Recently I came across an interesting list of man's accomplishments entitled, "Seven Wonders of the World." They were all found in the United States and are as follows:
1. The largest arch on earth. It is made of stainless steel and has a span and height of 630 feet. It contains an elevator to the top for a commanding view. Located in St. Louis, Missouri.
2. The tallest building. The Chicago Sears Tower is 1,454 feet high (approx. 180 stories). Located in Chicago, Illinois.
3. The Longest Span Bridge. The New York Harbor single span suspension is 4,260 feet long and has two 700-foot towers.
4. Most Gigantic Sculpture. Five-and-one-half million tons of granite was removed to depict Chief Crazy Horse galloping into battle. It is 561 feet high and 641 feet long. Located in South Dakota.
5. Highest Monumental Column. It stands 570 feet high with a base of 47 feet tapering to 30 feet at the observation tower. Located in Houston, Texas.
6. Most Massive Concrete Structure. The Grand Coulee Dam, located on the Columbia River in Washington, contains no less than ten-and-one-half million tons of concrete.
7. The Tallest Tower. A TV transmitting station located in North Dakota is 2,063 feet high.
As we consider the above achievements, we must admit that they do declare man's God-given cleverness and ingenuity. Man is wise enough to remove from the earth the minerals needed to make steel and concrete and with these to reach out and up with clever design. We notice however, that man as always has his limits. He can reach out just so far and up just so high, then must return to earth, to which he is so bound. Witness his efforts with the tower of Babel (Gen. 11). See also Eccl. 7:29.
Now turn to yet another seven wonders, this time not dealing with man's activity but having to do with the eternal God, who indeed created man and brought all his surroundings into being. Of the many glorious wonders concerning God, let us select just seven to ponder. They are:
1. Creation
2. Man's fall and total ruin
3. The incarnation of Christ
4. The Lord's death
5. The glorious gospel
6. The rapture
7. The coming judgment
Creation
To describe the amazing wonders of God's handiwork in creation adequately and yet briefly is impossible. Let us look at just two wonderful aspects. First we view God's infinite love and wisdom in creating an environment so perfectly suited to man's every need and full enjoyment. Secondly we learn how God formed man in His own image and likeness. Man could not only delight in all that surrounded him, but commune with the Giver and Sustainer of all things, his God. The exquisite harmony and balance of nature and the super abundance of all around him that his senses could enjoy was a grand testimony to God's profound love and interest in Adam, the first man. God saw everything that he had made and behold it was very good. (Gen. 1:31.) Adam could survey his surroundings, his wife, and himself and could say with the psalmist, "I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psa. 139:14.
Man's Fall and Total Ruin
It is indeed sad to learn from the Word of God that man sinned and fell from his first estate, and was driven from the garden of Eden to find himself separated from God, subject to death, and his life become a drudgery on the earth. In spite of God's lavish display of His love and goodness to them, our first parents succumbed to Satan's lie and thus forfeited all! Truly this is a wonder to contemplate.
The Incarnation of Christ
From the palace of His glory,
From the home of joy and love,
Came the Lord Himself to seek us,
He would have us there above.
It is an amazing fact that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, descended from heaven and came into the very world His hands had made. Being sent of His Father, He became a man that He might offer Himself a sacrifice for sin and thus be our risen and glorified Savior (1 Tim. 1:15). O what a grand testimony to the heart of God. What a glorious and wonderful mystery (1 Tim. 3:16).
The Lord's Death
Perhaps the most profound words in the Bible are these: "The Lord's death." 1 Cor. 11:26. When we pause to consider those deep, meaningful titles that belonged to Him, such as "The Word" of John 1:1, the “I Am" of Ex. 3:14, the "Mighty God," the "Prince of Peace" of Isa. 9:6, etc., we ask how could this beloved One submit Himself into wicked hands of sinners and be slain on the cross? O wonderful truth. He became a man that He might do this very thing, and in so doing, fully glorify God as to the question of sin and man's guilt and thus make atonement for our souls. O wonder of wonders:
The Lord of Glory crucified
The Lord of Life has bled and died!
The Glorious Gospel
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. "For He [God] hath made Him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21. "Ye were... redeemed... with the precious blood of Christ." 1 Peter 1:18, 19. Before the world was formed and man created, there was the Son of God in past eternity, delighting in the sons of men, with the grand design to redeem man and bless him forever. Wonder of wonders—He loves me now and will love me forever!
The Rapture
The Lord Jesus called Lazarus from the grave in John 11. His voice is soon to be heard again when he calls all the redeemed from the grave and those alive on the earth at the present time. What a glorious display of power and victory that will be (1 Thess. 4:16, 17; John 14:3). How cheering and precious, for us who know Him, to contemplate. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Rev. 22:20.
The Judgment of the Lost
As to this seventh and last wonder, let us simply quote from the Word of God! "And I [John] saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Rev. 20:11-15. This solemn scene describes the lost ones standing in space and speechless before a holy God to be condemned to hell forever. Truly, an awful, fearful sight.
May we, the redeemed of the Lord, be always found thanking and praising our loving God and Father for our great deliverance from the wrath to come and for having brought us into the kingdom of His dear Son.
Unto Him that loved us, and washed us
from our sins in His own blood, and hath
made us kings and priests unto God and His
Father; to Him be glory and dominion
for ever and ever. Amen. Rev. 1:5, 6.
W. O’Brien