The Blessedness of God’s People

Rev. J. Van Haaren (1933-1983)

The natural man, that is, the unconverted man, does not have an eye for the glory of Christ, but it has only been given to those who have been worked upon by the Holy Spirit. He it is that makes place for Christ and opens the eyes to see Christ’s glory. In our text it is written that they may see this glory with an open face. What does that mean? It speaks here about the excellence of the New Testament above that of the Old. Certainly also in the Old Testament the glory of Christ was seen by the true believers, and some were allowed to see much of it. Think only of Isaiah, who in Chapter 53 of his prophecy pictures the glory of Christ in such an exceptional way. However, even though the glory of Christ was seen in the Old Testament, it was veiled in shadows. How much richer and fuller is the New Testament account, for now all the coverings have been removed. God is revealed in the flesh.

In this text there is something else that is considered. Just as Moses put a veil upon his face, so there also lies a veil upon the heart of the unbelieving Jews when they read the Old Testament. That is a judgment upon them, for now they cannot see the glory of Christ. One day it shall be different, for “when they shall be converted unto the Lord, the veil will be taken away.” For us, also, the veil must be taken away because, by nature, we do not have an eye for the glory of Christ no matter how gloriously He may be revealed in the New Testament. What is now the work of the Holy Ghost? He takes away the veil and opens the eye for Christ’s glory so that He becomes precious and necessary.

How is this glory seen? Not directly but indirectly by means of a mirror, and that is the Word of God. In our text it is written that we behold the glory of the Lord as in a mirror. The Word of God is a clear mirror which illustrates the glory of Christ in all its purity. In His Word He reveals Himself in His names, offices, states, natures, and benefits. When the Holy Spirit would reveal the glory of Christ, He always uses the Word of God. Oh, when such people may see the glory of Christ in the mirror of the Word, they cannot get enough of it. Then the prayer rises up in the heart: “Open Thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law.” Do you know that prayer?

As long as God’s children remain upon this earth, they will see the glory of Christ only through the mirror of the law. To see that glory directly would blind them because their eyes are too weak for that. Think only of Paul upon his journey to Damascus when the glorified Christ met him, when he was stricken with blindness. Think also of John on the Isle of Patmos where he fell as dead at His feet, but that which is not possible here below shall one day take place, namely, when the time of the perfection shall begin. Then they shall see Him as He is; they will no longer need the mirror of the Word. Then they will have their eternal joy in the light of His friendly face.

Seeing Christ’s glory in the mirror of the Word does not remain fruitless, but it has a blessed effect. It affects a special influence upon heart and life. What was the reason that the face of Moses radiated and glistened when he came down from the mount? It was because he had been in close proximity to God. The glory of God was mirrored upon his face to such an extent that the Israelites asked him to cover his face; they could not look directly at him because of it. Seeing that glory also causes that glory to radiate from all those who have seen it.

This does not mean that we can learn to know Christ as our Mediator from Scripture so that we can see ourselves justified and cleansed to our salvation and comfort. No, the seeing of Christ’s glory sends forth a renewing power, and that, of course, is worked by the Holy Spirit. It is for this reason that there is added to the text “as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

My mouth shall sing for aye Thy tender mercies, Lord; To every age will I Thy faithfulness record; I know how firm and sure Thy wondrous grace is founded, Established in the skies by love that is unbounded; As Thy celestial throne shall never sway, no never, So shall Thy truth endure forever and forever.

In the rebirth, the Holy Spirit makes us conformed to the image of Christ. Through the seeing in the mirror of the Word, the spiritual deadness must depart, and sin loses its power and dominion. Along with that it can be seen of such that Christ lives in them by His Spirit. “But we all... are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

He renews the heart, and makes them image bearers of God. That is a work which takes up their entire life, for even the holiest men have but a small beginning of that holiness. They cannot see that nor say this of themselves. According to their estimation their soul slides backwards from shame to shame. They do not become better but become worse; even though it may not be in their outward life, it is so in their inward life. They find more and more abominations, and they must more and more loathe themselves. More and more sins come to the foreground which they did not know existed, sins which they thought would not have taken hold of them.

Yet, it goes from glory to glory, for in such a way Christ becomes more and more precious to them. He must increase while we must decrease. In this way we may find ever richer treasures in Him. So it goes forth from strength to strength, and then the sanctification which is begun here below shall be completed in the glorification above. Then they shall be like Him and shall see Him as He is. What a blessed future awaits those who have loved His appearance!

When I in righteousness at last
Thy glorious face shall see,
When all the weary night is past,
And I awake with Thee
To view the glories that abide,
Then, then I shall be satisfied.

Hope

Christian hope is a firm expectation of all promised good things so far as they may be for God’s glory and our good but especially of eternal salvation and happiness in heaven where we shall be conformed to the Son of God; which hope is founded on the grace, blood, righteousness, and intercession of Christ, the earnest of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and the unchangeable truth and almighty power of God, which always second His Word.

— Alexander Cruden

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