Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?  Job 38:22, KJV

The words in this verse are simple, yet powerful. Entering into the “treasures of the snow” means coming face to face with the supernatural. It means witnessing a tiny miracle that points to a very big God.

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Snowflakes are Miracles

Each year incomprehensible amounts of snowflakes fall to the ground, creating winter wonderlands around the globe. Just one snowflake is formed by as many as 100,000 water droplets which condense to form delicate, unique crystal shapes. You are likely familiar with the expression that “no two snowflakes are alike,” but did you ever wonder how this astounding fact became common knowledge? Even more amazing is that these tiny, icy miracles contain the signature of God and point to our redemption through His son Jesus Christ.

The Snowflake Man

Over a century ago a God-fearing man named Wilson Bentley realized that the treasures hidden in the snow must be shared with the world. Growing up in the wintry village of Jericho, Vermont, Bentley became fascinated with water, frost, snow and ice. Homeschooled until the age of 14, his mother encouraged him to use nature as his classroom. When he received a microscope for his 15^th birthday, this is when God opened his eyes to the magnificent beauty concealed within a single snowflake.

Bentley began by meticulously transferring the delicate flakes to the microscope using a turkey feather. This proved extremely difficult because the crystals quickly melted. Bentley never gave up, however, experimenting with different microscopes, lighting techniques and cameras in order to capture the most revealing images. Considering that just one small snow crystal contained about a thousand million billion water molecules, this task was a miracle in itself.

For 13 years, Bentley meticulously documented and studied the photomicrographs he took, eventually photographing thousands upon thousands of snowflakes (ice crystals). He learned that all snow crystals have six similar sides and very rarely might have three. Initially he assumed that all snowflakes would contain the same design, but was pleasantly surprised to discover that the exact opposite was true.

Bentley concluded that no snowflake, “was an exact duplicate of any other snowflake!” He added “with profound humility, we acknowledge that the Great Designer is incomparable and unapproachable in the infinite prodigality and beauty of his works.”

The miracle of the snowflake began to grow as Bentley discovered that the nearly infinite shapes and designs of these icy wonders were affected by variations in temperature, humidity, air currents, wind speed, clouds and weather conditions. Amazingly enough, he observed each storm created its own kind of predominant ice crystal. Every snowflake that descends from the clouds takes a different journey to the ground and thus, it’s “extremely unlikely that two complex snow crystals will end up exactly alike.” Bentley believed that the explanation “can only be referred to the will and pleasure of the Great First Cause, whose works, even the most minute and evanescent, and in regions removed from human observation, are altogether admirable.” The fact that “one septillion distinctive ice crystals fall in the U.S. alone every year” was a profound reminder of God’s existence.

The work of this shy and humble man who grew up on a farm went unnoticed for years until a university professor heard of his work and convinced him to write an article that was published in Popular Scientific Monthly. Eventually more of his writings were published in scientific and popular journals. His most comprehensive work would be compiled in a book called Snow Crystals, which contained over 2,300 photos. Additionally, Bentley donated 500 of his snowflake photos to the Smithsonian in 1904 with the hopes that the images of God’s handiwork would be made readily available to the public.

Though Bentley’s work was phenomenal and ground breaking for the time, he never pursued copyrights or profits from his images. His main goal was to share God’s miraculous designs with the world.

When asked why he took such an avid interest in snow, Bentley explained 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 was ever repeated. When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind. I became possessed with a great desire to show people something of this wonderful loveliness, an ambition to become, in some measure, its preserver.”

Christians and Snowflakes

Wilson Bentley’s work on snowflakes is fascinating, but the lessons for the believer in Christ are just as intriguing. A single snowflake starts off as a tiny grain of dust or pollen, but when water vapor from the air sticks to this particle, it freezes, creating an ice crystal or snowflake. In a saturated environment, water molecules are quickly collected, growing into a six-branched, symmetrical shape.

Genesis 2:7 says, that “the Lord God formed the man of the dust from the ground.” Like the snowflake, which grows from a simple dust particle into a beautiful, one-of-a-kind snow crystal, God created humans to be unique. The Word of God states that humans are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

In Hebraic thought, six is identified as the number of man because Adam was created on the sixth day. After the Fall in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the world and the purity of God’s wonderful creation became tainted. Interestingly enough, even though snowflakes appear as a pure, dazzling white, they are actually completely clear. To be more specific, they are translucent, which means that light passes through them. When this happens, they appear as a brilliant white.

Isaiah 1:18 declares, Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.

This verse reminds followers of Jesus that even though their sins have tainted them, they can be made holy through the shed blood of Christ. Jesus is called the Light of the World and when His light (the Holy Spirit) shines through believers, all the Father in heaven sees is the stunning righteousness of His Son, which is as pure as the white snow. In this way, God redeems the imperfect nature of mankind, transforming them into extraordinary new creations.

Every snowflake takes a different path to get to the ground, just as every believer has different life experiences which shape them into the people God has created them to be. Snowflakes start off as ordinary pieces of dust, but after being exposed to wind, rain and extreme temperatures, they become gorgeous masterpieces. Likewise, God can allow good, bad and even extreme conditions to mold his children into heavenly works of art.

Wilson “Snowflake Bentley” testified through his research and published works that the Great Designer made himself evident in His creation. It’s interesting to note that this humble man, who was one of the first people to reveal the intricate, complex, six-sided design of snowflakes, died at the age of 66. After a six-mile walk in the snow, he developed pneumonia, passing away on December 23, 1931, just two days before Christmas. On the morning he was laid to rest, it began to snow, leaving the cemetery dusted over with snowflakes.

This winter season, as we behold the beauty of the snow, let us remember how it all points to our magnificent Creator who has redeemed us. Humans are not perfect, but we can be whiter than snow through the shed blood of our Savior.

Lord Jesus, your invisible attributes and eternal power are clearly seen in your creation. Thank you for Godly men like Wilson Bentley, who made it his life’s purpose to share the awe-inspiring designs of snowflakes. Every time one of these wintry wonders falls around us, may we be reminded of your glory and mercy.

Are you inspired by the miraculous designs of snowflakes? What other ways has God revealed himself through His creation?

Angela Rodriguez is an author, blogger and former teacher who studies the historical and biblical connections between Israel and the United States. You can visit her blogs at 67owls.com and 100trumpets.com. She is also the author of Psalm 91: Under the Wings of Jesus, and her first children’s book, Hallelujah’s Great Ride, was released in September 2023. Photo Credit: Carmen Keuper on Unsplash.