GlobalChristians

Word Study - Glory

(Colossians 3:4 NKJV) When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Glory is of ultimate importance. Its what wars are fought over and empires built for. Its what Satan wants and what God is jealous for:

(Deuteronomy 4:24 NKJV) "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God". Glory is what motivates God to act for the sake of His often disobedient people
(Isaiah 48:11 NKJV) For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.

What is glory and why is it so precious? According to Vine's Dictionary of New Testament Words it is from the Greek word doxa (from dokeo to seem) and primarily signifies an opinion, estimate and hence, the honor resulting from a good opinion. It is used to signify God's character and the honor given to it and the physical manifestations of its Presence. Glory is especially found in Christ who is the glory of the Father.
(2 Corinthians 4:6 NKJV) For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Jesus in turn is glorified in His saints

(2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 NKJV) These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, {10} when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

Thus God's purpose is to glorify us, His saints, so that His Son will be greatly glorified in us on the Day of Judgment. There are basically two types of glory:
1)Transient worldly glory (1 Peter 1:24 NKJV) {24}.. "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,." and 2) Eternal glory which belongs to God and His Word and those He bestows glory upon.

(2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NKJV) Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. {17} For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, {18} while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

God's Plan To Glorify Us

Romans 8:18-21 NKJV) For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. {19} For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. {20} For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; {21} because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God......(Romans 8:28-31 NKJV) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. {29} For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. {30} Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. {31} What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

The above verses from Romans clearly outline God's plan to glorify us. The glory of God will be revealed not only to us - but in us. According to Romans 8:29-31 the end result of being called and justified is being glorified when Jesus is revealed.

(Colossians 3:4 NKJV) When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

This is His good purpose and even the sufferings of this present time, as bitter as they may now seem are "not worthy" to be compared to the glory that God has for us. All will eventually work for our good and our glory and God's glory.

(1 Peter 4:14 NKJV) If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

The receiving of glory from God on the day of judgment is the mainspring of the Christian heart. Whether it be "well done good and faithful servant" or the "crown of glory" promised to elders who rule well in the church..

(1 Peter 5:2-4 NKJV) " Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers,...... and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."

This hope of glory does not rest on our strength or it would be no hope at all. Rather it rests on the Presence of the indwelling Christ.

(Colossians 1:27 NKJV) To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Do you and I deserve to be glorified - no, not in the least ! None the less it His gracious plan.

(1 Corinthians 2:7 NKJV) But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory.
(Ephesians 1:3-6 NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, {4} just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, {5} having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, {6} to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.

This plan is worked out in two stages. Firstly our glorification through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives each day;

(2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV) But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Secondly there is a transformation to our final glory which occurs in a twinkling of an eye at the return of Christ:

(1 Corinthians 15:49-54 NKJV) And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. {50} Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. {51} Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; {52} in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. {53} For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. {54} So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

Revelation offers a wonderful glimpse into the glory of the Lamb - the Lord Jesus Christ:

(Revelation 5:7-14 NKJV) Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. {8} Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. {9} And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, {10} And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." {11} Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, {12} saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!" {13} And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!" {14} Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped Him who lives forever and ever.

Glory be to God!! This is a wonderful picture of gratitude to our Lord Jesus Christ. At last he receives what is due unto Him!

Yet glory has a deeper basis than just receiving honor . It flows from being honorable and the two are not separated in God. When Moses asked to see God's glory God passed by visibly so Moses could see His "back" and as He did so He announced...

(Exodus 34:6-7 NKJV) And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, {7} "keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."

God is honored because he is honorable, faithful, of excellent character, powerful, merciful and just. He is also honored because He deserves it as the One who brings all things into existence:

(Revelation 4:6-11 NKJV) Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. {7} The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. {8} The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" {9} Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, {10} the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: {11} "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."

God does not desire glory out of an over-sensitive ego. He desires it because giving glory is a part of giving true love and a Creation that loves Him will honor Him. Lovers praise each other, tell the world about each other, give gifts to one another and have a view of each other which is full of hope. So we should gladly praise and honor our God, Creator, Father, Savior and Lord.

This article may be freely reproduced for non-profit ministry purposes but may not be sold in any way. For permission to use articles in your ministry, e-mail the editor, John Edmiston at johned@aibi.ph.