Sabbath: The Birdcage
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Exodus 14:1-31, Exodus 15:22-27, Exodus 17:1-7, Proverbs 3:1-35, Luke 4:1-13, 1 Peter 1:6-9.
Memory Text: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:6, NKJV).
In the full light of day, and in hearing of the music of other voices, the caged bird will not sing the song that his master seeks to teach him. He learns a snatch of this, a trill of that, but never a separate and entire melody. But the master covers the cage, and places it where the bird will listen to the one song he is to sing. In the dark, he tries and tries again to sing that song until it is learned, and he breaks forth in perfect melody. Then the bird is brought forth, and ever after he can sing that song in the light. Thus God deals with His children. He has a song to teach us, and when we have learned it amid the shadows of affliction we can sing it ever afterward.” — Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 472.
Notice that the one who carries the bird into the darkness is the master himself.
It is easy to understand that Satan causes pain, but would God Himself actively take a part in guiding us into crucibles where we experience confusion or hurt?
The Week at a Glance: What examples can you think of in the Bible in which God Himself leads people into experiences that He knows will include suffering? What do you think were the new songs He wanted them to sing?
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 16.
(22)
As you probably expect, I am not all that keen on caged birds. Birds have wings and like to be free to fly. However, I understand that for some people a caged bird can be a pleasant companion and I respect that. Many years ago, 1966 actually, I visited Carmel's parents for the first time. They had a pet Galah called Cocky. Galahs are pink and grey cockatoos that are very common in Australia. They are highly intelligent, very funny to watch and great mimics. Carmel's parents had been given Cocky by someone else to look after and he had sort of stayed and became part of the family. At nighttime Cocky was put in the bathroom so that he had a quiet restful place for the night.
At the time, Carmel's mother used to get up early in the morning and go to the bathroom to pray aloud. When I visited, it was not uncommon to hear Cocky muttering away to himself, punctuated every now and then with a loud "Amen". Cocky was mimicking Mum's prayers.
Now I know that mimicry is not what spiritual life is all about, but it does serve as a reminder that who you spend your time with in the dark spaces of life, often determines what you do with the rest of your life.
Interesting how we learn life principles from stories like the bird 🐦 in the cage.
In my early childhood my Mother bought us the book "Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories", which each had a moral to it, to help develop our characters.
The Holy Spirit through Paul tells us the Old Testament stories are recorded for our benefit.
I am looking forward to learning the LORD's Principles from this week's stories.
1Cor 10:1-13
11Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
2Tim 3:15-17
15You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Metaphors can be great for helping us grow in our understanding of the aspect or aspects of reality they are attempting to represent. But metaphors are not the reality and therefore there is risk we can take a metaphor beyond or outside of what was intended and, in turn, draw conclusions that are not intended.
With regard to the birdcage metaphor that is the basis of this week's lesson, is it suggesting that God causes us to experience bad things so we will learn good things? Or is God utilising the bad things that sin causes that, though Satan designs be for our 'destruction', God instead permits for the purpose of bring necessary growth of character in the only way that is possible under the fallen reality we are currently (temporarily) under? Or is there perhaps another option?
I would invite you to explore for yourself the wider passages that Ellen White's birdcage metaphor is located within - as well as relevant scriptural passages The Spirit may bring to your awareness - to see what the reality behind the metaphor is and is not.
"God utilizing the bad things that sin causes that, though Satan designs for our 'destruction'.
God instead permits for the purpose of bring necessary growth of character in the only way that is possible under the fallen reality we are currently (temporarily) under? "
Very Insightful
Thank you brother !
Shalom 🙏
I see the troubles and trials around us as the darkness of the world surrounding us. I see us in the light separated from the darkness where we see Christ our Redeemer. Are we not covered with the light of Jesus and are safe with Him. Jesus' covering blocks out all the evil around us so that we can see God and have the faith we need to trust in him no matter what's going on around us because of the darkness. Now we sing His Song.
Study guide asks:
What do you think were the new songs He wanted them to sing?
God's Revelation says:
3 They sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, but no one could learn the song except the 144,000(symbolic number)
who had been redeemed from the earth.
4 These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, since they remained virgins. (Virgin Bride of Christ)
These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
They were redeemed from humanity as the firstfruits (of harvest) for God and the Lamb.
5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
I see the metaphor of the Ellen White’s 'birdcage cover’ describing the cover of God’s Love through Faith. Faith - God’s gift of Faith to us in His unchanging Love creates a cover so complete that we are enabled to hear God’s voice to the exclusion of all other voices.
For us it is not just learning to sing the song - our salvation is at stake as we learn to sing/live the ‘melody of God’s Grace’ – humbleness, clearness, singleness of heart, deep conviction of faith that all is well with the soul that loves its Maker and learns to hear His voice.
Could someone put the words of Miriam, the prophetess' song to music as sung in Exodus 15:21? It already has poetic quality! Starting with verse 20: "Miriam took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them,
SING YE TO THE LORD, FOR HE HATH TRIUMPHED GLORIOUSLY;
THE HORSE AND THE RIDER HATH HE THROWN INTO THE SEA"
And a new song I will put in your mind and your lips. Only the ones who went through the furnace will be able to sing. For God wants to teach us this beautiful song. And at the end show us that we have been set free to sing outside the Cage, to everyone to Glorify the name of God.