It’s fun to think about the fact that Jesus created everything in the natural world that He used at a later time—during His earthly ministry—as teaching tools. That means it is possible, for example, that the primary reason He originally created the “birds of the air” and “lilies of the field” (Matt. 6:25-33) was to teach folks like me and you (who are paying attention) that God will take care of us.
Birds and flowers reveal not only God’s existence and creative power, but they also teach us about His love and care. That perspective turns birds and flowers into messengers created and commissioned to draw human beings into an ever-deeper relationship with God.
Tragically, most people go through life not paying much attention. They might enjoy flowers and birds, but they never wonder why God made both a part of our reality. The truth is, all of creation is designed to draw people into an ever-deepening relationship with God.
Marriage is clearly one of those God-designed draw-ers and deepen-ers. Paul taught that marriage is a picture of Jesus’ relationship with His church. Believers are currently part of His betrothed bride who are waiting for Him to appear in order to be joined to Him in marriage.
God, of course, did not have to “create them male and female.” He could have created sexless human beings. But He didn’t, and at least part of the reason is because He wanted to use marriage relationships—the only human relationship in which two become one—as a means to provoke us to think about another unique and intimate relationship—a relationship in which we become one with Him. As Paul wrote, “this mystery is great” (Eph. 5:32).
One day there will be no longer be any marriage relationships, and the reason is because there will no longer be any need for what marriage was supposed to draw people towards—the only relationship that ultimately matters. Then, what marriage previously served to represent will be a reality. Believers will enjoy a relationship with God in the fullest and deepest sense.
These God-designed “parables of life” are all around us. One of them is something most of us do for one third of our lives—sleep. We know that Scripture uses sleep as an analogy for spiritual unconsciousness. Those who have not repented and believed are “sleeping” (see Rom.13:11; Eph. 5:14; 1 Thes. 5:6-7).
Certainly, God could have created us to be fully conscious 24 hours a day. So why did He make sleep a major part of human experience? Could it have been to have an analogy that could be employed to help unbelieving people realize that they are spiritually unconscious and need to “wake up”? Jesus even used the analogy of sleep to caution those who are spiritually awake to guard against falling back asleep (see Matt. 25:5). It might be spiritually beneficial to think about that every night as you close your eyes.
Sleep is also used in Scripture, understandably, as an analogy for death (Matt. 27:52; John 11:11; 1 Cor. 15:6). It would definitely be a good thing for all unsaved people to think about that “parable of life” every night as they close their eyes. They ought to think about how death is just as inevitable and irresistible as the sleep that overtakes them. Of course, those of us in Christ can add to our night-time meditation the hope of a resurrection in the morning! And it sure wouldn’t hurt to ponder that every day when we awaken. Nor would it hurt to ponder as we arise from our beds how we were once asleep in darkness but have been spiritually awakened to walk in the light of day!
Every analogy and metaphor used in Scripture to teach spiritual concepts using material realities can remind us (if we are paying attention) that God has gone to extraordinary lengths to have a relationship with us—as revealed by His creating material realities that He could later use as spiritual analogies. Those things also remind us, however, that our relationship with Him hinges on our response to His “advances.” He is revealing Himself and drawing everyone to Himself in a million ways, but He’s not forcing Himself upon us. That means everyone reading this is as close to God as they want to be at this moment.
Why not draw closer?
