And They Saw

It might be said that the most crucial component of faith is that it sees. After all, as Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is more than wishful thinking. Faith is spiritual eyesight. The god of this world, however, works overtime to blind our vision of the eternal glories and realities of God Almighty (2 Corinthians 4:4).

I stumbled across a verse that I’ve probably read dozens of times by now, but this time it smote my heart with an earnest desire for the same. In Exodus 24:10, we read of Moses and the 70 elders of Israel, “And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.” They saw the God of Israel. That simple statement, followed by the description of His throne, ought to pierce our hearts with conviction, for we treasure so many earthly things when held before us-through the evidence of Creation, the truth of God’s Word, and the inner light of our conscience-is the surpassing glory and worth of Jesus Christ (i.e. the God of Israel made flesh).

Have I seen? Do I want to see? Is my spiritual eyesight fixed on the temporal vapors of earthly achievements and pleasures? The Elders of Israel were blessed to behold God; yet, given unto us is the Gospel of that same God, embodied in the body of Jesus. Have I seen Christ crucified, risen, ascended, ruling, reigning, and empowering His saints? Do I walk by mere earthly sight, relying upon my five senses to guide me through this life? Or do I walk by faith in the unseen, yet–as Lewis would point out–more real reality of Christ?

Faith walks moment by moment in the brilliance of the light of Christ’s countenance. The Elders of Israel had a moment where they could glimpse God face to face, as it were. Yet, the eyes of a believing soul has eternity stamped upon them. I do not want to live any longer without a vision of God’s surpassing worth being a constant radiance blinding me to all else. As the old hymn cries, “Be thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart!”

*****As a bonus study, I’d highly recommend going here, and reading through these passages where people throughout the Bible “saw it.” It is a powerful, convicting, and inspiring meditation.