Birds of the Bible - Fatted Fowl

Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl. (1 Kings 4:23 KJV)

While doing a search with my e-Sword Bible program, I came across I Kings 4:23. It is in the midst of the daily provisions needed by Solomon for one day. I had not noticed the "fatted fowl" before and since today is Thanksgiving, it caught my interest. According to what I wrote yesterday about the Thanksgiving Turkey, the Wild Turkey, Ocellated Turkey, and domesticated turkey are from the New World. If Solomon had lived here, I might think that he was eating "turkey" or some fatted goose, duck, or chicken. However, Solomon lived in Israel. So, what was the "fatted fowl"?

According to Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries: Fatted = H75 - aw-bas' - A primitive root; to fodder: - fatted, stalled. Fowl = H1257 - bar-boor' -By reduplication from H1250; a fowl (as fattened on grain) - fowl. So the fatted fowl was possibly fed grain as was the fatted calf. Here are some of the other translations for the "fatted calf", fat fowls, geese, poultry, fattened birds, fattened fowl, fatted fowl, and fatted beast of the stalls.

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary had this comment. "Solomon’s provision for one day — not for the king’s table only, but for all connected with the court, including, besides the royal establishment, those of his royal consorts, his principal officers, his bodyguards, his foreign visitors, etc. The quantity of fine floor used is estimated at two hundred forty bushels; that of meal or common flour at four hundred eighty. The number of cattle required for consumption, besides poultry and several kinds of game (which were abundant on the mountains) did not exceed in proportion what is needed in other courts of the East."

John Gill's commentary said, "and fatted fowl; such as we call capons (a); some Jewish writers (b), because of the likeness of sound in the word here used, take them to be Barbary fowls, or such as were brought from that country: there is a sort of birds called βαρβαροι, which were without a voice, that neither heard men, nor knew their voice (c).

So what was the fatted fowl? It is hard to be exact, but, Scriptures mentions the Quail, Chicken, Hen, and Partridge kinds as being "clean" and thereby they could be eaten. These have also been known to be fattened up. The Barbary fowl according to Wikipedia and others is a Barbary Partridge which looks very much like our Chukar here in North America. The partridge family brings us back to the Turkey, which is in that family. One thing we know for certain. God created the fowls (birds) and we are permitted to eat some of them. (Genesis 1:20 and Genesis 9:2,3).

Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9:11 KJV)

We hope you have a very happy Thanksgiving Day and that you spend time thanking God for all His blessings.

Barbary Partridge video by Josep del Hoyo

Photos - Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) by Ian and Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) by Nikhi

6 Things I'm Thankful For...

Happy Thanksgiving. Here are 6 things that I'm thankful for.

1. I'm thankful that I've been adopted by God. I wasn't born into His family. I had no right to be in His family. Yet, He reached down and chose me to be His son. I'm so thankful that He did.
2. I'm thankful for my Family. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife and two beautiful daughters. My children are so fortunate to have such an outstanding mother. I would truly be lost without her. I'm so thankful for my family.
3. I'm thankful for my Parents. Godly parents are becoming harder and harder to find. I am so thankful to have two of the godliest people I know as my parents. What an honor it is to be their son.
   
4. I'm thankful for my Job. 2009 has reminded me that jobs can come and go like the wind. I am so thankful for a job that allows me to provide for my family.
5. I'm thankful for my Pastor. He sets an example for me in so many ways: his marriage, his family, his personal life, his finances, his compassion, his patience, his character. He is such an example and an encouragement to me and I am so thankful for him.
6. I'm thankful for my Church. Being a member of Faith Baptist Church is a unique privilege that I have. It unites me with brothers and sisters who genuinely love me and my family. I am so thankful for my church.

What are you thankful for?

Birds of the Bible - Cuckoo II

And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
(Leviticus 11:16 KJV) and (Deuteronomy 14:15)

The verses above are interesting because the cuckow (cuckoo) is taken from the Hebrew word, " שחף or shachaph" (H7828), and is only used in those two verses. Some translate it as "cuckow" (KJV, Webster), "cuckoo" (YLT), "seamew or sea-mew" (ASV, JPS, RV), "sea-hawk" (BBE), and the rest "sea-gull or sea gull" (Darby, ESV, GW, MKJV, NASB, NKJV). From the Jewish Encyclopedia about the Cuckoo, "The A. V. rendering of (shaḥaf) in Lev. xi. 16 and Deut. xiv. 15. In both places it occurs in the list of unclean birds. This identification, however, is only a conjecture, and there is no certain tradition to support it. The Targum transcribes the Hebrew word. The Septuagint gives λάρος ("sea-gull"). The R. V. rendering is "seamew," which is accepted by Gesenius, Bertholet, and Driver in their commentaries, and by Baentsch and Lewyson ("Zoologie des Talmuds," p. 182). The cuckoo, however, is found in Palestine, where it passes the summer. Two varieties are met with—the common and the spotted cuckoo."

Whether it is in the cuckoo or the gull family, it is not clear. What is clear is that it was not to be eaten. For this article, I am going to concentrate on the Cuculidae Family which includes the Cuckoo, Ani, Roadrunner, Coucal, Coua, Malkoha, Koel, Drongo-Cuckoo, and Hawk-Cuckoo. All of these are in the Cuculiformes Order and all were created by the Lord.

"The Cuckoos are medium to large birds some with a long tail; species range in lenght from 6.6-28 in. (16-70 cm). The bill of all species is basically the same, varying only in size: fairly short, strong or stout, and slightly decurved". (Complete Birds of the World, National Geographical) They are generally medium sized slender birds. The cuckoos feed on insects, insect larvae and a variety of other animals, as well as fruit. Many species are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other species, but the majority of species raise their own young.

"One of the most important distinguishing features of the family are the feet, which are zygodactyl, meaning that the two inner toes pointed forward and the two outer backward. There are two basic body forms, arboreal species (like the Common Cuckoo) which are slender and have short tarsi, and terrestrial species (like the roadrunners) which are more heavy set and have long tarsi. Almost all species have long tails which are used for steering in terrestrial species and as a rudder during flight in the arboreal species. The wing shape also varies with lifestyle, with the more migratory species like the Black-billed Cuckoo possessing long narrow wings capable of strong direct flight, and the more terrestrial and sedentary cuckoos like the coucals and malkohas having shorter rounded wings and a more laboured gliding flight."

Below are photos of some of the birds in the Cuculidae Family in IOC 2009 order.

See Also:
Birds of the Bible - Cuckoo
Cuckoo

Photos: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo, Asian Emerald Cuckoo, Zygodactyl arrangement of toes

Worship Matters

I'm currently reading through a book entitled Worship Matters by Bob Kauflin. He blogs at Worship Matters. Bob is the director of worship development for Sovereign Grace.

I recently finished a section where Kauflin gave 6 ways that worshiping God on Sunday should transform the way we live the rest of the week (p. 143-150):

1. Worshiping God should make us Humble.
2. Worshiping God should make us Secure.
3. Worshiping God should make us Grateful.
4. Worshiping God should make us Holy.
5. Worshiping God should make us Loving.
6. Worshiping God should make us Mission-Minded.

Maybe as we leave church on Sunday mornings we should be asking ourselves:

1. Am I more Humble?
2. Am I more Secure?
3. Am I more Grateful?
4. Am I more Holy?
5. Am I more Loving?
6. Am I more Mission-Minded?

What are you thinking about when you leave church on Sunday mornings?

Your Word

O Lord,

Your Word is full of promises,

flowers of sweet fragrance,

fruit of refreshing flavor, when culled by faith.

May I be made rich in its riches,

be strong in its power,

be happy in its joy,

abide in its sweetness,

feast on its preciousness,

draw vigor from its manna.
Lord, increase my faith.

- The Valley of Vision, adapted

Birds of the Bible - Singing Birds

By them the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches. (Psalms 104:12 NKJV)

Savannah Sparrow by Ray

Many birds do their singing to either claim their territory, their partner, or sing because of their new young babies. Many just sing because God put a song in their heart.

According to R. A. Torrey's New Topical Textbook the above verse, birds "Have each their peculiar note or song." Whereas Nave's Topical Bible titles the verse as "Songs of, at the break of day." Referring to a bird singing both refer to Psalms 104:12, Ecclesiastes 12:4 and Song of Solomon 2:12. Not only has God created the different birds, but has given them various voices even amongst their own kind. Warblers, of which there are many kinds, have distinct voices. I have to admit that I enjoy some bird songs much more than others, as you do also.

From the commentaries about Psalm 104:12, here are some of their thoughts:
Albert Barnes' Notes - "Which sing among the branches - Margin, as in Hebrew, “give a voice.” Their voice is heard - their sweet music - in the foliage of the trees which grow on the margin of the streams and by the fountains. There is scarcely to be found a more beautiful poetic image than this."
Geneva Bible Translation Notes - "There is no part of the world so barren where most evident signs of God's blessing do not appear."
John Gill's Exposition - "By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation,.... Another use of the springs, fountains, and rivers of water; by the sides and on the shores of these, some birds delight to be, and on trees that grow here do they build their nests; and here, having wetted their throats, they sit, and chirp, and sing: to doves, by rivers of water, is the allusion in Son_5:12."
"Which sing among the branches; of trees that grow by the sides of fountains and rivers; see Eze_17:23. To such birds may saints be compared; being, like them, weak, defenceless, and timorous; liable to be taken in snares, and sometimes wonderfully delivered; as well as given to wanderings and strayings: and to fowls of the heaven, being heaven born souls, and partakers of the heavenly calling. These have their habitation by the fountain of Jacob, by the river of divine love, beside the still waters of the sanctuary; where they sing the songs of Zion, the songs of electing, redeeming, and calling grace."
Matthew Henry - " The birds. Some birds, by instinct, make their nests in the bushes near rivers (Psa_104:12): By the springs that run among the hills some of the fowls of heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. They sing, according to their capacity, to the honour of their Creator and benefactor, and their singing may shame our silence. Our heavenly Father feeds them (Mat_6:26), and therefore they are easy and cheerful, and take no thought for the morrow. The birds being made to fly above the earth (as we find, Gen_1:20), they make their nests on high, in the tops of trees (Psa_104:17); it should seem as if nature had an eye to this in planting the cedars of Lebanon, that they might be receptacles for the birds. Those that fly heavenward shall not want resting-places.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! (1 Chronicles 16:8-9 NKJV)

To see the videos, CLICK HERE

Last but not least, we have a Song Sparrow singing by Tstormer on YouTube

The Battle for the Heart's Daily Worship

May this prayer from Scotty Smith challenge and encourage you as it has me.
*****
Heavenly Father, how I long for the Day when I will no longer be tempt-able, deceive-able, or even capable of worshipping any other “god” but you. I so look forward to an eternity of giving you the adoration, affection, attention and allegiance of which you alone are worthy. No one cares like you. No one understands like you. No one redeems like you. No one loves like you. No one restores like you. There is no God but you.
In Jesus, you have already given me a new heart and have placed your Spirit in me. In Jesus, you have already turned my heart of stone into a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:25-27). In Jesus, you have already given me a heart to know and love you (Jeremiah 24:7). In Jesus you have already written your law upon my heart (Jeremiah 31:33). In Jesus, you have already given me a perfectly forgiven heart.
YET, it is not a fully perfected heart. The battle for my heart’s daily worship continues, and will continue until the Day Jesus returns to finish making all things new. Thus, the warning to keep myself from idols has never had more meaning, Father. Help me discern which “idols of the heart” (Ezekiel 14:4) I am most susceptible to trusting in, rather than you. When I don’t think you are “enough,” where do I take the worship you deserve—where do I go for life, deliverance and salvation?
Sometimes the collaboration and conspiracy of the duplicity within me… the world around me… and the devil, invisible to me, is overwhelming… I need the gospel every minute of every hour.
I praise you for the assurance that I am already one of your “beloved children.” You cannot love me more than you already do, and you will never love me less, for you love all of your children just as much as you love your beloved Son, Jesus. Surely the gospel, this gospel, will win the day, my heart and the entire cosmos. So very Amen, I pray, in Jesus’ name.

Birds of the Bible - Wayside Sower Birds

By the Wayside - Brandt's Mountain Finch (Leucosticte brandti)

Have your ever listened to someone talking, but you really didn't hear them? Maybe your mind was on something else. Have you ever listened to someone, you were hearing them, but you just didn't get what they were saying? It just didn't make sense to you. Well, that is where our Bird of the Bible this week gets its food.

Among rocks - Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)

I can see you now trying to find these "Wayside Sower Birds" in your latest, up to date, birding handbook. No, these birds are mentioned in the Bible, in the Parable of the Sower. These birds are not named specifically, so it could be any kind of bird that likes to eat along the wayside of a planted field. Let's look at what is being said about them.

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. (Matthew 13:3-4 NKJV)
Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. (Mark 4:3-4 NKJV)
A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. (Luke 8:5 NKJV)

Among thorns - Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) by Nikhil

The parable goes on and tells of the seed landing on rocks, in thorn bushes and also on good ground. The Lord later explained it to His disciples as:

Therefore hear the parable of the sower: (19) When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. (20) But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; (21) yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. (22) Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. (23) But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:18-23 NKJV)

Good ground - American Yellow Warbler
(Dendroica aestiva) by J Fenton

May we all receive the seed (Word of God) on good ground and not be deaf to the truth of God, letting what you hear fall by the wayside.

Gospel Message

Perfect Are Thy Ways

How perfect are Thy ways, Oh God!
How perfect are Thy ways!
Thy skies were cloudless in the blue above,
And my heart sang out its praise!
Sweet it was in green pastures to lie
And drink of the waters cool nearby,
To bask in Thy love and mercy and grace,
To know in Thy heart I was given a place.
Those were the picnic days of my life,
So thankful was I to be mother and wife.

And my lightsome heart sang out its praise,
"How perfect, Oh God, are all Thy ways!"

How perfect are Thy ways, Oh God?
How perfect are Thy ways?
When skies are darkened in the storm around,
Will my trembling heart still tell its praise?
Precious it is to remember Thy Word,
To drink deep of Thy goodness, Oh my God!
To be wrapped in Thy comfort, upheld by Thy arms,
I know Thou art folding me safe in Thy palms.
These are the days that cut like a knife.
Numbing my heart and dark'ning my life.

Still my sobbing heart whispers its praise,
"How perfect, Oh God, are all Thy ways!"

(written by my grandmother, Anne B. Simpson, in 1987)

Birds of the Bible - More Value

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

We have mentioned the sparrow many times in the blog and about how God takes care of them, as in the following articles:

Birds of the Bible - God's Care for Birds - Sparrow II - Sparrow I and Eye of the Beholder - House Sparrows

This time, I would like point out the part about being of "more value." In Matthew 10:29-33, the two sparrows are mentioned as being sold for a farthing, a very small amount. According to A. Barnes’ Notes, “The argument is, that if He takes care of birds of the least value, if He regards so small a thing as the hair of the head, and numbers it, He will certainly protect and provide for you. You need not, therefore, fear what man can do to you.”

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.(Matthew 10:29-33 KJV)

Northern Raven (Corvus corax)

Also: "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows." (Luke 12:7 NASB); "Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?" (Luke 12:24 NKJV) and He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? "How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." (Matthew 12:11-12 NASB)

We see then that "man" has more value than sparrows, ravens, birds, and sheep just from these few verses. Yet, each of them are greatly valued by their creator. Where else are things of value mentioned in Scripture?

David had the opportunity to kill King Saul, but he valued the life of the king more.

May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD's anointed. And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the LORD, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation." (1 Samuel 26:23-24 NKJV)

Wisdom and understanding have great value and Job mentions it in Job 28.

But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? "Man does not know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living. (Job 28:12-13 NASB)

Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding? "Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living And concealed from the birds of the sky. (Job 28:20-21 NASB)

Zechariah in his prophecy of the future, tells about the price of Christ the Lord as 30 shekels (pieces) of silver.

Then the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them." So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD. (Zechariah 11:13 NASB)

We are of great value to the Lord, so much so, that He gave His Life for our salvation. If you know the Lord as Savior, then, that "knowing Christ Jesus," has tremendous value.

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, (Philippians 3:8 NASB)

We trust you do know the Lord and realize how much He loves you and cares for you. Much more than the critters, whom he cares for tremendously.

See also Gospel Message

Listen to Dr. Charles Petitt

Dr. Charles Petitt, President of Piedmont Baptist College, was with us this past Sunday evening. He brought a challenging message from the book Ecclesiastes. In his message he made the following statement.

"I'm hoping that you will leave here a little afraid of something you may have never been afraid of before. Most of us are fearful of failure. I'm hoping you will be extremely afraid of becoming a smashing success at something that doesn't matter."

To listen to or download his message, visit our website.

Born into Death but Adopted for Life

This afternoon I finally had the opportunity to sit down and finish Russell Moore's excellent book, Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches.

It was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I recommend it to everyone. It will change the way you think about adoption. Throughout the book Dr. Moore connected adoption with the gospel. Adoption is all about the gospel. Notice how he closes his book:

"The reality, though, is that in most ways parenting is parenting, and growing up is growing up. It's always hard. Some unique challenges go along with adoption - challenges related to finding a sense of belonging, to discipline and discipleship, to answering questions about origins. Count these as all joy. They point all of us - not just kids who were adopted - to the gospel. The gospel welcomes us and receives us as loved children. The gospel disciplines us and prepares us for eternity as heirs. The gospel speaks truth to us and shows us our misery in Adam and our glory in Christ. The gospel shows us that we were born into death and then shows us, by free grace, that we're adopted for life." (p. 214)

Seriously, I strongly recommend that you read this book. You are welcome to borrow my copy of the book if you like. Just ask.

Other Posts from the Adopted for Life series:

1. Our Birth Father Has Fangs
2. Develop an Orphan-Protecting Culture
3. All of Us Are Called to Remember the Fatherless
4. Adoption and Communion
5. Born into Death but Adopted for Life