The Hind in High Places is mentioned in 2 Samuel 22:34 and Psalm 18:33, as
well as in Habakkuk 3:19. The hind is a female deer, a doe, and just like in
modern hunts, the doe is not considered fair game by humans. The hart, however,
the buck deer was hunted for food and for his rack. Both the hart and the hind
are harmless and gentle. They are wild and therefore timid. They are beautiful
to spot because of the elegance of their form, and for their surprisingly swift
and graceful motion. Though the hind is not hunted by humans, she is natural
prey for larger animals.
When chiding with Job for his presumption, God asked if he was
intimately acquainted with the seasons of calving for the hinds. Job 39:1. In
the passage in Psalm 29:9 the word calve is translated from the Hebrew word
chewl,” which means literally to writhe and scream in pain. So, as I was
alluding to in the blog titled “Deer, Deer,” this verse is talking about more
than thunder sending a deer into early labor. It is also metaphoric for the
struggles we face in life. Our personal storms or calamities may cause us to
writhe in pain, but we know this schemata is all part of God’s temple, His world
that He has placed us in, our own human nature. And, human nature is itself a
testament to the glory of God. When things go wrong with the human body, it
testifies to the glorious miracle of how God created us. When loved ones die, we
are reminded of the curtain call that is life for humanity. After all, we still
can not alter our own DNA or change our own height, as Jesus said. Matthew 6:27
It can even be said that the Holy Spirit is compared to a hart or hind
in the song of Solomon, in that the Spirit is to be hunted, or can be startled
away in a church service for example if not attended. The worship service is a
sort of Spirit hunt, where we usher in the Spirit of God into the service.
Different things that happen in church can distract from the Spirit. Song of Solomon 2:7 and Song of Solomon 3:5
The hart is often thirsty in the dry Middle Eastern countries. When he
is hunted and searching for water, he will plunge eagerly into a stream to gulp
water. David said in Psalm 42:1-2 that his soul panted after God, like a deer
for water. It is this attitude of the hind and the hart that God seeks in us.
I read a classic allegory when I was 16 named, Hinds feet on High
Places, by Hannah Hurnard that tells of the yearning of God's children to be led
to new heights of love, joy, and victory. Much-Afraid, the main character is on
a spiritual journey through difficult places with her two companions, Sorrow and
Suffering. Much-Afraid overcomes her tormenting fears as she passes through many
dangers and mounts at last to the High Places. There she gains a new name and
returns to her valley of service, transformed by her union with the loving
Shepherd. It is a beautiful story and not very long. I highly recommend it to
anyone interested in a good fiction Christian devotional book.
well as in Habakkuk 3:19. The hind is a female deer, a doe, and just like in
modern hunts, the doe is not considered fair game by humans. The hart, however,
the buck deer was hunted for food and for his rack. Both the hart and the hind
are harmless and gentle. They are wild and therefore timid. They are beautiful
to spot because of the elegance of their form, and for their surprisingly swift
and graceful motion. Though the hind is not hunted by humans, she is natural
prey for larger animals.
When chiding with Job for his presumption, God asked if he was
intimately acquainted with the seasons of calving for the hinds. Job 39:1. In
the passage in Psalm 29:9 the word calve is translated from the Hebrew word
chewl,” which means literally to writhe and scream in pain. So, as I was
alluding to in the blog titled “Deer, Deer,” this verse is talking about more
than thunder sending a deer into early labor. It is also metaphoric for the
struggles we face in life. Our personal storms or calamities may cause us to
writhe in pain, but we know this schemata is all part of God’s temple, His world
that He has placed us in, our own human nature. And, human nature is itself a
testament to the glory of God. When things go wrong with the human body, it
testifies to the glorious miracle of how God created us. When loved ones die, we
are reminded of the curtain call that is life for humanity. After all, we still
can not alter our own DNA or change our own height, as Jesus said. Matthew 6:27
It can even be said that the Holy Spirit is compared to a hart or hind
in the song of Solomon, in that the Spirit is to be hunted, or can be startled
away in a church service for example if not attended. The worship service is a
sort of Spirit hunt, where we usher in the Spirit of God into the service.
Different things that happen in church can distract from the Spirit. Song of Solomon 2:7 and Song of Solomon 3:5
The hart is often thirsty in the dry Middle Eastern countries. When he
is hunted and searching for water, he will plunge eagerly into a stream to gulp
water. David said in Psalm 42:1-2 that his soul panted after God, like a deer
for water. It is this attitude of the hind and the hart that God seeks in us.
I read a classic allegory when I was 16 named, Hinds feet on High
Places, by Hannah Hurnard that tells of the yearning of God's children to be led
to new heights of love, joy, and victory. Much-Afraid, the main character is on
a spiritual journey through difficult places with her two companions, Sorrow and
Suffering. Much-Afraid overcomes her tormenting fears as she passes through many
dangers and mounts at last to the High Places. There she gains a new name and
returns to her valley of service, transformed by her union with the loving
Shepherd. It is a beautiful story and not very long. I highly recommend it to
anyone interested in a good fiction Christian devotional book.
