Amber is a beautiful and interesting part of God’s creation. It is a stone-like jewel, sometimes clear enough to see right through. It most often appears in pretty shades of yellow, from which the name “amber” comes, but sometimes it is brown or even colorless. It looks hard and solid, and its irregular shape is smooth and as warm as the air around it. If caught in a flame, it will burn and be destroyed.
While new amber is actually being formed right now, the amber that is thousands of years old needs only polishing to make beautiful and extremely valuable pieces of jewelry. You have perhaps seen some in necklaces, bracelets, rings or other ornaments prized by both men and women.
Amber was formed from the resin of pine trees that grew in northern Europe hundreds of years ago. This resin slowly seeped out of the bark until its own weight caused it to drop to the ground where it hardened in round, oval, or flat shapes. The pine trees were buried under ground or under water for many, many years. Most amber is mined, but some washes up on shore in the Baltic Sea area.
What adds the most value to these gems is that some contain a trapped insect, such as an ant, fly, mosquito, spider, etc. These small creatures got caught so tightly in the sticky resin before it hardened that they couldn’t move. They are perfectly preserved and look alive inside the amber jewel. That, of course, gives the wearer of such jewelry an interesting thing to talk about.
Incidentally, these insects, now seen hundreds or thousands of years after their capture, are just like those we see today. There has been no change in them at all. They are still just as the Creator made them; today’s are identical to those living so many years ago.
Sad to say, there are those around us who will not believe in God as the Creator. In spite of lack of evidence, they still try to convince others that everything began as a lower form of life and progressed upward through gradual change. But the Bible, which we can always trust, tells us: “For in six days the Lord made heaven [the sky and stars] and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.” Exodus 20:1111For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11). How much more happiness it gives us to know and believe the Lord God and be able to say, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:1111Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11).
The One who created all things has a heart of love for you and invites you to know Him as your Saviour and be with Him in heaven when your life on earth is finished. Have you accepted His invitation?
ML-06/28/1992