God Is Beautiful
For many years (a phrase which seems to introduce almost everything I say or write these days), I have thought about and preached on the subject of the beauty of God. I have never heard anyone teach on the subject, but I did through the decades come across two written sermons on the topic, “The Beauty of the Lord” by J. D. Jones and “Are There Shortcuts to the Beauty of Holiness?” (the short answer is “No!”) by A. W. Tozer. More recently, I read a review of a scholarly article about the American preacher Jonathan Edwards (of “sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” fame) that mentioned in passing that the beauty of God was one of the great themes in his preaching. I was thus encouraged that I have not headed off on an unprofitable tangent. In simple terms, beauty is that which attracts, causes a favorable interest, and creates an affinity. Such real, eternal beauty is found in our God. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
The book of Isaiah (one of my favorites) speaks eloquently on many subjects, including God’s beauty. Isaiah 4:2-3 tells us that, at a future time, the attractiveness of “the branch of the LORD” will be fully revealed. Comparing Scripture to Scripture (as we should), we learn that this Branch is the Messiah, Jesus Christ. This same descriptive label is found in Jeremiah 23:5-6 and 33:15 and in Zechariah 3:8 and 6:12-13. The beautiful impact on Jerusalem when Jesus returns is (like my beautiful wife) stunning. It is most instructive that the emphasis is on the transforming power of Christ’s holiness, for all of the remaining inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem “shall be called holy” (verse 3). The presence of the Savior is transformative; His moral and spiritual beauty draws us to a different and distinctive way of living. He seeks us to save us and to set us apart, to sanctify us. Probably all of us have been with people who have brought out the best in us; I can think of a number of people who have always pulled me in the right direction. At an infinitely and eternally greater level, Jesus does this grand work in His people. Any beauty in us, including the beauty of holiness, must be attributed to Him.