A wonderful thing about being a Christian is anticipating the day when we feast our eyes on the magnificent beauty of our God. Quite likely, we have all created mental pictures of what we think God might look like, although we know that our wildest imaginations will be exceeded. “Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off” (Isaiah 33:17). The Bible is full of descriptive word pictures attempting to give us a brief glimpse into the realms of the heavenly. The landscape on the hills of glory, the wonderful creatures that dwell there, and most of all, the Supreme Being on the throne, all defy our human attempt to grasp and understand the beauty and glory of our God.
At times we admire beauty in a song, a work of art, a story, or even another person, but David describes the delight of gazing at the beauty of God. “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4). God is beautiful because His excellence is attractive— His character is flawless. David experienced the pleasure that comes from knowing and experiencing God in all His fullness. How does God express His Beauty?
Through the Gospel
“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4-6). In the awfulness of the Passion of Christ, we find a profound and sober beauty— the beauty of a sacrifice made by a sinless Savior for undeserving humanity. Sometimes the most stirring kind of beauty is found in things we cannot fully comprehend.
There is beauty in weeping of Mary and the disciples around the cross that held the lifeless body of their beloved Master. But when dawn broke on resurrection morning, despair turned into hope and grief into joy.
We see a beautiful scene at the Mount of Olives forty days later as the same disciples wistfully gazed into the sky, watching as their risen Lord disappeared into the heavens. With great joy, they returned to Jerusalem, with the promise of His return burning in their hearts, to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Today we expectantly wait for the Son of God to appear from heaven with power and great glory to complete the work of salvation. Then will we look upon Him in all His splendor and beauty. “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
How should we, as God's image-bearers, reflect His beauty through the Gospel? God is an uncreated eternal being, and man was created in His image to reflect His glory and beauty. However, this beauty has been marred by sin and is no longer a worthy representation of God's character. But, there is redemption! Very little surpasses the beauty of a life that was once bruised and broken by sin but is now restored, redeemed, and made whole by the Gospel. “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3). Atheists challenge the existence of God, scientists argue against Biblical creation, scholars question the inerrancy of scripture, but nobody can dispute the testimony of a redeemed life.
Through Creation
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handy work” (Psalm 19:1). All beauty in the created world comes from God. A beautiful sunset, a lovely rose, a towering redwood, a majestic mountain peak, all testify of the beauty of God illustrated in creation. As road signs along the highway guide us to our destination, likewise, creation directs mankind to God himself. “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen . . .” (Romans 1:20). These gifts of creation are given to give us a brief glimpse of the One who created them.
How should we, as part of God's creation, reflect His creative beauty? Although we cannot make something out of nothing, God has designed us to be creative, using the resources of His creation and our intellectual abilities to make life practical. The fulfilling sense of accomplishment derived from a job well done has its origin in creation, where God regarded His work and declared it to be good. In our attempt to live non-extravagant lives we sometimes fail to take joy in the beautiful things in life. It is right and good and in harmony with how we were created to find pleasure in things of beauty. Ungodly men have used this gift of creativity many times for evil means. So much the more, let us glorify God by using His creation in ways that reflect His character.
A warning for all who love nature and creation (natural and man-made): let us be careful to not elevate earthly beauty above the Creator, which leads to idolatry. Sunsets fade, redwoods tumble, roses wilt, the human body turns to dust again, but God remains. Life and all of its beauty begins and ends with God.
Through Music and Sound
“And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps” (Revelation 14:2) According to the book of Revelation, God's throne is surrounded by sound: thundering and lightning; praises flowing from the angels, the four beasts and twenty elders, and the great multitude which no man can number; and the new song by the one hundred and forty four thousand.
God created the beauty of sound to glorify Himself in ways that mere words cannot. The intricacy of His creativity is powerfully displayed in the way various sound frequencies come together to create a beautiful and heavenly harmony. It is honoring to God for mankind to take pleasure in the beauty of sounds He has created for His glory. The person who loves God will be drawn to Him whenever He is serenaded by pleasing sounds: the people of God singing the songs of Zion, the prayers of the saints, the wind whispering through the treetops, the songbird praising its Maker, the rumble of thunder, or the simple patter of rain on the roof.
How should we, as instruments of sound, reflect God's beauty through sound? We should always seek to listen to and resemble the sounds and harmonies of heaven. Although we will never be able to completely accomplish this on earth, it should be a lifelong endeavor. The questions have been asked,” Should we always be trying to improve our music making?” and “when have we reached ‘good enough’?” We will never be able to attain heavenly perfection, so the question should rather be asked, “Are we giving God the best we have?” Some people have more singing capabilities than others, but the question remains. “Are we giving our best or are we satisfied with an inferior sacrifice?” Let us be producers of God-honoring sounds that bring joy to the heart of the Creator!
Through the Church:
The Bible speaks extensively about the beauty of God's people. “Zion,” “The Temple,” “The Mountain of God,” “Jerusalem,” and“The Church” are synonymous expressions woven throughout scripture referring to the habitation of God's people on the earth. It is God's desire that His beauty would be reflected in the lives of His people. “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King” (Psalm 48:1-2).
Nothing is dearer to the heart of God than His church. When the children of Israel journeyed through the wilderness, they built the tabernacle as a place for God to dwell among them. When Solomon dedicated the temple as God's dwelling place, God was very pleased and 2 Chronicles 7:1 says the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The temple was considered the House of the Lord–Jesus himself referred to it numerous times as God's house and was very passionate that it should be kept holy.
Today, neither the tabernacle nor the temple hosts the presence of God but rather His divine passion is concentrated on the church of Jesus Christ. Here are the people who truly love Him and are willing to lay down their lives for Him. Here are the people who are willing to give up their rights as individuals and surrender themselves to a greater cause. Here is where many a saint has given His very life's blood for the Gospel. And here is where one day our Savior will return as He has promised, and will transport His bride, the church, to her eternal habitation. “And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21:2-3).
How should we, as God's people, reflect His beauty in the church? By dwelling together in unity and harmony with love for all men, especially the household of God. The church should be a place where the world can get a glimpse of what goes on in heaven. It should be a place where Christ is always elevated as the victorious conqueror of sin, death, and hell.
Sadly, many people have become disoriented with the church's failures and have walked away from the true apostolic faith. In spite of our disappointments, let us “lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees” (Hebrews 12:12) and let us press on. We will never have a higher calling, and never a more noble warfare to wage.
Lastly, how should we reflect His beauty in our lives? By delighting in Him. “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37:4). The greatest fulfillment in life comes from finding pleasure in bringing joy to the heart of God by delighting in what He delights in and loving what He loves. Let us never lose the wonder of the beauty of our Salvation!
