Since we are commanded to glorify the Lord, shouldn’t we understand how to follow through with it?
Glory is such a simple two-syllable word, but do we understand its meaning? If you were asked to explain glory and, more specifically, the glory of the Lord to a twelve-year-old, how would you express it? We often speak in "Christianese," but when visitors come to church for service, do they understand its meaning?
Somewhere in my past studies, I had adopted the idea of glorifying God as magnifying Him, making God look bigger, but am I correct? Since we are commanded to glorify the Lord, shouldn’t we understand how to follow through with it?
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV)
Defining the Glory of the Lord
According to Got Questions, it is the beauty of God’s Spirit. They further explain that it is the beauty that emanates from His character.
Vines Dictionary further explains that God’s glory is manifested in whatever way God chooses to reveal Himself, especially in the person of Jesus Christ.
Biblical Accounts of the Glory of the Lord
Moses boldly asked God to show him His glory (Ex. 33:18). Moses spoke to God face-to-face, but Moses wanted more. God told Moses He would pass by him, but no one could see His face and live (Ex. 33:20). God covered Moses so all he could see was the back of the Lord.
God didn’t allow David to build a temple where the Lord would dwell, but God allowed David’s son, Solomon, to build it. During the dedication of the temple, the glory of the Lord manifested.
When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.” Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord (2 Chronicles 7:1-4 NIV).
Such a presence brought the Israelites down on their faces to worship.
Isaiah also had a similar experience when he grieved at the death of King Uzziah (Is. 6:1 NIV). Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord, high and exalted. Isaiah said the Lord was seated on a throne and the train of His robe filled the temple. Isaiah also described seraphim:
"And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.'" (Isaiah 6:3 NIV)
Notice the response Isaiah had. It exceeds worship. He saw his unworthiness to be in the presence of a holy God:
“'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.' Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, 'See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.' Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'” (Isaiah 6:5-8 NIV)
Isaiah felt unclean, and the only thing that atoned for his unclean lips was a hot coal on them. I have eaten food when it’s been a little too hot, but I can’t imagine the searing pain a hot coal placed on my tender lips would create. Immediately, God calls Isaiah into service, and Isaiah seeks to serve as a willing vessel.
The Birth of Jesus Christ
Over two thousand years ago, the virgin Mary gave birth to the Messiah. Such a momentous occasion, but it came unannounced except for some shepherds watching their flocks. The Lord Jesus Christ had been born, and angels sought to announce such a marvelous event to lowly shepherds.
"An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.' When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:9-15 NIV)
The Shepherds found Mary and Joseph with Baby Jesus lying in a manger. Then the shepherds began to tell others what they had seen and heard. Luke tells us that Mary pondered these things in her heart, and the shepherds glorified God for all they had witnessed.
John wrote: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14 NIV)
Jesus Christ is God incarnate. Jesus Christ was born of a woman, fully human, but because He had to be sinless, He was also fully God. He wasn’t half-God and half-man.
Jesus hungered because He was fully man, but He multiplied the fish and the loaves because He was fully God. He thirsted because He was fully man, but He turned water into wine because He was fully God. He slept in a storm-tossed boat because He was fully man, but He stopped the storm because He was fully God.
Why is this important? Jesus was the Word, and the Word became flesh so man could see the glory of God. The writer of Hebrews says:
"The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things, by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." (Hebrews 1:3 NIV)
We see the glory of the Lord in the Person of Jesus Christ, in the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-32), in all His miracles, and in His resurrection.
Today, we still see the glory of the Lord in Jesus. We see it in Scripture, in His creation, and in the people of Jesus Christ. We also still see it in His miracles today when someone is saved or healed. We experience His glory when we worship, either alone or corporately.
Perhaps, we experience the glory of the Lord most when we meet with Him in prayer.
"Even in our sufferings, Christ is glorified. Jesus Christ is our hope through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance...." (Romans 5:2-3 NIV)
Begin today to look for the glory of the Lord in your everyday life. You may be astonished to see how often you see it, and when you do, give Him glory in return.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Arthit Longwilai
