Beyond Our Imagination

“Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.” (Ps 50:2 AV)

Three words intrigue me this morning.  Perfection of beauty.  One wonder how much exposition can be offered for those three words.  Other than word definitions, probably not a whole lot.  How does one explain absolute perfection when there is nothing of comparison for our eyes to see?  The perfection of beauty is that which has no flaw.  Because of the fall of mankind, all of creation is flawed.  There is nothing perfectly beautiful to which we can compare the LORD.  When the psalmist says that God, or heavenly Zion, is the perfection of beauty, we cannot compare it or Him to anything in our material universe.

I watched a video the other day.  It was fifteen gems, more expensive than diamonds.  I cannot recall the names of these gems, but I can remember some of their features.  One gem would change color depending on the type of light that shone through it.  Natural sunlight would cause it to be one color.  Fluorescent light still another.  Incandescent light would produce a third color combination.  This allowed the owner to wear this jewel and match it with certain attire worn at different times of day and in different lighting situations.  There were several gems that were harder than diamonds.  A few of them could not be manufactured.  The only way to possess one was if it came naturally.  I watched in amazement at each one was described in detail.  Yet, they all had one thing in common.  Rarity.  They were all extremely rare.  One gem had only two large enough to cut.  That would be two; world-wide.  These two gems were no more than a carrot apiece.  All other specimens were very tiny.  It wasn’t particularly stunning.  I believe it was purple or blue.  But it was very rare.  The price of such a gem was beyond just a handful of perspective buyers.  They were priceless.  Diamonds fascinate me.  Clarity and colour is what strikes me as particularly attractive.  The more pure they are, the more I am attracted to them.  The purer they are, the more stunning to my eye they are.  There is something about perfection that is hugely attractive to me.

When we see new Zion and the LORD Jesus Christ sitting on His throne, all the gems in the world will seem like common pebbles.  That is the understanding of perfection of beauty.  Everything God created has been touched by man’s sin.  But not New Jerusalem.  This heavenly city is free from sin and that which defiles.  God refuses to allow anything that defiles to entire its confines.  We cannot even imagine what this might look like other than to imagine the most perfect of all things purified to perfection.  Like that priceless diamond that has clarity beyond any natural observation, perfection of beauty finds what little imperfection that might be and removes it.  To say that God is the perfection of beauty is such an incomparable statement it must be accepted.  It cannot be fully understood nor appreciated until that day when we shall see Him in all His glory!  What a day that will be!