A few months ago I was reading Isaiah chapter 11 when I began seeing some things in a new light. I had read this chapter before a few times but failed to see what I saw this last time. Below is my attempt to articulate the beauty of God's holiness that washed over me as I marinated in this scripture. As most things of the spirit, it transcends language because our human language is too small to communicate such realities. But I tried!
Isaiah 11:2 “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD- and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.“He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears…”
Can you see it? I see it anew, afresh, by the Spirit of God, the beauty of righteousness and holiness filling this earth. Can you imagine a world where “no harm is done”? This is the manifest wisdom of God, that by His Spirit working in me, I will always return evil with good. This is the wisdom and power of God, to give double the amount that someone tries to steal from me, to return curses with blessing, and give to all who ask a favor and not turn away in fear or selfishness. His wisdom and righteousness is blindingly beautiful. I want to know, to really know, not in the human intellectual sense, but in the experiential shake-me-to-the-core reality, about the beauty of God’s perfection. Holiness, righteousness. My human mind shrinks back from those words. My fallen "lenses" view God's righteousnes as confining, boring, restricting, deadening even. I could not be further from the truth! Those words have been taking on new meaning for me as the Lord slowly pulls back the veil and I see a spotless lamb walking courageously to the slaughter for love. Jesus Christ, his heart the purest white because he has no guile, no guile in Him. What does it mean not to have guile in you? Oh my! He never, ever, for a second had a demeaning thought about someone. That is holiness. Can you imagine having no accusations in your heart towards anyone? I have a friend who once had a vision on Jesus while in prayer. She wept as she described how he walked among the people in the room, bending down toward each one and interceeding for them. With tears she described how Jesus had absolutely no accusation in him, no criticsm or put-downs. That is holiness.
Jesus never once acted in his own interest, not even once. When called a demon possessed liar, his ego was not bruised. He did not strick back from his wounded pride. Yes, he called a thing what it was because he was Truth in the flesh. He was not weak, no, he was a LION with eyes of molten, liquid love ready to avenge every form of hatred that fills the darkened heart of fallen man. Only a man of peace would react so violently to such evil. Holiness is not a dullness, a boring adherence to a system of rules that leaves one dead and lifeless. Righteousness is what the earth longs for; it is what every trafficked, abused child longs for; it is what every spouse who has been betrayed prays for in the darkness; it is what the massess of starving Africans can only dream about; it is what the outcast, the social reject pines for. Righteousness, justice, peace. And from where does this peace come? From the Spirit of God that rested on Jesus. Jesus was full of the Spirit of God, the spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, and might. This is the wisdom that “comes from above” and brings such peace to the earth that the lion and the lamb will cat nap together. Into the wicked earth comes the True Vine, the "Branch", a planting of the Lord God that will give life to the whole earth until the knowledge of God covers the earth like the waters cover the sea. Do you want in on this?
Isaiah 11:2 “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD- and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.“He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears…”
Can you see it? I see it anew, afresh, by the Spirit of God, the beauty of righteousness and holiness filling this earth. Can you imagine a world where “no harm is done”? This is the manifest wisdom of God, that by His Spirit working in me, I will always return evil with good. This is the wisdom and power of God, to give double the amount that someone tries to steal from me, to return curses with blessing, and give to all who ask a favor and not turn away in fear or selfishness. His wisdom and righteousness is blindingly beautiful. I want to know, to really know, not in the human intellectual sense, but in the experiential shake-me-to-the-core reality, about the beauty of God’s perfection. Holiness, righteousness. My human mind shrinks back from those words. My fallen "lenses" view God's righteousnes as confining, boring, restricting, deadening even. I could not be further from the truth! Those words have been taking on new meaning for me as the Lord slowly pulls back the veil and I see a spotless lamb walking courageously to the slaughter for love. Jesus Christ, his heart the purest white because he has no guile, no guile in Him. What does it mean not to have guile in you? Oh my! He never, ever, for a second had a demeaning thought about someone. That is holiness. Can you imagine having no accusations in your heart towards anyone? I have a friend who once had a vision on Jesus while in prayer. She wept as she described how he walked among the people in the room, bending down toward each one and interceeding for them. With tears she described how Jesus had absolutely no accusation in him, no criticsm or put-downs. That is holiness.
Jesus never once acted in his own interest, not even once. When called a demon possessed liar, his ego was not bruised. He did not strick back from his wounded pride. Yes, he called a thing what it was because he was Truth in the flesh. He was not weak, no, he was a LION with eyes of molten, liquid love ready to avenge every form of hatred that fills the darkened heart of fallen man. Only a man of peace would react so violently to such evil. Holiness is not a dullness, a boring adherence to a system of rules that leaves one dead and lifeless. Righteousness is what the earth longs for; it is what every trafficked, abused child longs for; it is what every spouse who has been betrayed prays for in the darkness; it is what the massess of starving Africans can only dream about; it is what the outcast, the social reject pines for. Righteousness, justice, peace. And from where does this peace come? From the Spirit of God that rested on Jesus. Jesus was full of the Spirit of God, the spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, and might. This is the wisdom that “comes from above” and brings such peace to the earth that the lion and the lamb will cat nap together. Into the wicked earth comes the True Vine, the "Branch", a planting of the Lord God that will give life to the whole earth until the knowledge of God covers the earth like the waters cover the sea. Do you want in on this?
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