I never will forget the first time that I visited New York City.  They say that it is really easy to spot a tourist in NYC because they are constantly looking up – especially if you have grown up in Lufkin, TX. As you walk the streets (staring at the buildings that loom overhead) you get a sense for the magnitude of commerce and population that is crowded into this one place. But because there are so many huge buildings, you cannot grasp the immense size and the intricate design of the city by just walking around.

But if you go to the Empire State Building, you can get on an elevator and go to the observation deck on the 86^th floor. When you walk out onto the deck, you are standing 1,050 feet above the street, and there you can see the entire city. On the deck, there are viewfinders – basically, huge binoculars that enable you to see far into the city and check out a bird’s eye view of your favorite sites.

The Bible tells the magnificent story of God’s redemptive plan for humanity; however, the people in the Bible, like us, spend most of their lives at street-level.  And from time-to-time, they look up and notice pieces that reflect the magnitude and intricacy of God’s plan. But a lifetime spent with a street-level view distorts beauty and hides hope.

So God sent messengers, we call them prophets, to lift us up, and give us a view into the binoculars on the observation deck. Each prophet tells the gospel message from a distance – delivering a message from God who appears from a distance – foretelling of the Savior who will arrive and save in a distant future time.