There's No One Like the Lord

In my previous article, I wrote about the Supremacy of Christ, and in this post I'd like to continue along that same theme. I want to take this opportunity to exalt the Lord and give Him all the praise for who He is. Let's look at the Scriptures that say there is no one like the Lord, and remember that the same is true of both God the Father Almighty and Jesus Christ His Son, because Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15) and the exact representation of His being (Heb 1:3).

The prophet Jeremiah said, "No one is like you, LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power."  (Jer 10:6, NIV)

God certainly proved to Pharaoh that there was no one like Him in all the earth when He unleashed the full force of His plagues against him. "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, "This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth."'" (Exodus 9:13-14)

After Moses led the Israelites across the Red Sea out of Egypt, he sang a song, which says in part: "Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? (Exodus 15:11)

When Moses pronounced a blessing on the tribe of Asher, he said, “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides across the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty." (Deuteronomy 33:26)

King David prayed, "Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours." (Psalm 86:8)

Hannah prayed, “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides You; there is no Rock like our God." (1 Samuel 2:2)

The apostle Paul said that Jesus is "far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." (Eph 1:21)

He is incomparable. He is matchless. Since there is no one else even in His league, and no one even comes close, He is peerless. He is far above all others who have ever been, who are now, and who shall ever be throughout eternity. He is highly exalted to the right hand of God and reigns supreme. He is the Name above all names. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God -- the Son of the Blessed One, the Son of the Most High God. He is the Holy One of God. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is the First and the Last, the Living One who was dead and behold He is alive forever and ever. He holds the keys of death and hell. He is ready to judge the living and the dead. He searches the hearts and minds of men. He holds the key of David. What He opens no man can shut, and what He shuts no man can open. He is the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the ruler of God's creation. He is God over all forever praised, Amen. In Him all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. The Father was pleased to have all of His fullness dwell in Him. He is the Ruler of the kings of the earth -- the Head over every power and authority. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. And He shall reign forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! He is the high King of heaven, Power of my power, my Savior and my Redeemer, with high thanksgiving I pour out my soul to Him. Eternal praise shall be His forever.

The hair on His head is white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes are like blazing fire. His face shines like the sun in all its brilliance. He is dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash around His chest. In His right hand He holds seven stars, and a sharp, double-edged sword proceeds from His mouth. His feet are like polished brass glowing in a furnace, and His voice is like the sound of rushing waters. He is the Light of the World.

He is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. The government shall be upon His shoulders, and of the increase of His government there shall be no end. He is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. He is the Bishop of our souls, the great Shepherd of the sheep, the Lamb of God. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and praise. He's the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes to the Father except by Him. He is the one Mediator between God and man.

No greater love has any man than His. He laid down His life for His friends. He gave His life for you on the cross, and rose from the dead. He bore your sins on the cross and paid the penalty of sin on your behalf. He carried your sickness in His body on the cross, and by His stripes you are healed.

If you don't know Him, you need to know that He loves you more than you can ever imagine, and He wants you to live with Him in heaven forever. I strongly encourage you to see the last section below at the bottom of this post.

Meanwhile, if you do know Him personally as your Lord and Savior, then give Him all the praise that's rightly due His name. Give Him the glory He deserves, because there's no one like Him in all the earth.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible New International Verion, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. The "All Hail King Jesus" painting © 2012 is by Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, I recommend reading Supremacy of Christ, You're Better Off Following Jesus, Christ the Beginning, Light of the World, The Bodily Form of the Lord Jesus Christ, Is Jesus God?, and Jesus is Yehova. You may also access the Main Directory for this blog, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.  

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Prophecy of Christ's Suffering, Death, and Resurrection on the Third Day

After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples in a room where they had met together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews. He spoke to them and explained that what had happened to Him in his crucifixion and resurrection was a fulfillment of all the things written about Him in the Scriptures.

"Now He said to them, 'These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.' Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, 'Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.'" (Luk 24:44-48)

In this passage, Jesus summarized very concisely all the key things that were written about Him throughout Scripture, which had just been fulfilled during the previous three days. I'd like to focus on the part where He said, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day." In other words, Scripture had foretold that He would suffer, die, and rise again on the third day. Where does it say that in Scripture?

Suffering
There are many places where it speaks of the sufferings of Christ. There are all the sacrifices called for in the Law that prefigure Christ's sufferings, especially the paschal lamb. And one passage in particular is Isaiah 53, which I recommend you read in its entirety. It says in part:

"Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors." (Isa 53:4-12)

That prophecy speaks of both His suffering and His resurrection. He bore our griefs, carried our sorrows, was stricken, smitten by God, oppressed, afflicted, pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, chastened for our well-being, and scourged so that we may be healed. That spoke of His suffering.

Death
Isaiah clearly prophesied His death when he spoke of the Lord's Servant as a lamb led to the slaughter (Is 53:7), who "poured out His life unto death" (Is 53:12), and was "cut off from the land of the living for the people's transgression" (Is 52:8). Isaiah spoke of His death and His grave. He specifically prophesied with accuracy that the Servant would be with the wicked in His death (Is 53:9), which we know from history that the Lord was crucified between two criminals. The prophet spoke of the Servant being with a rich man in His death (Is 53:9), which we know was fulfilled by the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea burying the Lord in his own tomb cut out of rock.

Resurrection

The prophet also made a clear reference to the Servant's resurrection from the dead as well, when he said that He would see His offspring, prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord would prosper in His hand. He would ultimately see the light of life and be satisfied after the anguish of His soul was completed, and in the end He would be given a portion with the great, dividing the booty with the strong (Is 53:10-12).

While the prophet spoke of the Servant's resurrection, he did not say it would be on the third day. In fact, there seems to be no Scripture that explicitly says He will rise again on the third day. However, there is a cryptic reference to His resurrection on the third day, which is hidden in one of the prophets. In Hosea we read:

“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but He will heal us; He has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hos 6:1-3, NIV)

In this passage, the prophet speaks in the first person plural (ie., "us" and "we"), which pertained to Israel at that time, but it is also a double reference to Christ. He prophesied that the Lord would tear Him (Christ) to pieces and He would be injured, that the Lord would heal Him and bind up His wounds, that the Lord would "revive" Him after two days, and that He would be "restored to life" on the third day.  The Hebrew word for "revive" means to give life, let live, recover, revive, or save. And the Hebrew word for "restored to life" means to "rise again", so the prophet said He would rise again on the third day! This is the Scripture Jesus was referring to when He said it was written that He must rise again on the third day. Hosea spoke further of His resurrection by saying, "As surely as the sun rises, He will appear." (Hos 6:3, NIV).

Another one of the prophets named Malachi also alluded to the sun rising when he prophesied regarding Christ: "But for you who revere my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in its rays." (Mal 4:2, NIV). Also see Light of the World.

Moreover, Jesus said that He would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish (Mt 12:40). In saying so, He indicated that Jonah was a type of Christ, which means that Jonah's three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish was a prophetic even foreshadowing the suffering and death of Christ, followed by His resurrection on the third day. Also see Jonah as a Type of Christ.

Repentance for Forgiveness of Sins
Jesus told His disciples that the Scriptures said repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name (Lk 24:47). The Scripture speaks a lot about the need for repentance. For example, in this very same passage in Hosea, it says, "Come let us return to the Lord." The Hebrew word for "return" is "shub" meaning to turn back again, and it is often used to refer to repentance. I have covered this in more detail in my article, Repentance That Leads to Life. The nation of Israel had been unfaithful to God and was unrepentant. For the people had dealt treacherously with God, but the prophet was calling the nation to repentance.

Ezekiel also prophesied, "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live." (Eze 18:32)

The passage in Isaiah 53 says, "By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities." This means that by knowing the Lord's righteous Servant Jesus, many will be justified, since He Himself bore our iniquities.

Hosea also spoke of knowing the Lord in the passage from the sixth chapter that I have cited above. He said, "Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him." (Hos 6:3, NIV). In the NASB, it says, "So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD."

Therefore, when we put these passages together with others from the Hebrew Scriptures, we find that by repenting and knowing Jesus, men receive justification and forgiveness of sins from God. 

The psalmist also wrote, "Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against him."

Preached to All Nations

Jesus said the Scriptures prophesied that this gospel would be preached to all nations, when He said to His disciples that it "would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations" (Lk 24:47). Again, there are many Scriptures that say this. But just a couple will suffice to prove my point.

"Praise the LORD, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the LORD is everlasting. Praise the LORD!" (Psa 117:1-2)

"Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness And guide the nations on the earth. Selah." (Psa 67:3-4)

All the peoples of the earth and all the nations praise the Lord, because they have received forgiveness of sins through repentance and faith in Christ.

"God blesses us, That all the ends of the earth may fear Him." (Psa 67:7).

Jehovah spoke to His Servant Yeshua (Jesus) in this passage from Isaiah that says: "I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations." (Isa 42:6)

In Isaiah again He says, "It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (Isa 49:6)

Glory to God!

Invitation

As you can clearly see from Scripture, all of the things that happened to Jesus were prophesied hundreds of years in advance, right down to the minute details, including that he would suffer, die, rise again on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all nations. That proves that He is the Son of God.

If you don't know Jesus yet, today is the day of salvation; now is the time of God's favor. Jesus is coming back soon to judge the world and take vengeance on the enemies of God, so don't wait or else it may be too late.

The Lord does not take pleasure in your perishing. Therefore, repent and live. As Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Ac 2:38, NIV). 

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Other Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible NIV where noted.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like Is Jesus God?, The Amazing Sign of Jonah, Supremacy of Christ, Repentance That Leads to Life, Ongoing Earthly Ministry of Jesus, The Son of Man, and Christ's Two Ascensions. You may also access the Main Directory for this blog, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Glory of the Lord Revealed

One of God’s primary desires is to reveal His glory to men on the earth. He wants us to see it. Let’s look at the will of God about this in Scripture.

First of all, it is evident in the passage in Isaiah, where the gospel is foretold. It describes the calling of John the Baptist who would prepare the way for the Lord, and it also speaks of the coming of Christ. “Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (Isa 40:5). This firmly establishes that it is God’s will to reveal His glory.

Moses cried out to God, “Show me your glory!” And the Lord answered the cry of his heart.

And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." Then he said to Him, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. "For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?" The LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name." Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!" And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion." But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!" Then the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. "Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen." (Exo 33:14-23)

In another instance, Moses and Aaron said to the sons of Israel, “And in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD…” (Exo 16:7a). Even the sons of Israel would see His glory.

“It came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.” (Exo 16:10)

“The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. (Exo 24:16-17)

His glory once filled the tabernacle, when it was a tent. “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” (Exo 40:34). It’s still God’s desire to fill His tabernacle with His glory.

When He does that, we will be unable to enter or stand. “Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” (Exo 40:35)

When His glory falls, men are unable to stand. In the days of Solomon, “The priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.” (1Ki 8:11; cf., 2Ch 5:14)

“Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the house. The priests could not enter into the house of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD'S house. (2Ch 7:1-2)

Moses said, "This is the thing which the LORD has commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you." (Lev 9:6)

"Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people." (Lev 9:23)

“But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.” (Num 14:10)

“Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.” (Num 16:19)

“It came about, however, when the congregation had assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting, and behold, the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared.” (Num 16:42)

“Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them;” (Num 20:6)

When holy men see His glory, they bow down with their faces to the ground. “All the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the LORD upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the LORD, saying, ‘Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting.’" (2Ch 7:3)

His glory is great. “And they will sing of the ways of the LORD, For great is the glory of the LORD.” (Psa 138:5)

His glory is blessed. “Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me, ‘Blessed be the glory of the LORD in His place.’" (Eze 3:12)

His glory endures forever. “Let the glory of the LORD endure forever; Let the LORD be glad in His works;” (Psa 104:31)

He wants His saints to speak of His glory and make it known to the sons of men. David said, “All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD, And Your godly ones shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom And talk of Your power; To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.” (Psa 145:10-12)

Ezekiel tried to describe the glory he saw as having the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds. It was so awesome that he fell on his face. “As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.” (Eze 1:28)

“So I got up and went out to the plain; and behold, the glory of the LORD was standing there, like the glory which I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell on my face.” (Eze 3:23)

"Then He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the house; and I looked, and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD, and I fell on my face." (Eze 44:4)

“And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the appearance which I saw in the plain.” (Eze 8:4)

“Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case.” (Eze 9:3)

When the temple is filled with His glory, there is a brightness of it. “Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub to the threshold of the temple, and the temple was filled with the cloud and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD.” (Eze 10:4)

“And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory.” (Eze 43:2)

When Israel wandered away from God into idolatry, His glory departed. “Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim.” (Eze 10:18)

“When the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD'S house, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them.” (Eze 10:19)

“Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them.” (Eze 11:22)

“The glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain which is east of the city.” (Eze 11:23)

“And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east.” (Eze 43:4)

“And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.” (Eze 43:5)

"Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.” (Isa 58:8)

"Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.” (Isa 60:1)

The Lord wants the whole earth to be filled with His glory. “But indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.” (Num 14:21)

"For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.” (Hab 2:14)

Putting it All Together
It’s God’s will to reveal His glory. It will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together. It is visible, if God allows you to see it. You can cry out as Moses did, “Lord, show me your glory!” He did see God’s glory, which sometimes appeared in a cloud and at other times was like a consuming fire. Ezekiel described the glory as having a brightness and appearing as a rainbow in the clouds.

The glory of the Lord can move from one place to another. It can come in and it can depart. When the glory departs, it is desolate and empty. This is what has happened in many of the churches these days. We have come to rely on our programs so much that we seem to think we no longer need the presence of God or His glory. But if we get hungry enough and desperate enough for it, we will cry out for it to return once again.

When His glory fills the temple, His priests are unable to minister before Him. They all fall on their faces. It’s so great that they cannot stand. Blessed be the glory of the LORD in His place. If we haven’t experienced that yet, being incapacitated and prostrated under the glory, then we haven’t experienced what it means for His temple to be filled with His glory.

It’s time to seek Him until He comes, and all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.

Attribution notice: Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's Note: If you enjoyed this article, you may also like: The Light and the Glory, For the Glory of God Alone, Seeking Glory from God, Jesus Alone Reveals the Father, Light of the World, The Glory of Martyrdom for Christ, and Being a Light in a Dark World. You may also access the Main Directory for this blog, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Jesus Alone Reveals the Father

Many people have looked for God in all the wrong places. They have looked for Him through yoga, meditation, mysticism, occultism, New Age, Islam, Hinduism, idolatry, taking drugs, and many other ways. If you want a revelation of God, then look no further than the Lord Jesus Christ, who reveals the Father.

Jesus said, "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." (Luk 10:22).

This means that the Lord Jesus is the only one who knows who the Father is, and anyone to whom He chooses to reveal the Father. In other words, if Jesus doesn't choose to reveal to you who the Father is, then you will not know God. You may believe in one God according to the Scriptures, and still not truly know the Father. That was true of the Jews to whom Jesus spoke in John 8, who had believed in Him (Joh 8:31).

He told them, "You are doing the deeds of your father."

They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God." (Joh 8:41). They truly believed they had one Father, which was God. But He told them their father was the devil.

"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (Joh 8:44)

Likewise, you may call yourself a Christian or profess Jesus as Lord, but not know who the Father is or do His will. You don't believe me? Listen to what Jesus said:

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'" (Mat 7:21-23)

These people call Jesus their Lord and perform miracles in His name, but He does not know them, because they practice lawlessness, rather than do the will of His Father who is in heaven. A person naturally takes after their father and wants to do the desires of their father. The way to tell whose child you are is to observe your deeds. You will do the deeds of your father, whether you are a child of God or a child of the devil. Jesus said to them, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham." (Joh 8:39)

So they were saying to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also." (Joh 8:19).  If you knew Jesus, you would know His Father also. He said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." (Joh 14:9b). To know Jesus is to know the Father, because He reveals the Father.

The apostle John said, "No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him." (Joh 1:18). This means Jesus is the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, and that He has explained, made known, or revealed the Father.

"And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power." (Heb 1:3a). This means that Jesus is the exact representation of God's nature or being.

This does not mean that Jesus is the Father. It means that Jesus and the Father are one. He said, "I and the Father are one." (Joh 10:30)

Therefore, if you seek to know God and who God is, seek the Lord Jesus Christ, who said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (Joh 14:6). That means Jesus is the only way to the Father.

He said to His disciples, "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." (Joh 14:6-7). He will make known who the Father is to those who truly seek Him.

Let me give you an example. When Jesus was on the cross, they said, "He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"  (Mat 27:42-43)

You see, their view of God was that God would not let anyone hurt Him or nail Him to a cross. God would not suffer. God would not allow mere men to subdue Him. God would not die. God would prove who He is by miraculously coming down from the cross. They assumed God would use His divine power to save Himself. But they were badly mistaken.

They failed to realize that God is love. God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life (Joh 3:16). No greater love has any man than this: that he lay down his life for his friends. And that is what Jesus did for us, and in doing so, He revealed to us the Father's heart.

You need to know the Father for yourself, and nobody else can do that for you. Your parents cannot do it for you. Your husband or wife cannot do it for you. Your boyfriend or girlfriend cannot do it for you. Your pastor cannot do it for you. Instead you must get to know Him for yourself. Let me encourage you to to do that today. And if you believe you already know Jesus and the Father, check your deeds to see if it is really so. If your deeds are those of the devil, then you don't know the Father, no matter what you believe or say with your mouth.

If you do the deeds of your heavenly Father, then you will be bearing good fruit. We will recognize you by your fruit (Mat 7:16,20). You should have the fruit of the Spirit in your life, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Gal 5:22-23). If you do see those fruit in your life, then that's great. Now let me encourage you to seek to know the Father more through His Son Jesus Christ.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The "All Hail King Jesus" painting © 2012 is by Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note:  I recommend reading my articles Jesus is Yehova and The Name of Jesus. Other related articles include Yehova as Both Father and Husband to the Hebrews, Is Jesus God?, Christ the Beginning, The Holy Trinity, Baptized with the Spirit and Holy Fire Baptism.

You may also access the Main Directory for this blog, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Christ the Beginning

Dear brethren,

As I write this to you, we are in the midst of Hurricane Matthew, which is churning the seas and pounding the coast with its mighty winds and waves. Amidst the powerful sound of blowing wind and beating rain outside, even though I am not near the coast, it's a perfect atmosphere to meditate on our great God who made all of creation and controls the wind and rain.

The Holy Spirit spoke through the mouth of Isaiah asking, "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?" (Isa 40:12, NIV)

Likewise the proverb asks, "Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son? Surely you know!" (Pro 30:4, NIV)

In answer to these questions, I would like to examine one of the wonderful titles of the Lord Jesus Christ, by which He is called "the Beginning."

The apostle Paul said, “He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the Beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” (Col 1:18)

The Greek word for "beginning" in this verse is “arche,” meaning “(properly abstract) a commencement, or (concrete) chief (in various applications of order, time, place or rank): - beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.” (Strongs). Therefore, other possible ways to translate Col 1:18 would be to say, "He is the Originator," "He is the First," "He is the Power," "He is the Chief," "He is the Potentate," or "He is the Ruler," since this is the same word used for "rulers" in Col 1:16. This same word "arche" is also translated "beginning" in many other verses of the Bible, such as John 1:1-2.

John stated in his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (Joh 1:1-3). John begins His gospel the same way the book of Genesis begins, except he was speaking of Christ.

The very first verse in Scripture states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1:1). Since Christ is “the Beginning”, this verse could read, “In Christ God created the heavens and the earth.”

The Hebrew word for “beginning” in Gen 1:1 is “re'shıyth” (pronounced ray-sheeth'), meaning “the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically a firstfruit): - beginning, chief (-est), first (-fruits, part, time), principal thing.” (Strongs). The Greek word for “beginning” used in this verse in the Septuagint is "arche," which I have already defined above, and which means the same thing.

Paul said, “[Christ] Himself will come to have first place in everything” (Col 1:18). The Greek word for “first place” is “proteuo” meaning “to be first (in rank or influence): - have the preeminence.” Therefore, some translations have it as “in all things He might have the preeminence.”

The Webster’s dictionary defines preeminence as “1. Superiority in excellence; distinction in something commendable; 2. Precedence; priority of place; superiority in rank or dignity; 3. Superiority of power or influence.”

In all things the Lord Jesus is vastly superior in excellence. In everything He has highly commendable distinction. In all things He has precedence; priority of place; superiority in rank, dignity, power, and influence. He is King of all kings and Lord of all lords (1 Tim 6:15; Rev 19:16), exercising government and dominion over all rulers. He is the Head over all rule and authority (Col 2:10), reducing rulers to nothing (Is 40:23), bringing one down and exalting another (Ps 75:7). He is the great Judge, who will judge the living and the dead, rewarding the righteous and punishing the wicked, giving to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds, rendering to every man according to what he has done (Mt 25:31-46; Joh 5:22; 2 Cor 5:10; Rom 14:10-12; Jer 17:10; Rev 2:23; 22:12).

As the Great Physician, He heals every kind of sickness and disease. He knows exactly how to promote, maintain, and restore health to those suffering from disease, injury, and other physical and mental impairments. He is most wonderful Counselor (Is 9:6). As the Good Shepherd, He makes us lie down in green pastures; He leads us beside quiet waters. He restores our soul. He guides us in the paths of righteousness. His rod and staff comfort us. He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies. He anoints our head with oil (Psa 23:1-5). He lays down His life for the sheep (Joh 10:11). As the Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, He can sympathize with our weaknesses, because He  has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin (Heb 4:14-15). He is our only Mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5), our righteous Advocate with the Father (1 Joh 2:1). As our Great Intercessor, he is able to save forever those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to make intercession for us (Heb 7:25).

He is the greatest linguist, able to speak all languages fluently without any foreign accent. He is the greatest astrophysicist, knowing the exact physical nature of stars, galaxies, and other celestial bodies, and how the laws of physics apply to them. After all, He breathed them into existence! He is the greatest oceanographer, knowing all the oceans, including their extent and depth, the physics and chemistry of their waters, the biology of every living thing in them, and all their vast resources. He is the greatest servant – the servant of God and the servant of all, demonstrating amazing humility (Mt 20:28; Php 2:7; Joh 13:4-5; Isaiah 42:1). He is the greatest chef, able to create wonderful meals from nothing to feed vast crowds of hungry people (Mt 14:13-21; Jn 21:9-13). He is the greatest mentor, the greatest host (Lk 12:37), and the greatest teacher (Matthew 4:23; 5:1,2; 7:29; 13:54; 26:55; 28:19,20; Mark 1:21,22; 4:1,2; 6:6; Luke 5:3; 11:1; 19:47; John 6:59; 7:14; 8:28.); He is the greatest fisherman (Joh 21:5-6; Lk 5:4), the greatest Provider (Ps 113:7; Mt 17:27: Php 4:19), the greatest artist, the greatest craftsman, and the greatest builder (Heb 3:4).

“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him.” (Col 1:16). He is the Originator of all things.

“…the world was made through Him...” (Joh 1:10)

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” (Heb 1:1-2)

John wrote in his first epistle, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—“ (1Jn 1:1; cf. 1Jn 2:13-14).

As the Word of Life, He is eternal. “Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” (Ps 119:89, NIV). Moreover, in the book of Hebrews, it compares the high priest Melchizedek to Christ, as one who is without beginning or end: “Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.” (Heb 7:3). Christ is the Eternal One, Who had no beginning. No matter how far back in time you go, there was never anything that was before Him.

Since He is the Beginning, He declares the end from the beginning. “Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'” (Isa 46:10). He knows everything that is going to happen before it happens. In fact before He made anything, He declared what would happen. His will shall be done. He will do whatever He wants.

His throne is a glorious one from the beginning. “A glorious throne on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.” (Jer 17:12)

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:” (Rev 3:14). The word for “beginning” is “arche”, and as I defined at the opening of this article, one possible meaning is "ruler." Therefore, while the NASB translates it in this verse as "the Beginning of the creation of God." the NIV has it, "the Ruler of God’s creation."

“Then He said to me, ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.’” (Rev 21:6)

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the Beginning and the End.” (Rev 22:13).

Putting it All Together
This study in God’s Word has proven that Jesus is without beginning or end. He is eternal. He is the Beginning and the End, and as such, He has the preeminence, superiority, and first place in everything. Does He have first place in your life personally? If not, then you need to repent and ask Him to take His rightful place in your life as first. He must be Lord of everything in your life. You cannot make Him Savior without making Him Lord of all. His personality cannot be split in two, where He is only Savior and not Lord. He is either Lord of all in your life or not Lord at all. Ninety nine percent won’t do! Let me encourage you today to make Him Lord of all. Surrender all to Him.

You don’t want to find out once it is too late that He is Lord of all, but that He wasn’t Lord at all in your life. One day every knee shall bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Php 2:10-11). One way or the other, you will bow before Him and confess that He is Lord, whether or not He is truly your Lord now. However, mercy is only available while you are on earth, so I urge you to please take care of this matter before it’s too late.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.the Alpha Omega image is from Wikipedia.

Author's Note: Incidentally I lost electrical power while writing this article, particularly the paragraph about the word "arche," of which one possible definition is "Power." Our power was restored the following day. If you enjoyed this article, you may also like: Supremacy of Christ, The Eternal Firstborn of All Creation, Jesus is Yehova, All Things Handed Over to Jesus Christ, and The Bodily Form of the Lord Jesus Christ. You may also access the Main Directory for this blog, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.  

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Light and the Glory

Over the years, the Lord has given me insights into his glory and what that means.  This study is a compilation of those insights. In it I seek to answer questions about the glory of God.  What is glory?  Is it visible or is it a moral attribute?  How does man give glory to God?  How does God give glory to man?  What is the relationship between glory and character?  And what is the relationship between the kingdom of God and the glory of God?  Is the glory of God something that we can experience now or is it strictly a future expectation? And finally, what is the relationship between light, darkness, and glory?

The Radiance of God's Glory
First, I’ll address the question, “Is glory visible or is it a moral attribute?”

“When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands he was not aware that his face was radiant, because he had spoken with the Lord.  When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.”

“When Moses was finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with Him, he removed the veil until he came out.  And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant.  Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.” (Ex. 34: 29-35).

From this passage, it is abundantly clear that the glory of God on Moses was visible; it was not merely a spiritual or moral characteristic.  His face was radiant.  This means that there was a shining or a glow about it.  We also observe a cause and effect relationship here.  Whenever Moses would spend time in the Lord’s presence and speak with the Lord, this glory would appear on his face.  We also know that this was limited to Moses at that time, as it did not happen to all the Israelites.  It was so unusual that everyone else who saw him was afraid of the bright glow on his face.  That’s why he covered up his face with a veil.

But now under the New Covenant, this is not limited to one man.  All believers have access to his presence, and the Lord’s glory is now reflected on the faces of all who know Him.  In fact, this glory is even more glorious than what Moses experienced.  Paul spoke of this to the Corinthians.

“Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness?”  (2 Cor 3:7-9)

“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.  We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away…But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:12-14, 16-18).

Stephen is a New Testament example of someone on whose face the glory of God was visible. “All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.” (Ac 6:15)

When we spend time in the Lord’s presence, praying, meditating on the Word, worshipping, and adoring Him, our faces reflect His glory in a greater way than even Moses ever did.  At the same time, we are being transformed into His likeness. As we are transformed in this way, the glory that radiates from our faces is always increasing.

Jesus Glorified the Father
Glory is something that may be given to another.  Jesus said to the Father in prayer, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” (Jn 17:4).  This prayer was about glorifying God.  How do we glorify God?  Put differently, how do we give God glory? In this statement, Jesus teaches us that the way He brought glory to the Father was by completing the work the Father gave Him to do.

Just as Jesus did, we too bring glory to the Father on earth by completing the good works He has given each of us to do.  Jesus said, “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Mt. 5:14,16).  When people see our good deeds and praise God in heaven, it glorifies Him.  God is glorified by our obedience to Him.

The Father Glorified Jesus
After Jesus prayed about glorifying the Father, He prayed that the Father would glorify Him.  “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (Jn 17:5).  This is significant, because it shows us that there are two distinct but related things happening here.  Certainly Jesus glorified the Father during his life on earth.  Yet the Father glorifying Jesus was something else. 

For the Father to glorify Jesus meant for Him to give Jesus the glory He had before the world began. The “glory” Jesus “had with the Father before the world began” was something Jesus divested himself of when He came into the world in human likeness.  This was the "kenosis" Paul referred to.  He emptied Himself and “made himself nothing, taking the very form of a servant…being found in appearance as a man.” (Phil 2:7,8).

Jesus Glorified His Disciples
The Father did give Jesus glory, and Jesus in turn gave that glory to His disciples.  Speaking to the Father in prayer regarding His disciples, Jesus said, “I have given them the glory that you gave me” (Jn. 17:22).

This has application for us today.  We know that Jesus has given us (as disciples) the glory the Father gave Him.  We “all reflect the Lord’s glory” and we are “being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:18).

So it is true that we all reflect the glory of the glorious Lord.  We reflect the glory we have been given.  How do we reflect that glory? We do so with “unveiled faces” ( 2 Cor 3:18).  Just as the glory of God was reflected in the face of Moses, so the glory of God is also reflected in our faces.  Just as it was with Moses, that glory is seen as a certain radiance about us.  “We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away.” (2 Cor 3:13).

Also, whereas the glorious radiance on the face of Moses was such that it faded away, the glory we have been given is an ever-increasing glory (2 Cor 3:10).  It is shining ever brighter until the fullness (Prov 4:18).  It surpasses the glory given to Moses.  This is both a greater glory and a lasting glory!  “How much greater is the glory which lasts!”  (2 Cor 3:11).

The Relationship Between Glory and Character
According to Webster’s Dictionary, character is “the combination of emotional, intellectual, and moral qualities that distinguish one person or group from another.”  While there can be no glory without a godly character, the glory of God is not the character of God.  It is rather the effulgence of light that comes from His presence. 

For us who are still earth-bound, the glory of God is not something we currently display in its fullness, although God is glorified through our lives (as when men see our good works and glorify God in heaven).  While we do have glory in part now, our final glorified state is yet future.

The apostle Peter said, “I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who will share in the glory to be revealed.” (1 Pet 5:1).  Peter spoke of his sharing in the glory as something yet future that would eventually be revealed.  As an elder, Peter was a man who displayed godly character.  We can clearly see that in the book of Acts in the first 10 chapters. Yet he spoke in the future tense of sharing in the glory to be revealed.

Peter also spoke of the Spirit of God as the Spirit of Glory, saying, “The Spirit of glory…rests on you.” (1 Pet 4:14).  So we see that this glorious Spirit already rests upon us presently.  Yet there is an aspect that is yet future.  What is it?

Paul said, “When Christ, who is your life appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory” (Col 3:4).  From this we see that Christ will appear one day in the glory of the Father and His angels.  When that occurs, then we who believe in Christ will appear with Him in glory.  This is not a present state, but a very specific reference to a future event.

Paul also referred to “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27).  Christ in us presently is the hope of a glory that is yet future. If we already radiated glory in its fullness, then we would not hope for it.  Who hopes for something he already has?  But we hope for what we do not yet have.

While our final glorified state is yet future, Paul indicated that we do presently reflect the Lord’s glory in part. He said that our transformation into Christ’s likeness is happening in such a way that causes us to increasingly reflect His glory more and more.  “We who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:18).

Paul said that if the Lord knew us before we were born, He predestined us to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus.  And if He predestined us, He also called us by name to serve Him.  If He called us, He also justified us.  “Those he justified he also glorified.” (Rom 8:30).  This is an amazing thing that we have been given in Christ by God.  But there is still something much greater to come that is yet future.  Paul spoke of  “The glory that will be revealed in us.” (Rom 8:18). He also said “We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (Rom 5:2).  Both of these statements refer to something that has not happened yet. 

Even Jesus, while on earth, prayed, “Father, the time has come.  Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you…I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (Jn 17:1,4,5).  First of all, since we know He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, we know that His character never changed. (Heb 13:8)  Yet we see that Jesus did not claim to be in a glorified state, but spoke of the glory He previously had with the Father (past tense), and the glory he would have in the presence of the Father (a future state). 

This is why we certainly cannot claim to have the fullness of the glory of God, nor can we claim we will have it until Christ is revealed.  Even Jesus didn’t claim to possess it while walking the earth, and we know his character was impeccable.  Therefore, the glory of God is not the character of God.  Rather, glory reflects ones true character.

Bright Eyes, Light-filled Bodies, and the Kingdom of God
The holy angels who come from the Lord’s presence carry His glory, which is visible upon their bodies. One example is when an angel of the Lord appeared and announced our Savior’s birth to the shepherds staying out in the fields of Bethlehem, and keeping watch over their flock by night. “And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.” (Luk 2:9)

Brother Daniel Ekechukwu experienced a terrible car accident in Nigeria in December 2001.  While he was in the ambulance, being taken to the hospital after the accident, he died.  Two angels appeared to him.  He said their appearance terrified him.  They wore bright white robes that appeared to be attached to their bodies and the pupils of their eyes were white.

Jesus said that if our eyes were good then our whole body would be filled with light.  The reason is that our eye is the lamp of the body.  He said that if our eye is bad then our body would be filled with darkness.  He went on to say, “see to it that the light within you is not darkness.” (Lk 11:35)

So from this passage we learn that there is supposed to be light within our bodies.  This is God’s purpose.  But it depends on the quality of the eye.  In the natural, a person whose eyes are bad (or who is blind) sees nothing but darkness.  But when our eyes are good, we see the light around us as it enters our eyes and reaches the optical nerves, sending signals to our brain to interpret the images we’ve seen.  Likewise, in the spirit, if we are able to see well spiritually, then our whole body will be full of light.  Jesus concluded saying, “Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” (Lk 11:36).

This final state that Jesus described indicates how we will appear if our whole body is full of light and no part of it dark.  When that happens, then our whole body will be completely lighted.  In fact he said it would be like the light of a lamp is shining on us.  Clearly he meant our bodily appearance would be visibly affected.

On the contrary, when someone is filled with wickedness, they will not have this bodily appearance.  We have all seen someone who is living in sin and depravation, and it seems they have an actual darkness about them.  In order to understand this phenomenon, it is helpful to see an illustration in real life.  First we find an example of those whose eyes were bad in Luke 11:37-54.  The Pharisees wanted to look bright and clean and to have their cups and dishes look that way also.  So they cleaned the outside.  But Jesus said they were full of greed and wickedness, which is darkness.  So they were going about it backwards.  If they would rid themselves of the darkness in their hearts, they would be bright and clean on the outside.  But it all began with the eye, and their eyes were bad.  As we read the rest of the passage, it is clear that they did not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. They were blinded.  That’s why they “opposed Jesus fiercely, besieged him with questions, and waited to catch him in something he might say.” (Lk 11:53,54)

Now for an illustration from real life of someone who had good eyes and whose body was full of light.  For that we turn back to Lk 9:28-33.  Jesus’ eyes were good and, of course, His whole body was full of light.  But he took upon Himself the nature of a servant. He was made in human likeness being found in appearance as a man.  Just as the angels can allow men to see their glory or not, so Jesus chose not to allow His glory to be seen.  He also told demons to hush when they declared who he was.  And when he healed people, he told them not to tell anyone who did it.

But he told His disciples that He would come in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Lk 9:26).  That coming will usher in the kingdom of God visibly into the world.  For He went on to say, “Some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” (Lk 9:27).  The way Mark recorded it, Jesus said, “Some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power” (Mark 9:1).

Only 8 days later, “He took Peter, James, and John up onto a mountain to pray.  As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lighting.” (Lk 9:28, 29).  Mark recorded that “His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them”  (Mk. 9:3).  So these three disciples got to see the kingdom of God before they tasted death, just as Jesus said.  They saw the kingdom of God as Jesus allowed them to see His glory. It says, “They saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.” (v. 30).

Peter, James, and John were the closest disciples of Jesus.  They had walked with Him for nearly 3 ½ years at this point and knew Him.  They had seen His holy, loving, and merciful character every day.  But now for the first time they saw His glory.

Moses and Elijah also appeared with Him in “glorious splendor” speaking about His departure.  So we find here a perfect example of those whose eyes are good, whose bodies are completely lighted as when the light of a lamp shines upon them. 

Does this mean I can have that today?  What’s the practical application for my life?  Well, to a certain degree, I can have this today. 

A Modern Day Transfiguration
Dr. Richard Wurmbrand once told of his experience in the communist Romanian prison, where he was confined for fourteen years for his faith in Jesus Christ, because he was a pastor.  There were others in the prison, too, besides Christians, including political dissidents and capitalists.  During his years in solitary confinement, kept in a dark, sound proof cell underground, there were times when the Light of Christ appeared to him.  And later when he was put into a common cell with about two hundred other prisoners, there was a Christian peasant there who had determined to lead one particular professor from the Royal Academy of Science to Christ, who was also a prisoner in that cell.

The professor would ask the peasant some challenging questions, many of which he could not answer, while others stood around them in a circle listening.  And one time brother Wurmbrand heard the peasant say that although he may not be able to answer all those questions, He knew Jesus was real, because he walked with Him.

The professor ridiculed him, saying that it is impossible to walk with Jesus, since He lived far away in Palestine two thousand years ago.  He said that even if he were to give the peasant a globe, he could not even point to Palestine on it. And besides that, he said, Jesus is supposed to be in heaven, which is millions of light years away, so it would be impossible for him to walk with Jesus here on earth.

The peasant replied, “You may be right in your thinking, but I walk with Jesus.  I talk with Jesus. I see Jesus.”

The professor was really indignant.  “You dare to say that you see Jesus?”

He replied, “Yes, sir. I see Him.”

He continued to ridicule him further by saying, “You say that you see Jesus. How does Jesus look to you? Indignant? Annoyed? Bored? Indifferent? Happy to see you? Or does He sometimes smile at you

The peasant replied, “Sir, how did you guess? He sometimes smiles at me.”

The professor laughed, “Jesus smiles at you?” He said to all the prisoners, “What a stupid thing! This man says that Jesus smiles at him.”  He turned to the peasant, “Jesus smiles at you?”

“Yes He does,” replied the farmer.

So the professor said to him, “Show me how Jesus smiles.”

Brother Wurmbrand says that all the prisoners were hungry, ugly, due to malnourishment, they were unwashed, and there faces were like scarecrows.  Their faces were only skin and bones with dark circles under their eyes. They wore the uniform of prisoners.  They were very, very ugly – unimaginably ugly. But when the peasant smiled at the professor to show what Jesus looks like when He smiles at him, his face shone with the glory of God. Brother Wurmbrand says it was like the transfiguration of Jesus before His disciples on the mount, and it was the most beautiful episode he had ever seen in his entire life.  The peasant began to shine and a gorgeous smile appeared on his face, as he radiated the light of God’s glory that is in the face of Christ.  Brother Wurmbrand said that he had seen many smiles in his lifetime, but never one so beautiful as the peasant’s smile that day. There was so much yearning in this smile, and so much compassion for the lost soul whom he had near him, and so much desire to see him saved, and so much love and so much goodness.  The whole splendor of heaven was in this smile. And the professor bowed his head and said, “Sir, you have seen Jesus.”  (See Dr. Wurmbrand tell the story here.)

That simple peasant had walked with the Lord and had seen Jesus.  He radiated His glory on that day supernaturally when he smiled.  That was a supernatural manifestation, which God can do anytime through the earthen vessels of His servants here on earth.

So I can experience this today, if the Lord wills it. Then ultimately in my glorified state, I will appear fully glorified.  “When He appears, we shall be like Him.” For the time being though, I am being changed from glory to glory in a gradual way.  And since Jesus was telling the truth, I will experience the light of His glory now to the extent that my eyes are good, and to the extent that I rid myself of all darkness.  Then one day I will be completely glorified (Rom 8:30).

What will my body be like?  The “sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another, and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.” (1 Cor 15:41). The word we translate as “splendor” here is doxa, which means glory.  Notice that the sun, moon, and stars all have a splendid light, or a glory, about them.  But they vary in intensity and brightness.  Likewise, my final glorified state will have a splendid light, a glory, about it.  Its intensity and brightness will be in proportion to the extent I follow the Lord in obedience now and walk in the light during this earthly journey.  As Dale Rumble once said, “The garments we’ll wear for eternity are the ones we’re weaving today.”

“See to it then that the light within you is not darkness.” (Lk 11:35).

Suffering Produces Glory
The apostle Paul’s life was full of sufferings like persecution, afflictions, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, sleeplessness, and hunger. He said he was “always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus.” ( 2 Cor 4:10a). He also said,  “We who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake.” (2 Cor 4:11a). But he did not get discouraged by his sufferings, because he knew they were producing glory.

“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2Co 4:16-18)

All the sufferings we experience for the sake of the Lord and for the gospel are producing an eternal weight of glory that we will enjoy in heaven far beyond any comparison to our sufferings. In fact, our sufferings here on earth are merely light and momentary compared with the eternal weight of glory to be revealed in us one day.  So if we want to experience that glory, we must not be afraid to suffer for the Lord.

Also see Seeking Glory from God.

Radiating the Light of God’s Glory
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His Powerful word.” (Heb 1:3)  Jesus is described as the radiance of God’s glory.  The Greek word for radiance is apaugasma, which means radiance or effulgence.  Effulgence is a brilliant radiance.  So apaugasma may be seen as a brilliant radiance.  In this passage, the writer says Jesus is the apaugasma  tas doxas, which is the brilliant radiance of the glory of God. The church fathers (Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Theodoret, and Chrysostom) said that the Greek meaning of this verse was phos ek photos, which means Light out of Light or Light from Light.  That’s what Jesus is.  He described Himself as the Light.

“The light shines in the darkness…The true Light that gives light to every man was coming into the world…We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son.” (Jn 1:5,9,14).

The apostles who walked with Jesus saw His glory.  And we see that same glory with the eyes of our hearts, when we believe in Jesus.  “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (2Co 4:6)  Where there was once darkness within, now there is the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God. 

God is the One who has shone in our hearts, just as He caused light to shine out of darkness at the creation. Until He did so, we were all perishing as unbelievers, and the god of this world had blinded our minds, so that we could not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2Co 4:3-4)

Saul of Tarsus was one unbeliever, who was perishing and could not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. Yet the Lord in His mercy revealed Himself to Saul on the road to Damascus, and the Lord’s glory is so bright that when Saul saw Him in the brilliance of the noonday, the Lord’s glory blinded him.  “Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.” (Acts 9:3).  Afterward, “Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.” (Acts 9:8).  The glory that the Lord radiates is far brighter than the sun.

Perhaps one of the most powerful passages in the Bible is in Revelation 1.  There the apostle John described what the glorified Lord Jesus looked like when he saw Him on the Isle of Patmos. 

“And among the seven lamp stands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.  His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.  His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters.  In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword.  His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance” (Rev. 1:16).

When John saw Jesus like this he fell at His feet as though dead.  Who can see the glory of God’s face and live?  Who can see Jesus in this glorified state and not be forever changed.  The brilliant light in his eyes and body is unlike anything we have ever seen. 

We shall be Like Him
Yet we will be like Him when He appears.  John said, “What we will be has not yet been made known.  But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself” (1 Jn 3:2,3).  We who believe in Jesus have this hope in us of seeing Jesus as He is, and being made like Him.  As John said, we purify ourselves in preparation for it.  Until then, we continue to reflect his glory in an ever increasing way as we do the good works He created us to do.

Putting it All Together
As the Scripture reveals to us, glory is something visible.  As Dr. Rodman Williams states, “The divine glory is the radiant splendor and awesome majesty of God Himself. Glory is not so much a particular attribute but the effulgence of splendor and majesty that shines through in every aspect of God's being and action.” 

We give glory to God by completing the good works He has given each of us to do.   This includes spending time in the Lord’s presence and speaking with the Him.  When God gives glory to man it affects his appearance, making his face positively radiant.  When we walk in the light, that light is reflected and seen in our being.  Those who walk in darkness cannot experience this divine glory.  In fact, they cannot experience glory at all, except in some temporal, worldly sense, such as that associated with fame, fortune, power, and physical beauty.

But the path of the righteous is like the dawn, shining ever brighter until the full day.  As our character is gradually transformed to become more like Christ’s, there is a gradual increase in his divine glory upon us.  Glory follows godly character, but is not itself that character. 

In the kingdom of God, Jesus rules and reigns supreme.   Because of that, His glory is evident in His kingdom.  When the disciples saw His kingdom, they saw His glory, and it was brighter than the sun.  While the glory of God is something that we can experience now, there is a future consummation of glory in the world to come for those who know Christ.  The deepest longing of mankind is to see God Himself, and that will be fulfilled when we see his face.

Attribution notice: Most Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.

Author's Note: If you enjoyed this article, you may also like: Light of the World, Being a Light in a Dark World, The Bodily Form of the Lord Jesus Christ, Seeking Glory from God, and For the Glory of God Alone. You may also access the Main Directory for this blog, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.  

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.