Little Ida’s Flowers

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  “MY poor flowers are quite dead!” said little Ida. “They were so pretty yesterday, and now all the leaves hang withered. Why do they do that? . . . Why do the flowers look so faded to-day?” she asked again, and showed him a nosegay, which was quite withered.  “Do you know what’s the matter with them?” said the Student. “The flowers have been at a ball last night, and that’s why they hang their heads.”  “But flowers cannot dance!” cried little Ida. “O yes,” said the Student, “when it grows dark, and we are asleep, they jump about merrily. Almost every night they have a ball.” —Hans Christian Andersen. (1805–1875)

Does God Protect His Word (part 6)?

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Isaiah 40:7-8, "The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."

There is no accident that "tsîyts" (or "tsits"), which is translated "flower," can also be used of "glistening," specifically, of a polished metal plate or plate metal. This could read, "the green lawn dries up and the glittering/glistening fails." Polished metal must be kept polished or else it will tarnish. In a figurative sense "nabel" (translated here as "fadeth") could mean "made wicked" or "be despised."

In an earlier post we saw how God speaks and breathes and creates and the everlasting quality of that which He brings into being. Now we see God's breath and God's word causing the wilting of men against his forever-standing word. Not even gold plates given by visionary angels to young men on grassy knolls or forests can keep their lustre against His unchanging, ever-protected word.

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