Psalms 111:2

God’s works reveal God to us. As we seek out, inquire of, investigate, and carefully study God’s works we will come to rejoice in the glory of God. Such study can never be merely academic. Rather, it is like the investigation of an archeologist who is compelled and captivated by solving an ancient mystery. It is like Indiana Jones risking all to lay hold of a golden treasure. Careful inquiry into the works of God is a doorway to beholding the awesome glory and beautiful wonders of God Himself. God’s works exist for this very reason, to make known His power, His righteousness, His grace, His compassion, His holiness, His justice and His truth. As we examine His works we come to discover Him, and O what an overwhelming delight, to discover the living God!

The range of God’s works is astounding. Everything that exists is a result of God working. He displays Himself both in small works, like providing food for those who needed to it, to great works like establishing and removing nations, and redeeming mankind on the cross. If my eyes are open, I can observe God’s works all around me every day, for the heavens continually declare His works (Psalm 19:1). Therefore I can study God’s wonders by observing both ordinary things, and by contemplating great things. Ordinary things, like how my wife’s chickens move me to feed them by their persistent pecking at the basement window. When I consider such a small thing, viewing it as a work of God, God reveals to me how much more He is inclined to feed me, especially as I peck at His window persistently declaring my hunger for Him. And great things – like how the glorious day of Lord will be a day of unprecedented violence, as the armies of the Lord overrun the wicked thus displaying His soul-shattering, heart-stopping works of justice.

Splendid and majestic are His works; Holy and awesome is His name.

Father, open my eyes to your works. Cause me to delight in studying them because as I examine them carefully, I see you more clearly. Let my mind inform my heart of all your wonders and let my heart rejoice and praise your name forever. Amen.

There are three things that caught my attention in this passage. One, the description of God’s beauty is the effective means of opening the eyes to sin. Two, when we see our sin in contrast to the beauty of Lord there should be a corresponding feeling of shame for our worthless deeds. And three, the fullness of God’s beauty and the details of his plans are withheld and conditioned upon our repentance from iniquity.

1. The description of God’s beauty is the effective means of opening the eyes to sin.
Ezekiel was not told to directly rebuke Israel for their sin. Rather he was told to describe the temple. The description of the beauty of the temple was to cause Israel to see the shame of their misdeeds. My application of this is to consider how I can describe the beauty of the Lord as a means of evangelism, teaching, and preaching the gospel of Christ. A rich, full, accurate description of the beauty of my God will be far more potent to open eyes than simply recounting or pointing out the failings of sin.

2. I should feel shame over my sin. Our culture is so against shame that we can’t imagine God would want us to ever feel ashamed about anything. However, it would be inconsistent with the awesome beauty of our God, if the disgusting corruption of our flesh did not cause a corresponding, true, appropriate, and genuine shame and disgust over our sin. Of course God does not intend for us to remain in shame, but rather to be our redeemer, moving us from shame to an overwhelming delight in his mercy, and ultimate joy in trading our sin for Christ’s righteousness. But I think that in, as much as I quickly pass over the shame of my iniquity, I might be experiencing God’s mercy in a superficial way.

3. The details of God’s beauty are only described to the repentant. Jesus’ warning not to cast pearls before swine may be relevant to this point. The deepest truths, the most vivid details of God’s glory are ultimately only for those who have tasted His goodness, repented of their sins, and hear and heed the fullness of the gospel. These pearls are hidden from the eyes of unbelievers, and even when they get a glimpse of them, they see them as foolish, wrong, or twisted. This is because there is a veil over their eyes, which keeps them from seeing the twisted nature of their own hearts. But if we see the beauty of the Lord, and turn from our shameful sins; when we hear the details of God’s glory, we come to love and cherish them in all their radiance as they are displayed in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Lord please let me always behold the beauty of Christ, let me see my shameful ways and despise them. Let me value your grace and mercy as it is displayed in Christ, and please bless me with an appreciation and enjoyment of every detail and aspect of your glory as it has been revealed in your Word. In Jesus name I ask this. Amen.