October 20

"Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty." Isaiah 33:17.

WHAT was the sight of Hezekiah, released from his affliction, and appearing cheerfully in his royal robes to his subjects after the destruction of the Assyrian army, compared with another sight. "We see Jesus, who, for the suffering of death, was crowned with glory and honor." Some, in the days of his flesh, with their bodily eyes beheld his glory. And perhaps we are ready to envy them the privilege. But this sight of him was not accompanied with salvation. "Ye also," said he, "have seen me, and believed not;" and to those who were then before him he complained, "Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life."

On the other hand, there is a substitute for this sight of him, and it is infinitely more available. And he is the subject of it who sees him, not with the eye of the body, but with the eye of the mind; not with the eye of sense, but with the eye of faith. "He that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, hath everlasting life." There is a spiritual perception of him, as much distinguished from common knowledge as the taste of a thing is from the report of it. Thus the apostle says, "It pleased God to reveal his Son in me;" and speaking of all Christians as well as of himself, he adds, "He hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

This sight of the Saviour will be evinced by certain effects. Self will be lowered. What can he think of his own excellences who has been at the court above, and seen the King in his beauty? Self-admiration and self-dependence will then be at an end. "The proud look shall be humbled, and the lofty looks shall be laid low; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day." So it was with Job. "Now mine eye seeth thee: wherefore I abhor myself, repenting in dust and ashes." So it was with Isaiah. "Woe is me, for I am undone; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." The world will fade away and lose its charms. The Sun of righteousness will shine it out, as the luminaries of the night disappear in the effulgence of day. Attachment will result from it. Love enters by the eye. And faith is the same to the soul as this sense is to the body; therefore to them "that believe he is precious." He "dwells in the heart by faith." There will also necessarily arise a desire after more acquaintance and intercourse with him. Thus Paul, not because he was ignorant of him, but because he knew him, said, "That I may know him." There will also be an earnest desire to recommend him to others. As soon as Andrew knew him, he found his brother Simon, and brought him to Jesus. So did Philip his friend Nathanael. And so did the woman of Samaria her fellow-citizens.

This sight of him is a very distinguished privilege. As it is said of his immediate followers, "Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord;" so we, believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. There is enough in him, perceptible to the view of faith, to induce us to rejoice in the Lord always. But how delightful is the sight of him in the hour of conviction. A drowning man, seeing a deliverer in a boat hastening to his assistance; a debtor, on his way to prison, seeing a surety at hand to undertake for him; a man, dying of hunger, seeing the most delicious food—never saw what I saw, when, sensible of my state and danger, and feeling myself ready to perish, my heart revived at the view of such a Saviour, in his suitableness to my condition, in his all-sufficiency for my relief, and I was enabled to hope in his mercy.

How delightful is the sight of him in the hour of desertion. If he withdraws from me, it is not to show his sovereignty, but to correct for sin; and when he hides his face I am troubled. Then creatures are all miserable comforters. Then I sigh, O that it was with me as in months past! Then I pray, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. But when he appears and smiles again, it is more than the joy of morning after a darksome night, or of spring after the dreariness of winter.

How delightful is the sight of him in the hour of trouble. It is then, when our purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of our hearts; when enemies oppose; when friends fail and betray; when health declines—it is then we look towards Him who is the consolation of Israel, and say, "This same shall comfort us," "This man shall be the peace when the Assyrian cometh into the land."

How delightful is the sight of him in the hour of death. It loosened Simeon from all below, and made him more than willing to depart; wishing, now he had seen him, to defile, to vex his eyes with nothing else. And how many have since said,

"Jesus, the vision of thy face Hath overpowering charms: Scarce shall I feel death's cold embrace, If Christ be in my arms!"

Such are the influence and the blessedness of a sight of him by faith here. What, then, is heaven? "His servants shall serve him; and they shall see his face." "Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, to behold my glory." How superior will that sight be to all our present apprehensions of him. It will be clear; it will be ceaseless; it will be uninterrupted; it will be perfect; it will be immediate. Whatever we have read or heard of him before, we shall then exclaim, with the queen of Sheba, at the sight of Solomon, "The half was not told me."