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Beholding the Glory
BEHOLDING THE GLORY
To be in the presence of God is to behold the glory of God (see: The Presence of God). But how is the glory of God to be understood? “Glorious” is used descriptively of God (Ps. 145:5), but what is affirmed by this word? What is the glory of God? Following are select references to God’s glory; they come from both the Old and New Testaments, revealing the comprehensiveness of the theme of His glory:
To behold the glory is to behold the Lord.
To behold the glory is to behold the Lord, for the word “glory” sums up all that God is and all that He has revealed Himself to be—the glory of God is the God of glory. This identification of glory with the Lord is found throughout the Scriptures.
Glory is associated with both the Tabernacle and the Temple, the earthly Temple as well as the idealized Temple of Ezekiel. In each of these meeting places the glory of the Lord appeared. Of the Tabernacle God says: “There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by My glory” (Ex. 29:43); He continues: “I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar” (v. 44). For the tent of meeting and the altar to be sanctified by His “glory” is for the tent of meeting and the altar to be sanctified by the presence of God. In verse 43 the sanctification will be accomplished by His glory (“My glory”), and in verse 44 the consecration will be accomplished by Him (“I will”). God and His glory are one and the same.
An understanding of this reality explains the wording of the psalmist: “So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory” (Ps. 63:2). To look upon God is to behold His glory; to behold His glory is to look upon God.
Paul simply refers to Him as “the Father of glory” (Eph. 1:17), the One who raised Christ from the dead (v. 20). And of Christ he affirms that “Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father” (Rom. 6:4). Who raised Christ from the dead? Though two reference points are given the answer is one. The two reference points are “the Father” in Ephesians and “the glory of the Father” in Romans. Either statement is correct, for the glory and the Father are to be identified; and the resurrection of Christ can be attributed to either.
In another passage Paul speak of God “who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see” (I Tim. 6:16). The “unapproachable light” is the glory of God. The God who dwells in the unapproachable light cannot be seen, but the terrible and awesome light—the glory of God—that is unapproachable can be seen. To see the light is to see the glory, and to see the glory is to see God.
To ascribe glory to God is to confess that the Lord is Lord.
Consider the parallel thoughts in Psalms 96:2-4:
In the first line the reader is admonished to “sing-bless-tell,” three different words, and in one sense, different acts; but, in another sense, three manifestations of the same act—the act of confessing that the Lord is Lord.
In the second line the instruction is to “declare”; and the reader is told what to declare: “His glory” to the nations and “His marvelous works” to all the people. To declare His glory and His marvelous works is to confess that the Lord is Lord, for the Lord and His glory and works are identical.
In the third line the reason for the first two lines is given. The reader sings, blesses, tells, and declares, and in so doing he is affirming that the Lord is great and greatly to be praised. In other words, the doing of these things for the Lord is actually an affirmation of who He is. And because of who He is—the Lord—He is to be praised, with praise simply being a recognition of who He is and ascribing the same to Him.
To partake of the glory is to experience the grace of the Lord.
Two astonishing revelations appear in Scripture, one given by Peter and one by Paul:
The two revelation are these: the believer partakes of the glory, and the believer is progressively increasing in the glory! While numerous implications of these revelations could be developed, one thought will be pressed: these two revelations manifest the working of grace.
In both texts grace is presented as the dynamic that brings or applies the glory to the believer. Peter makes reference to “the God of all grace” and the fact that God “called you,” and with the call the gracious God initiates the relationship and the process. Likewise, Paul states that the believer is “being transformed,” thereby indicating that the believer is not active in the process but is passive; it is not something the believer does but it is done to and for the believer. The believer receives what God provides.
How unfathomable is the thought that the believer partakes of glory and is slowly but surely experiencing more glory, an experience that continues in eternity. To progress in the knowledge and experience of glory is to progress in the knowledge and experience of God.
The whole earth will be filled with the glory of God.
Beholding the glory is beholding perfection—it is to be overwhelmed with holiness, with the One who is “Holy, Holy, Holy.” And this essential essence of Deity will one day be undeniably manifest, for the entire earth will be filled with God’s glory:
In one sense the earth presently is invested with the glory of God, but only the believer grasps the fact, admits the fact, or glimpses the fact. To reject the fact is to deny the obvious; it is to suppress knowledge (see: Rom. 1:18-23 and Perverted Thinking). In another sense, when eternity appears the sun, moon, and stars will not be needed, for the glory of God will be the light: “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light” (Rev. 21:23; see 22:5).
The believer may know these things intellectually and long for the full experience of them, but his understanding is limited by his present sinfulness and creational finiteness. With the psalmist the most that we can do is “meditate.”
Return to: The Believer in Eternity; Next Article: No Sin
For overview of THEOLOGY, see: Site Map - Theology
BEHOLDING THE GLORY
To be in the presence of God is to behold the glory of God (see: The Presence of God). But how is the glory of God to be understood? “Glorious” is used descriptively of God (Ps. 145:5), but what is affirmed by this word? What is the glory of God? Following are select references to God’s glory; they come from both the Old and New Testaments, revealing the comprehensiveness of the theme of His glory:
in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord . . . they looked toward
the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud (Ex.
16:7, 10);
the glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days . . . now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain (Ex. 24:16-17);
There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it [the tabernacle] shall be sanctified by My glory (Ex. 29:43);
Moses said, “Please show me Your glory.” And He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you . . . but . . . you cannot see My face, for man shall not see Me and live . . . while My glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock . . .” (Ex. 33:18-23);
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle; and Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-35);
And you said, “Behold, the Lord our God has shown us His glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire” (Deut. 5:24; see: Ex. 20:18-21);
Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones; but the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel (Num. 14:10);
But truly . . . all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord (Num. 14:21);
And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord (I Ki. 8:10-11);
I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells (Ps. 26:8);
So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory (Ps. 63:2);
Blessed be His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory (Ps. 72:19);
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6:3; see: 11:10; 35:2; 40:5; 58:8; 59:19; 60:1-2; 66:18);
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14);
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 (Jo. 1:14);
But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Acts 6:55);
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23);
the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Rom. 8:18);
that He might make known the riches of His glory for the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called (Rom. 9:23-24);
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another (II Cor. 3:18);
When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory (Col. 3:4);
. . . walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory (I Thess. 2:12);
. . . namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor (Heb. 2:10);
. . . a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed . . . the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ (I Pet. 5:1, 10);
. . . Him who called us to His own glory and excellence (II Pet. 1:3);
To the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory (Jude 24);
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light (Rev. 21:23; see 22:5).
the glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days . . . now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain (Ex. 24:16-17);
There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it [the tabernacle] shall be sanctified by My glory (Ex. 29:43);
Moses said, “Please show me Your glory.” And He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you . . . but . . . you cannot see My face, for man shall not see Me and live . . . while My glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock . . .” (Ex. 33:18-23);
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle; and Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-35);
And you said, “Behold, the Lord our God has shown us His glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire” (Deut. 5:24; see: Ex. 20:18-21);
Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones; but the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel (Num. 14:10);
But truly . . . all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord (Num. 14:21);
And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord (I Ki. 8:10-11);
I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells (Ps. 26:8);
So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory (Ps. 63:2);
Blessed be His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory (Ps. 72:19);
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6:3; see: 11:10; 35:2; 40:5; 58:8; 59:19; 60:1-2; 66:18);
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14);
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 (Jo. 1:14);
But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Acts 6:55);
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23);
the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Rom. 8:18);
that He might make known the riches of His glory for the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called (Rom. 9:23-24);
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another (II Cor. 3:18);
When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory (Col. 3:4);
. . . walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory (I Thess. 2:12);
. . . namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor (Heb. 2:10);
. . . a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed . . . the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ (I Pet. 5:1, 10);
. . . Him who called us to His own glory and excellence (II Pet. 1:3);
To the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory (Jude 24);
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light (Rev. 21:23; see 22:5).
To behold the glory is to behold the Lord.
To behold the glory is to behold the Lord, for the word “glory” sums up all that God is and all that He has revealed Himself to be—the glory of God is the God of glory. This identification of glory with the Lord is found throughout the Scriptures.
Glory is associated with both the Tabernacle and the Temple, the earthly Temple as well as the idealized Temple of Ezekiel. In each of these meeting places the glory of the Lord appeared. Of the Tabernacle God says: “There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by My glory” (Ex. 29:43); He continues: “I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar” (v. 44). For the tent of meeting and the altar to be sanctified by His “glory” is for the tent of meeting and the altar to be sanctified by the presence of God. In verse 43 the sanctification will be accomplished by His glory (“My glory”), and in verse 44 the consecration will be accomplished by Him (“I will”). God and His glory are one and the same.
An understanding of this reality explains the wording of the psalmist: “So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory” (Ps. 63:2). To look upon God is to behold His glory; to behold His glory is to look upon God.
Paul simply refers to Him as “the Father of glory” (Eph. 1:17), the One who raised Christ from the dead (v. 20). And of Christ he affirms that “Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father” (Rom. 6:4). Who raised Christ from the dead? Though two reference points are given the answer is one. The two reference points are “the Father” in Ephesians and “the glory of the Father” in Romans. Either statement is correct, for the glory and the Father are to be identified; and the resurrection of Christ can be attributed to either.
In another passage Paul speak of God “who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see” (I Tim. 6:16). The “unapproachable light” is the glory of God. The God who dwells in the unapproachable light cannot be seen, but the terrible and awesome light—the glory of God—that is unapproachable can be seen. To see the light is to see the glory, and to see the glory is to see God.
The full vision of the divine glory
is reserved for the Age to come,
yet even in this present life
the saints enjoy the sure pledge
and firstfruits of the coming harvest.
Bishop Kallistos Ware
is reserved for the Age to come,
yet even in this present life
the saints enjoy the sure pledge
and firstfruits of the coming harvest.
Bishop Kallistos Ware
To ascribe glory to God is to confess that the Lord is Lord.
Consider the parallel thoughts in Psalms 96:2-4:
Sing to the LORD, bless His name;
tell of His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
In the first line the reader is admonished to “sing-bless-tell,” three different words, and in one sense, different acts; but, in another sense, three manifestations of the same act—the act of confessing that the Lord is Lord.
In the second line the instruction is to “declare”; and the reader is told what to declare: “His glory” to the nations and “His marvelous works” to all the people. To declare His glory and His marvelous works is to confess that the Lord is Lord, for the Lord and His glory and works are identical.
In the third line the reason for the first two lines is given. The reader sings, blesses, tells, and declares, and in so doing he is affirming that the Lord is great and greatly to be praised. In other words, the doing of these things for the Lord is actually an affirmation of who He is. And because of who He is—the Lord—He is to be praised, with praise simply being a recognition of who He is and ascribing the same to Him.
Blessed be His glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Ps. 72:19
To the only God, our Savior,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
be glory.
Jude 24
may the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Ps. 72:19
To the only God, our Savior,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
be glory.
Jude 24
To partake of the glory is to experience the grace of the Lord.
Two astonishing revelations appear in Scripture, one given by Peter and one by Paul:
. . . a
partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed . . . the God of all grace,
who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ (I Pet. 5:1,
10);
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another (II Cor. 3:18).
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another (II Cor. 3:18).
The two revelation are these: the believer partakes of the glory, and the believer is progressively increasing in the glory! While numerous implications of these revelations could be developed, one thought will be pressed: these two revelations manifest the working of grace.
In both texts grace is presented as the dynamic that brings or applies the glory to the believer. Peter makes reference to “the God of all grace” and the fact that God “called you,” and with the call the gracious God initiates the relationship and the process. Likewise, Paul states that the believer is “being transformed,” thereby indicating that the believer is not active in the process but is passive; it is not something the believer does but it is done to and for the believer. The believer receives what God provides.
How unfathomable is the thought that the believer partakes of glory and is slowly but surely experiencing more glory, an experience that continues in eternity. To progress in the knowledge and experience of glory is to progress in the knowledge and experience of God.
Beloved, we are God’s children now,
and what we will be has not yet appeared;
but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him,
because we shall see Him as He is.
I Jo. 3:2
and what we will be has not yet appeared;
but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him,
because we shall see Him as He is.
I Jo. 3:2
The whole earth will be filled with the glory of God.
Beholding the glory is beholding perfection—it is to be overwhelmed with holiness, with the One who is “Holy, Holy, Holy.” And this essential essence of Deity will one day be undeniably manifest, for the entire earth will be filled with God’s glory:
But truly . . . all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord
(Num. 14:21);
Blessed be His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory (Ps. 72:19);
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6:3; see: 11:10; 35:2; 40:5; 58:8; 59:19; 60:1-2; 66:18);
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14).
Blessed be His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory (Ps. 72:19);
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6:3; see: 11:10; 35:2; 40:5; 58:8; 59:19; 60:1-2; 66:18);
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14).
In one sense the earth presently is invested with the glory of God, but only the believer grasps the fact, admits the fact, or glimpses the fact. To reject the fact is to deny the obvious; it is to suppress knowledge (see: Rom. 1:18-23 and Perverted Thinking). In another sense, when eternity appears the sun, moon, and stars will not be needed, for the glory of God will be the light: “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light” (Rev. 21:23; see 22:5).
The believer may know these things intellectually and long for the full experience of them, but his understanding is limited by his present sinfulness and creational finiteness. With the psalmist the most that we can do is “meditate.”
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works,
I will meditate.
Psalm 145:5
and on your wondrous works,
I will meditate.
Psalm 145:5
Return to: The Believer in Eternity; Next Article: No Sin
For overview of THEOLOGY, see: Site Map - Theology