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Can you see the big picture of God?
The Big Picture of God The true and living God is a big God. He is so big that even though he is one God, he has revealed himself to us in three persons. Though the word trinity is not used in scripture, the Bible shows us a picture of a God so big that he works out his plan as father, spirit and son. We do not worship three gods, but one big God! In these 10 verses of Isaiah's prophecy there are four references to God the father, four references to God the spirit, and 12 references to God the son. In the holy trinity we see a picture of a God who is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. We see a picture of a God who makes a plan, accomplishes his plan, and then judges us on whether or not we are a part of his plan. We see a picture of a God who is in control of all the nations and is working to redeem one particular nation for himself. The Israelites in Isaiah's day were discouraged and distracted. He called them back to a look at the big picture. The bigger God gets to you, the less you will be discouraged about your circumstances. The bigger God gets to you, the less you will be distracted by lesser and sinful things. Isaiah shows us a big picture of our big God, then the prophet tells us about his plan. The Big Picture of God's Mission Jesus became incarnate, or came to life through the lineage of "Jesse" and Jesse's son, King David. The messiah was supposed to be the son of David and the son of God. Jesus fits the bill. Jesus exercised his public ministry in the power of the holy spirit. The messiah was supposed to be endowed with perfect wisdom and ability, which would be used to draw people to respect and worship the true and living God. Jesus fits the bill. The big picture is that God so loves and cares about his people, that he came to visit us, to communicate to us, to show us the way. The way is Jesus Christ. The big picture of God is the plain story of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When the things of God matter to you in a big way, other things don't seem to get in the way. The Big Picture of God's Judgment One of the reasons Isaiah's cryptic messages about Christ are so quick is because Jesus was on this earth for such a short time. In this big picture, however, we catch a good glimpse of what Jesus has been doing since he came and went. You can sum it up in one word: judgment. Verses 3b-4a speak of the enthroned judgment of God. He is in heaven now scanning the earth for the poor and meek. God is watching our actions and he knows our hearts. Only those who trust him and serve him according to his word will receive the gift of righteousness that he longs to give. Verses 4b-5 speak of the everlasting judgment of God. When time on earth as we know it is up, the lord Jesus Christ is going to return and speak a mighty judgment. He will actively destroy and condemn forever those who have rejected his plan and persecuted his people. After this season of judgment, something really big is going to appear. The Big Picture of God's Kingdom God's kingdom didn't look like much in Isaiah's day. Israel, or Judah, was a small nation with a small percentage of true believers. Assyria wiped out the north, Israel, in Isaiah's day. Babylonia would wipe out the south, Judah, not long after Isaiah was gone. So while God's work in his old covenant people could often be grand, it is not the big picture. Even God's church doesn't look like much in our day. We are an uneven bunch with more failures than successes and the world really doesn't care a whole lot about what we have to say. Even though God's work in his new covenant church is often great, it is not the big picture. The big picture of God's kingdom, as Isaiah describes it here, is a place of perfect peace and rest. Whether your interpretation is literal or symbolic, the big picture is about the same. Our big God is creating a big place for his children. It is place of perfect peace and harmony. It is a place of perfect worship and rest. It is place of perfect understanding and joy. It is a big place and it is the absolute best place. This is the big picture you want to be in and live for. The Big Picture Most people waste their lives on cheap substitutes for God. For some it is money, for others power and recognition, for others sex and other pleasures, for others it is religion. Then, in the end, we will be too ashamed to lift our heads when the big picture arrives.
There is a bigger picture out there for you to see. It is a picture of God, God's gracious offer of Christ, God's sure-fire judgement, and God's eternal kingdom. If you can see it you will be saved. It you can keep your eyes on it, you will help others to be saved, too.
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