Deeply rooted in every human heart is an unquenchable longing for beauty, a God-given sense that beauty must have a meaning that is larger and more permanent than ones own self. It can arouse pleasure, delight and even bring rest. Every person longs to observe and be a part of beauty as they seek for a rare glimpse of greatness and yearn for a vision of glory. People are moved by music - the words of a poet - the work of an artist - a new born child - the uniqueness of all living creatures - the multicolored hues of a sunset - the brilliance of a sun rise - the majesty of mountain peaks - the melodic sound of a waterfall - the wind rustling through the leaves - the simplicity of a flower - the lightness of a snow flake.
These things cultivate ones sensory awareness and expand the consciousness in a way that creates an ever deepening appreciation of creation. Yet, they are all but token twinkles and shimmering shadows of the beauty of God that has been intricately woven through the fabric of all creation to instill within a deep hunger to know true beauty Himself. The reason people are attracted to beauty and long to be attractive and wanted by another is because God is the ultimate Beautiful One. He is the absolute original pattern of all other beauty. He made mankind to long for Himself because He sees each person as beautiful and longs for intimacy with them. Anything less than knowing God will leave one unsatisfied.
God is beautiful in all His ways. He relentlessly and lovingly pursues mankind reaching out in romantic passion with nail pierced hands. It was the beauty of Jesus that caused the disciples to drop everything and follow Him. (Matt 4:19) It wasn’t His looks or His charisma that drew them to Him. It was His mystical beauty, the wondrous fragrance of love that emanates from Him and ever consumes those who draw closer and closer as they take on His fragrance and His beauty. (2 Cor 2:14)
The Apostle John was given a prophetic revelation concerning Jesus when an angel visited him while he was exiled on the island of Patmos. (Rev 1) John made a valiant attempt to describe the indescribable of what he saw and experienced with words we could understand. He provided a tiny glimpse into the transcendent glory of Jesus and the Beauty Realm. I have combined various Scripture verses to build a portrait of what John saw. However, the depiction is at best insufficient and severely lacking in its representation but what John is able to describe is just how beautiful beyond description Jesus truly is and how one day soon every Born-Again Christian will “share in the glory to be revealed.” (1 Peter 5:1 NIV)
The Throne Room Of Heaven
Surrounding the great throne of Jesus are “seven gold lampstands”…“with burning flames. They are the seven spirits of God.” (Rev 1:5,12) The glory of Jesus illuminates all of heaven. He is “as brilliant as gemstones--jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow” (Rev 4:3 NLT)
Jesus “is wearing a long robe”…“dipped in blood” (Rev 19:13)… “with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were bright like flames of fire. His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. (Rev 19:15) He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance. (Rev 1:12-16 NLT) “and on his head were many crowns.” (Rev 19:11 NLT) “He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, and a river of fire” pure “water of life, clear as crystal flowed”…“from his presence.” (Dan. 7:9-10; Rev. 22:1 NLT). “Twenty-four thrones” surround Jesus “and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.”.. “Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense--the prayers of God’s people!”.. “And from the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder”. (Rev 4:5-6, 8 NLT)
The “twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God” fall “on their faces” and worship Him saying; "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry with you, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants. You will reward your prophets and your holy people, all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. And you will destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth." (Rev 11:15-18 NLT)
Around the throne and the twenty-four elders are “four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.”…“each having six wings”…“The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.” (Rev 4:6-8 NKJV) “Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they flew.” (Isa 6:2 NLT)
The four living creatures “Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty--the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come." (Rev 4:8 NKJV) Whenever the living creatures “give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one who lives forever and ever. And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, "You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created." (Rev 4:1-11 NLT)
As the twenty-four fall down in worship they sing a new song; "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become God’s Kingdom and his priests. And they will reign on the earth." (Rev 5:9-10 NLT)
Throughout eternity, as Jesus continually reveals more of His transcendent beauty, the mighty Seraphim call to one another; "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." (Isa 6:1-5 NIV) Millions upon million of angels surrounding the throne sing in a mighty chorus: "The Lamb is worthy--the Lamb who was killed. He is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing." (Rev 5:11-12 NLT)
Those who have accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior appear as “a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language,” and stand “in front of the throne and before the Lamb.” They are “clothed in white” and hold “palm branches in their hands,” shouting "Salvation comes from our God on the throne and from the Lamb!" All the angels stand “around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings” and then fall “face down before the throne” worshipping Jesus, saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and forever. Amen!" (Rev 7:9-12 NLT) Every created being “in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea” sing out: "Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever." “And the four living beings said, "Amen”. (Rev 5:13-14 NLT)
In front of the throne is a “shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal”…mixed with fire” And on it stands “all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them. And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your actions, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed." (Rev 4:6; 15:2-4 NLT)
The huge crowd shouts out, sounding like “the roar of mighty ocean waves, or the crash of loud thunder: "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and honor him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself…" (Rev 19:4-9 NLT)
The Beauty Realm Of God
The Prophets Daniel and Isaiah were also given a glimpse into the beauty realm of the Beautiful God. It so overwhelmed Isaiah that he cried out, "Woe to me!"…"I am ruined!” (Isa 6:5 NIV) The breathtaking beauty of God ruined him forever. He could no longer be content with what the world had to offer. Any Christian who seeks after God with their entire being will also be ruined forever as they will take on the beautiful “fragrance of Christ” (2 Cor 2:15 NKJV) and become His reflection. The cares of the world and what it offers just won’t mean that much anymore because they will finally understand their true destiny; to “dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (Ps 27:4 NIV)
