Chrysolite - The Golden Green Counsel of God

The golden green eyes were fixed on me and two of my kids. We could not see the body that they emanated from, it was if they were just floating in the dark like two tiny flashlights pointed back at us. We were on a night hike in the foothills above our home, an excursion I had expressed trepidation over. My son had assured me he was an old hand at this, having taken the same hike numerous times with his friends, reaching Cucamonga Peak in time for the first glimmer of sunlight; an awesome view I was not risking my life to appreciate.

I have three sons, all into enjoying the physical side of nature - mountain biking, surfing, and backpacking. My third son is a Physical Ed teacher at a local middle school and participates regularly in Soccer and Iron Man type events. Now I enjoy hiking and backpacking with them but I had never tried this style of "fun" before. I also knew, from living here for 30 plus years, that mountain lions and bears live in the hills above us. I was afraid, but my son and daughter convinced me to go. Now the reason for my fear was staring back at me.

The eyes of a fully grown mountain lion or puma are often a remarkable golden color. They have a unique feature in the structure of their eyes that reflects back the light hitting the retina which enhances interpretation of low-light images, giving the puma a second chance to discern what it is looking at. This thin layer of reflective cells, called the "tapetum lucidum," is responsible for the characteristic "eye-shine" of reflected light that is frequently seen in mammals at night. In the mountain lion, this eye-shine is a yellowish green, not unlike the color of the Chrysolite, the seventh stone in the Foundation of the New Jerusalem.

The name Chrysolite can refer to two different minerals, Chrysoberyl, an aluminate of beryllium with the formula BeAl₂O₄ or Olivine, a magnesium iron silicate with the formula (Mg,Fe)₂SiO₄. Chrysoberyl is used primarily when discussing the stones in the Breastplate of the High Priest. Since Beryl is listed as a separate stone in the Foundation, we will focus on the magnesium iron silicate form of Chrysolite.

This mineral is known by different names, according to its color, being called Peridot when of a deep olive-green, Olivine when of a yel­lowish-green, and Chrysolite when of a lighter or golden-yellow color. Chrysolite is from the Greek "chrysolithos" meaning a precious stone of golden color. It comes from "chryso" meaning precious things made of gold, and lithos meaning of building stones. The name Peridot is derived from the Greek word 'peridona', which means "to give richness." Peridot is the gemstone form of Olivine or Chrysolite and possesses a much richer green color.

Mg-rich Olivine has been discovered in meteorites, on the Moon, and on Mars. Chrysolite and Olivine in general are a very abundant, but gem quality Peridot is rather rare. The Peridot is one of only a few gemstones found in just one color. The rich, green color with the slight tinge of gold is caused by very fine traces of iron. The intensity of the color depends on the amount of iron actually present. Peridot is not particularly hard, only 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, but is a fairly robust stone for use in jewelery. Chrysolite is so ancient that it can be found in Egyptian jewelery from the early second millennium BC. The stones came from a deposit on a small volcanic island in the Red Sea, some 45 miles off the Egyptian coast.

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The Peridot represents God's Spirit - His Counsel
When we receive God's Counsel we are receiving
His purpose and plan for our lives.

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There is some confusion between the Chrysolite and the Topaz, another foundational stone. Some think that these two stones have been switched over the centuries and the Topaz of today is actually the Peridot and the Peridot, the Topaz. The Hebrew word for Topaz (in the KJV), "pitdah," is translated as Peridot in the NLT. In fact, the Chrysolite is mentioned alternately as four different stones in the Breastplate, in place of the second - Topaz, the third - Emerald or Carbuncle, the fourth - Emerald or Turquoise, and the tenth - Beryl. The 3rd or 4th stones seem the most likely to me as the Olivine is sometimes called the "Evening Emerald" and these are the positions most referenced for that stone. As we placed the Emerald in the third position we will place the Peridot in the fourth - representing Judah by birth order and Reuben by camp order. The designation as an apostolic stone is just as confusing; the Chrysolite is aligned with no less than three Apostles - Thaddeus, Bartholomew or Thomas.

The gemstone meaning of Chrysolite is said to be gold, which in turn signifies wisdom and charity, virtues which are considered more perfect than all others. It gleams just like a furnace and represents wise and charitable men and women who demonstrate what they believe to others in both word and deed.

Peridot is considered good for healing the healers. It brings understanding of destiny and purpose. Catholic Bishops traditionally wear a ring of Peridot and Amethyst as symbols of purity and morality. It is also said to represent the excellence of Jesus' divine nature. The Peridot represents God's Spirit - His Counsel. Counsel means the interchange of opinion; consultation and advice. But most importantly it means purpose and plan. When we receive God's Counsel we are receiving His purpose and plan for our lives.

When my son, daughter and I saw those olive green eyes of the mountain lion, I was afraid. And in my fear, I failed to seek the counsel of God; to pray for His protection. Although I followed the rules - I did not run - I continued to look back expecting to see those shining eyes looking down on me from the ledge above or from the trees close to the trail. I let my fear overcome me and in one anxious moment I caught my foot between the rocks and fell, breaking my leg and tearing my ankle. In that moment I had forgotten Him who holds me up.

Psalms 17:5 (NKJV) - Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip.

Psalms 27:1 (NKJV) - The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

2 Chronicles 18:4b (NIV) - "First seek the counsel of the LORD."