THE GLORY OF THE LORD - PART 4
TUESDAY 01 AUGUST 2023
What hugely inspires me about this topic is that we are discussing an endless glory. When we fear God with a reverential fear, and honour Him with a love of esteem and a heart of gratitude, we are being zealous for more of His glory.
Reference: Isaiah 60:2 New Living Translation (NLT) "Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the LORD rises and appears over you."
How did God qualify us to share His glory? The answer is Christ! By sending Christ Jesus, who justified and sanctified us, and enabled us to give ourselves to true godliness and righteousness, He qualified us for God's glory. In doing so, He set before us a sure hope of that immeasurable glory. That's what that part of Colossians 1:27, which says, "Christ in you, the hope of glory!" means.
The full blaze of this glory accompanies the very face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 reads, "For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (NIV). To instantiate this, Acts 9:3-5 (NIV) reads, "As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," He replied. In fact, he couldn't open his eyes because the glory blinded him (see Acts 9:8-9 NIV).
What caused Saul to suddenly fall to the ground? It was the gravity of the light of glory in the face of Christ. The above Scripture noted that suddenly, a light from heaven flashed around him and the voice said, "I am Jesus!" That's the glory of God and it led Paul to righteousness (2 Corinthians 3:9 NIV). The glory wanted to build a personal relationship with Saul of Tarsus, later known as apostle Paul. Before Paul knew it, his language changed. As he grew in faith, he said, "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead..." (Philippians 3:10 NLT). What is that power that raised Christ from the dead? The glory of the Father, according to Romans 6:4 (NIV). And we are going to experience it in the world to come (see Revelation 21:23 NIV).
When the Psalmist said in Psalm 68:19 (KJV) - "Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation", he was talking about inexhaustible the riches of God's glory. To that effect, by revelation, apostle Paul specifically noted how God loads us with such benefits in Philippians 4:19 - "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (NIV). In other words, the saint's provisions are sourced from God's riches in glory. We are just being informed that our abundant supply emanates from His majestic and far-shining nature.
The "riches of His glory" is nothing less than a great ocean of the divine love exerted on our behalf in Christ. It entails the whole, boundless, untold blessings of our salvation in Christ. His provision is that act of His loving-kindness, which is precious to the saints. It is the majestic substance of His love that was decided in the council of eternity, which will take it's full effect in the world to come. But before then, Habakkuk 2:14 says, "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (NIV).
Who will carry the knowledge of this glory to the ends of the earth? The saints! Also notice the expression, "As the water covers the sea." This is the reason I mentioned in part one, that the glory wields or exerts a supernatural force of eternal influence which is likened to the flow of a deep-surging mass of waters. In other words, it will spread to the ends of the earth. Stay tuned for part 5. Shalom!
Scripture Reading - Psalm 102:16; Isaiah 6:3; Acts 7:55; 2 Corinthians 3:9-18.
Guided Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, I thank you for granting me all that I require to live a life worthy of your glory. In the journey of my Christian faith, I live with the consciousness of your glory which intensifies through the help of the Spirit, in Jesus' Name, Amen!
