Staying well blessed and your beloveds,
~ CK
On 8/13/2016 3:14 PM, Lee S Gliddon Jr
wrote:
What does God look like?
I have heard more
than one Pastor or Priest ask his congregation, “What does
God look like?” I have also heard one Pastor ask his
congregation to, “close your eyes and imagine sitting across
from Jesus Christ…see His face…and tell anyone you see how
He appears.”
There may be many
answers to each of these questions but, in truth, there is
only one answer. One correct answer.
The Book of
Revelation, written by John, is extremely well versed in
this matter, while at the same time appearing to be vague.
I say ‘vague’ as no description is given as to His facial
features. But, we must realize, John saw Jesus during His
time here on earth. John saw Jesus in all of His glory and
saw Jesus Christ while he, John, was being revealed all
that is told of in the Book of Revelation. As John said,
He was, “The first and the last.” Revelation
1:17.
In earthly words John
described Jesus as he saw Him: “wearing a long robe with
a gold sash across His chest.” Revelation 1:13
Have you ever seen a
king or queen dressed in regal ceremonial garb? Have you
ever seen a beauty contestant in a pageant or a religious
figure in performance of a rite? Most often they wear a sash
that runs across their chests. In the Book of Deuteronomy
God gave His instruction for the sash and robes for the
Priests if Israel. Where each of those described persons
wears a colored sash or one bearing the name of a state
being represented, Christ was seen by John to be wearing a “sash
of gold;” that must be seen as wearing
a ‘mark of power,’
John wrote, “He
was dressed in a robe down to His feet.” That,
dear people is a robe of ‘righteousness’ worn to beautify
Him while adorning Him. This robe, combined with the golden
sash, reflects power as well as authority.
“His head
and His hair were white like wool, as white as snow.”
Revelation 1:14
Many confuse ‘white
hair’ as merely a sign of age. In this instance, “white
hair,” is to signify glory, wisdom, not age and decay.
John then
writes, “His eyes were like blazing fire.”
Revelation 1:14
Bright eyes are to be
seen as ‘great love for those who truly love Him,’ while at
the same time, ‘signifying fierceness and the appearance of
one ready to take revenge against any that oppose Him as
well as against any that harmed His followers for following
Him.’
Does any of this
begin to open your eyes? Can you imagine the awesome power
John is attempting to make seen as real? Let us continue.
“His feet
were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace…”
Revelation 1:15
Those
feet are the feet that walked the dusty roads of
Palestine, the feet that walked on water, the feet that
supported our Savior as He bore the cross to Calvary.
Those feet were nailed to the cross, walked out of a tomb,
walked with His disciples on the road to Emmaus, and
ascended to heaven. Those are the strong feet that will
trample His enemies. Those feet will ‘stomp on those that
oppose Him. All things are under those feet!
“His voice
thundered like mighty ocean waves.” Revelation 1:15
This is the
voice of authority. This is the voice of the Everlasting
God. This is the voice of ultimate power!
Heard by David, as described in Psalm 29:4 “The
voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is
full of majesty.”
We continue.
“…and a
sharp two edged sword came from His mouth.”
Revelation 1: 16
This ‘two edged
sword’ conveys the words and majesty of Our God. His
judgment is eternal as is His love.
“And his
face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance.”
Revelation 1:16
No real description
of God’s face is given. It is, “bright as the sun,” and if
you have ever attempted to look into the sun, you realize,
you soon see nothing at all! God’s glory is blinding and
unimaginable in itself.
Let us think on all
of these thoughts and descriptions and we begin to see that
when it comes to God’s appearance, we know so very little.
Let us now think about someone who has, for any reason,
stood up in the face of adversity for us. You know who that
person is. He or she stopped a bully for threatening you. He
or she is the person who risked his or her life to pull you
to safety and suffered burns that scarred him or her. Maybe
it was something smaller than that. It could be the athlete
that represented his school on the football field or in a
volley ball game. He or she broke a leg, suffered a
concussion, or sustained an injury of some type during the
course of the game.
If you have
experienced this then you must realize that such a person
does not continually remind you of that injury or remind you
of the pain and suffering he or she went through. If he or
she did, wouldn’t you begin to feel that he or she did not
freely give the effort or trial they went through freely?
Wouldn’t you see that as being, as we say, ‘a little much.’
I hear some people
who say they are Christian as they seek to describe God as
being scarred. As showing the whip welts of the flogging He
was subjected to, the marks of the ‘crown of thorns,’ and
the gash in His side. Must He continually remind you of His
gift by His appearance?
When I see God, with
my limited vision as a human, I think, and I ask that you
join with me, that it is time that we see Him as our
Unblemished God, Our Deliverer, Our Prince of Peace, Our
Almighty God. We must see God as someone that
overcame the grave, who was resurrected, and a God of
unfathomable beauty, a Protector, strength personified with
power beyond belief.
Why should He show
any doubter that He was touched by adversity? He
doesn’t, you know. “Why?,” you may ask, and I will
answer…”He won, He won over sin, over adversity and over
everything thrown against Him.
Jesus Christ
describes the Father in John 14:9. “…anyone who has seen me
has seen the Father…” This, my dear Christian friends
is the answer to any question asked about God’s
appearance.
So, when anyone asks
me, “what do you see when you see Jesus Christ,” my answer
is, “ I see God with white hair, a white beard, in a flowing
robe with a golden sash. His mighty face is as bright as any
sun, His voice as a voice of ultimate authority. I cannot
see His hands or body but I know them to be hands of power,
justice, and hands that have comforted me and will be my
comfort forevermore. I see feet of bronze that will trample
down adversity and walk with the pace of the awesome God
that He is. I will see no scars because I know, without a
single doubt, that He died for me.
I will not see a blue
eyed, light haired man. I will not see a man at all! He is
God. He will be seen as unblemished and have beauty beyond
earthly description. One other thing, I will love Him and He
knows that I know what He did for me. And I know what He
will do for me after I leave this earthly plane. He will
give me a body that is free from need, no hunger, thirst,
sickness and He will have me in His Almighty Presence,
forever!
He is our God, and
that says it all.
(Closing prayer)
Abba, our Father,
please accept our praise. Please know that we worship you
and thank You for everything You have given us. El Gibbor,
give us the strength to overcome any temptations that come
our way. Allow us to see Your glory and make
us ever grateful for all we receive. Please forgive us our
transgressions and make us more like You. As
Jehovah Sabaoth, send Your angels to protect our sons and
daughters who defend us from harm and strengthen their
spirits. Jehovah Rophe, heal them in heart and body should
they be harmed.
Lord, we look to You
for everything and ask to be strengthened in our faith and
ask that You be with us anytime we speak to others about You
and Your glory.
We ask these things
in the name of Jesus Christ who is One with You and The Holy
Spirit. One God, forever and ever.
Amen, amen, amen.
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