Leviticus 16; Psalm 19; Proverbs 30; 1 Timothy 1
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world . . . . (Psalm 19:1–4)
The blind and hard-hearted say there is no God, yet God is
generous in disclosing Himself. He does it in creation, by His Spirit, through
His Word, in events, even in that we are made in His image. Today Christians celebrate
the most astonishing revelation of God; He became a man, did miracles to prove
that He is God, was crucified for this claim, buried, then rose again — appearing
alive to more than 500 people.
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (Hebrews 1:1–3)
Yesterday I sang “This is my Father’s world . . . .” and looked
out the window at that line, “I hear Him pass in the rustling grass” and
rejoiced at the tall grasses rustling. They declare His presence and the sky
declares His glory:
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun. . . . (Psalm 19:1–4)
How can that be? How can the eye of a sinner who once
rejected God see Him pass, know that He is here with me?
As it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit . . . . (1 Corinthians 2:9–10)
Can I explain this? Not easily. Faith means just knowing. Without faith, I would say
I’m just too dense, yet because of the Spirit of God and the Word of God, I can
also say that I know!
Surely, I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know! (Proverbs 30:2–4)
He made me in His image with the capacity to know Him, a
capacity unlocked by faith in Jesus Christ and the miracle of forgiveness and
new life. This new life is declared by an empty tomb, a risen Savior, a man of
sorrows who went to a cross for me, who went to a grave that I might die to
sin, and who rose from the dead to reveal what He gives to all who place their
faith in Him. Not in our own wisdom. Not in our own goodness (which is like
filthy rags)l. Not in our ideas of how the world came to be. Not in our own
interpretations of the Scriptures. Not in our strange ideas of who Jesus is.
Not in our religious rites and ceremonies. But we live in the One who died and
who is now alive.
He has risen. He has risen indeed!
Joyous Easter!
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