(source)
Dr. Henry Morris writes, “It is interesting that this book (Job), the oldest in the Bible, contains more references to snow, ice, and frost than any other book of the Bible. This is despite the fact that Job’s homeland was in what is now essentially a desert region.
Possibly the effects of the post-Flood Ice Age were still strong in Job’s day.
In any case, the beautiful phrase, “treasures of the snow,” is both appropriate and prophetic.
Its crystal structure, though mostly in the form of delicate six-pointed “stars,” is endlessly varied and always intricately symmetrical and incredibly beautiful.
“Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?” ~Job 38:22
Do you live where it snows? Little do we imagine what intricacy and glittering beauty lies hidden in that very snowfall just outside our window!
Right outside our door.
Do you remember the song ‘My Favorite Things’ from the Sound Of Music? The words ‘snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes‘ may bring to mind magical times as the huge flakes have floated sown and lingered on our children’s cheeks and hair. If you’ve ever stopped momentarily to study this delicate but fleeting symmetry, you might have admired it.
Using his inquisitive mind, Vermont farmer Wilson A. Bentley became known as ‘Snowflake’ Bentley for being the first person to successfully photograph a snowflake for us to admire. Bentley became famous for capturing more than 5,000 jewel-like snowflakes on film in 1885.
Does it seem to you, as it does to me, that he is smiling in this old black and white image?
No two snowflakes are truly identical, but they do share common growth patterns and features.
(source)
“Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated. When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind.” ~ Wilson Bentley, Jericho, Vermont
Fast Forward To Today
Now we can see wonderful photography of individual snowflakes that have fallen upon the ground and are in the process of melting away. The following images were all captured using a Nikon D80 DSLR and a 60 or 90mm macro lens.
These shots are so detailed and so perfect that you might wonder if they are computer-generated fabrications, but they are not!
The Snowflake
…. here one minute and gone the next!
Ice Crystals
And Frost
“By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.” ~Job 37:10
(Source: Russian Photographer Andrew Osokin’s Photo Collection)
This world, down to its tiniest detail, is truly a masterpiece work, and we are the blessed recipients and stewards! It is only a tiny foretaste of the world to come! The snowflake’s sublime beauty and endless originality is a testament to our Creator’s eternal power.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” ~Romans 1: 20
The photograph below, of a considerably more recent vintage than Bentley’s, was made with electron microscopy in 2003.
(National Geographic)
Two especially good books on Wilson Bentley and his work:
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” ~Isaiah 55: 9-11
©2025 Deep Roots at Home • All Rights Reserved
Sarah
Excellent and amazing post! I love the subject of snowflakes from a Biblical perspective. When I looked at the 2nd to last photo I had to chuckle to myself a little when thinking about how many people don’t believe everything was made by the Creator God and His unfathomable mind. There is such a similarity between that photo and say the photo of a type of fern or plant in the forest. You can see His “handprints” all over everything! It is just more proof that we come from a Creator, not slush! 🙂
Jacqueline
Haha! Couldn’t agree with you more, Sarah.
Dee
Beautiful! We are having our first snow of 2013: thick clumps of softly falling snowflakes, perfect for snowballs. The dogs were in heaven! The beauty and uniqueness of each crystal really IS magnificent. One of winters greatest pleasures is looking up into the night sky as large snowflakes spiral down. We don’t get to enjoy that too often here on Long Island. Our winter precipitation is more likely to be freezing rain/wet snow mix or that sharp, wind-driven kind of snow. Thanks for posting these lovely photos.
Jacqueline
You are welcome, Dee 🙂 Snowy greetings back to Long Island, new friend!
Homeschool on the Croft
How can we not fall down and praise this Creator of infinite beauty? What a God we have! These snowflakes are SO amazing, and yet, they are but a glimpse of the amazing-ness of the One who created them…. Truly, all are ‘without excuse’ – and more so, now that more and more of God’s amazing creation is being seen. Yes, his fingerprints are everywhere to be seen.
“When I consider they heavens, and work of thy fingers … (I say) What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” Psalm 8 …. Wonderful!
Jacqueline
Homeschool on the Croft,
Love Psalm 8! He is majestic…and WORTHY!
ChristyH
I love snow and snow flakes. Winter is my favorite season. It makes me feels closer to God. Thank goodness I live in a snow belt, western Michigan. I really enjoyed the biblical look at snow, thank you.
Toni
I LOVE snow, too! We got all of 1 1/2 inches of snow last week and thought we were in heaven. Thank you for posting those beautiful pictures.
Sue
It was years ago that I first saw Bentley’s snowflake book. I cried the first time I looked through it. It is amazing! The majesty of God’s creation was so evident–the majesty of God Himself was so evident! Everyone should see snowflake photos! Thanks for reminding us of Him.
Jacqueline
You are welcome, Sue.
I had much the same response seeing his work~ it is beautiful and makes me want to fall down before our Creator. We are so blessed!
Rhonda Devine
Gorgeous photos of God’s handiwork–beautiful!