The Hurricane That Points to Jesus

8/30/23

A hurricane made landfall in Florida (meaning, the garden of flowers) this morning with the name “Idalia.” This name means, “Behold the sun.”

I believe the Lord is setting up a beautiful metaphor for us to see Him beckoning the nations to behold His glory through His people, who are stationed in the midst of the storm of life to point the way to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. I know that sounds like a stretch, but stick with me as I unpack the details of this story.

"Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. (5) It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. (6) The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. (7) The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple" (Psa 19:4-7 NLT).

"Then the kingdom of heaven may be compared to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ... (5) Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and [began to] sleep. (6) But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! [just like the name Hurricane Idalia implies] Come out to meet him.' (7) Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. (8) And the foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' (9) But the prudent answered, saying, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you [too]; go instead to the dealers and buy [some] for yourselves.' (10) And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. (11) And later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up for us.' (12) But he answered and said, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you'" (Mat 25:1, 5-12 LSB).

"[John the Baptiser in the spirit of Elijah said], ‘You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ (29) ‘He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made full’" (Jhn 3:28-29 LSB).

Look at who was sent ahead of Hurricane Idalia to report on the storm that means “behold the sun”!

Reed Timmer: Meaning “red carpenter” in Cedar Key

"Is this man not the carpenter, the son of Mary…" (Mar 6:3 LSB). "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sits on it [is] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. ... (13) and being clothed with a garment dipped in blood, His name is also called The Word of God" (Rev 19:11, 13 LSB). “...the cedars of God” (Ps 80:10). "O God, give the king Your judgments, and Your righteousness to the king's son. ... (16) May there be abundance of grain in the earth on top of the mountains; may its fruit wave like [the cedars of] Lebanon; and may those from the city blossom like vegetation of the earth. (17) May his name endure forever; may his name increase as long as the sun [shines]; Let [all nations] be blessed in him; Let all nations call him blessed" (Psa 72:1, 16-17 LSB).

My translation: Jesus the carpenter who builds His church, whose red blood redeems those who trust in His salvation, dwells among the cedars–His chosen people.

Bill Wadell: Meaning “with gilded helmet able to go” in Mayo (plain of the yew trees)

"He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle" (Isa 59:17 LSB).

"But since we are of [the] day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation" (1Th 5:8 LSB).

My translation: Those who declare among the saints (the yew trees–the evergreens, like cedars) the victory of the Son, wear the helmet of salvation.

Emmy Victor: Meaning “universal victor/conqueror” in Charleston (settlement of free men or son of the free man)

This seems to connect with Revelation 19:11, cited above: "And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer" (Rev 6:2 NKJV).

"Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God" (1Pe 2:16 RSV).

My translation: Jesus conquers among His settlement of free men who are His sons.

Read this Scripture and notice the names of the hurricane’s reporters (meanings of their names and locations) in light of the passage:

Their names altogether mean, “The blood-red carpenter among the cedars, with gilded helmet, is able to go through the valley of evergreen trees, as a universal victor in the settlement of freemen.”

"How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel! (6) Like valleys that stretch out, like gardens beside the river, like aloes planted by Yahweh, like cedars beside the waters. (7) Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed [will be] by many waters [like by a hurricane storm surge?], and his king shall be lifted up higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. (8) God brings him out of Egypt; he is for him like the horns of the wild ox. He will devour the nations [who are] his adversaries, and will gnaw their bones in pieces, and shatter [them] with his arrows" (Num 24:5-8 LSB).

Idalia seems to say to us, “Behold the Son”, oh you nations–He who tests hearts as He walks among the gardens of men (Florida)!

"The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the LORD. And so it is with people. (8) The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever" (Isa 40:7-8 NLT).

“Hurricane Idalia is pounding Florida’s Big Bend with intense winds and powerful storm surge, and for some storm chasers, it is getting to be too much. Extreme Meteorologist Reed Timmer, who is stationed in Cedar Key, recorded a brief video from a bridge around the same time that Idalia was making landfall. ‘We are now going to retreat to our shelter,’ Timmer said in a video” (https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/live-news/live-hurricane-idalia-makes-landfall-in-florida-as-category-3-storm/1574324).

"He who abides in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. (2) I will say to Yahweh, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’ (3) For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper [and] from the destructive pestilence" (Psa 91:1-3 LSB).