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Phoenix- the phoenix, often depicted as solitary , consumed in flame and reborn from the ashes can be seen as a picture of the life of Jesus. During his earthly ministry He lived a life of suffering, often not understood by his own family and those closest to Him. His violent death and resurrection was what was necessary to bring newness of life.
In our lives the phoenix represents a life that is or has gone through tremendous suffering and pain. Also it is one who seeks to rise or grow from their current state; one who wishes to progress from where they currently are. Many people who suffer and endure pain for a while have trouble considering new or renewed life. The symbol of the ever-renewing phoenix is also a beacon of hope.
Gold- Gold, because if its brilliance is a symbol of God’s glory, majesty and kingship. It is also a sign of God’s immortal nature as gold does not tarnish. When gold is identified with God it shows the reader that God is immutable and trustworthy. God is unchanged by sin and as a matter of fact is the answer to cleanse it from the world just as the filtering effects of gold. In Revelation 21 the walls of the city and the streets are made of gold. This shows that our lives are governed or guided (streets) and protected/sustained (walls) by God’s nature.
The Phoenix was a mythical bird whose life-cycle consisted of it being consumed in flame. The ashes would birth an egg that would hatch a new Phoenix. Greek and Roman myths consider the Phoenix a symbol of immortality and resurrection, associated with the Sun god Phoebus (Apollo). In Egypt it was calledthe Bennu. The Bennu was sacred to Osiris and Ra, and a symbol of the Sun and resurrection. It also represented the morning star. In some ancient Mystery Schools, accepted initiates were referred to as Phoenixes, or those who had been "born again." The Greek and the Roman myths were believed to have been copied from the Egypt which had picked up from India! The phoenix is usually (depending on the legend) a solitary animal with only one existing in the world at a time living from 500 to 1000 years. It has a lonely existence. St. Clement of Rome in his letter to the Church in Corinth was the first Christian writer to use the myth of the phoenix as an allegory of the Resurrection of Christ.
Gold is a permanent metal. This means it doesn’t react with other chemicals (such as iron and copper suffer rust and tarnish respectively). Gold is very malleable, meaning it can be hammered, shaped and stretched quite easily. Sheets of gold can be so thin (4 millionths of an inch) that light can shine through. This light happens to be green as it passes through (thus our color scheme). While allowing visible light through it can filter 98% of infrared light and other potentially dangerous radiation (this is why it’s used on space suit visors and windscreens of high altitude aircraft. Gold can also be used to remove carbon monoxide from the air. In the Bible gold is a representation of the nature/characteristics of God when mentioned in scripture.
