I have been trying to slog through a viewing of the movie "Cleopatra". I had never seen this 4 hour "epic" from the early 60's. One thing I am enjoying are the sets-it gives you a feel for what the surroundings may have been like in ancient Rome and Alexandria. It is also sad to see the scheming of Cleo and Julius to elevate him as a complete dictator, thereby destroying the republic system of Roman government. Sounds like what we are going through in our country today.
But the main thought I have is in the showing of all the pomp and circumstance surrounding these earthly rulers. Huge parades, gala spectacles, masses of crowds, gold, palaces, etc, etc, etc. Seems pretty impressive-UNTIL you start reading in Scripture the descriptions of the throne room of God and what surrounds Him. It totally blows away anything that has ever been done on this earth. To even begin to comprehend what it looks like or sounds like! I half amusingly tell the Lord that I'm going to need "redeemed" ears to take in all the singing, praising, trumpets, thunderings, rushing water sounds, and so on. Just reading about it all overwhelms me. And the COLORS! Sapphire throne, emerald rainbow, crystal sea like transparent gold, the fruits on the eternal trees. How about the light-God shining, Christ shining, lightning emanating from the throne. And let's just think about the cherubim-I mean even trying to get my imagination around what THEY look like is almost too much. (By the way, did you know that the Strong's Concordance calls them IMAGINARY!!!!! How dare they.) Lifted by wheels within wheels that are covered with eyes, four faces each, four wings each, feet like brass calves feet, lifting the very throne of God. If the description in Ezekiel 28 is of Satan before his fall, then it is amazing what he gave up because of pride and sin. It appears he was the Cherub that was the supreme guardian of the throne of God and the leader of praise!
At any rate, the whole picture is so awe inspiring that our puny efforts here below are as drab as putty. The glory and majesty of who God IS reduces to ashes all that we TRY to portray with our pride and arrogance. And to be able to stand in the presence of all that someday. It's no wonder that God is working to remove all the dross and sin now, so that we won't run away screaming when we stand before the absolute purity and power of the One Who alone is worthy of such grandeur. Jesus said that one of the rewards for the Overcomers was to become a pillar in the temple of God. Now that doesn't mean we will be standing around all day supporting some roof!! It means that we will be part of the glorious "building", the temple made without hands, the family of redeemed who want nothing more than to be in the presence of God and His Son for eternity. With all that God is, it will take eternity for us to learn of Him. And who would want to be away from such eternal love?
I tried to find some artist's renderings of the visions portrayed in Scripture of heaven, from Ezekiel, Revelation and Daniel, but nothing even came close. Most were very New Age, or just plain ugly. The human mind is just so limited in trying to interpret these things I guess. But if we keep feeding our imaginations on such wonder, and well as the reality of who God and Jesus are, then it will help us in our trials and hard circumstances to know that we have an eternity of this greatness ahead if we will not faint and remain faithful. Feed on the pure food of Scripture and build yourself up in the Hope that we all have as the Redeemed of the Lamb!
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