Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power. (Psalm 106:6-8)
Glory has been a word that has been put in my heart over the last few months. It all started after I finished being humbled by a friend in another attempt to stick myself in the middle of something that I should have let go. As I went for a walk, defending myself of course, I heard God clearly speak to me in the middle of my complaining. He said to me “Stop stealing my glory.” After snapping out of myself he repeated the phrase and opened my heart to what I was doing. I so much wanted to be the hero, a person who brings people together so that we can see God's work because of my works and determination. In the middle of my boasting I was dethroning the one who deserves the glory and honor no one should take.
I was becoming a glory-stealer.
“To glorify God…” is one of the chief purposes of our lives as born-again Christians, as stated in Westminster Catechism. Since the beginning, that is what God has been trying to do. When God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, He wanted us to see Him as our ultimate source of life and transformation. Through the Old Testament, glorifying God has been a theme woven in the pages and a goal that has proven a struggle from among His people. But what does it really mean to bring "Glory" to something? I was not sure either.
In our culture, glory is usually defined as "High renown or honor won by notable achievements", but also has a secondary definition of "Magnificence or great beauty" (Webster). In the Hebrew language the definition adds a few layers to this. Here it can be defined as heavy, weighty, grievous, hard, rich, or honorable (kāḇaḏ), but also honor, abundance, splendor, and reverence (kāḇôḏ, but is rooted from kāḇaḏ). Both are used in human interaction as well as God’s interactions, good and bad. For instance the word kāḇôḏ is used in Gen 45: 23 to show the honor that Joseph has in Egypt, or in Gen 18:20 kāḇaḏ represents man's heavy sinfulness. We use the same kind of picture in our language when we make statements like "the elephant in the room", "on a high horse", "the big honcho", or "larger than life" to represent something significant, something that cannot be ignored. It is similar when we are talking about the Glory of God, to make His name known above all. This journey to His glory started when God called Moses into Egypt to deliver His people. Before this time God only showed himself briefly to His servants, now God is coming to make Himself known among His people (Ex 6:3). Here is where He first talks about His glory:
“…And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so. - Exodus 14:4
God wanted to show his strength by humbling the one who claimed to be God. After His people were set free He showed his glory by parting the Red Sea (Ex 14), outright showing His glory as a cloud, tornado, and fire to lead and protect Israel (Ex 13:22), and by bringing mana from heaven (Ex 16:7). When they finally made it to the mountain, God reveals Himself to Moses and Israel (Ex 24:17) described in appearance as a devouring (consuming, destroying) fire, which will be important later. When Moses asks to see God’s glory in Exodus 33:18, God responds by saying he would give Moses a taste of His goodness, then His glory passed by (Ex 33:22). Even His goodness could not be handled by man without death, forcing Moses to hide within a rock cleft (Ex 33:20). After this encounter, Moses’ face was shining so bright that others were fearful around him to the point where he had to wear a veil (Ex 34:30, 33).
Gods glory is also shown in his anger as he opened the earth and swallowed up those who formed the golden calf to replace God in Exodus 32 showing He is a jealous God (Ex 20:5, 34:14, Deut 4:24), revealing the consuming/destroying nature of wrath. This is not about getting the attention He desires, but about the respect He deserves because if is magnificence and worth. This matches even the modern definition. But there was a transition after Leviticus 9, after the tent of meetings was built and the sacrificial instructions were given. Leviticus 9:6 says:
And Moses said, “This is the thing that the LORD commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.”
Then Moses commands Aaron (who is to be the priest) to make several very specific offerings to God for sins of themselves and for the people who were watching. After finishing the burnt and peace offerings in 9:23-24, scripture says:
And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
There are a few things to notice here. First, seeing God's glory was only possible after a sin offering, which God's fire consumed instead of His people. Secondly, God's glory was now moved out from the mountain and now was revealed in the Tent of Meeting (Num 14:10, 16:19, 42, 20:6) behind the veil of a curtain. This was later extended to the House of God (1 Ki 8:11, 2 Chron 5:14, 7:1-2) and even with the Ark's presence (1 Sam 4:21-22, 1 Chron 16:10). God's glory was now externally represented by His people declaring it to the world (Deut 5:24, 1 Chron 16:24, 28) and through God's works shown through Israel (Jdg 4:9, 1 Chron 16:35, 22:5).
But this is not where the story ends, but just the beginning.
When Jesus came, the glory of God was transformed once again. He came to show us the glory of God among us (Luke 2:32, John 1:14) as He displayed the redeeming love of God to all people. Jesus is the "radiance of His glory" (Heb 1:3), where God's presence is directly shown to all people. Then when Jesus died on the cross, the earth shook and the very curtain that separated us from the holy place in Solomon's Temple (Ex 26:33–35) was split in two (Mat 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45), and God's glory was now among man again through Jesus. Then when Pentecost came:
...they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. - Acts 2:1-3 (emp mine)
Wind and Fire came on us with the Spirit, just like when God showed up for Israel! But this time the fire did not come to destroy, but to unite His people together as one Church. The fire was not on top of a mountain where the Commandments were written, but on our tongues. He is restoring the brokenness caused by our sin, and that glory was now free and represented in us through the Spirit of God!
What a story!
But there are times when I (we) think this is not enough. We replace the glory of God with our own glory or the glory of other things. Whether it is trying to be the hero, like in my case, pointing to our own glory, or the glory of those around us, we loose sight of God's true magnificence and worth. We return to our prison-like state, just like His people in Mount Sinai, we plant golden Idols to replace the Gory of God. I am grateful for friends who can graciously and lovingly reveal where I fall short in this area, even though my response does not always show this. But one question I often ask myself to snap me back to Him is, how can I add to such a glorious and all powerful God? Does God really need help bringing glory to Himself? He IS glory! If we just point to Him, what else do we really need?
When I think of what God has brought me out of when I
repented and turned to Jesus, I cannot imagine another life. He rescued me from the imprisonment of life without Him in slavery, parted the
seas, and brought me to His holy mountain to reveal to me His true glory.
Because of that experience I now become the reflected light of His glory through
His Spirit (1 Pet 4:14). This is not an external passing by of His goodness
like with Moses, but the internal changing of my heart which reveals the
external character of God through Christ (Heb 3:3). We are no longer covered by a rock or paralyzed
with fear as we see God, but we can come before the throne of grace freely and
joyfully.
Hallelujah!
And that is not it, now we can reflect the attributes of God to this broken world. His goodness, love, grace, justice, truth, and mercy can be put on display, but not as the world sees it and responds to it, but wrapped in the one who holds the entire world in His hands (1 Pet 5:10). And when this life is over and we stand in front of the King of Kings, we can walk with Him in a new world that will be illuminated by His glory for all eternity (Rev 21:23). Just imagine it, everything will be made new. I invite you to read Revelation 22:1-6.
All of this is a beautiful picture of God’s love for us, His true Glory, and this magnificence and beauty can only come from the Savior Himself. All other ground is sinking sand (Mat 7:24-29).
How can our aim not be to bring Him glory?
Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, For the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! - Ps 115:1