A Truth to Believe

What is God’s beauty?

The beauty of God and the glory of God are inseparable. God's glory is the radiance of his infinite and unique excellence––his holiness. His beauty is the quality and brilliance of his glory that irresistibly evokes pleasure or delight when perceived.

The beauty of the Lord is the quality that describes the splendor, value, worth, and superior quality of God's glory. God is wondrously and fearfully beautiful. He lacks absolutely nothing good or excellent, and he fulfills all that the human heart craves as desirable and lovely (Ps. 73:25).

Creation reflects the beauty of God (Ps. 19:1). Yet, God reveals his beauty supremely in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the "radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Heb. 1:3). In Jesus, God manifests his glory and beauty to captivate the hearts of his people (2 Cor 3:18, 4:6).

God intends that as his people behold him, "the King in his beauty" (Isa. 33:17), not only does it lead to delight in God, but it also leads to hearts overflowing in praise as his people worship him in the splendor of his excellence (Ps. 96:7–9).

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 in his temple (Ps. 27:4).

Something about Living

One day, David's prayer in Psalm 27:4 that he "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 in his temple" will become a reality for all of God's people. We will behold our king in all his beauty.

John tells us in Rev. 22:3–4, "No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads." We will see our king face to face and there will be nothing more desirable, more wonderful, nor more beautiful.

Anne R. Cousin had something to say about this reality in her hymn "The Sands of Time are Sinking." Her original poem had 19 stanzas, but here are a few of the best.

The sands of time are sinking,

The dawn of Heaven breaks,

The summer morn I've sighed for-

The fair, sweet morn awakes:

Dark, dark hath been the midnight,

But dayspring is at hand,

And glory, glory dwelleth

In Immanuel's land.

O Christ, He is the Fountain,

The deep, sweet Well of Love!

The streams of earth I've tasted

More deep I'll drink above:

There to an ocean fullness

His mercy doth expand,

And glory, glory dwelleth

In Immanuel's land.

There the Red Rose of Sharon

Reveals His handsome bloom

He fills the air of Heaven

Sending forth His fresh perfume:

Oh! To behold His beauty,

While by His fragrance fanned,

Where glory-glory dwelleth

In Immanuel's land.

The King there in His beauty,

Without a veil is seen:

It were a well spent journey,

Though seven deaths lay between:

The Lamb with His fair army,

Doth on Mount Zion stand,

And glory-glory dwelleth

In Immanuel's land.

The Bride eyes not her garment,

But her dear Bridegroom's face

I will not gaze at glory

But on my King of Grace.

Not at the crown He giveth

But on His pierced hand;

The Lamb is all the glory

Of Immanuel's land.

A Quote

"It is of the highest spiritual caliber in our sojourn with God to not only grow in sound knowledge of God and the revelation of his plan––that is, growing in 'truth'; and not only to perform more faithfully and reflect in our lives the revelation of his ways and character––that is, growing in 'goodness'; but equally vital, to delight increasingly in God for who he is and for making us partakers through the person and work of Christ of his eternal Triune life––that is, growing in 'beauty.'"

Jonathan King - The Beauty of the Lord

A Resource

If you want a deep dive into the overarching story of the Bible with a focus on God's Kingdom and God as King, check out Thomas Schreiner's The King In His Beauty.