“O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God.'” Isaiah 40:9
It was Charles Wesley, in one of his great hymns, who wrote: “BEHOLD Him, all ye that pass by, The bleeding Prince of life and peace! Come, sinners, see your Saviour die, And say, ‘Was ever grief like His?’ Come, feel with me His blood applied: My Lord, my Love, is crucified.” Here is the call for the sinner to look upon the bleeding, dying Lamb, crucified on Calvary. To the world, he was a shame and scandal. To the believers in God, in Christ, believing Him to be the only, and promised Savior of the world, looking at His suffering and then death, their personal loss of Him was unspeakable hopelessness. Their King had been crucified by the very sinners He had come to save, and nothing would be more final than death. Where would hope come from? It would come from beholding Christ not only dying for the sins of the sinner, to save that which was lost, and set up His kingdom in the hearts and minds of men, but faith would begin to take its flight with the revelation that He had risen from the grave, that He was alive, that He had conquered death’ grip, sin’s destructive and downward pull, and ill-conceived, devised efforts and plan of Satan. His resurrection, and the consequent revelation, or manifestation of His Overcoming, Victorious, and Eternal Life, was the great declaration that His work was done, and hope was more than restored. Not only had an incalculable price been paid to redeem the sinner from the slave-market, and destiny which accompanies the unpaid wages of sin, but He had declared by His resurrection, that He had come, in the fulness of His strength and power, to dwell in the hearts of men. He came not to give them a better life, though that would certainly be the result, but to deliver them from every enemy, eventually, making them perfect in Him, and acceptable to the Father. The first “beholding” of the slain Lamb of God causes us to realize what it cost Him, the Father and the Spirit, to save a single lost soul. The second “beholding,” of the risen Christ, is that which restores hope in the face of every enemy, for He has overcome all. To those who have put their trust entirely in Him to save from sin, and to give new life, the vision is not only one of inspiration, but a proclamation of the absolute commitment by God that He had come to live forever in the heart, bringing about a salvation from within.
There is another important moment of “BEHOLDING” Christ. It is that time when He comes again as the victorious Lord and King. Isaiah, though perhaps not speaking directly of Christ’s second coming from heaven, certainly was referring to the context, manner, and purpose of this coming. Isaiah would write: “Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.” (Is. 40:10) In the book of Revelation, John the Apostle writes so vividly concerning this second coming. “And I saw heaven opened, and BEHOLD, a white horse, and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war.” (Rev. 19:11) This vision of Christ seemingly has nothing to do with that vision of Him on the cross of Calvary, in utter weakness, rejection, and suffering, whose life was brought to an end, though His work was finished in its entirety. This last vision also does not seem to compare with Christ’s appearing after the resurrection in the presence of His disciples while doors were closed, or to those disciples who were women, who loved Him, who heard His voice graciously calling their names. The third vision of Christ unveils, declares, and confirms, the absolute Kingship and Lordship of Christ.
Dear Father, Help us to BEHOLD. In Jesus’ name, Amen.