The Glory of the Lord — then and now

Goal

Our ultimate goal in life is to manifest the glory of God: to give God glory.
Wherever we are now, what we want to move toward is a greater manifestation of the glory in our lives.

The Glory of the Lord
– then and now

1. What is the glory of God?
2. How do we encounter it today?
3. What does this have to do with the Holy Spirit?

The Glory of God

• Hebrew word for glory: kabod
  • literal: heaviness or weight
  • came to mean: wealth, honour or splendour Exodus 16:7,10; 24:15–18; 33:20)
• “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” (Ps. 60:11).
• “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous works among all the peoples!” (Ps. 96:3).

John 1

14. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
18. No has has ever seen God [thinking of Moses and Mt Sinai]; the only God who is at the Father’s side [Jesus], has made him known [visibly seen].

John is saying three things:

1. The God who appeared on Mt. Sinai has appeared in the flesh in the person of Jesus
2. The entire character of God as revealed on Mt. Sinai, his mercy and faithfulness, are embodied in the person of Jesus
3. The shekinah glory of God on Mt. Sinai and in the cloud wherever it went was also manifest in the person of Jesus

2 Corinthians 3

7. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end,
8. will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?
9. For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.
10. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it.
11. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

2 Corinthians 3

16. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
17. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

The Glory of God is manifested:

• at Sinai: as the Father
• in the Streets of Jerusalem: as the Son
• in Christians: as the Holy Spirit
• Where the glory comes, there comes freedom:
  • Freedom from the power of sin
  • Freedom from the condemnation of the law
  • Freedom to live life as it was meant to be lived
  • Freedom to be in fellowship with the living God

2 Corinthians 3

16. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
17. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
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. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Where is the Glory today?

• We go looking for the glory in some strange places.
• We chase extraordinary manifestations.
• We long for the visible cloud that Moses saw. And God can manifest himself that way.
• But the glory God is looking for is the glory of Christ in our inner man and inner woman.
  the image / likeness of Christ.

Conclusion

As we become more and more like Christ,
that glory will increase.

And one day it will translate us,
in the twinkling of an eye,
into a glorious resurrection body
like that of Jesus.

Until that day, saints:
behold him,
follow him,
take up your cross,
walk in his love and give it away.