WHEN BEAUTY DIED
Some argue that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There is a certain amount of truth to that statement. However, in our world some use the statement to justify that which is vile and ugly. When you question a piece of art or literature the explanation that is given is that it is all in the eye of the beholder. Here for example are two canvases. On one is a beautiful mountain scene and on the other are several blotches of paint thrown together. I am not being close-minded to art if I tell you the mountain scene is beautiful while the other leaves a lot to be desired.
The world, according to our present media, finds certain things beautiful. A Hollywood star announces she desires to be married to her live in girlfriend. A recording star announces his attention to married to his male friend. Stop and think about these two situations. Is beauty really in the eye of the beholder? When God, through His revealed Word, describes these kinds of lifestyles as being "vile affections", then the beauty is removed regardless of what man thinks (Romans 1:26). My view of beauty is determined by my embracing of the faith of Jesus Christ. In God’s eyes some lifestyles can never be made beautiful.
When God, therefore, uses the word "beauty" it should attract our attention. If we are the disciples (followers) of Christ then we would see things as God sees them, otherwise we are not His. God used the prophet Zechariah to speak about the coming of the Son of God to the earth. God calls His Son, "Beauty" (Zechariah 11:10). In this prophecy God declared what His intentions were regarding His Son. God would cut Him asunder. He would do this for a tremendous object lesson for all those in the future.
He would cut asunder His Son in order that He might bring to an end the covenant He had made with the house of Israel and Judah. Isaiah likewise spoke to the dying of Jesus on the cross (Isaiah 53:5). Again the reference by Zechariah to a fountain being opened up for sin and uncleanness could only point the shedding of the blood of Jesus when He died on the cross. Hence, Jesus, when He instituted the Lord’s supper, put it in language that no one could or should miss. His body would be broken and His blood would be shed for the forgiveness of the sins of man. God then had planned all along the end of the covenant with the Jews. On the cross Jesus took that covenant out of the way (Colossians 2:14,15).
The other staff cited in Zechariah was called "Bands". God cut it asunder to show that He was breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel (Zechariah 11:14). In both cases the great scheme of redemption planned by God would come to fruition in the life and death of Jesus, the Son of God. There would be no longer two nations (breaking the brotherhood) but one new nation composed of Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 3:4-6). It was that mystery of godliness hidden from the eyes of men until the coming of Jesus. In view of this volume of evidence Jesus knew what He was coming to do. He also was aware of the plans that God had set in motion for His rejection by men (Isaiah 53:3).
He came unto His own (the Jews), and they rejected Him (John 1:11). Those who chose to accept the evidence and obeyed Christ, He gave them the right to become the sons of God (John 1:12). It would take several years before man understood the full impact of the plan of God. It was aimed always at the Jews, their children and to all those afar off (Gentiles) (Acts 2:39). If God had not broken or destroyed the covenant with the Jews then they would be able to boast that salvation was from them (Ephesians 2:9). The world is not saved by Jews or Gentiles. Salvation is in the Son of God.
Jesus would tell Nicodemus that God loved us all so much that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). God tore Him asunder to break the covenant and to remove the two nations who saw themselves as the people of God.
How beautiful is our Savior. What a price was paid for our salvation. May we each Lord’s day give thanks to God for the day, "that Beauty died".