dirt, past the worms and the roots and find it—our desire to know and love Him. And to become the people He means us to be.

God can dust this treasure off and hold it up to the light. Our obedience is a delight to Him. Our faith is a sparkling, faceted radiance, shining God's glory to the world.

It is worth the digging.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for your glory and for the reminders of your beauty around us. Please work in us so that we are a delight to you. Help us seek your treasure above all else. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? What treasures in your life do you see as God's sparkling delights?

The series, “Carol’s Gems” begins next month with the June birthstone: the pearl and how it reminds us of Jesus.