What is God’s glory? How does it look like? The scripture has much to say about God’s glory. As I looked at the scripture, it blessed me to see God’s glory in its different facets through the ages.
“And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.” Exodus 24:16-17
The word glory in Hebrew means: honor, glorious, abundance, riches, splendor, reputation, reverence, heaviness.
We see in the above scriptures that the glory of God had a few characteristics associated with it. First, it looked like a thick cloud. Moses was able to be in the midst of this thick cloud. Next, God’s glory looked like a devouring fire on top of the mountain to the children of Israel. The scripture clearly tells us that God’s glory was seen by the people of Israel. God’s glory will be seen by all the people on the earth (Psalm 97:6).
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23
Man was created in God’s image as we know in Genesis 1, but sin marred the image of God in man. As a result, each of us in the state of sin fall short of the glory of God. We cannot represent Him well on the earth. The glory of God in the Old Testament was seen from a distance, in the form of a cloud, or fire. God’s glory was seen at the Tabernacle of Meeting and on Mt. Sinai. These manifestations showed God’s mercy was with them, but very few could get close to this glory.
And the Word became 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. John 1:14
The scripture tells us Jesus came in the glory of His Father. The Father was willing to share His glory with His only begotten son who had no sin. The glory this time came in the form of the flesh and dwelt among them. The glory that resided on Mt Sinai and the Tabernacle of Meeting would come from time to time, but now it came in the form of the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to dwell among the people. God’s glory was not seen from afar anymore. It didn’t need to look like a cloud or fire to people, although He still can show himself that way. The glory took on flesh and lived among them. This glory also came full of grace and truth. Jesus was the complete, perfect example of glory on earth. The weight of glory comes from God’s unique holiness, his complete grace, and the fact that He is full of truth!!
What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Romans 9:23-24
God in His great grace and patience allows people, who are on the road of wrath and destruction, to become His vessels of grace, by pouring the riches of His glory through Jesus in them. Jesus redeems us from our fallen state, so we can be His image bearer on this earth again. We no longer have to fall short of the glory of God, but we can reflect His glory because of His blood and His spirit living inside of us. He came to dwell in us, so we can say,
…as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord. 1Cor 1:31
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:24-26 (KJV)
We no longer should desire vain glory, nor be conceited and proud in our ways!! We don’t need to look for the approval and the applause of man. The glory we reflect will not come from competing, provoking, or envying others. These things might feed the flesh temporarily, but will not glorify God and have no lasting satisfaction for us. We seek His glory by crucifying the flesh, its affections, and lusts. The glory we reflect will come purely by walking in the Spirit and the uniqueness of who God has made us; allowing God to develop the fruit of the Spirit and to show His glory through our lives. We should desire His praise above all else!!
Isn’t it amazing that the God of universe, the holy, omnipotent, excellent God gives us permission to glorify Him on the earth? He has entrusted to us a precious gift and responsibility, and that’s why He desires for us to live a “set apart” and sanctified life.
Lord, we ask that you would help us to walk worthy of the call we have received. Thank you for dwelling in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. We ask that you would perfect grace and truth in us. We desire to glorify you not ourselves on this earth!!