Gaze Upon the Beauty of the Lord

November 21, 2018 / By

We are studying the usage of “revival” in Psalm 119.  Today we are taking a second look (part 2) of Psalm 119:37

Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in your ways.

Any system of belief must give definition to at least three top priorities:

  1. What is true? Epistemology
  2. What is good? Ethics
  3. What is beautiful? Aesthetics

The Bible addresses truth.

  1. In John 14:6 we learn truth is not primarily propositions, but The Person of Jesus from whom propositions emanate.
  2. John tells us, in John 1:14, Jesus is the fulness of truth (and Grace). Colossians 2:9
  3. John 16:13 points out the Spirit of truth will guide us into all truth.
  4. Paul reveals that the church of the living God is the household of God and is the pillar and buttress of truth. 1 Timothy 3:15
  5. 2 Timothy 2:2 instructs us to “rightly handle the word of truth.”

The Bible addresses ethics.

  1. Galatians 5:16-26 reveals a clear ethic.
  2. Micah 6:8 informs us that God has revealed what is good.

The Bible addresses aesthetics.

  1. Up to 40% of the Old Testament involves poetic
  2. Somewhere near 50 chapters of the Pentateuch reveal God’s keen eye for architecture and artistic techniques for His ornate
  3. Also near 50 chapters of the Old Testament are given to the artistic design and creation of Solomon’s Temple.
  4. Ezekiel writes 3 chapters about a third temple.
  5. The Gospels, Paul and John write about the beauty of the earthly and heavenly sanctuary of God.

Let’s consider Exodus 28:2 and 40.

2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. Vs. 2

40 “For Aaron’s sons you shall make coats and sashes and caps. You shall make them for glory and beauty.  Vs. 40

Ephesians 2:10 reveals God as the Master Artist and His art form is the human being whose trust is in Jesus for salvation.

We now come to the thesis of today’s presentation.

The Psalmist indicates a need for personal revival in relation to “looking at worthless things.”

Our question today is, “At what might I look that is worth-full?”

The Psalms do not leave us directionless on this vital question.  Consider Psalm 27:1-4

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold[a] of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet[b] I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked 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 gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire[c] in his temple.

In the midst of evildoers who assail him, adversaries and foes, and an army encamped around him, and war arising against him, his ONE THING is to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.

Will you seek to see the beauty of the Lord in Revelation 4 and 5?

Notice the “door standing open” in Revelation 4:1.

Consider God’s miraculous ministry in Acts 3:2.

There is a gate or door through which those who have limited mobility are invited to miraculously travel into a greater experience with the beauty of the Lord.

Today we join the Psalmist and eschew gazing at “worthless things” and join him in gazing at the beauty of the Lord.