Jesus and His beautiful eyes

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2Cor. 4:6).

 

What was it about the face of Jesus that gave people power to overcome the world? “His face [was] as the appearance of lightning, and His eyes as lamps of fire.” (Dan. 10:6). “Out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” (Rev. 1:16). “The Son of God, who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire…. He that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.” (Rev. 2:18,26).

 

Everything in heaven is muchy flashier and powerful than on Earth, yet in Christ’s incarnated body which by contrast was weak and banal, the Son had a look that pierced the proud façades of sinners. He had a bright and earnest face bearing a contented smile that broke down their prejudices against holiness and righteousness. “Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: Thou hast the dew of Thy youth.” (Ps. 110:3). “He shall grow up before [His Father] as a tender plant” (Isa. 53:2), and He never lost His tenderness. Like His predecessor, David, He was “ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to” (1Sam. 16:12). The hosts of heaven thrilled to come into His presence, but the lack of hardness in the heart and look of the Messiah caused an unsettling consternation in worldly-wise men, women, and their children. “He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” (Isa. 53:2).

 

No arrogance came from Him; but, like David, a majesty could not be hidden behind His youthful look of innocence.
“Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O most Mighty, with Thy glory and Thy majesty.

And in Thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and Thy right hand shall teach Thee terrible things.” (Ps. 45:3,4). “Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into Thy lips: therefore God hath blessed Thee for ever.” (Ps. 45:2). His grace was not only mercy, but also righteousness. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth…. For the Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:14,17). He had more than rules and regulations in His righteous requirements. He effortlessly blended His righteousness with mercy and His mercy with righteousness. This pleased His Father to the utmost.

 

It was the sight of the Son’s expression of infinite goodness that drove His Father to exclaim the decree, “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Ps. 110:4). His Father could not hold back His delight and bestowal of approval. No one like the Son could cause the Father to express His innermost desires, without suffering under the need for forbearance or forgiveness toward the sin, as was the case for His other earthly children. In perfect freedom His Father rejoiced to announce, “Thou art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11). “Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.” (Ps. 110:1).

 

And it was in this view of Jesus that David wrote his song of love for his Lord. “To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves. My heart is inditing [gushing forth] a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the King: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” (Ps. 45:1).

 

Later, Solomon found the glory that comes in declaring the goodness of the Son. “My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.

His head is as the most fine gold, His locks are bushy, and black as a raven.

His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.

His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: His lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.

His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: His belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.

His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. His mouth is most sweet: yea, He is altogether lovely.” (Song 5:10-16).

 

Jesus had David’s youthful love of relationships (1Sam. 18:1; 20:41), his vivaciousness (Ps. 42:4), as well as His forefather’s ardor to fulfill the will of God (Ps. 40:8). The Lord had found in David the perfect host, a habitation of the Son through His Spirit, to reveal His true personality and character to His people and to the world. Therefore, He made David king of Israel and used him to found a nation that could duplicate the kingdom of heaven.

 

The Son of God came here after many kings had claimed to be the son of David. But, when the truest replica of Isreal’s great king appeared, the people found their chief joy in haling Jesus as the great Son of David. “And His fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them.” (Matt. 4:24). The special acclaim Jesus received from the multitudes of Israel caused great jealousy among the Jewish ruling establishment.

 

“Then was brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the Son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.” (Matt. 12:22-24).

 

“And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed Him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.” (Matt. 9:27). The Son of David became Jesus’ common title. His fame as Son of David had even spread far beyond the land of Israel, even up into the region of Zidon, the Canaanite stronghold of demonic Moloch and Ashtoreth. “And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.” (Matt. 15:22). The Son of David satisfied her request and beat down the devil until it fled.

 

“And they came to Jericho: and as He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; He calleth thee.” (Mark 10:46-49). The Son of David from His whole heart gave the greatest gift to His subject.

 

“And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” (Matt. 21:9). Jesus asked the Pharisees, “What think ye of [Messiah]? whose son is He? They say unto Him, The Son of David.” (Matt. 22:42).

 

The trustworthy, youthful heart of Jesus, the Son of David, the Word of God, drew the people in to receive something good from Him. Then, after satisfying their hearts with His blessings, with a word of conviction He cut through all their self-justifications, and got them to repentance. He did for them what they couldn’t do for themselves. One little word was enough to fell their rebellion. Instant convictions, instant healings, instant conversions and salvations were sweeping the nation. Jesus’ eyes, which spoke of the innocence and excellence dwelling in His heart, preached sermons.

 

The eyes of the Son of David, the Son of God, His welcoming countenance of love, invited reconciliation between God and man. The people were drawn to “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus.” (2Cor. 4:6). Out of that countenance shined hope, confidence in God, authority from God, and powerful influence for good. And the people, burdened under the consequences of sin, flocked to this in droves. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

 

His eyes, which revealed the inner beauty of His heart, attracted the infinite love of His Father. Around the Son of God all heaven and earth united. He was the Sent of God, the messenger of the Father to bring Their lost children back to obedience to God’s will, which is transcribed in His Law. Like a hen gathering her chicks about her, all found in the Son the central focus of restored communion with their Creator Father. At the eyes of Jesus, heavenly Father and earth-bound children met together again in spirit and truth.