THE GLORY OF GOD

“The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the GLORY of GOD illuminated it” – Revelation 21:23

Welcome to AUGUST – our Month of the FULLNESS of GOD’s GLORY: ““The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the GLORY of GOD illuminated it”” (Rev.21:23). In order to profitably meditate on the Fullness of His Glory, we need better understanding of what the term “Glory” really means. Proposing a precise definition of the word is of course, no easy task. Like many other spiritual concepts, God’s Glory is a concept that we have an awareness of without necessarily being able to describe it in all its fullness. Quite often, when we think of His Glory, what comes to mind is the image of brilliant light. That is certainly appropriate, as Scripture often describes His Glory in terms of a light that shines brighter than any earthly phenomenon: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you…” (Isa.60:1).

The prophetic passage in Isaiah 60:1-3, speaks of the Glory of our Creator, rather than that of the sun, being the light that shines forth in this dark world, as God reveals Himself through His people, that they might point the heathen nations unto Him – the Lord of all. Revelation 21: 22-25 affirms that in the new heaven and earth, we shall have no need for the sun by day or the moon by night because the Glory of the Lord shall illumine all of creation (vs.23). This illustrates the Fullness of His Glory! Although this passage refers primarily to the prophetic future, it has secondary relevance to our lives in the now. In this Season of the Fullness of His Glory, the affairs of our lives shall be directed, not by physical forces (represented by the sun and moon), but by the Manifest Glory of God: “for the Glory of God illuminated it”! His Glory shall illuminate our destinies: “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Pro.4:18).

Other biblical passages connect God’s Glory with His holiness, weightiness, divine dignity, and significance. We see this with particular precision in the Leviticus 10:1-3 account of Nadab and Abihu, who offered profane or strange fire before the Lord. Moses did not reveal explicitly the meaning of “profane fire,” but it is apparent that the two acted irreverently. In other words, they did not approach God with proper awareness, awe or veneration of His divine dignity. They did not glorify the Lord, and so they were consumed by fire from on high. Besides revealing that glorifying God requires us to understand His significance, holiness, and weightiness, this passage also underlines the seriousness with which the Lord takes His worship. Coming together with His people in praise and worship of His name is a distinct privilege and not something to take lightly.

Beloved, please get set in this new month for the revelation of God’s Glory and the unveiling of the divine! God will reveal to us His Realms of Glory, and teach and train us how to walk and operate therein. We’ll learn about the Hope of His Glory and how to live for His Glory. We’ll receive the Keys to glorious lives, glorious destinies, and glorious homes and families. We shall walk in the revelation and reality of the Glorious Church, as we begin to partake of the diverse dimensions of His Glory!