Genesis 2:12 Daily Devotional & Meaning – Gold, Bdellium, and Onyx: God’s Intentional Abundance
- Benjamin Michael Mcgreevy
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Daily Verses Everyday! Day 11
“And the gold of that land [is] good: there [is] bdellium and the onyx stone.”
In this verse, the text expands on the wealth of Havilah, describing not only its gold but also its bdellium and onyx stone. The statement that “the gold of that land [is] good” emphasizes the intrinsic value and quality of what God has placed in creation. These details remind us that God’s world is not merely functional but filled with beauty, variety, and resources of great worth. Bdellium is a fragrant resin, which represents sweetness and refreshment, but in this context, some also think that it was a type of stone, like gold or onyx. This dual possibility reflects how God’s creation often carries layers of meaning, both practical and symbolic, both material and spiritual. The inclusion of onyx, a precious and durable stone, adds another dimension, pointing to strength, permanence, and the aesthetic richness God wove into the fabric of creation.
Taken together, gold, bdellium, and onyx remind us that God’s world is diverse, filled with treasures of different textures, colors, and purposes. Each resource reflects a different aspect of God’s nature, like His glory, His sweetness, His strength. What’s remarkable is that these treasures were noted in the earliest pages of Scripture, showing that from the very beginning, God had embedded value and beauty into the Earth. In today’s society, we value gold, silver, and diamonds as symbols of wealth, beauty, and permanence, and it is apparent here that God also valued them. The fact that Scripture calls attention to these treasures at the dawn of creation shows that such resources were not random but intentionally placed within the Earth as part of God’s good design. Humanity’s recognition of their worth is not accidental, for it reflects the truth that God Himself declared them good.
It doesn’t stop there, because we see that King Solomon was commanded to decorate the temple with gold and precious jewels, demonstrating that these materials were not only for human enjoyment but also for the worship of God. Their brilliance reflected the holiness and majesty of His presence, reminding Israel that the temple was the earthly dwelling place of the Lord. Gold, onyx, and other precious stones were not chosen by accident; they were divinely appointed to point beyond their material beauty to the glory of God Himself. This theme comes full circle in the vision of the new heaven and the new Earth in Revelation 21, where the walls of the New Jerusalem are adorned with precious stones and its streets are paved with pure gold.
What began in Eden as a world filled with beauty and resources, and continued in the temple as a shadow of God’s dwelling, will one day culminate in the eternal city where God Himself will dwell with His people. The treasures of creation—gold, jewels, and fragrant resins—find their ultimate meaning not in human wealth or status but in reflecting the radiance of God’s eternal kingdom.
If you would like to explore Genesis in a sustained, verse-by-verse way with space to reflect, journal, and trace how these foundational truths unfold through Scripture the Verse by Verse book expands these reflections into a unified reading experience. The book gathers these meditations into a structured journey through Genesis, designed to help readers linger in the text and engage God’s Word more deeply over time.
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