To be honest…
With the current state of our world, it often seems very difficult to see the beauty of God in it.
Whether it be racism, in-tolerance, sexism, in-equality, death, rape, murder, kidnappings, poverty..
In a world, where these things are still prominent, it’s easy for us to dismiss the presence of God in the midst of the chaos.
Ironically, scriptures like Psalm 8:1 speaks of the fact that the name of the LORD is majestic in all the earth.
The only question that comes to mind when I read such a verse is…how?
How is the name of the LORD displayed as majestic (beautiful) in a world full of corruption?
Thankfully, our answer comes directly from Psalm 8.
1. The Testimonies of Mankind
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
Psalm 8:2
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger
God’s strength is established through the testimony/ confession of individuals.
In other words, the glory of God is displayed through the confession of believers…and this is still evident in our day.
Whether this be testimonies of divine healing by which no science can justify, or the profession of faith that occurs when an individual’s heart has been converted through the Gospel.
Through such confessions, enemies of God are silenced.
We see an early example of this in Matthew 21:14-16, when Christ healed the blind and the lame who approached him.
As a result of seeing these miracles, children from the temple cried out…
“Hosanna to the Son of David!” which lead the chief priests and scribes to anger/ annoyance.
They were literally silenced in their accusation of Christ through working of this miracle and the confession of these children. Coincidentally Christ quoted from Psalm 8:2 in Matthew 21:16).
Despite the state of our world, God’s strength is still established through the persistent testimonies of believers. Ultimately, the testimony of many salvations speaks greatly of God’s love, mercy and justice to an underserving people..us.
2. The Heavens
One of the most beautiful canvas’ made visible to the naked eye, are the stars we see shining brightly on a nightly basis.
The thought, that something so massive (as a star) can collaborate with other objects alike to manifest such beauty is puzzling.
The thought that some of these stars are bigger than the Sun (which can fit 1.3 million Earths) is unimaginable.
All in all to say, these facts, among many others makes me strongly question the absence of an intentional Creator.
Interesting enough, the Psalmist has this to say concerning the relation between God and the heavens.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
Psalm 8:3
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
The writer, sums up the complexities of the universe in 5 words.
“the work of your [God’s] fingers”
Notice the choice of words here…
The WORK (not works) of God’s fingers.
Humans have studied for centuries what God has created with his fingers.
A single work of His majesty.
Sure, humans can paint amazing canvas’ and write deep essays with their fingers..God created the stars.
If that wasn’t enough, God also positioned these stars specifically to where they are.
The thought that the Sun is rightly positioned in such a way to provide sufficient energy to our entire planet without catastrophe for our benefit, is beyond humbling.
His beauty has been made evident to those blessed with eye sight to look up into the skies on a daily basis.
3. Mankind & God’s Mindfulness
what is man that you are mindful of him,
Psalm 8:4 ESV
and the son of man that you care for him?
Consider the immeasurable size of the universe and all living creatures.
With that in mind, consider the attention to detail God has given to us humans.
According to Genesis 1:26-27 we are the the only part of creation that were made in God’s image.
It could’ve been anything else, but God chose to create us in this way.
The reason we look the way we do, is because of God.
The reason we think the way we do, is because of God.
The reason we are intellectually superior to all other forms of creation on Earth, is because of God.
These, among many others, are a constant reminder of God’s mindfulness and care towards us.
This is yet another display of His beauty throughout the earth.
4. The Dominion of Mankind
5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
Psalm 8:5-8 ESV
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
Personally, one of the most fascinating things to me about earth is the superiority that God has given mankind over all living things.
I’ve often thought to myself, what if God had provided this level of dominion to large animals?
What if Lions, Whales, Elephants and/ or Gorillas were superior to humans?
The shear thought both fascinates and terrifies me. I believe this is why movies such as “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” captivates our attention.
On the other hand, the fact that we have been giving the responsibility to literally manage the work of God on earth is equally mind boggling.
We are by no means the strongest of God’s creation physically.
Yet, all other forms of life are subject to the authority of mankind, due to the dominion that God has given us.
We see this practically today in the authority we possess over all wildlife, whether that be for farming purposes, consumption, companionship, human aid, etc.
For better or worse, God in His wisdom has given us the authority to exercise power over all living creatures.
Despite the vastness of the universe, God chose us to rule over the living creatures which He also created.
This superiority is not for us to boast in, but rather a gift of God, to display his magnificence in our dominion of the world.
Concluding Thoughts
Going back to the original question…
How is the name of the LORD displayed as majestic (beautiful) in a world full of corruption?
- Through the testimonies of mankind
- The heavens
- Mankind and God’s mindfulness of them
- The Dominion of mankind
These 4 points just scratch the surface of God’s magnificence, but should give you every cause to rejoice in his glory
With that being said,as we embark on a new year….
Dear Believer,
Remind yourself of these 4 promises when the world attempts to steal the joy regarding the truth of God’s beauty. Yes, Christ will return and one day make it perfect, but God’s beauty is still very evident in it today.
Dear non-believer,
Know that God will continue to display his majesty throughout the world. My prayer is that your marvel would not end with these majestic works but rather to Him, who formed all these things to be. Appreciation for the beauty of the universe cannot redeem you into relationship with its Creator. This is only possible by placing your faith in Jesus Christ.
Happy New Year
Soli Deo Gloria 