Amber

The Hebrew prophet Ezekiel beheld the very presence and glory of God Himself. Little wonder that his writings are considered difficult and incomprehensible to our dull minds. A colour he thrice uses to describe the divine majesty is that of a brown substance called amber:

Ezekiel 1:4: And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Ezekiel 1:27: And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

Ezekiel 8:2: Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.

My specimen of that fossilised tree resin (thus it is not a true mineral) is rough and ready; a deeper pocket might have purchased some amber jewellery or a translucent example. Yet even my poor offering diffuses sunlight in a rather beautiful manner. Imagine amber radiating the very glory and brilliance of the Triune God Himself, throbbing forth His magnificent illumination!

My amber might be poor and dull, much like my spirit, mind and character, but with the light of Christ shining upon it and through it, even our crepuscular hearts are enlivened and beautified. The resin of dead trees is made attractive by God's bright sun, and the deadened blood of Adam’s race by God’s bleeding, crucified and risen Son.

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