How marvelous the above picture is. At first, my eyes were drawn to that beautiful sky, with the presentation of what appears to be the milky way galaxy. Such colors and serene beauty is marvelous to behold! As I continued viewing this beauty, what struck me next was the contrast between the light of the heavenly display and the darkness of the surroundings of the man with outstretched arms. Such a pose tells me that he is in awe of the sight before him. With good reason, for when one contemplates the heavens in all their immense complexity and beauty it inspires AWE. For the heavens are just a slight reflection of the glory of our magnificent creator and in truth it is beyond mere mortals to understand the totally of Almighty God.
As I was writing these things, I thought of two passages of Scripture which seemed to come to the forefront of my thinking. They are:
Psalm 8 ( World English Bible )
1 For the Chief Musician; on an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by David. Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth, who has set your glory above the heavens! ( Emphasis – GDR )
2 From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength, because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained;
4 what is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him?
5 For you have made him a little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and cattle, yes, and the animals of the field,
8 The birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
9 Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
1 Corinthians 15 ( World English Bible )
35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised?” and, “With what kind of body do they come?”
36 You foolish one, that which you yourself sow is not made alive unless it dies.
37 That which you sow, you don’t sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, maybe of wheat, or of some other kind.
38 But God gives it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.
40 There are also celestial bodies, and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial.
41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. ( emphasis – GDR )
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption.
43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is also a spiritual body.
45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 However that which is spiritual isn’t first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the one made of dust, such are those who are also made of dust; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 As we have borne the image of those made of dust, let’s also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can’t inherit the Kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 But when this corruptible will have put on incorruption, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Just for a moment once again consider the picture at the top. The heavens on display reflect the glory of God, but what of the man? Notice that shadow; it is the earthly reflection of a human being. What a contrast between the glory of God and the glory of human beings. Yet God sent Jesus to free us from sin and provide a way that our glory can be transformed into a new spiritual glory which will last forever. Death is defeated, true glory awaits and the victory is all because of Jesus. Today, give thanks to God for what HE has done for us ( see verse 57 above )!