The Witnesses …the Chronicle

... The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where THEIR VOICE (WITNESS) is not heard. (Psa 19:1-3 KJV) He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading his clouds over it. He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness. ... And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?" (Job 26:7-9, 14 NIV) 

One day, soon after the Lord began working through me to illustrate what was on His mind and heart; I was looking at beautiful majestic scenery/landscapes. I heard Him say, Theses are The Witnesses. I could immediately “feel the depth of the statement in my spirit”. I knew, but I did not “really know”. Your mind cannot immediately wrap itself around what is really in your spirit man. You have to reel your mind in and make it go to that place in the spirit. Begin to ponder, pray, and go to scripture. Trust me, I know; I could have immediately written at least a chapter without consulting with Him. I know Him well enough to know that what I would come up with would not scratch the surface. I knew this was going to be much deeper and far reaching than I could ever grasp. I just began to “chill out”, go with the flow, and go there with Him. 

I began to recall that in times when I feel overwhelmed or insignificant, I would visit the passages that made the marked point that everything compared to Him is small. I began to think about the many passages refer to the awesomeness of all creation –the heavens, the earth, and every living-breathing creature. When one looks at the works of His hands, how can anyone deny the creator? Just think, someone so great, mighty, and creative is mindful of us.

(Psa 8:3-4 NRSV) When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?

I knew immediately that the illustrations would be simple. After all, how could I improve on the way that God illustrated His perception of the mountains, valleys, trees, seas and all the other things that declare His glory?

As I revisited my some of my favorite passages on the subject, I began to sense that although the illustrations might be simple, the chronicle would include some profound revelation. In reading them, I could see the intricacies –the strategic planning in just the right color to create just the right feeling, or fulfill a certain purpose. Wow, the moon, sun and stars had to be placed in strategic places for survival of earth’s inhabitants. The seasons have to come and go in a certain pattern for there to be food for man and creature. These things are speaking to me. I stayed with the train of thought. OK, I am beginning to get it –what do witnesses do? They testify –they speak the truth under oath of the things that they have personal knowledge of or have personally seen.

Oh but you might say that the witnesses must have a voice to testify. Oh but they do! In Hebrew voice means declaration, sound, bleating crackling, lowing, noise, and thunder among other things. In Job, 38:6 says that the stars sang together. Gen 4:10 says that the voice of Abel’s blood cried out. Eccl 12:4 speaks of the voice of a bird. In Luke 19:40, Jesus said, “If my disciples hold their peace, the rocks would cry out”. Mark 11:14 says that Jesus answered the fig tree, saying… That means it spoke to Him first. When I found these scriptures I must tell you, I had to sit still for a few minutes.

... The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day unto day >utters speech, and night unto night >shows knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice (WITNESS) is not heard. (Psa 19:1-3 KJV)  emphasis mine

He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading his clouds over it. He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness. ... And these are but the outer fringe of his works; > how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the >thunder of his power?" (Job 26:7-9, 14 NIV

After I came to myself, somehow I remembered John 1:5-7, where it says, “there was a man sent from God, he was A WITNESS to testify to the light, so that all might believe, HE WAS NOT THE LIGHT, BUT CAME TO TESTIFY THE LIGHT –the true light that enlightens everyone.

Many religions look to the elements of creation as gods. They are looking to the witnesses for enlightenment. They are in tune with creation, they are seeking fulfillment in the very things, which are witnessing-testifying to them about the One True God –the creator of the entire universe. Romans 1:19-20 (paraphrased) all that He is can be seen and understood through that which He has made –so me are without excuse.

Rom 1:19-20 (NIV) since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--HAVE BEEN CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

I do not believe that I will ever look at creation in the same way again. While I am looking, I will be listening to their testimony as they witness of the magnificence of God, the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ.