 |
Luke 15:8-10
Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. |
In the Bible lands, "the ten pieces of silver" are given to a young woman by a young man as part of the betrothal ceremony. The "ten pieces of silver" are coins that have been handed down and kept in the family for this purpose. On one side of each coin there is the coat of arms of the young man's family; on the other side is imprinted the year in which the coins were made. Young girls are taught that: "He who places the ten pieces of silver in your hand is he who will love you." By receiving "the ten pieces of silver," the young woman is considered to have now been purchased, just as Christ died for us on the tree and purchased us. During the wedding ceremony, the bride will wear "the ten pieces of silver" hooked with little hooks in her hair. After the wedding she must guard them with her life. In Bible land culture, to lose one of "the ten pieces of silver" is to lose God's favour on the marriage. No wonder the woman in the record in Luke rejoiced so much when she found her lost piece. God puts great value upon us, and there is great rejoicing in heaven when one lost sinner turns to God.
Gladly Cartoons