Agur, the writer of Proverbs 30, was a wise man. Yet he admitted there were four things that were too wonderful for him to comprehend.

“There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand: The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the way of a man with a virgin.” Proverbs 30:18-19

On the surface, these seem like random observations of nature. But the Bible is multi-layered. These four images are a portrait of the Gospel.

  1. The Eagle in the Air: The eagle flies higher than any bird. It speaks of origin. Jesus, the Son of God, came from the highest heaven. He is the King.

  2. The Serpent on a Rock: In the wilderness, Moses lifted up a bronze serpent so that those who were bitten could look and live. Jesus became sin for us on the rock of Calvary. He went from the highest place to the lowest place to save us.

  3. The Ship in the Sea: A ship traverses the ocean to bring cargo from a far country. Jesus crossed the expanse of eternity, loaded with grace, truth, and blessings for a world that had nothing.

  4. The Man with a Virgin: This was the mystery that stumped Solomon. But the New Testament reveals the secret.

“This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:32

The final mystery is the love story. It is the story of a Groom who gave everything for His Bride. It is the story of God finding us, loving us, and making us one with Him.

History is a love letter written in code.