This week, I hope it is okay to do something just a little bit different… I thought we might do a quick Bible study on God’s glory among his people.
This study will be a brief OVERVIEW of God’s glory, and I hope it will be good for your time together… So buckle in and let’s go!
God’s Glory in Creation
The word “glory” isn’t found in the creation story, but it is evident there nonetheless.
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!
Genesis 1:31 NLT
God was pleased with everything… Everything. It all was what He wanted it to be. It all did what He wanted it to do. God is completely glorified in all creation.
But that isn’t all… God would walk among the humans in the garden. What must it have been like to be able to have that type of relationship with God? What must it have been like to be in his presence like that?
After the humans sinned, though, they hid from God when He walked in the garden. After this point, what would happen to humans in the presence of God? What would happen if you looked at God?
God’s Glory in the Exodus
The most familiar phrase for the evident presence of God is His “Shekinah Glory.” Have you heard of that before?
Shekinah is actually not a Biblical word… It is a term the Hebrew rabbis coined to describe the evident, glorious presence of God, most famously found in the cloud that went before the people through the wilderness after God rescued them from Egypt.
The Israelites left Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people.
Exodus 13:20-22 NLT
This wasn’t some fluffy puffy cloud… It was an ominous, power-of-God cloud… How was it described at night? Moses alone was allowed to climb the mountain where the cloud had settled in order to be near God. Nobody else was even allowed to touch the mountain, or they would be killed.
Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord.
Leviticus 10:1-2 NLT
Seriously. God’s presence among fallen man is very different than his presence among the pre-fall humans, isn’t it? How so?
The presence of God was their hope, their salvation… But it was also dangerous to them because of their sin.
NOTE: there ARE a few other instances where God appears, but not in His glory… He appears to Moses from a burning bush. He appears to Abraham as three men. Those aren’t what God looks like, but they are ways God chose to be momentarily visible and near.
God’s Glory in the Tabernacle
Moses and Aaron constructed the Tabernacle according to God’s clear instructions. As soon as it was completed, God’s glorious presence moved right on in.
Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.
Exodus 40:34-38 NLT
Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it. But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys.
God now had a “dwelling place” so His glorious presence could be among the humans once again, yet there was still danger. He was among, yet separated. He was their salvation, but he was also dangerous to them.
It’s a visible reminder: ‘I’m here. I’m here, My people. I’m right in the midst of you; right in the midst of all your problems. I’m in the midst of all your trials. I’m not ‘out there’ somewhere, I’m right here in the middle of it. I’m in the thick of it with you, and what you’re going through, I’m in the thick of it with you, and I’m protecting you, and I’m guarding you, and I’m guiding you.’
In other words, the glory cloud is a visible manifestation of the constant presence of God. He is constantly present among His people. And there’s a staggering humility to what God is doing here. He’s condescending to dwell in this… tent… with Israel.
Of course, God in His Glory later dwelled in The Temple. But, after the Israelite kings became corrupt, and the people became divided, the presence of God eventually left the people all together.
The prophet Ezekiel narrated the step-by-step departure of the glory of God from His house.
Then the glory of the God of Israel rose up from between the cherubim, where it had rested, and moved to the entrance of the Temple. And the Lord called to the man dressed in linen who was carrying the writer’s case.
Ezekiel 9:3 NLT
Then the glory of the Lord rose up from above the cherubim and went over to the entrance of the Temple. The Temple was filled with this cloud of glory, and the courtyard glowed brightly with the glory of the Lord.
Ezekiel 10: 4 NLT
Then the glory of the Lord moved out from the entrance of the Temple and hovered above the cherubim. And as I watched, the cherubim flew with their wheels to the east gate of the Lord’s Temple. And the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them.
Ezekiel 10:18-19 NLT
Then the glory of the Lord went up from the city and stopped above the mountain to the east.
Ezekiel 11:23 NLT
Upon their exile, the glory of God departed from the people, no longer to be in their presence. This was to be the case for a long, long lonely time.
Until something NEW happened! The Apostle John describes Jesus as “The Word,” the expression of God himself, right? God’s glory is a key idea in John’s head as he writes these words:
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
John 1:14 NLT
To inaugurate the New Covenant, God’s glory shows up not in a cloud, but in a person. And this new display of God’s glory is one of humility and servitude, right?
- He is born in a stable
- the glory shone around… Shepherds, rather than priests.
- He is raised in the peasant class.
- His first miracle is conducted in quiet among servants.
- He tells newly healed people not to say anything to anyone.
- His transfiguration is witnessed by a very small group, and it is sandwiched between teachings about his death.
- His “triumphant entry” is on a donkey.
- He concludes his ministry by washing the feet of his own disciples.
Then, the glory of God culminates in Jesus’ work on the cross… The King taking on the punishment for all of the traitor-criminals against His Kingdom.
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 NLT
Okay.. I have to wrap this up… But NOW, the glory of God is most evident in his own people.
When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
John 15:8 NLT
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT