Written by Trinity Instructor Beth Hovis, BCND, CCII, MH.
Who knew that it would be almost a year between my first blog for Trinity about Chakras and Christianity and this blog on Crystals and how we as Christians should approach this topic? 2020 was a surprising year full of some interesting twists and turns, but I'm glad to be able to once again discuss a topic with you in our "It's Not New, It's True" blog.
There are many reasons that crystals are used today. They are often used alongside natural health supplements and remedies to help with healing in the body. They are also used for power and magic. Just do a quick internet search. Websites and articles abound that can help you build crystal grids and use crystals for power and psychic healing!
Crystals and their use are another one of those "hot topic" subjects that we believers have been told to stay far away from. But why? What's so bad or wrong with crystals? If we rely on a "Google search" alone, we can certainly understand why Christians would be hesitant to use crystals as part of their natural health regimen. But do we really have to avoid them completely? After all, it was God who created them!
Since I tend to be a word-nerd, let's start by defining crystals. What are crystals?
In my search of the internet, I came across several definitions for crystals ranging from somewhat comprehendible to almost intimidating by the big, scientific words being used. I was delighted to find a definition for crystals on a website geared toward kids. I thought I'd start there; it's so much easier to understand. On the website Science for Kids, they define crystals this way, "Crystals are a special kind of solid material where the molecules fit together in a repeating pattern. This pattern causes the material to form all sorts of unique shapes."[1]
Well, that's simple enough, right? I can handle that! What more can we learn about crystals on a search of the internet? Although Wikipedia isn't a science-based website, they give us the next best, easy-to-understand definition of a crystal, saying, "The scientific definition of a 'crystal' is based on the microscopic arrangement of atoms inside it, called the crystal structure. A crystal is a solid where the atoms form a periodic arrangement."[2]
When I looked at the information shared on Wikipedia about crystals, I found that it isn't just "rocks" that are made up of these crystalline patterns, but snowflakes are considered single crystals that make up snow. God does things in patterns. Interesting! But is it helpful?
I finally braved a website dedicated to geology and found that their definition was pretty easy to understand as well. Geology In states, "Crystals are the outer form of a mineral's inner order. Nearly every piece of rock of Earth is made of minerals, each of which is defined as a natural substance with a precise recipe and arrangement of atoms. It's important to realize that every mineral, whether it looks like a crystal or not, is crystallized inside. The outer shape of a crystal has a complicated relationship to that internal structure. The inside is the important part—how the various atoms of the mineral fit together."[3]
Huh! Crystals are rocks that fit together in a certain way and form a pattern that makes a particular structure! And rocks that have the same kind of minerals in them will make the same pattern. That's how we get all the different crystals and, yes, gemstones and semi-precious stones like diamonds, rubies, sapphires, peridot, turquoise, amethyst, and others that we love to wear as jewelry. The minerals within them form a specific pattern, each unique and beautiful.
Since we frequently wear gemstones and crystals, then we can confidently say that not all crystals are bad, right? Let's go a step further and ask, what do the Bible and God have to say about crystals?
Did you know that the word "crystal" is used five times in the Bible? It is used in Job 28:17 alongside gold. Speaking of wisdom, Job says, "The gold and the crystal cannot equal it, and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold." Not only are crystal and gold mentioned in this passage, but other precious materials are listed here as well. "Crystal" is also used in the book of Revelation and describes parts of heaven. Crystal in the Bible is clear and transparent, like glass.
We find that precious stones are also significant in the Bible, and they are mentioned as early as Genesis, chapter two. "The name of the first (river) is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good, bdellium and the onyx stone are there." (NKJV) [emphasis mine] Genesis 2:11 and 12
Stones are very important in Scripture. Here are just a few examples of stones being used in the Bible:
-
They are mentioned in Genesis chapter 2 when describing the Garden of Eden.
-
Gold is a precious metal, onyx is a semi-precious stone, and bdellium is considered a resin, though the Septuagint translates bdellium as a precious stone or crystal rather than a resin.
-
-
Stones are used as a witness.
-
Jacob anoints the stone he used as a pillow during his famous dream about the ladder reaching from heaven to earth as a witness that if God would keep him and feed him and that if he returned to his father's house again in peace, then he would give God a tenth of everything he had. Genesis 28:10-22
-
Jacob used stones as a witness when he made a covenant with Laban. Genesis 31:45-55
-
-
Moses and the elders saw the God of Israel in the wilderness, "And they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of Heaven in his clearness."
-
The Ten Commandments were written on tablets of stone. Exodus 24:12
Precious stones and "crystals" were also used on the breastplate of Aaron, the high priest. When the high priest went to minister before God, he wore the breastplate with twelve stones etched with the names of the twelve children of Israel. This was worn over his heart as a memorial to the Lord, showing that he, the high priest, was interceding on behalf of all the people. Each stone was different and represented each tribe of Israel. The high priest also wore ephods with onyx on his shoulders.
The stones in the high priest's breastplate were: sardius (ruby), topaz, carbuncle (emerald), turquoise, sapphire, diamond, jacinth, agate, amethyst, beryl, shoham (onyx), and jasper[4]. Exodus 28:17-20
Crystal and precious stones (what we would call crystals today) are used in building the New Jerusalem. Revelation 21:18 – 20 reads, "The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx (sardonyx), the sixth sardius (ruby), the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst."
Believers are given white stones with a new name inscribed in them according to Revelation 2:17.
There are many more instances of when stones, including precious stones, are talked about in the Bible. These passages describe the throne room where God sits in Heaven and include being used as witnesses and memorials to agreements and covenants.
Consider what Hannah said about God, "There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God." And Deuteronomy 32:4 declares, "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he."
Peter had the revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of the living God. Jesus said he was going to build His church on the truth of the rock of this revelation! Matthew 16:18
Many times in Scripture, God is referred to as our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer. There is something pretty special about rocks, stones, and crystals if God uses them in His throne room, as a picture of His attributes, as a foundation for building His church, as a witness by people to keep their words and to speak the truth, as memorials, and more!
Romans 1:20 tells us, "For since the creation of the world His invisible qualities have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, both His everlasting power and mightiness, for them to be without excuse."
You know what I take away from that? God created rocks. Crystals. Gemstones. He likens Himself to a rock, and He surrounds Himself with beautiful stones to show and demonstrate to us His beautiful qualities; who He is, what He is like! The use of crystals and rocks belongs to God first. When believers use crystals, we can use them to glorify God. They were created by Him!
Have you ever thought about the verse that says, "And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out"? Luke 19:40
How? How are the stones going to "cry out"? Do stones have mouths? Do they have voices? Of course not! But they do have energy. Everything has energy and frequency. Crystals have energy too. Those unique crystalline patterns that make up our different crystals and gemstones each put off a different frequency. The different frequencies emitted by these stones can "cry out." There is a lot of information on energy healing and how frequencies affect the physical body, more than we can cover here.
Yet without going into a lot of detail on that, I would like to share this explanation of energy as it moves throughout our bodies as described by Kenneth Solomon, "Our bodies possess an energy field that is created by the rhythmic vibrations such as heartbeats, breathing, and circadian rhythms. The frequency or rate of these vibrations generates an electromagnetic energy field that causes changes to cells of the body and ultimately affect how the body functions. Changes to vibrational frequency from stimuli such as temperature or anxiety can alter the overall mental and physical health."[5]
Not only do temperature and stress affect the vibrational frequency of our bodies, anything that emits a frequency can as well. Most of us know that silicon or silica dioxide is used in electronics. Silica dioxide is known as crystal quartz. Silica dioxide is used in electronics because of its ability to store large amounts of data and release that data as needed. The storage and release of this data is based on frequency. Energy.
According to an article on the website El-Por-Cus, "Silicon is a semiconductor material with an atomic number of 14, located in the group 4 of the periodic table. Semiconductors are nothing but materials with insulating properties in pure form and conducting properties when doped or added with impurities. Semiconductors usually have a band gap (energy required for electrons to break free from covalent bonds) between insulators (maximum band gap) and conductors (minimum band gap). The conduction or flow of charge in semiconductors is due to the movement of free electrons or holes."[6]
In simple terms, this means that quartz crystal can store and conduct energy depending on how it is used. It has a frequency. When loaded into your cell phone, it is used so that you can make phone calls and have a conversation with someone on another phone. When used in a computer, it allows you to see and read this article. All of this has to do with energy. Unfortunately, cell phones and computers put out harmful electromagnetic fields that we are exposed to all day long. Fortunately, crystals put off helpful electromagnetic fields that are compatible and helpful to our bodies.
If we think back to the beginning of this blog, when we were defining crystals, we learned that they are made up of minerals. Minerals are used to make up our bodies, and we need minerals so that our bodies can function properly. When we eat, we consume foods rich in minerals to help our bodies stay strong and healthy, or we can take mineral supplements when there is a deficiency causing health symptoms.
For me, it isn't too far of a leap to think that if the minerals found in our foods and our mineral supplements can benefit the body, then the frequency that is being given off from crystals, which are made up of minerals, can benefit our bodies as well.
Some people are reluctant to use crystals because they don't see them being used for healing in the Bible. X-rays, MRIs, EKG/EEG machines, or ultrasounds weren't used or talked about in the Bible either, but we don't have any problems using them. While there isn't any passage in Scripture that I have found that shows someone using crystals, stones, or rocks for healing, we can clearly see that they were highly valued and used and worn for spiritual purposes. It is through scientific discovery and research that we have learned to use things like radium, lithium, cobalt, titanium, silicon, etc., for medical and health benefits. Because crystals put off uplifting frequencies, we can use them for the benefit of our health.
While some people use crystals for things like psychic healing or magic, that doesn't mean that we have to avoid using them. How we use them is the question. Anything can be used for good or for bad. When searching out crystals for my personal use, I try to find crystals that are sold by geologists so that I know they aren't being used in practices that are against my personal and religious beliefs. Crystals have been used since ancient times, just as herbs, to bring strength and health to the body.
Rocks and stones show the beautiful, multi-faceted attributes of God, one of which includes being our Healer. To me, using crystals the way God intended means using them with purity of heart, not looking for crystals to do the healing, but trusting that God will use crystals, the same way He uses herbs, and spit (uh, yeah, Jesus used spit and mud to aid Him in healing people) to bring healing to our bodies.
I hope that we can learn to receive the gift of health that God offers to us through crystals.
[6] (n.a.) Top 5 Reasons for Silicon Uses in Electronics as a Semiconductor Material. (n.d.). In El-Pro-Cus. Retrieved January 6, 2021, from https://www.elprocus.com/what-are-the-reasons-behind-silicon-uses-in-electronics/
About the Author:
Beth Hovis has been in the natural health field for over twenty years. Introduced to natural health by her midwife at the birth of her third child, she began her journey on discovering how to help her family and others through natural choices. She raised her three children using natural health options. Beth obtained her ND, MH, and CNHP from Trinity School of Natural Health. She is a Certified Comprehensive Iridology Instructor (CCII) through the International Iridology Practitioners Association, and she currently teaches the Master Iridology and Certified Master Herbalist programs as well as being a Core instructor in the CNHP, CHHP, and CNC programs at Trinity.
She started her career in teaching by becoming a homeschool mom. When her youngest reached high school, she then became a physical science teacher for Paragon Cooperative Learning Academy. She has taught at churches, women's retreats, senior centers, and at her own herb shop located in Fayetteville, GA. Beth and her husband, Rob, live in McDonough, Georgia, and are blessed with three children, two daughters and one son, and seven grandchildren, all of whom are the joy of her heart.