How beautiful on the mountains are the feet ... (Isaiah 52:7)
A picture is worth a thousand words
My sister recently sent me a magnificent aurora photo that reminded me of the adage, 'A picture is worth a thousand words.' This photo turned out to be the perfect cover for a new booklet, 'Is God Beautiful?' The plain manuscript was published online several weeks ago and has been read by thousands of online readers. However, now that this script is embellished by a beautiful picture, many more people will learn how “the heavens declare God's glory” and be inspired “to gaze on the beauty of the Lord.” (Psalm 19:1; 27:4)
Recent news stories explain how strong solar flares have made it possible for unprecedented numbers of people around the world to see spectacular displays of aurorae. But experts also warn* that there is danger behind this beauty, especially now that we've reached a peak in the 11-year cycle of solar flares. This means two things: On the one hand, we can expect these magnificent displays intermittently throughout the next year. On the other hand, these intense solar flares raise deep concern because our modern society is very vulnerable to outages involving the internet and electricity grid. Interestingly, Jesus warned that before he returns, “there will be strange signs in the sun (flares?), moon, and stars .... People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:25-28)
As Christians we should make the most of the opportunity to share a reason for our hope. Considering that almost everyone enjoys seeing the northern lights in all their glory I've been encouraged to share the booklet, 'Is God Beautiful?' with friends, neighbors and even strangers. Let me recount a few stories showing how I've sparked people's curiosity to explore these heart-warming insights.
One of my earliest experiences sharing this booklet was with Louise, a neighbor who I had met a couple months previously. She had told me about several painful experiences which made her become disillusioned and even embittered against God. Louise knew that I attend church and am a committed Christian. So I was startled on one occasion when she challenged me, “If you want to do God's work come and help me care for my autistic son.” I accepted her challenge, and since then have been taking her son for a half hour walk several days each week.
She has been very grateful and we've developed a real friendship. On one occasion my wife and I invited Louise and her son to come over for a cup of tea and a snack. We asked if she had ever seen the northern lights which have been mentioned a lot in the news lately. Louise acknowledged having seen pictures but said that she had never seen these displays in person. So I showed her a stunningly beautiful aurora picture that my sister recently sent me. She admired it and gladly accepted an article I wrote, titled, 'Is God Beautiful?' that explains my reflections on the Scripture, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” I've noticed a profound change in her attitude to God over these last few weeks. No longer does she feel bitter against God. In fact, last week I heard her tell her son, “God loves you.” She also sent me a text message saying, “I feel really blessed having you both in our lives.”
Let me share another example of how I shared the booklet, 'Is God Beautiful?' This encounter happened at a grocery store where I showed a magnificent aurora picture to a cashier while paying for my groceries. This picture is displayed on the cover of the booklet, Is God Beautiful? She smiled and commented “how beautiful” it was. The customer who was next in line also saw it and admired it. I continued talking with this customer as we walked out of the store together. She was fascinated when I told her that my sister took this photo in her backyard. I gladly let her have the picture (with the booklet) and she replied, “I'm going to visit my mother at a retirement home later this morning and I'm sure she'll enjoy seeing it too. Thank you so much, you've made my day.”
I had a similar conversation with another cashier at a different store. I showed her the beautiful aurora picture on the cover of the book, explaining, “My sister took this picture in her back yard a couple weeks ago.” The cashier was utterly amazed and went on to explain that her Mom has been trying for a long time to see the northern lights but finally she decided to buy a plane ticket to Iceland where she could be sure to see the northern lights. I promised the cashier, “I'll bring you a copy of the book when I pick up the booklets from the printer!” She thanked me profusely and then asked politely if she could take a picture of my book cover with her phone!
Half an hour later as I arrived home I saw a neighbor coming into the lobby of our apartment building. We greeted and made small talk. I told her that I've been fascinated by many news stories showing beautiful displays of northern lights. Then I showed her a picture on my phone that someone sent me which is now on the cover of the booklet. She too was deeply impressed and I promised to give her a copy of the book. She replied, “I'll be glad to pay you whatever it costs.” When I told her it was just 50 cents she said, “I'll give you a dollar.”
A few weeks later while I was paying for an item at an auto-wrecker I showed the cashier a beautiful aurora picture. Bill was deeply touched just like so many other people to whom I've shown this picture. So I offered him a copy of the booklet, 'Is God Beautiful?' and he gladly accepted it. As I returned to my car, a thought came to mind. “What about the four other coworkers who I saw in the office? Perhaps some of them would also like to see the picture and maybe even take a copy of the book?” Having seen so many people in the last few weeks responding positively, I felt strongly that the Spirit was prompting me to go back into the office and say to Bill, “Do you think that some of your co-workers might like to see this beautiful picture? ... I'm happy to leave some extra copies.” He paused and then replied, “Sure, I can put them on the counter so that anyone who wants a copy can pick it up.”
Three days after this encouraging experience, I had another even more remarkable encounter involving an unbeliever who helped me to spread the good news. It happened in a grocery store as I paid for my groceries. I showed the cashier a beautiful aurora picture. (She was wearing typical Muslim clothing.) She accepted the booklet, and then to my astonishment, she spontaneously showed the cover picture to the next customer waiting in line, exclaiming enthusiastically, “Isn't this beautiful!” The customer heartily agreed so I promptly pulled out another booklet from my bag and offered it to her which she gladly accepted! Imagine what was going through my mind, considering that I was already encouraged from my earlier experience at the auto-wrecker where the cashier helped me share this booklet with his coworkers. This encounter was even more astonishing – a Muslim cashier helping me pass on a gospel booklet to another customer!
I trust that you are encouraged after reading these stories that show how I prayerfully seek to make the most of the opportunity in everyday routine encounters to engage people in seasoned with salt conversations. (Colossians 4:2-6)
You will notice that this booklet begins by mentioning Muslim beliefs, but this doesn't mean it is only relevant to Muslims. As the above examples show, it can also be an interesting and eye-opening read for non-Muslims. Considering that so many of the people in the above stories were glad to receive the booklet, you may wonder if anyone has ever declined my kind offer of the booklet. Let me answer by sharing an experience from two days ago.
I was in a coffee shop waiting for the attendant to bring my coffee and donut which I had paid for. Standing nearby was a young man who was also waiting for his order. I smiled and remarked, “Waiting can get boring. Let me show you something that I think will brighten your day. I showed him my favorite aurora picture and his face beamed a huge smile. I explained that my sister recently took this picture in her back yard. He expressed amazement, saying, “That's phenomenal!” Naturally I offered him a copy of the booklet as I've done in so many similar situations, but he politely declined. We parted on friendly terms and yet I couldn't help feeling sad knowing that he missed an opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ who has fulfilled my deepest longings and hopes and who I know can do the same for him!
The title of this article commends messengers who tell the Good News on the mountain, describing their feet as beautiful. But why “on the mountain”? What does mountain terrain signify?
Why 'on the mountain'?
Mountain imagery calls to mind the well-known picture of a shepherd on a rescue mission climbing along a treacherous mountain trail in search of his lost sheep. This noble shepherd is more than just an emissary bringing good news. He is actually the rescuer/saviour who embodies the Good News! Commenting on Isaiah 52:7 John Gill says, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, .... Not of the messenger that brought the news of Cyrus's proclamation of liberty to the Jews; rather of John the Baptist, the forerunner of our Lord; best of Christ himself, the messenger of the covenant, who was anointed to preach glad tidings to the meek, and by whom grace, peace, life, and salvation came; and also of the apostles of Christ, for to Gospel times are these words applied, and to more persons than one, Romans 10:15, who were not only seen 'upon the mountains' of the land of Israel, as the Targum paraphrases it, where both Christ and his apostles preached, but upon the mountains of the Gentile world; and may denote the pains they took, the circuit they made, and the difficulties they had to encounter with; and the publicness of their ministrations, which lay in bringing “good tidings” of the incarnate Savior, of God manifest in the flesh, …” One of the difficulties Christians must learn to face as we go about telling others the Good News about Jesus Christ is rejection. In fact, not only will we face rejection we will also be persecuted for Christ's sake. (2 Timothy 3:12; Matthew 5:10-12; 2 Corinthians 11:18-29)
Here is a link where you may download the above mentioned booklet as a pdf file. Note: This file is arranged for a double sided printout, folding and stapling the pages together. In electronic form the pages do not seem to be in the correct order. When feeding the sheets into the printer be careful to ensure they print out in the correct sequence.
Note also the following 'User guide' which contains insights to help Christians engage their neighbors in seasoned with salt conversation after they've read the booklet, Is God Beautiful?
User Guide
Here are a few questions which may help to stimulate meaningful conversation.
Did you find anything insightful or encouraging in this booklet? Please explain...
Was there anything thought-provoking or challenging? … Did it raise any questions you would like to explore? Explain ...
What do you think about how the booklet ends with a brain teaser/riddle challenging readers to shine like stars against the backdrop of a dark night sky?
This calls to mind another Scripture that also encourages true believers to shine like stars. The prophet Daniel foretold that the end times will be characterized by “greater anguish than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.” (Daniel 12:1-3. Jesus also predicted unprecedented suffering in the end times, see Mark 13:19.)
Notice how similar Daniel 12 is to Philippians 2. Both passages underscore the righteousness-innocence of true believers in contrast to the prevailing darkness around them. Notice also that the moral darkness in Philippians corresponds to a slightly different kind of darkness in Daniel 12 which involves intense suffering and distress.
Does it not seem as if there is more anguish and suffering in our world than there has been for a long time?
Speaking of the end times, notice how this booklet highlights several Bible passages which remind us that the world as we know it will come to an end and God will restore/renew all things as taught in Revelation 21, 22 and 2 Peter 3. Interestingly, secular scientists are worried about a possible fiery disaster, not unlike what the apostle Peter mentions in 2 Peter 3. They warn of intense solar flares behind the beautiful aurorae. This is appropriate considering that we've now reached a peak in the current 11-year solar cycle. (This peak began in mid-October 2024 and will last about one year). This 'solar maximum', as they call it, means two things: On the one hand, we can expect these magnificent displays intermittently throughout the next year. On the other hand, intense eruptions of solar flares raise deep concerns because our modern society is so vulnerable to outages involving the internet and electricity grids. Interestingly, Jesus warned that before he returns, “there will be strange signs in the sun (flares?), moon, and stars.... People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:25-28)
Why do you think Scripture describes Jesus Christ as “the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world”?
The booklet notes that the term Lamb is mentioned 19 times in Revelation underscoring the importance of this title, but sadly most people aren't familiar with the backstory. So you'll need to show from the Old Testament how sacrificial lambs were crucial to effecting deliverance, and ultimately, God's Messiah will bring salvation by dying sacrificially as the perfect Lamb. Muslims are somewhat familiar with the epic story involving Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God as seen in their annual celebration of Eid ul Adha. They even acknowledge that a ram was providentially provided as a substitute in place of his son, but the Qur'an makes no mention of Abraham's prophecy that God himself will provide the lamb.
Here are two helpful discussions exploring the Lamb theme. The first one is titled, The Mystery of Abraham's Sacrifice. The second is a chapter from John Gilchrist's book, Sharing the Gospel with Muslims: Isaac – The Reflection of the Father’s Love.
Footnote
* For example, Are the Northern Lights Dangerous? and Something Happening on the Sun’: Solar surge burns up 3 satellites