Birds of the Air

THE Lord Jesus made frequent mention of "birds of the air," and used them as emblems of the great truths He taught. We are all familiar with the "sparrow on the housetop" (Psa. 102:77I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top. (Psalm 102:7)), the "raven" of the field (Luke 12:2424Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? (Luke 12:24)), and the "songsters" (S. of Sol. 2:1212The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; (Song of Solomon 2:12)) of the grove. And from each we may learn a truth, clearly made known in the Word of God for our instruction.
BIRDS ON THE WING. (Jer. 8:77Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord. (Jeremiah 8:7).) Birds of passage, who migrate to warmer climes before the winter gather in flocks at the "set time," and pass from the place of their sojourn here, to the sunny skies of their native land. So one day soon, the whole flock of ransomed songsters, who sing the praises of their great Redeemer here, will pass over to that land to which no foe approaches, in which there is no wintry blast: there to sing redemption's everlasting song (Rev. 5:99And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Revelation 5:9)). J.R.
Messages of the Love of God 3/2/1975