Consider the Lilies

Spring is now here, which means budding trees and blooming flowers are soon to follow. Love of flowers seems to be a universal human trait, and the people who wrote the Bible were no exception. But the Bible's authors were also aware that floral beauty was a passing thing, so flowers were often used as symbols of a glory that does not endure. Let your mind blossom as you work through the following questions dealing with blooming things from the Good Book.

• Jesus told His disciples that the flowers of the field were more splendid than what famous king "in all his glory"?
  
• According to the Letter of James, what sort of person "will pass away like a wild flower"?
  
• What Old Testament prophet was told by the Lord to proclaim "all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field"?
  
• What book has these words: "Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens"?
  
• In the Book of Numbers, who had a rod that blossomed and then produced almonds?
  
• On what day of creation did God make the flowers?
  
• What yellow flower, mentioned in the Song of Solomon, is still commonly used as a source of yellow dye?
  
• What wildflower with purple blooms grew as a result of Adam's disobeying God?
  
• What blooming plant, still used for making red hair dye, is mentioned in the Bible?
  
• The flowering broom tree provided shade for what prophet who was fleeing the wrath of Queen Jezebel?
  

Bonus Puzzler

The columns of Solomon's temple had carvings in the shape of what flower?

Click here for answers.

J. Stephen Lang is the author of 15 books about the Bible, including the recently published What the Good Book Didn't Say (Citadel Press) and Talking Donkeys & Wheels of Fire: Bible Stories That Are Truly Bizarre! (Warner).

Copyright © 2006 by the author or Christianity Today/Today's Christian magazine.
Click here for reprint information.

Read more articles that highlight writing by Christian women at ChristianityToday.com/Women