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Using Biblical Examples from Nature to Share the Gospel

The Bible frequently employs imagery from the natural world to convey spiritual truths, a practice evident throughout both the Old and New Testaments. This method of communication, often seen in parables and metaphors, allows for complex theological concepts to be understood through familiar, observable phenomena [1].

One prominent example of nature imagery is the depiction of God as the source of life-giving water. The prophet Isaiah speaks of God opening "rivers on the bare heights" and making "the wilderness a pool of water," transforming dry land into springs [6]. This imagery powerfully communicates God's ability to provide sustenance and spiritual refreshment in desolate circumstances. Similarly, the Psalmist prays, "Oh, send out your light and your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill" [4]. Here, light, a natural phenomenon, symbolizes divine guidance and revelation. The Gospel itself is described as "good tidings of great joy" [9], and its spread is likened to "living waters" flowing from Jerusalem, a metaphor for the Holy Spirit and the word of God diffusing to the nations [19].

Jesus frequently utilized parables, a form of teaching that involves "placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by another" [1]. Many of these parables draw directly from agricultural and natural settings. For instance, the parable of the sower illustrates different responses to the Gospel message by comparing them to seeds falling on various types of soil. The parable of the mustard seed describes the growth of the kingdom of God from a tiny beginning to a large tree, providing shelter [10]. These natural analogies made abstract spiritual concepts tangible and relatable to his audience.

The concept of sin, a central theme in the Gospel message, is also illuminated through natural comparisons. Sin is described as "vanity," encompassing "all sorts of sinful acts" [13]. The human condition is characterized by an inherent sinful nature from birth [12], which, if indulged, leads to rebellion against God [16]. This rebellion is not merely an emotional outburst from God but a necessary response from a holy God to sin [17]. The apostle John states that "He that committeth sin is of the devil," contrasting this with being "born of God" [14]. This imagery highlights the profound spiritual separation caused by sin. The first sin, committed by Adam and Eve, is described as being "beguiled" by flattering lies, leading to "a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters—a preference of the creature to the Creator" [15]. Even after conversion, individuals may still commit "actual sins," and denying this makes one a liar [18].

The Gospel, meaning "good message or news" [3], is presented as God's solution to sin. It is "the power of God to salvation" [9] and brings "life and immortality to light" through Jesus Christ [9]. The preaching of the Gospel is described as "beautiful upon the mountains," referring to those who bring "good tidings" [20]. This imagery evokes a sense of hope and restoration. The Gospel is also called an "everlasting gospel," enduring in its nature and consequences [21].

Beyond parables, direct metaphors from nature are used to describe Christ himself. Jesus declares, "I am the root and the offspring of David; the Bright and Morning Star" [2]. The "Morning Star" symbolizes hope, new beginnings, and divine guidance, much like a star guides travelers. Christ's meekness is also compared to a lamb led to slaughter, an image of quiet submission [8].

The Bible also uses natural disasters and cosmic events to signify divine judgment and intervention. Joel prophesies "wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke" [5]. These dramatic natural phenomena underscore the seriousness of God's actions and the ultimate triumph of His will.

The use of nature in biblical teaching is not merely illustrative; it often points to God's creative power and His sovereignty over all things. From the creation of trees [10] to the provision of food from heaven and water from a rock [11], the natural world consistently demonstrates God's active involvement in human history and His capacity to sustain and redeem. The very act of creation, where God commanded living things to "be fruitful, and multiply on the earth" [7], establishes a foundational connection between the divine and the natural order.

Sources

  1. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Parable — (The word parable is in Greek parable (parabole) which signifies placing beside or together, a comparison, a parable is therefore literally a placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by another.--McClintock and Strong. As used in the New Testament it had a very wide application, being applied sometimes to the shortest proverbs, (1 Samuel 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chronicles 7:20) sometimes to dark prophetic utterances, (Numbers 23:7,18; 24:3; Ezekiel 20:49) sometimes to enigmatic maxims, (Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6) or metaphors expand”
  2. Revelation “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the assemblies. I am the root and the offspring of David; the Bright and Morning Star.” -- Revelation 22:16”
  3. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Gospels — The name Gospel (from god and spell, Ang. Sax. good message or news, which is a translation of the Greek euaggelion) is applied to the four inspired histories of the life and teaching of Christ contained in the New Testament, of which separate accounts are given in their place. They were all composed during the latter half of the first century: those of St. Matthew and St. Mark some years before the destruction of Jerusalem; that of St. Luke probably about A.D. 64; and that of St. John towards the close of the century. Before the end of the second century, t”
  4. Psalms “Oh, send out your light and your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill, To your tents. -- Psalms 43:3”
  5. Joel “I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke. -- Joel 2:30”
  6. Isaiah “I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. -- Isaiah 41:18”
  7. Genesis “Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, livestock, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply on the earth.” -- Genesis 8:17”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Meekness — Christ set an example of -- Ps 45:4; Isa 53:7; Mt 11:29; 21:5; 2Co 10:1; 1Pe 2:21-23. His teaching -- Mt 5:38-45. A fruit of the Spirit -- Ga 5:22,23. Saints should Seek. -- Zep 2:3. Put on. -- Col 3:12-13. Receive the word of God with. -- Jas 1:21. Exhibit, in conduct, &c. -- Jas 3:13. Answer for their hope with. -- 1Pe 3:15. Show to all men. -- Tit 3:2. Restore the erring with. -- Ga 6:1. Precious in the sight of God -- 1Pe 3:4. Ministers should Follow after. -- 1Ti 6:11. Instruct opposers with. -- 2Ti 2:24,25. Urge, on their people. -- Tit 3:1,2. A char”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gospel, The — Is good tidings of great joy for all people -- Lu 2:10,11,31,32. Foretold -- Isa 41:27; 52:7; 61:1-3; Mr 1:15. Preached under the old testament -- Heb 4:2. Exhibits the grace of God -- Ac 14:3; 20:32. The knowledge of the glory of God is by -- 2Co 4:4,6. Life and immortality are brought to light by Jesus through -- 2Ti 1:10. Is the power of God to salvation -- Ro 1:16; 1Co 1:18; 1Th 1:5. Is glorious -- 2Co 4:4. Is everlasting -- 1Pe 1:25; Re 14:6. Preached by Christ -- Mt 4:23; Mr 1:14. Ministers have a stewardship to preach -- 1Co 9:17. Preached before”
  10. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Trees — Originally created by God -- Ge 1:11,12; 2:9. Made for the glory of God -- Ps 148:9. Different kinds of mentioned Of the wood. -- Song 2:3. Of the forest. -- Isa 10:19. Bearing fruit. -- Ne 9:25; Ec 2:5; Eze 47:12. Evergreen. -- Ps 37:35; Jer 17:2. Deciduous or casting the leaves. -- Isa 6:13. Of various sizes -- Eze 17:24. Given as food to the animal creation -- Ge 1:29,30; De 20:19. Designed to beautify the earth -- Ge 2:9. Parts of mentioned The roots. -- Jer 17:8. The stem or trunk. -- Isa 11:1; 44:19. The branches. -- Le 23:40; Da 4:14. The tender shoots”
  11. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 5, section 3: sea for us; he who contrived a method of sending us food from heaven, when we were distressed for want of it; he who made the water to issue out of a rock, when we had very little of it before; he by whose means Adam was made to partake of the fruits both of the land and of the sea; he by whose means Noah escaped the deluge; he by whose means our forefather Abraham, of a wandering pilgrim, was made the heir of the land of Canaan; he by whose means Isaac was born of parents that were very old; he by whose means Jacob was adorned w”
  12. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
  13. Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 30:8: vanity--all sorts of sinful acts (Job 11:11; Isa 5:18).”
  14. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil--in contrast to "He that doeth righteousness," Jo1 3:7. He is a son of the devil (Jo1 3:10; Joh 8:44). John does not, however, say, "born of the devil." as he does "born of God," for "the devil begets none, nor does he create any; but whoever imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by proper birth" [AUGUSTINE, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 4.10]. From the devil there is not generation, but corruption [BENGEL]. sinneth from the beginning--from the time that any beg”
  15. Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
  16. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:13: 19:13 An individual who commits deliberate sins does so with an insolent (86:14) or arrogant (119:21, 69) attitude. • The great sin is rebellion (see 32:1).”
  17. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
  18. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 1:10: Parallel to Jo1 1:8. we have not sinned--referring to the commission of actual sins, even after regeneration and conversion; whereas in Jo1 1:8, "we have no sin," refers to the present GUILT remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and to the SIN of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us. The perfect "have . . . sinned" brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion. we make him a liar--a gradation; Jo1 1:6, "we lie"; Jo1 1:8, "we deceive ourselves"; worst of al”
  19. Zechariah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Zechariah 14:8: Here are, I. Blessings promised to Jerusalem, the gospel-Jerusalem, in the day of the Messiah, and to all the earth, by virtue of the blessings poured out on Jerusalem, especially to the land of Israel. 1. Jerusalem shall be a spring of living waters to the world; it was made so when there the Spirit was poured out upon the apostles, and thence the word of the Lord diffused itself to the nations about (Zac 14:8): Living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; for there they began, and thence those set out who were to preach repentance and remission of sins unto all”
  20. Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 52:7: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,.... Not of the messenger that brought the news of Cyrus's proclamation of liberty to the Jews; rather of John the Baptist, the forerunner of our Lord; best of Christ himself, the messenger of the covenant, who was anointed to preach glad tidings to the meek, and by whom grace, peace, life, and salvation came; and also of the apostles of Christ, for to Gospel times are these words applied, and to more persons than one, Rom 10:15, who were not only seen "upon the mountains" of the land of I”
  21. Revelation (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Revelation 14:6: In this part of the chapter we have three angels or messengers sent from heaven to give notice of the fall of Babylon, and of those things that were antecedent and consequent to that great event. I. The first angel was sent on an errand antecedent to it, and that was to preach the everlasting gospel, Rev 14:6, Rev 14:7. Observe, 1. The gospel is an everlasting gospel; it is so in its nature, and it will be so in its consequences. Though all flesh be grass, the word of the Lord endureth for ever. 2. It is a work fit for an angel to preach this everlasting gospe”
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