Himagery

Every once in a while, I still like to sit and go through old photo albums.
Each page of pictures brings a rush of memories and emotions that ‘make a heart merry and doeth good like a medicine’ Proverbs 17:22
Then I had a thought – These images and emotions speak to our temporal existence but God is timeless, and even though He’s working out the perfecting of the saints in our time, His photo album has pictures of things yet to come that affect Him in the same way that our past pictures affect us. Jesus shared a glimpse of this idea with certain Jews in His day.

Here’s The Word-

John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

Abraham, who is from the past, is now in the future....rejoicing. This confounded the Jews and provoked them to try to stone Christ right then and there. However, this and other biblical instances of the shear grandeur of heavenly things to come presented in Scripture and the feelings accompanied with them are a whole different kind of awesome! Rather than imagery, I call it HIMAGERY.

Hope Imagery - - Here’s The Word:

Psalm 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Heaven imagery - - Here’s The Word:

Revelation 14:6-7 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Revelation 21:1-5 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

His Imagery - - Here’s The Word:

Revelation 1:13 - 16 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

Revelation 4:2-5 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

Life presents us with so many experiences and not a single one of them can be considered as “simply an image”. No, these memories come stock with an enveloping recall of emotions and other sensory accompaniment. The idea of hope is that spark of the unspeakable joy to come that motivates us in the idea that we can only perceive it in small, yet heart-stopping glimpses. But one day, we’ll see with new eyes; witnessing things and rejoicing like Father Abraham did in John 8.

I like the expressions that come out when we feel happily overwhelmed – “I thought I was gonna die”, “It felt like my heart was about to explode”, “I couldn’t imagine it”, “I couldn’t stop crying!”
Then, I think of how small these BIG expressions will be compared to the Eternal presence of being with God and having Him right there with His people. I love seeing artist’s concepts of Heaven and Him Who sits on the throne and every time I see them, I think – Not even close. Not as something condescending, just that our most impressive attempts can’t fully capture the emotions of Himagery.


In Him,
Cros