Metaphorically Speaking

“His fruit was sweet to my taste.” Song of Solomon 2:3

God has created us with four primary sensations of taste: sour, salty, sweet and bitter. Solomon speaks to one of these sensations by comparing the love between a man and a woman as “sweet to my taste.” The metaphor he employed was to reveal the nature of the relationship between a man and his wife.

The use of metaphors to describe the condition and nature of relationships is not only confined to human relationships but is also a device that God uses to help us understand His relationship with us. The use of metaphors in the bible is common. To understand the abstract ideas, God’s word often uses concrete illustrations to describe the abstract ideas and thoughts.  

Jesus spoke in metaphors to His disciples to help them understand the love of God. To the religious people who were void of the understanding of God’s love, Jesus used the parable of "The Lost Sheep" to describes God’s love for His creation.

Jesus makes this statement about God's purpose for His coming to the Earth:

 “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” (Mat 18:11)

To help His disciples better understand His mission, Jesus relays this truth in the parable of the lost sheep. In the use of this parable, Jesus explained the importance that God places on His creation in concrete ideas the people could understand and apply to their lives.

Jesus also used metaphors to encrypt the understanding of His words. When Jesus’ disciples questioned Jesus teaching method with the religious leaders of the Jewish faith, Jesus responded with:

“It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” (Mat 13:11)

The power of the word of God is to illuminate with metaphors. The power of God’s love for you is so great that He not only became one of His creation to redeem them from the curse of sin and death as Jesus said in these words:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)   

God also allowed His Son to proclaim the hope of salvation to all that would hear. The message of salvation was not preached with theological words that only the educated religious could understand but was proclaimed by Jesus and the ones who were saved by His gospel in simple terms that even a child can understand.

Jesus employed metaphors not only to the simple but to the educated as well. When the religious leaders questioned Jesus about His authority to proclaim the message of the gospel Jesus told what He called the "The Parable of the Two Sons".

After Jesus tells this parable it was clear that He was teaching the second son who declared he would go to the vineyard and work and did not, was the condition of the hearts of the religious leaders of the Jews.

When Jesus asked the question:

“Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” (Mat 21:31)

In this metaphor, Jesus makes it clear that to have the knowledge of God is not the same as knowing God. The “publicans and the harlots” who heard and believed the message of the Saviour gained salvation and the religious leaders would not.

Friend, Jesus did not just come to this world to die for your sin but He proclaimed this message in a simple and a clear way for you to understand. Read the Word of God looking for the Saviour and you will find Him. When you find Him, call out to Him for forgiveness and He will forgive you.

The message is simple, clear and powerful. Jesus died for you that you may have life. Trust in Him today and you will be saved.

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