"Your eyes shall see the King in His beauty; They shall see your own land far extended. Your heart shall reflect on the past terror: Where is now the accomptant? where the weigher of tribute? Where is he that numbered the towers? You shall see no more that barbarous people; The people of the deep speech, which you could not hear; And of a stammering tongue, which you could not understand. You shall see Sion, the city of our solemn feasts; Your eyes shall behold Jerusalem, The quiet habitation, the tabernacle unshaken; Whose stakes shall not be plucked up for ever, And whose chords none shall be broken. But the glorious name of Jehovah shall be unto us A place of confluent streams, of broad rivers; Which no oared ship shall pass, Neither shall any mighty vessel go through. For Jehovah is our Judge; Jehovah is our Lawgiver; Jehovah is our King: He shall save us. Your sails are loose; they cannot make them fast: Your mast is not firm; they cannot spread the ensign. Then shall a copious spoil be divided; Even the lame shall seize the prey. Neither shall the inhabitant say, I am disabled with sickness: The people, that dwell therein, is freed from the punishment of their iniquity." (Isaiah 33:17-24,Lowth)
Before studying this lesson, do not fail to read again the first portion of the chapter, and recall the lesson we there learned. The people here addressed are those who are able to dwell with the devouring fire, and amid everlasting burnings. Only those who have been tried as by fire, and have stood the test, so that they can dwell in the fire, can behold Him who is Light itself, and who has His "fire ... in Zion, and His furnace in Jerusalem." (Isaiah 31:9)
The picture here presented is beyond question that of the new earth, after the fire from the Lord has consumed sin and sinners; when only those are left, who can dwell with the consuming fire. It is the time when in all the earth "There shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: And they shall see His face." (Revelation 22:3-4)
They shall see the King in His beauty, and they shall also see the land stretching far to northward and eastward and southward and westward, as God promised to Abraham. "And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now your eyes, and look from the place where you are northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your seed for ever. And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall your seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto you." (Genesis 13:14-17)
The Beauty of the Lord
"And they shall see His face." (Revelation 22:4) "Your eyes shall see the King in His beauty." (Isaiah 33:17)
What is the beauty of the King, that to look upon it should fill up the measure of all happiness and bliss? Let us give it a little study, for when we know it, and can recognize it, we shall find the joy of life, even in this sin-cursed earth, marvellously increased. That the Lord is beautiful, the verse before us states. The prophet Zechariah, seeing in vision the Lord saving His people like a flock, was moved to exclaim, "How great is His goodness, and how great is His beauty!" (Zechariah 9:17)
His goodness and His beauty are linked together, for His beauty is the beauty of holiness. Now the goodness of God is infinite; it is the only goodness that there is in the universe; therefore the beauty of the Lord must be infinite. No tongue can possibly describe it; it must be seen to be appreciated, and seen not for a moment merely, but throughout eternity. "Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary." (Psalm 96:6)
Zion itself, His dwelling place, is "the perfection of beauty." (Psalm 50:2)
Even one of His creatures, the covering cherub that fell, is declared to have been "full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty." (Ezekiel 28:12)
What then must the Creator be? David "the sweet psalmist of Israel," (2 Samuel 23:1) the one by whom the Spirit of the Lord spoke, (2 Samuel 23:2) spoke of the things "touching the King," (Psalm 45:1) and he said, "You are fairer than the children of men; grace is poured into your lips." (Psalm 45:2)
To the psalmist, wonderful revelations of Divine things had been vouchsafed, and so great was his appreciation of the beauty of the Lord that he said, "One thing have I desired 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 behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple." (Psalm 27:5)
To see the beauty of the Lord was his sole desire, and that is to be the reward of the righteous. "The heavens declare the glory of God." (Psalm 19:1)
They tell of His glory by revealing it in their shining; for He has set His glory "upon the heavens." (Psalm 8:1,RV)
Remember that everything exists only by the power of the life of God. All things were created by the Word of God, and the Word is life. "In Him all things consist." (Colossians 1:17) "We are His offspring." (Acts 17:28)
But we are not the only products of His Being. The mountains and hills were "brought forth" by Him who from everlasting to everlasting is God. (Psalm 90:1-2) All are familiar with the term, "brought forth," so that it is scarcely necessary to say that in the Hebrew the word is plainly "born," and several translations have the text, "Before the mountains were born." (Psalm 90:2)
The everlasting power and Divinity of God are clearly seen in the things that are made. "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:20)
The Father impresses His image on His offspring. So, "He has made everything beautiful in its time." (Ecclesiastes 3:11) "He that planted the ear, shall He not hear? He that formed the eye, shall He not see? He that chastises the heathen, shall He not correct? He that teaches man knowledge, shall He not know?" (Psalm 94:9-10)
In like manner we may continue, "He that has clothed the heavens and the earth with beauty, and has made all things beautiful, shall He not be beautiful?"
All these things show us that the beauty that we see in created things is but the reflection or the reproduction of the beauty of the Creator. Just as there is no goodness but from the Lord, so there is no beauty except that which comes from Him.
Take all the varied tints of all the beautiful flowers on earth (remember that, beautiful as they are, they are under the curse, and are but the shadow of what they were in the beginning, and of what they will be in the restoration), and add to these the richness of the meadows and the forest, and to this still the glory of the rainbow, and the dazzling splendor of the clouds kissed by the setting sun; let the telescope reveal to your admiring gaze a few of the star-clusters that shine with light of every color, and remember that when the most powerful telescope and the art of the photographer have revealed to us the presence of countless millions of suns that are invisible to the naked eye, awing us with glimpses of measureless space, "these are but the outskirts of His ways," (Job 26:4,RV) and a very small whisper of His power. Therefore all these things reveal to us only a very small portion of the beauty of the face of the Lord.
Think of all the beauty in earth and sea and the heavens, even the heaven of heavens, concentrated into one single Presence, and you have the measureless measure of the beauty of the Lord. And all this wondrous beauty the saints of God will be privileged to gaze upon, and they will be made able to endure the sight! Truly, the face of God will be enough to satisfy anyone. No wonder the psalmist exclaimed, "As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with your likeness." (Psalm 17:15)
What is the practical benefit of this study? Is it merely to inspire in us a desire to see that glorious sight, and thus stir us up to righteousness? Partly, but that is not by any means all. The chief thing is to let us know the possibilities set before us even in this life, as expressed in the inspired prayer, "Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us." (Psalm 90:17)
If we but allow our hearts to be the sanctuary of the living God, then He that dwells between the cherubim will "[He] that dwells between the cherubims [will] shine forth." (Psalm 80:1) "Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you." (Isaiah 60:1-2)
The beauty of the Lord is the beauty of holiness, (Psalm 29:2; 96:9) and just as He has laid up great goodness for them that trust in Him before the sons of men, (Psalm 31:19) so does He impart to them His beauty. The world will not recognize it, for they did not desire the beauty of the Lord when they saw Him; their standard of beauty is not the Lord's standard; nevertheless the beauty is present whenever righteousness is present; and it is beauty that will never fade. That is the true test of beauty.
By beholding the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, we become changed into the same image, (2 Corinthians 3:18) even in this life, and are thus prepared for the full revelation of the beauty of the world to come, when "the righteous shall shine forth as the sun." (Matthew 13:43)
Even now may we behold the beauty of the Lord, if our eyes are but anointed by the Spirit. In all His works, we may see the shining of His face. "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance." (Psalm 89:15)
So we may ever dwell in the house of the Lord; and ever behold the shining of His glorious face. "Blessed are they that dwell in your house: they will be still praising You." (Psalm 84:4)
Likewise in eternity, the saints, although privileged to roam throughout the entire universe, will always know themselves to be in the Presence of the King, everywhere beholding the beauty of His face. With this truth ever in our minds, we may realize to the full all that is contained in the expression "living near to the Lord."
A Peaceable Habitation
"Your heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers? You shall not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than you can perceive; of a stammering tongue, that you can not understand. Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: your eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken." (Isaiah 33:18-20)
Verses 18-20 make still more plain the fact that the time of which we are now studying is that after the wicked who have surrounded the camp of the saints, and the Beloved City, have been devoured by the fire from heaven. (Revelation 20:9) "Your heart shall reflect on the past terror," (Isaiah 33:18,Lowth) but only to magnify the wondrous power and mercy of the Lord. Where now are those who counted the towers, and who in the madness of wickedness had devoted the holy city to destruction? No more shall they be seen, for they are as though they had not been. Jerusalem, instead of falling a prey to them, as they had planned, will be seen as "the quiet habitation, the tabernacle unshaken: whose stakes shall not be plucked up for ever, and of whose chords none shall be broken." (Isaiah 33:20,Lowth)
The River of God
"But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams." (Isaiah 33:21)
Is this literally true? Most certainly; for "[God is] the Fountain of living waters." (Jeremiah 2:13)
From himself flows the river of water of life--His own life flowing forth for the everlasting refreshment of His people. But this is true now for those who have eyes to see spiritual things, and who know the reality of them. It is from the river of God that this earth is watered. "You visit the earth, and water it: You greatly enrich it with the river of God, which is full of water: You prepare them corn, when You have so provided for it." (Psalm 65:9)
It is full of water, even to overflowing, and never runs dry. The rain that falls from heaven to enrich the earth, is from that river. Consequently the streams of water on this earth are but branches of the same river. In the flowing streams and the waves of the sea we may see the life of God; then will it be no more a mere figure of speech that our peace shall be as a river, and our righteousness as the waves of the sea. (Isaiah 48:18; 66:12) Dwelling in the house of the Lord, we shall constantly see His face, (Revelation 22:4) "and drink of the river of His pleasure." (Psalm 36:8) "Jehovah is our Judge, Jehovah is our lawgiver; Jehovah is our King," (Isaiah 33:22,Lowth) and He is this by right, because He will save us. Only He who can save has the right to give laws, and only to Him should we hearken. Our daily prayer is, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)
That means that we should now regard the Lord as our King just the same as though we were now in heaven. He is the only rightful King; our part is to recognize His right to rule over us. "And the inhabitants shall not say, I am sick," (Isaiah 33:24) or, as Lowth has it, "I am disabled with sickness."
That will be a glorious change from this present state. "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Revelation 21:4)
Why will there be no more sickness in that land? The reason is given in the text: "The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity." (Isaiah 33:24)
God, who forgives all iniquities also heals all diseases, and the healing is because of the forgiveness--a consequence of it. Few people realize the fullness of the blessing of forgiveness, and that is the reason so many Christians say that there is a much higher state in the Christian life than that of justification. They think that to live in the consciousness of sins forgiven is but a trifle compared with the blessings that God has for those who fully trust Him. But to live in the constant knowledge of sins forgiven is the highest possible for any creature. It is to live in fellowship with God. "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)
Our sins are forgiven by the substitution of the righteousness of Christ, which means that it is by God's giving us His life instead of ours. That means a complete transformation. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)
The life of Christ, the stream from the throne of God, constantly flowing through us, and being our sole source of life, takes sin away. But when the Lord gives us His life, He gives us the whole of it. He gives us himself, and He is not divided. Therefore He gives us His health as well as His righteousness.
It is just as easy for the Lord to make a man perfectly whole as to forgive his sins, for it is all done by the same life. Indeed, if we but knew the extent of the gift of the righteousness which takes away sin, we should always take with it the healing of our bodies; it is ours, if we will but receive it.
Why is it that so many people who know the Lord as the One who forgives all their iniquities do not experience the blessings of health? Simply because they do not understand and comply with the conditions. They know that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness," (1 John 1:9) and so they confess their sins, and do not expect to continue them. They would not expect to be forgiven if they were not willing to cease from sinning. Well now, why not be as reasonable with regard to health? There are conditions of life and health. No one would expect the Lord to keep him from being burned, if he persisted in going into the fire. Even so we need not expect the Lord to keep us in health if we continually disregard the laws of health, any more than we should expect forgiveness if we ignored the ten commandments.
God has given us food, drink, air, rest, and clothing, to keep us in health. If we eat and drink only the things that He has indicated as good for us, and in proper measure, allow our lungs the utmost quantity of the purest air, and do not contaminate it with vile tobacco poison, and if we have the right relation between labor and rest, then, trusting in the Lord, we may expect strength sufficient for all our duties, so that even in this life we need not say, "I am disabled with sickness." (Isaiah 33:24,Lowth)
This is practical godliness, which is profitable for this life as well as for that which is to come.--Present Truth, July 6, 1899--Isaiah 33:17-24.