Monday, November 11, 2013

Look at the Birds! The Brown Snake Eagle

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26

Recently, I published a blog about a dream I had where a long line of birds was perched outside my back deck on a tree branch. I remember there was a large, brown, nondescript bird in the middle with fluffy feathers, and then many smaller, very colorful birds on either side, including a beautiful red headed woodpecker. http://neighborhoodbiblestudy.blogspot.com/2013/06/god-provides-look-at-birds.html

As I posted earlier, I knew the message was for me to meditate on Matthew 6:26 and believe for the Lord's abundant provision - especially when a huge and glorious Red-headed Pileated Woodpecker showed up on my back deck about a week later. It truly was the most amazing and magnificent bird I have ever seen.

Well, I continued to wonder about that nondescript brown bird with the fluffy feathers. He was larger than the others and was smack dab in the middle, and I got the sense he was the leader of the bunch. I thought maybe he was a picture of the Lord Jesus, but I couldn't be sure - I decided not to swim in any deeper waters than I was already in, and determined to just let it go.

So this past weekend, my parents came to visit and told us about an encounter they had while traveling in South Africa. While on a safari, they witnessed a Brown Snake Eagle eat a snake whole and even got a picture to prove it! The guide told them he had never seen anything like it! Don't know about you, but I've never even heard of a Snake Eagle!

My curiosity was peeked, so I did some research and immediately recognized this bird as the one in my dream. He is a bird of prey from Africa who feeds on snakes - crushing their heads and eating them all the way down to the tail! Immediately, I thought of Genesis 3:15 where God curses Satan: And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel. We all know that this prophecy was fulfilled at the cross. Jesus is the Seed of Woman who crushed the head of Satan when He took on all sin at His crucifixion (His heel was crushed/bruised on the cross).

I also learned that this bird eats venomous snakes by first secreting the poison from the fangs (deadly power is removed). The only time they are at risk is when attacking a cobra. Cobras are known to spit their venom, thereby blinding the eagle. When I read that, I immediately thought of the millions of us Christians with the authority and power of Christ to take down the snakes in our lives, and yet have been blinded by the enemy to this wonderful truth! But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31.

Well, how's that for a bible study straight from a nature class? I thank the Heavenly Father that He teaches us at night while we sleep, even in our dreams! He is always at work, leading us and guiding us and comforting us with the truth of His Word!


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