Deep sea fish have a lot in common with us now, and sea gulls have a lot in common with what our heavenly bodies will be like. We can discuss this by using a gold fish in our children’s Bible study lessons. Deep sea fish on earth become gulls in heaven.
Bible Study: “Goldfish”
BIBLE STUDY RELATED SCRIPTURES:
1 Corinthians 13:12, John 10:27
OBJECTS NEEDED:
Goldfish in a small goldfish bowl or aquarium, pictures off the Internet of deep sea fish, picture of a sea gull flying.
BIBLE STUDY PREPARATION:
Put the goldfish bowl on display for the students and have pictures ready.
BIBLE STUDY LESSON:
The photic zone is the top layer of the ocean that contains sunlight. Generally the photic zone only goes down a few hundred meters. Therefore, about 90% of the ocean volume is utterly black.
Our friendly gold fish is from the photic zone. He lives close to the surface of the water. Hence, he can exist in the light. Many fish cannot. Have you ever seen pictures of deep sea fish? Most of them are really scary.
Show Internet photos of deep sea fish – ones with big teeth and eyes and electric lights.
These fish are kind of like what we were like before we were saved. We didn’t know there was a “light of God” before giving our lives to Jesus. These fish don’t know there is a “huge ball of light” at the surface of the water that never stops shining. These fish are entirely in the dark.
Some people who don’t know Jesus understand the concept of salvation. They understand that they need to “come to the light of God.” They just haven’t done it. These deep sea fish know the concept of light because some fishes way down deep have lights on their body that flash and sparkle. Still, they
can’t conceive of a big light up above them that never stops shining. People who don’t know Jesus can’t conceive of his love and promises that never stop shining.
Once a person gives his life to Christ, he becomes like our friendly gold fish. He lives in reflections of the light. He no longer lives in darkness. However, he’s still a fish and has a lot in common with deep sea fish. As Christians, we live among non-Christians, and we have a lot in common too. They’re all fish, and we’re all people. Some might notice, however, that we who live near the light are not so fierce. We don’t need those big scary expressions in our eyes. We’re also more peaceful, because of the light.
What happens to a person when he dies? He goes to heaven.
But we don’t really understand a lot about heaven. But we can help ourselves by making comparisons. Our fish in the photic zone – those that live in the light – are very, very close to something they don’t quite understand, but it’s definitely there. It’s called “land and sky.” In the deep sea, we have deep sea fish. In the photic zone, we have fish who live in the light. In the land and sky we have beautiful birds, one of which these fish might know. Between photic fish that jump and birds that dive, fish that live in the light may know the sea gulls!
Show your picture of the sea gull.
If we’re like deep sea fish before accepting Christ and like photic fish who live in the light after accepting Christ, then when we die, we’ll be like sea gulls.
Look at all the things sea gulls can do that are like being in heaven – if you’re a fish. Sea gills live in the light. Fish only live in a reflection or a small portion of the light, where there are still lots of shadows. Fish only have a couple ways of getting around. They’re like us in the sense that we can only walk and they can only swim. Sea gulls can walk and fly! They can call out, whereas if gold fish make any noise at all it’s pretty small and weak.
Sea gulls can go faster, farther and with a lot more strength and grace than fish. In heaven, we’ll be able to go faster, farther, higher, stronger and more gracefully. As seagulls live in direct contact with the sun, s-u-n, we will live closer to the Son, S-o-n.
In 1 Corinthians 13:12, the apostle Paul says, “Now we see through a mirror dimly, but then, face to face.” How many of you have tried to open your eyes under water? Take a show of hands.
Things aren’t very clear, are they? Above the water, things are perfectly clear. As Christians on earth, things are not very clear to us. But in heaven, everything will make perfect sense.
How many of you have tried to hear under water? Take a show of hands.
As Christians on earth, it’s hard to hear God’s voice sometimes. We get confused by all the distortion. Jesus acknowledged that, encouraging man to believe in God’s voice. He said John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and they know me and follow me.” But in heaven, God’s voice will be crystal clear. We’ll be able to hear and see Him plainly and talk with Him. We’ll be able to fly like sea gulls”¦.like angels!
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