There are many lessons we can learn from the natural things in this world that show forth God’s wisdom. The pearl is an excellent example. Pearls are formed away from the sight of man in the great waters of the deep. They remain thus hidden until the day when the oysters which housed them are opened and then the pearls are revealed to the light of day. A pearl is a glistening gem of beauty.
The pearl itself represents the saints who are now currently “hidden” in the sea of nations. Isaiah describes the wicked as being like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. The saints are unrecognized by the sea that surrounds them but God knows the location of each pearl and the day will soon dawn when they will be revealed when they are drawn out of the sea of humanity and their beauty made manifest to the world. At that time they shall shine forth in all their beauty reflecting the Son (sun) of righteousness.
Caused By Irritation
Now the pearl is formed in the oyster as a direct result of irritation. Small irritants of some kind like a grain of sand enter the oyster shell setting up an irritation which provokes a response from the oyster. It reacts defensively by secreting a layer of calcium carbonate. Layer upon layer around the grain of sand is secreted by the oyster in an effort to cover up the irritation. We can see the spiritual lesson clearly. No irritant, no pearl. No trouble in our lives, no character is formed. It is because of God’s love for us that he designs troubles, trials and tribulations to help us become a thing of beauty. Paul tells us that it is “through much tribulation that we enter into the kingdom of God.” We know that “no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
We know that “Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” When we understand that we are becoming a “pearl” then we can accept the troubles that come along with more grace. If we view our trials properly then we can endure the irritations they bring and rejoice in our tribulations realizing they are helping us to become the “jewels” of God for He has told us through Malachi that “They shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.”
The color of the pearl is important. The New International Illustrated Encyclopedia in describing a good pearl says, “A luster which cannot be imitated by any mechanical or chemical process, the value of the pearl depends on the purity of its color. A tint of yellow or gray detracting very much from the value”. The application of this to the saints is obvious. In the Revelation we hear Jesus commending a few in Sardis saying “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy,” and again the faithful are described as being “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
Counterfeits Abound
Pearls have been counterfeited by man. In fact, there are more imitation pearls than there are genuine ones. An expert can tell the difference but the uneducated can be taken in by the phony pearl. Unfortunately there are counterfeit brethren also which “if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect.” Our Lord will not be fooled, however for the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh upon the heart.
We find that the pearl is formed in the fleshy recesses of the oyster, in fact, cultured pearls are formed by placing a foreign substance deep within the oyster, usually under the liver. Paul tells us that we are epistles of Christ, “written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”
Of all the gems in scripture, the pearl is the only one taken from the sea. Jesus describes our time by saying that “there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.” Christ then tells us that “when these things come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh.” In the Revelation the faithful are described as being “redeemed to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” This is the same as saying they are redeemed out of the waters of the earth for again in Revelations 17 we are told that “the waters which thou sawest are people, multitudes, nations and tongues.” How blessed to be a pearl in God’s sight that is drawn out of the sea of nations and chosen to be one of His jewels.
A Living Stone
The pearl is particularly appropriate as a type of the glorified saint for it is the only gem that is made from a living process. Peter tells us that “ye also as living stones are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”
The pearl is prized for its lovely whiteness and this desirable characteristic is determined by the health of the oyster. Its health is dependent upon the type of food it eats. Oysters cannot receive proper nutrition if they are tossed around by the waves or are in moving sand. We too become discolored if we are not nourished by the proper spiritual food. If we are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine we won’t receive the proper nutrition. The color of the pearl is directly related to what it eats so that the pearls from different parts of the world are noted for their particular color. There are bronze tinted pearls from the Gambier Islands, pale rose pearls from the Bahamas, black pearls from the Gulf of Mexico. The black pearl, although prized by man, comes from oysters located in the Gulf Stream which is known for carrying fine mud and silt in suspension, therefore these oysters produce a black pearl because they eat dirt. It is necessary for us to watch what we feed our minds for it will make us either a white or a black pearl.
The whitest of pearls are known as virgin pearls. This very term suggests the state of the bride in the sight of the Lord “for they are virgins, these were redeemed from among men, being the firstfiruits unto God and to the Lamb.”
The cultured pearls are produced by deliberately introducing into the flesh of the oyster a foreign irritation which the oyster coats with mother of pearl. These are real pearls and not to be confused with the imitation ones made by man. Our Heavenly Father in his love deliberately places irritations in our lives to develop those characteristics in which He delights.
We can see that there are many lessons we can learn from the pearl. Let us then resolve to be white pearls taking care what we feed our minds, let us cover the trials and temptations that come into our life with that white substance in order to overcome so that we may be found acceptable—”in that day when I make up my Jewels, saith the Lord of hosts.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One