The Beauty of the Lord

Why Should We Care About Beauty?

Beauty has become a chance commodity in our age.

It’s relative

We’re too lazy to cultivate a sense of taste.

It’s for those who have the time to be refined

Classism

It doesn’t really matter

The world’s too ugly to be appreciated.

As Christians, we have often surrendered to kitsch as our only response to the secular concept of beauty.

Roger Scruton: “Kitsch is fake art, expressing fake emotions, whose purpose is to deceive the consumer into thinking he feels something deep and serious.”

Thomas Kinkade: “I like to portray a world without the Fall.”

I like to portray a world without the Fall.

Art as escapism

The definition of beauty is not something hanging in the balance for us to answer.

It apprehends our senses in and of itself.

The question is not the quality itself;

Our aim is to cultivate a heightened appreciation for it so that it might be properly cherished in all of its worth.

We need to depict the world as it is, with the beauty of God in the midst of it all.

The importance of redemptive history as “theodrama” (Hans Urs von Balthasar)

Beauty is a central concern God’s self-disclosure to us in Scripture for three reasons:

1. It’s central to who God wills Himself to be.

2. It’s central to who humanity must be.

3. It’s central to what Christ has done and has yet to do.

4. It’s central

1. It’s central to who God wills Himself to be.

God’s first revelation of himself is as an artist ()

“Good” is repeated throughout the creation narrative, but it is not until humanity is created that God declares it to be “very good indeed” (v. 31).

Fittingness in God’s ordering of the world

The excellency of God himself is the grounding for beauty.

Christian Standard Bible Psalm 27

I have asked one thing from the LORD;

it is what I desire:

to dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

gazing on the beauty of the LORD

and seeking him in his temple.

I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple. ()

I have asked one thing from the Lord;

Beauty as presence

it is what I desire:

God is the greatest good

to dwell in the house of the Lord

The Transcendentals

To be unified in our earthly pursuits by finding their origin in God himself

all the days of my life,

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge. There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. Their message has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming from his home; it rejoices like an athlete running a course. It rises from one end of the heavens and circles to their other end; nothing is hidden from its heat. The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are reliable and altogether righteous. They are more desirable than gold—than an abundance of pure gold; and sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb. In addition, your servant is warned by them, and in keeping them there is an abundant reward ().

The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands.

The beauty of God in Christ

2 Day after day they pour out speech;

night after night they communicate knowledge.

3 There is no speech; there are no words;

their voice is not heard.

4 Their message has gone out to the whole earth,

and their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun.

5 It is like a bridegroom coming from his home;

it rejoices like an athlete running a course.

Extolling the wonders of God is the true source of worship.

6 It rises from one end of the heavens

and circles to their other end;

nothing is hidden from its heat.

7 The instruction of the Lord is perfect,

Extolling the wonders of God is the true source of worship.

gazing on the beauty of the Lord

renewing one’s life;

the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,

making the inexperienced wise.

8 The precepts of the Lord are right,

making the heart glad;

the command of the Lord is radiant,

making the eyes light up.

9 The fear of the Lord is pure,

enduring forever;

Our appreciation for the world is ultimately an admiration for the attributes of

the ordinances of the Lord are reliable

and altogether righteous.

10 They are more desirable than gold—

than an abundance of pure gold;

and sweeter than honey

dripping from a honeycomb.

11 In addition, your servant is warned by them,

and in keeping them there is an abundant reward.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Extolling the wonders of God is the true source of worship.

Because we are held captive to his beauty, we won’t be at rest until we see it encompass all of our undertakings in this world.

and seeking him in his temple.

The beatific vision

2. It’s central to who humanity must be.

()

Humanity is quick to imitate our creator

Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. 18 Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the nomadic herdsmen. 21 His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute. 22 Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.

Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the nomadic herdsmen. His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute. Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah. ().

We inherently desire to wrest beauty from within the chaos of creation.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). ().

To create havoc is one the most fundamental expressions of the sinful condition.

To bring order is a hallmark of redemption.

Things don’t have to have immediate utility to be worth something to us.

God has equipped us through the very power of His Spirit to reflect his ingenuity in creation.

Have your brother Aaron, with his sons, come to you from the Israelites to serve me as priest—Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty. You are to instruct all the skilled artisans, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s garments for consecrating him to serve me as priest ().

God has equipped us through the very power of His Spirit to reflect his ingenuity in creation.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.God has equipped us through the very power of His Spirit to reflect his ingenuity in creation.

Moses then said to the Israelites: “Look, the Lord has appointed by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 31 He has filled him with God’s Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every kind of craft 32 to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, 33 to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every kind of artistic craft. 34 He has also given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all the work of a gem cutter; a designer; an embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen; and a weaver. They can do every kind of craft and design artistic designs.

Moses then said to the Israelites: “Look, the Lord has appointed by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. He has filled him with God’s Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every kind of craft to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every kind of artistic craft. He has also given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all the work of a gem cutter; a designer; an embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen; and a weaver. They can do every kind of craft and design artistic designs ().

God, not man’s innate abilities,

We cannot suppress our desire to create. All that is left up to us is the purpose of our craft.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). ().

God, not man’s innate abilities, is the ultimate source of bringing eternal glory

The nature of the task itself does not matter so much as our motivations behind it.

Our homes

Our communities

Our nation

A longing for beauty does not devolve into materialism when it is understood to flow from the goodness of the Creator himself.

C.S. Lewis: “There is no good trying to be more spiritual than God.God never meant man to be a purely spiritual creature. That is why He uses material things like bread and wine to put the new life into us. We may think this rather crude and unspiritual. God does not: He invented eating. He likes matter. He invented it.”

The particulars of creation aren’t the problem; we are.

3. It’s central to what Christ has done and has yet to do.

To beautify the world

Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely. When you make him a guilt offering, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished. After his anguish, he will see light and be satisfied. By his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many, and he will carry their iniquities. Therefore I will give him the many as a portion, and he will receive the mighty as spoil, because he willingly submitted to death, and was counted among the rebels; yet he bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels ().

Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely.,d

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 53

Yet the LORD was pleased to crush him severely.,d

When you make him a guilt offering,

he will see his seed, he will prolong his days,

and by his hand, the LORD’s pleasure will be accomplished.

11 After his anguish, he will see light and be satisfied.

By his knowledge,

my righteous servant will justify many,

and he will carry their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him the many as a portion,

and he will receive the mighty as spoil,

because he willingly submitted to death,

and was counted among the rebels;

yet he bore the sin of many

and interceded for the rebels.

The purpose of the atonement is so that the cherished fellowship with God that was lost might be restored, making the grueling cost of achieving it to be a worthy cause according to Christ.

When you make him a guilt offering,

Creation itself is transformed through Christ

he will see his seed, he will prolong his days,

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 28

“Have your brother Aaron, with his sons, come to you from the Israelites to serve me as priest—Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty. 3 You are to instruct all the skilled artisans,,g whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s garments for consecrating him to serve me as priest.

St. John of Damascus: “I do not venerate matter, I venerate the fashioner of matter, who became matter for my sake, and in matter made his abode, and through matter worked my salvation. ‘For the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.

We are embodied creatures who are inextricably linked with the world around us and simultaneously in relationship with the God who fashioned it with his voice.

11 After his anguish, he will see light and be satisfied.

By his knowledge,

Beauty is eschatological.

my righteous servant will justify many,

“Your eyes will see the King in his beauty; you will see a vast land. Your mind will meditate on the past terror: ‘Where is the accountant? Where is the tribute collector? Where is the one who spied out our defenses?’ You will no longer see the barbarians, a people whose speech is difficult to comprehend—who stammer in a language that is not understood. Look at Zion, the city of our festival times. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture, a tent that does not wander; its tent pegs will not be pulled up nor will any of its cords be loosened. For the majestic one, our Lord, will be there, a place of rivers and broad streams where ships that are rowed will not go, and majestic vessels will not pass. For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King. He will save us” ().

Your eyes will see the King in his beauty;

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 33

Your eyes will see the King in his beauty;

you will see a vast land.

18 Your mind will meditate on the past terror:

“Where is the accountant?

Where is the tribute collector?

Where is the one who spied out our defenses?”

19 You will no longer see the barbarians,

a people whose speech is difficult to comprehend—

who stammer in a language that is not understood.

20 Look at Zion, the city of our festival times.

Your eyes will see Jerusalem,

a peaceful pasture, a tent that does not wander;

its tent pegs will not be pulled up

nor will any of its cords be loosened.

21 For the majestic one, our LORD, will be there,

a place of rivers and broad streams

where ships that are rowed will not go,

and majestic vessels will not pass.

22 For the LORD is our Judge,

the LORD is our Lawgiver,

the LORD is our King.

He will save us.

The Lord is coming to restore harmony to a world longing for beauty to be revealed forevermore.

and he will carry their iniquities.

you will see a vast land.

18 Your mind will meditate on the past terror:

12 Therefore I will give him the many as a portion,

Conclusion

and he will receive the mighty as spoil,

“Where is the accountant?

Beauty has to be one of the primary means through which we not only express our spirituality but also establish its importance in our lives.

because he willingly submitted to death,

Where is the tribute collector?

The Christian view of beauty is one of the most powerful apologetics available to us.

Where is the one who spied out our defenses?”

and was counted among the rebels;

We all have the irrepressible desire to create, regardless of whatever our professional obligations might entail.

19 You will no longer see the barbarians,

yet he bore the sin of many

Don’t be satisfied with art that comes easily for the sake of a comforting message alone.

a people whose speech is difficult to comprehend—

and interceded for the rebels.

who stammer in a language that is not understood.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

There is beauty to be found in brokenness.

20 Look at Zion, the city of our festival times.

Your eyes will see Jerusalem,

a peaceful pasture, a tent that does not wander;

its tent pegs will not be pulled up

nor will any of its cords be loosened.

21 For the majestic one, our Lord, will be there,

a place of rivers and broad streams

where ships that are rowed will not go,

and majestic vessels will not pass.

22 For the Lord is our Judge,

the Lord is our Lawgiver,

the Lord is our King.

He will save us.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.