Over the last several posts, we have talked about what happens when individuals experience God’s glory and about a near future date when God’s glory will be poured out upon the earth in a big way. Is there a difference between God’s glory and God’s spirit?

The two are connected, but there seems to be a difference as well. We understand that the Trinity is intricately interconnected. Jesus stated that if we have seen him, we have seen the Father (Jn 14:9), and the writer of Hebrews states that Jesus is a reflection of God’s glory (Hb 1:3). Also, the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Glory (1Pt 4:14) and is a Spirit of power enabling Christ to be raised from the dead (Ro 1:4). So, despite all these interconnections, what is the difference when it comes to experiencing God’s glory and God’s Spirit?

If we look at our past posts, those who experienced God’s glory fell to their faces in worship as they felt unworthy to be in God’s presence. His glory humbles us and puts us into a place where we can worship God in purity of intent without any hidden agenda. Yet, we find when people experienced God’s Spirit, they became empowered to act in a way that is pleasing to God and uphold God in the highest regard.

There were also physical manifestations when humans experienced God’s Spirit. In Acts chapter 2 we see that “tongues of fire” fell upon Christ’s disciples, they spoke in other languages, became embolden to proclaim Jesus Christ to the masses and many people came to believe in Jesus Christ that day. In many other encounters in Scripture, speaking in tongues was a manifestation of their experience of receiving God’s Holy Spirit, and many signs and wonders manifested as well. That was not always the case, but it did occur quite often. Why is that not seen today as well? This was covered in a previous post (Kingdom Age), so I will not go over that again here. I refer you to that post.

I will also point out that while the two are different, they do work in concert. God’s glory humbles people and helps them to understand their hopeless position compared to who God is, and that all praise must go to God because he is the all-in-all. Once an individual understands they are nothing compared to him, then God’s Spirit can use that person and make them a powerful instrument for God, embolden them to teach about who God is, his love for mankind, and how to help others come to him.

So, it seems we are poised for a time no one has ever witnessed before. God’s glory is going to fill the earth bringing in the greatest harvest of souls ever experienced by helping humans understand their place with God which will increase their desire to know him. Then God’s Spirit will empower those who come to him to go and be his ambassadors to their fellow humans to help them experience both God’s glory and God’s Spirit as well.

This will be a remarkable time in which to live. Are you ready for it?

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

I read a verse which I had read many times before, but the words suddenly stunned me. This was when Moses was interceding for the Israelites asking God to forgive them for their sin of rebellion by not entering the Promised Land due to the bad report ten of the twelve spies gave when they returned from spying out the land which God had promised them. “The LORD replied, ‘I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times—not one of them will ever see the land I promised an oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it’” (Nu 14:20-23).

Now the word translated here as “fills” in the Hebrew means “will be filled.” So, it seems to be a future action and not a present action. It seems God is making a contrast here. While the Israelites experienced God’s glory through the various miracles he performed for them, they did not esteem him and trust him to carry them through. Yet, at some future point, God’s glory will become so profound that it will seem to fill the entire earth and will not be able to be denied as the Israelites had done.

Now, to my knowledge, that has not yet been fulfilled. As we saw in the last post, God’s glory is displayed constantly for us to see. Yet, this particular verse seems to imply something different, something more dramatic. Are there other references for this within Scripture? Yes. Yes, there is.

In Psalms, we read, “Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen” (Ps 72:19). Again, this seems to indicate some event to occur at a future time.

In Isaiah, when he experienced God and the seraphim surrounding God’s throne, we read, “And they [seraphim] were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory’” (Is 6:3). Since this is occurring in heaven where there is no time element, this is an exclamation in the present even though as we see from other verses, this will be an event in our future.

Then in Habakkuk we read, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Hk 2:14). Again, Habakkuk seems to imply a time in his future which this would occur and just how impactful it will be. And, so, it seems, it is still a time future for us as well. Yet, it may be closer than you think.

Some may claim this proclamation of God’s glory filling the earth is referring to Christ’s millennial kingdom when he will be the King of kings reigning over the entire earth from Jerusalem. Yet, there are additional verses within Scripture that talk about this time in our future describing it to be somewhat different from this time described by the verses we have identified above. The timing seems to be tied to what is described in Daniel chapter 7 where one of the verses states, “Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High” (Da 7:27). This is in reference to the fourth beast which Daniel saw in a vision that was different from any beast he had ever seen. God stated he would destroy this beast and turn its rule over to “the holy people,” that is, those who follow him. You can learn more about this aspect from a previous post I did (Kingdom Age).

Now if there is a time coming where God will reveal his glory in a miraculous and marvelous way, wouldn’t it be at least implied in the New Testament? Well, I think it is there. I think many times we gloss over its reference because many of us haven’t been taught about such an event occurring. Perhaps Jesus was implying such a time when he taught his disciples how to pray. He first says, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10). Many say Christ is referring to his millennial rule here. Yet, that would be Christ’s kingdom, not necessarily God’s kingdom. Perhaps Christ is referring to this time where God’s glory will be spread out over the entire world in a tangible way, just like his glory is spread out over the entire heavenly realm. So, maybe our view of what Jesus was praying needs a little re-thought on our part.

Another aspect to consider is that when God’s glory was experienced by anyone, it brought them to obeisance and a feeling of unworthiness causing one to bow in reverence. Yet, when Christ rules, God’s spirit will instead empower individuals. We’ll talk more about this in a future post.

In addition, it seems Jesus prophesied about this aspect of God’s glory filling the earth as well when he was telling his disciples about future events. He says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be peached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Mt 24:14). Many claim this is Christ speaking of the evangelism that will occur during the Tribulation period through the leadership of the 144,000 evangelists that Christ will raise up to evangelize the whole world (Rv 7, 14). Yet, after speaking about this time, Christ goes on to talk about what will occur after this time, so it seems the time spoken of here is before the Tribulation period and may likely be the time of God pouring out his glory over the earth.

Why did the apostle Paul not talk about such a time occurring? I addressed this in a previous post (Church Age). He likely assumed he was already in such a time because God had poured his spirit out and much of what will occur when God pours out his spirit again was already occurring. Yet, one of the things he said to Titus likely helps us to understand that he began to understand this time of God pouring out his glory was not yet occurring (Empowerment of the Holy Spirit). He told Titus to teach what Jesus had taught them until God’s glory has manifested itself to purify a people for his very own (Tt 2:11-14).

So, it seems we are on the cusp of something wonderful that God will bring upon our world and upon us. Are you ready for it? Are you excited about it? I’m reminded about a scene from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey where the question was asked, “What’s going to happen?” The simple response was, “Something wonderful.” Well, that’s what’s going to happen here: something wonderful. Do you plan on being around to experience it? I trust you will.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

In our last post, we saw examples of God’s glory being manifested in a physical way, typically as a type of cloud or mist. We also talked about one of the aspects of God’s glory being that it should produce awe, respect, and worship of God himself. Yet, there is another aspect to God’s glory, and that is its ubiquitous nature.

What do I mean by that? I mean God’s glory is all around us. The apostle Paul stated it this way: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Ro 1:20). What is he saying? All of creation around us testifies to us of God’s power and divinity being reflected back to us, that is, God’s glory is on display all around us 24/7.

“Wait a minute,” you may say. “I was taught that all of creation was happenstance. Given enough time, chance itself will yield such a creation.” Well, the short answer is “no.” Evolution is adaptation not creation. Even the laws of thermodynamics agree with this. Matter naturally goes from order to chaos—not vice versa. And, if you understand how living things are created, you will come to the realization that these same laws apply. For example, you need proteins to make proteins. And if that is the case, where did the first protein come from? Oh, amino acids by chance came together in the right order to produce a protein. But that is only half the solution. You not only need protein, but proteins configured in just the right conformation: one structure to carry the unfolded protein into another protein structure to fold the protein into its proper 3-D configuration. You can look further at this argument here (Fingerprint of God-Part 1).

But that is only the beginning of the complexity of all that exists around us. When one looks at the structure of matter, it is, of course, composed of atoms, nature’s basic building blocks. Yet, atoms are a conundrum of existence. What keeps an atom together? There are forces within its nucleus that help to achieve this, but again, even an atom is quite complex, and the right atoms being formed by happenstance is also an infinitesimally small probability. You can look further into this argument here (When God Removes His Fingerprint). So, part of God’s glory is him holding all of creation together. The writer of Hebrews states this is a function of none other than Jesus Christ himself (Hb 1:2-3) who also reflects to us God’s glory. Therefore, us accepting Christ helps us to accept his glory at the same time.

What does all this mean for us? It means that seeing all of nature around us, seeing the cosmos above us, hearing the wind, smelling the fragrances that waft on the breeze, and touching the delicate flowers that bloom in our garden beds, and understanding the complexities of all these things gives testimony to us of God’s glory. It is undeniable and will be a testimony against us as we stand before God one day to give an account of our lives. He will require proof of why you did not believe these things. Do you have that? Or are you just going off the saying of someone else? Have you taken your “logic” to the very end of that logic trail? If you investigate thoroughly, that trail does not lead you where you think it leads. If you are honest with yourself and your trail of logic, it will lead you to God, to his glory, and to Jesus Christ himself.

So, this is the second aspect of God’s glory. It is both tangible yet ubiquitous. It is both something you feel, but also something you see. It is not the element of seeing alone that helps you to understand God’s glory in these elements, but what you can’t see about these elements that helps you to display the awe, respect, and worship toward God that he deserves. Paul said this in Colossians: “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible” (Cl 1:16). While part of what Paul is describing is the spiritual aspects of the invisible, it can encompass the physical invisible forces he created to hold all that we see, appreciate, admire, and cherish together.

There is also a third element to God’s glory that we will explore next time. I hope you join me.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

According to Strong’s Concordance, there are at least a dozen different Hebrew words in the Old Testament translated to mean “glory,” and at least seven Greek words in the New Testament translated as “glory.” Yet, there is only one that is most associated with God when a biblical author is describing the glory of God. That Hebrew word is kavod and the Greek word meaning the same is doxa.

The other words are often used to describe one’s splendor, grandeur, loudness, beauty, prominence, ampleness, or honor. These can be used as in either a good or bad connotation. Other usages are presented in their negative connotation, such as being boastful, self-centered, or prideful. When used in a derogatory way, their usage leads us to contrast those traits to God’s glory and see how mankind falls short of the ideal concept of the term “glory.”

So, what does the “glory of God” actually mean or connote? The root of the word implies a heaviness. But this is not our standard use of the word but a usage to imply respect, awe, and honor in the most reverent of ways and attitude that leads one to both worship and praise God.

There are three ways Scripture utilizes the phrase “glory of God.” The first way is as a literal physical entity. In this post, let’s look at a few of these events in Scripture when God’s glory is presented to us in physical form.

When God presented himself to the children of Israel as a cloud with thunder and lightning on Mount Sinai, Scripture describes this as God presenting his glory to them. This revealed the seriousness of worshiping God with respect and honor that is due him. In this instance, it produced actual fear in the heart of each Israelite in addition to the awe his presence evoked (Ex 19:16). Hearing God speak was so terrifying, they asked Moses to speak with God and then relay his message to them rather than them hearing God speak to them himself (Dt 5:24-27).

When Moses first erected the tabernacle, God’s glory filled it (Ex 40:34-35) with a visible presence that prevented anyone from entering because of the magnificence of God’s presence there. The same thing happened when king Solomon dedicated the first permanent temple for God in Jerusalem (2Ch 5:13-14). In each case, duties withing the tabernacle or temple had to be halted due to God’s presence being so thick within the structure no one could bear to be in it (Ex 40:35; 2Ch 5:14).

The prophet Isaiah also experienced this when he had his vision of standing in God’s holy temple in heaven (Is 6:4) which elicited his cry of just how unholy he was compared to God’s holiness (Is 6:5) which caused him to say, “Woe is me! For I am undone” (Is 6:5). John the revelator also experienced the same phenomenon, and no one could enter the temple due to God’s presence there (Rv 15:8).

The prophet Ezekiel experienced the glory of God both exiting the temple in Jerusalem (Ek 11:22-23) as well as enter the new temple that will one day be erected to worship the Lord God again (Ek 43:4-5). Ezekiel also fell to his face upon his first encounter (Ek 1:28) and was only able to stand and perform due to the help of God’s Spirit (Ek 2:2).

Peter, James, and John experienced the glory of God as a bright cloud as well when Jesus Christ was transfigured before them (Mt 17:5). They, too, fell upon their faces due to the experience (Mt 17:6).

In each of these cases, those who experienced God in this way had a feeling of inadequacy overwhelm them being in God’s presence. The idea of one’s own goodness completely evaporated instantly upon their encounter with God. As we can see, experiencing the presence of God automatically demands respect, awe, and worship. Hence the true meaning of biblical authors using the essence of the word kavod or doxa.

When we pray, this is the attitude we should also have as we approach him. Not that we are afraid of him because, after all, we are his children and co-inheritors with him (Ro 8:17). Even in our day-to-day lives we can, and should, have reverence for those who are over us, like our parents, even though we are close to them and love them greatly. Even more so should we have this attitude toward God himself. May we ever do so.

Next time, we’ll look at another aspect of God’s glory.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens