Defining Art

“The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection” – Michaelangelo

Art Runs the World we live in. It consumes and runs on copious amounts of artistic expression. Society is heavily influenced by every form of art; a massive vogue living of music, television, film, design, publishing, advertising, magazines, fashion, fine-art, and architecture, to name a few. Imagine the world without all this art?

The modern world, its thoughts and trends, are fashioned and shaped by all of this artistic endeavor and creative communication technology. Take it all out and we would have a vastly different world.

There is an ultimate purpose for all this art and creativity. As we explore the concept of art and its ‘ministry’ in the world, may we see and understand more from a Biblical perspective art’s purposes – ultimately for the Creator of all possibilities, God our Father in Heaven – The Divine Artist.

In God’s eyes everything is art, and all things created are for Him alone. He is the ultimate artist. ‘For by Him (Jesus) all things were created that are in heaven and that are on the earth, visible, and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him for Him’ Colossians 1:16. Everything visible and invisible was created and has an intelligent, creative design, beginning in the mind of God. Even scientists recognize this more and more.

To create means to cast into moulds, using raw material and fashioning it into preconceived shapes – to mould or squeeze into a shape or form like a potter. Can you imagine God as an artist in his studio covered in paint, clay, or pondering his thoughts over designs and drawings.

When we try and define art we think mainly of paintings, but Art on its own – as a pure thing by definition – doesn’t really exist; art can be many things.

The dictionary definition of art means skill, especially human imitative skill in design, as opposed to nature or what originates naturally. You could call this skill – being arty.

We can also say there are really only artists who produce something, and by definition, we call what is produced, some form of art. If God created everything, the world is then just one big gallery! The world and everything in it is God’s art and he loves His art so much, and gave Himself to it. 

‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life’ John 3:16. 

Art is not just about being creative but also about the virtues of giving, sacrificing, and pouring out your-self for a greater purpose; they are all linked in the creative process. Jesus Christ is the ultimate work of art who was hung on a rugged cross, and is now in constant exhibition for you to find Him and get to know Him as the Savior of the world.

Israel is Art

We watch CNN, or the BBC, all our hearts have ached for the destruction and mayhem that goes on in the Middle East. It is hard to reconcile an artistic creative God who loves Israel, with bombed out buildings, dead mothers and fathers, and children. Nonetheless God the creator of all things made Israel for a reason with great love and care, and has an eternal promise to her as a nation. Yes, even Israel is His art.

“I am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King” Isaiah 43:15.

God’s beloved nation is created art. God is deeply in love with Israel and wholly enamoured by her. In scripture we also see God the ‘fashion designer’ at work for her.

“Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty. For it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you” says the Lord God’ Ezekiel 16:14. 

God referred to Jerusalem as beautiful and perfect. Perhaps that is why there is such a constant battle for her in the world, for the devil knows God’s heart for Israel. In that beauty God clothed Israel with embroidered cloth, fine linen and silk, shoes of animal skin, and fine jewelry of gold and silver (V10-13). God is a fashion designer, in fact He was the first, ‘Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them’ Genesis 3:21.

Food is Art

When you look at the Old Testament temples, with all their animal sacrifices, breads, and holy candleholders, you will find our artistic Lord is the most original butcher, baker and candlestick maker! (See Exodus 35-39). God is the interior designer par excellence.

In God’s love for Jerusalem, we find He is the original artistic baker and ‘Naked Chef’! He gave her beautiful food to eat – all of this in the quality of royalty (Ezekiel 16:13). His celebration for eating and being with Israel, is the very heart and core of what real communion is.

Koinonia, to communicate in partnership, remembrance, have fellowship, participation and social sharing, having an intimate meal with someone. This is communicative art. Eating and food are art. God created all foods, with all its astonishing variety and color. He’s the original Herbalist (Genesis 1:29), vegetable lover, and creator of meat; all made for our good and benefit.

You are Art

You are God’s art in Christ! ‘And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness’ Ephesians 4:24.

“David cried out, ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me’ Psalm 51:10.

God’s daily work in your heart is Divine artwork! Through Jesus He created a new man or woman for you to be – when you look in the mirror in the morning, see a canvass ready to be painted by God!

The Earth is Art

‘Who formed the earth and made it, who has established it, who did not create it in vain, who formed it to be inhabited’ Isaiah 45:18. ‘Who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it’ Isaiah 42:5. 

The heavens and the world are a canvass oiled and stretched for us to walk on and create in. The planets and the stars are God’s constant vogue exhibition – an art gallery of sheer wonder. The universe is so vast. God gave the planets and stars to us to mark days and seasons, and to help us find our way on the earth.

We find ourselves breathless as we gaze at them in their immensity of number and distance. We wonder why One so great would bother with us, let alone love us with a passion that compelled Him to give his only Son Jesus, so that we may not perish in this art, but have eternal life with the Divine Artist! Living in the gallery of earth is an art in itself – let alone reaching for the stars – as many will testify; yet, we have His breath, His Spirit – the same Spirit with which He created! Our arty potential is nothing short of phenomenal. I wonder if Abraham thought the same thing when he surveyed the stars of His promise from God?

The Nations are Art

All the nations today are God’s art pieces; they are for His purposes – His unique collection. As the nations battle in the Middle East we must remember that God has pre-appointed the borders of nations for His purposes, that it is ultimately about the nations finding the true God of heaven.

“God who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshipped with men’s hands (what we make) as though He needed anything, since He gives life, breath, and all things. And he has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation”. Acts 17:24-26

Great Things Can Happen In Your Artistic Life

Moses said, God’s work is the greatest of art!

‘Ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard’ Deuteronomy 4:32b.

Without God in your life you are just a brushstroke lost on this great stretched out canvass called the heavens and the earth. Every single stroke needs a context in this living painting called earth; for that purpose we all must look up to God the Divine Artist.

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Extracts from Stephen Bennett’s book – The Divine Artist. Used by Permission

English-born Stephen Bennett and his Australian wife Rebecca, founded Awesome City Music Ministries in the early nineties, based in Sydney, Australia. Stephen’s gifting spans various creative fields and he is a creative prophetic and apostolic voice to a wide community of musicians, singers, artists and to the Church. Website: Endtimewriters.com