“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation.” Isaiah 51:7
Dear Ones:
That which is “beautiful” to God may not be that which is so for man. The reason is because of the worth of it in God’s sight, and the blessed, and good effect, that it can, and will have on the recipient. In the case of “good tidings,” they are beautiful because this news, and these truths of the Gospel, are the very extension of the beauty of Christ. That which has its origin in God is good by its very essence. The effect of that goodness is seen by the power it possesses to change lives. The fact that these beautiful feet are upon the mountains speaks of where the “good tidings” are brought, everywhere, even to the heights, and depths, of man’s habitation. That which is so dominant in the consideration of this glorious endeavor of bringing good tidings, is the the NATURE of the message, and the specific effect that it accomplishes. The fruits of this proclaimed message, because of the goodness of God permeating the message, and the commitment of God to use the truths therein to save, are revealed by the peace that God gives to the heart. It is a message of salvation, whereby lost man, can be not only found, but delivered from every enemy. The central truth of this Gospel is that God reigns. Christ is King and Lord. It is by His authority and power, His wisdom and love, that this message is committed to those whose feet will carry it to the ends of the earth, in the hope and expectation, that its proclamation and publication will result in many souls coming to know Christ, by the power of God.
Where does the message of these “good tidings” begin? For mankind, it began at the creation of the world, primarily, at the creation of man. The goodness of God filled His creation, and was freely revealed by His glory, His presence. The manifestation of that goodness was disrupted and distorted by man’s sin. God never ceased to be good, nor desire that the greatest manifestation of that goodness should be revealed in and through His creation. But sin caused man to flee the holy goodness of God, fearing the very God who had made him good. The goodness of the gospel, which was preached to Abraham, then proclaimed by the prophets, was the call of God to bring man back to a place in his heart and mind where he could again recognize the goodness of God, and live in the reality of it. But how would man recognize the goodness of God with a darkened heart? It would begin by the quiet revelation of God, by the Spirit, through His creation, However, there would come a day, after hundreds and thousands of years, when God the Father would bring forth the Messiah, the perfect revelation of His goodness. He would come to reveal the absolute goodness of God, the love of God, with a message by which man could know the power of God, and His saving strength. God would choose to meet man in the depths of his “lostness” by first revealing to him the truth, the truth which would lead him to Christ. Those truths, by which a person could know the peace of God, and His saving strength through Christ, were the good tidings of which Isaiah spoke. It was good news because its essence was, and is, good. The fruit of God’s working, according to those truths, would bring about a knowledge of God’s goodness in the heart.
God in His goodness has provided a good and certain way for lost man to know the Creator and Redeemer. Not only has the God who is good, provided a message of truths declaring His goodness, but the power of His goodness to lead men to repentance. (Romans 2:4)
Dear Father, Give us to have feet that are beautiful, carrying us wherever You send, to proclaim the good tidings to those deprived of the knowledge of Thee. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad