(by Lorie Codispoti)
Have you noticed how gorgeous the sky has been lately - specifically at the start & finish of each day?
We live in the woods, so I’m not afforded the privilege of taking in some of the sunrises & sunsets that many are able to enjoy. However, I have oohed & awed over some of the gorgeous photographs being posted.
They remind me of a quote I’ve been fascinated with recently:
“Is
not the sun red at sunrise and at sunset — [red] at sunrise, because it passes by the roses of the Garden of Eden; at sunset, because it passes by the gate of Gehenna (Hell).” (Baba Bathra 84a - Jewish Talmud)
There is much to be drawn from the poetic language of this metaphor, but we have to look at it through ancient Jewish eyes if we want to grasp its deeper meaning.
That's what I did, & the following is a compilation of my findings.
(I realize some of my interpretations are subjective, but I feel the freedom to do this since its poetry & I am not proof texting a Scripture verse.)
In our modern world we orient ourselves to the north, but the ancient world’s default was east (meaning “forward” or “front”). And for us, time & thought move from left to right, but in the Jewish world it’s the opposite. Even their writing reads from east to west - right to left.
Think of some of the “east” correlations we read in Scripture. God created Earth’s sun to rise in the east. He also placed a garden on the east side of Eden (Gen.2:8), and after the fall cherubim were stationed at the east entrance. (Gen.3:24) God’s glory comes from the east, enters the east facing temple, which has a river that flows from the east. (Ez.43) God posted the tribe of Judah “On the east side, toward the rising of the sun…” (Num.2:3). It was the closest tribe to the tabernacle (also facing east (Num.3:38)). Both Jesus’ ascension and His return take place on the Mount of Olives - east of Jerusalem. (Acts1:1-10, Zech.14:4, Mtt.24:23-27)
Now, think of some of the things we read about the “west.” God created Earth’s sun to set in the west. (West” means “behind/backwards,” “sea,” (most common) & “evening.”) Israel’s enemies (the Philistines) lived where the sun set, near the “sea” (the great abyss). Jonah flees from God & heads west - “backwards” toward the sea. Micah 7:19 says that God will cast all our sins into the depths of the “sea,” & we read in Psalm 103:12 that God will remove our sins “as far as the east is from the west.”
In many ancient cultures the sun was a diety to be worshipped, but God specifically warned His people not to bow down to the sun: “When you look up at the sky, & behold the sun & the moon & the stars… you must not be lured into bowing down to them or serving them.” (Deut.4:19)
God created the sun to be “the greater light to rule the day” (Gen.1:16), & in Ecclesiastes 11:7 we read that the light of the sun is “sweet & pleasant for the eyes to behold.” The psalmist describes God as a “sun & shield,” & Malachi 4 references the coming Christ as the “Sun of Righteousness” rising with “healing on His wings.” Isaiah talks about a day when the sun will shine seven times brighter, & another when there will be no need for the sun because of the everlasting light of its Creator. While it is an object that can point us to our Creator, it is a created thing & not something to be worshipped.
My mother-in-love grew up in a fishing village, where most of the men were fishermen & would be out to sea for many weeks at a time. She was the first to inform me of this catchy rhyme used by the mariners to predict the weather: “Red skies in the morning, sailors take warning; red skies at night, sailor’s delight.”
I wonder how many of them knew that this saying originates from Matthew 16, where Jesus uses this analogy when the Pharisees & Sadducees asked for a sign. Since weather systems traveled from west to east in mid-latitude areas (like Israel), He used this example as something they would clearly understand to point to something they didn’t. They were testing Him, but lacked the ability to discern that what was predicted by all the prophets was standing right in front of them.
The science behind the red that we see at sunrise & sunset is very interesting, but the thing I want to draw attention to is the word “red.” The Bible uses it 53 times. There are three Greek words used in the New Testament. One means the color itself. Another refers to a sea. And the third makes reference to the shade of fire or a flame. That may give us some insight into the Gehenna (Hell) reference.
The shade of red varies in this quote, depending on the light at sunrise & sunset. The Hebrew word for evening denotes “mixing” & refers to the later part of the day, where light mixes with darkness. During these twilight hours visibility diminishes, & I like the way one professor uses this metaphor as a warning: “As seductive as the beauty of the evening is, one is reminded that it is mixed with darkness and … you are reminded that darkness can have an allure of its own and we must be on alert not to mistake the beauty of twilight with the reality of the beauty of the Light of God Himself.” (Chaim Bentora)
The only plants identified in the Garden of Eden are the two trees, so my interpretation is based on what I read in Scripture, as well as historical & cultural information.
It’s interesting that the exact identity of the flower we call a rose is a mystery, as the Hebrew word has been translated differently. Nevertheless, the Bible makes use of floral imagery to symbolically represent love, beauty, & the flourishing of God’s creation.
Artisans have captured that in many ways. Some of my favorites are cathedral windows, especially those that incorporate a rose pattern (or oculus). Many of their designs use light strategically to reflect & cast the sun’s rays.
For hundreds of years, poets & storytellers have contributed to the symbolic nature of the rose, sometimes blurring the lines between the sacred & the secular. Some Jewish sources associate the rose with the people of Israel, & its thorns to her enemies. For the Greeks & Romans, roses were associated with their goddesses. For Catholics, it’s connected to the Virgin Mary. Other Christian traditions link red roses to the love & sacrifice of Christ, as well as the blood of martyrs.
If your parents named you, Rose, you may be interested to know that it comes from a word that means "to rise" or "to bloom.” I think that roses are the most beautiful when the morning dew rests on their petals. The sunlight makes them sparkle like jewels.
The beauty of God’s creation gives us reason to pause & meditate on the wonder of our great & mighty God. In doing so, we must be careful not to exchange our worship of the Creator for the created. (Rms.1) Our Father has given us beautiful things, like sun rises, sunsets, & flowers to enjoy.
“They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.” (Psalm 65:8)
At Son-rise may we be reminded that the Rose of Sharon spilled His red blood to purchase our redemption. As darkness covered the Earth during His crucifixion, the fires of Hell were fueled with celebration, but the enemy & all his minions didn’t know that the One who created all things was, once again, separating the darkness from the Light.
The Son rose from the grave with the promise of a new Garden - a place where thornless roses never die, where the glory of the Son will replace our temporary sun, & where Gehenna’s reflection of death & darkness will be snuffed out forever.
Look to the east - for the Son who rose will set His feet on the same ground, to gather His own & rule forever.
“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” (Psa.113:3)
