The Bible encourages us to meditate on it (Ps. 1:1-3, 119:11-16, etc.); these artists have done so, and their works can assist us and enrich our own thoughts about biblical characters, incidents and concepts, and increase our faith in He who is behind it all. As you encounter and consider these images and the related Scriptures and the Spirit enlightens your understanding, please share it with us!
But it is not only oil-on-canvas that can so help us; I refer to the astonishing video series The Chosen, which strolls through the four Gospels at the most leisurely pace. The eight episodes of Season 1 are finished, and the second of a planned seven seasons is coming soon. I say "leisurely" because after an entire year’s viewing Jesus still has only seven of the apostles (although He's preparing to call up Thomas from the minor leagues--but Thomas is skeptical, of course). Anticipating a canvas of fifty-plus hours instead of a movie's paltry two hours, The Chosen turns the characters (especially including Jesus!) into three-dimensional humans and brings the Gospels alive--you have never seen anything even remotely like it! Here is the Official Trailer.
Here is a link for free viewing of The Chosen: “Works with your phone, tablet, and you can cast to your Roku or Chromecast.” Last fall I paid $34.98 for DVDs and ongoing internet access—best 35 bucks I’ve ever spent (I don’t recall how much our marriage license cost, but then it was 42 years ago).
Moses only saw the back side of God as God covered his face preventing him from seeing the face of God. For no man can see God and live. Exodus 33:20 “But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
21 Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
Which is followed by the artwork
by PHILLIP PRESCOTT PARHAM “Moses in the Cleft of the Rock”
Even before I saw the image/artist's name, the quote struck me as funny because today I noticed that our resident groundhog was hanging about all day in the grass, in front of a new boulder which has a natural birdbath. It was placed there close to the house, along with a landscaping (terracing) project with big boulders.
We've seen the groundhog around off and on the past couple weeks, but he's usually wandering around, not staying in one spot.
When I refreshed the bath today, I noticed that he had just moved in about 3 feet from that boulder, because a big hole had been newly excavated in the cleft of the rocks, between two of the boulders in the terracing. That would explain why he was hanging around close to all the amenities.
Thus we had just been standing around and above that cleft and checking out his new home. I fill that boulder bath a couple of times a day, so I know his "cave" entry is brand new.
When I first noticed the groundhog a couple weeks back, I named him Phil. I joked today that I'll need to make a sign to put out in front of his burrow, "Welcome to Phil Valley."
I'll see myself out now. :)