"Truly, YOU Are A GOD Who Hides YOURSELF!"

In one vast blaze of unobscured glory!
(John MacDuff, "The Promised Land" 1859)

"Your eyes shall see the King 
in HIS beauty!" Isaiah 33:17

To see the SAVIOR as HE is, in 
the splendors of HIS glorified humanity--
is the highest and most attractive view 
which is given of the Heavenly world. 

To see HIM as HE was, when
HE tabernacled here below--
was a high privilege, one which
prophets, and kings, and righteous
men of old, ardently desired.

But to behold HIM. . .
  clothed with majesty divine,
  exalted above all blessing and praise,
  the object of celestial adoration,
  with all the heavenly hosts prostrate
before His throne--
that will be a blessed sight indeed!

Between the view that is enjoyed
of the Redeemer's glory on earth,
and that which is realized by
the redeemed in Heaven--
there is a threefold distinction:

In the first place, HIS glory, as
seen here, is dark and obscure--
but in Heaven it is clear and unclouded. 

The apostle speaks of our beholding HIM 
now imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror. 
It is by means of certain indistinct mediums, 
such as the representations of HIS word 
and  ordinances; but HE will be seen 
above, face to face!

In the second place, HIS glory is beheld here, 
only in separate parts and portions. The things 
recorded of HIM in the sacred writings are studied 
one by one, and, by comparing them together, 
we form a general estimate of HIS character. 

In some passages, we have an account 
of HIS person; in others, of HIS offices; 
in others, of HIS love or mercy. And it is by 
collecting these scattered fragments together, 
that our knowledge of HIM is now obtained.

So it was with the spouse in the book

of Canticles. She examined every part

of HIS person by itself:

 HIS head was as fine gold;

 HIS cheeks were as a bed of spices;

 HIS lips were like lilies dropping sweet-smelling myrrh;

 HIS countenance was as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

And after having glanced 

at these several particulars--

she comes to the conclusion that,

"HE is the chief among ten 
thousand, and altogether lovely!" 
(Song of Solomon 5:10b, 16b)

It is thus that the SAVIOR is seen here 
on earth; but how will it be in Heaven?
We shall see HIM all at once--
complete and entire, in one vast 
blaze of unobscured glory!

And, in the third place, the view we have 

of CHRIST on earth is only in occasional 

glances. There are seasons in the experience 

of every believer when he has to say with Job, 

"Behold I go forward--
but HE is not there; and backward--
but I cannot perceive HIM!"  (Job 23:8)

Or in the language of the prophet,

 "Truly, YOU are a GOD who hides 
YOURSELF!" (Isaiah 45:15)

But, precious truth! the vision in Heaven 

will be perpetual; it will be altogether 

unbroken and undisturbed. 

"YOUR sun shall no more go down, neither 
shall your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD 
shall be your everlasting light, and the days 
of your mourning shall be ended!" (Isaiah 60:20)

Blessed JESUS! reveal YOURSELF even now, 

according to YOUR promise, to my waiting soul; 

be it mine to enter in some feeble measure, 

into the feelings of YOUR disciples of old, 

when they said, 

"We beheld HIS glory, the glory as 
of the only begotten of the FATHER, 
full of grace and truth!" (John 1:14c) 

And, refreshed, quickened, 

transformed by the sight--

may I be daily looking for, and 

hastening unto, the coming of that 

day when YOUR own prayer, offered 

on the night of YOUR great agony, 

shall be fully answered: 

"FATHER, I want those YOU have given ME--
to be with ME where I am, and to see MY glory--
the glory YOU have given ME because YOU loved 
ME before the creation of the world!"  (John 17:24)

Then shall I know how great YOUR beauty is--

and what it is to be eternally enraptured 

with YOUR charms!

  
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GraceGems has published J.R. Miller's encouraging article, 
"Turning Northward"".