THE GLORY OF GOD

“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30

The glory of God is cumulative manifestation of all that He is. It is the display of all His wonders; His attributes and works. His glory means His renown, honor, magnificence, and resplendence – all worthy of praise, exaltation and worship. He is distinguished above all and outshines everything and everyone, for all glory ultimately belongs to Him. His glory never fails to continually captivate all those who behold Him. He never fails to impress or elicit praise and adoration. His glory never fades and never passes away. It is eternal.

The terms used for glory in the scriptures refers to being “heavy, weighty, powerful, burdensome”. It is the idea of having a weighty reputation and exceeding honor. It is also associated with overpowering brilliance, brightness and splendor. Glory in the secular writings of those times was associated with honor, in regard to wisdom, might, wealth and physical appearance.

His glory is so overpowering that humanity cannot behold it all directly. Moses asked to see God’s glory and the Lord conceded, yet hid him behind a rock and passed by only allowing a small portion of Himself to be seen. Moses face became so radiant that he had to keep it veiled because of the people’s fear. Throughout scripture we find people becoming undone by just being in the presence of an angel, let alone God. How much more does His glory exceeds any of His creation.

Nature reveals His glory. Whether it be the dynamic artistry of the stars, skies, mountains, oceans, trees, flowers and creatures, or to the intrigue of the vastness of the universe, the ingenious laws by which all function and the intricacies of the design of the complex organisms. As Psalm 19:1-2 says, 

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays His handiwork. Day after day it speaks out; night after night it reveals His greatness.”

The source of all created glory is found in Him! The glory we behold and experience in nature is because of His act of glory. When we see beauty, it is a sliver of His glory breaking through to our common world. All the glories of this world are exceeded by Him because He is the source of that glory.

Humanity displays His glory. Isaiah 43:7 says that God created us for His glory. We are carrying His glory “in jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7). The glory of human activity, achievement, ability and appearance is all because of His glory. We are both the work and reflection of His splendor.

When we experience affection and love, it is His glory. When there is joy, it is His glory. When we are held in awe by a work or an event, it is His glory. All the splendor in Heaven and on earth has as it’s origin and flow from His glory, 

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.” Romans 11:36

Jesus Himself is glorious. The Gospel of John tells us He 

“became flesh and dwelt among us,” and “we beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son” John 1:14 

The disciples who witnessed the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–8) saw His glory. John the Baptist came preaching to prepare the way for the coming of the glory of the Lord (Matthew 3:3). 

Jesus is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being” Hebrews 1:3 

He is the very image of God; to see the light of His face is to know the glory of God (2 Corinthians 4:4–6). Christ is to return in glory. He will sit on His throne in judgment (Matthew 25:31); evil will be punished (Matthew 16:27; 24:30). And in the end,  

“the whole earth will be filled with His glory” Psalm 72:19 

“They called out to one another, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord who commands armies! His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!’” Isaiah 6:3

“The splendor of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it at the same time. For the Lord has decreed it.” Isaiah 40:5