Most of the time in the Bible, glory refers to God and all of His wonderful works. Everything that God does reveals His glory and excellence. Through the wonders of the limitless riches of Christ, God makes it possible for believers to know the riches of His glory. We see this in every sign, wonder and miracle that Christ did. When John was writing about Christ he said, “We beheld His glory, the glory of the the only begotten of the Father…” The Apostle Paul was talking about the impact that glory has on believers.
Romans 9:23-24 NKJV That He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
- “Riches” comes from the Greek word — ploo-tos, which means riches, wealth, abundance, fulness, enriched.
- Glory comes from the word tēs doxēs, which means: blessing, magnificence, excellence, preeminence, majesty, absolute perfection, visible and tangible brightness, condition, the glorious condition of blessedness into which believers shall enter.
- Kavod — the Hebrew word for “glory,” means weight or something substantial. The idea represents something that has substance and is worthy of honor rather than shame and contempt.
When we consider these, we see evidence of God’s blessing.
This text describes two expressions of God’s glory.
First is the glory that resides in and upon God. Second is the glory that God has prepared for us who are made His true children.
Consider the glory that resides in and upon God.
We all have difficulty comprehending this “glory.” The manifestation of His glory is the overwhelming goodness of God. We have trouble understanding the fullness of God’s glory. His glory is revealed in both visible and tangible brightness. His glory is recognized in His absolute perfection, majesty, excellence, and blessedness.
This glory is associated with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
God the Father is the God of Glory.
In Acts 7:2 Stephen said: “The God of glory appeared to Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia…” The Apostle Paul prayed and gave thanks to the “Father of Glory,” (Ephesians 1:17).
Deuteronomy 5:24 NKJV And you said: ‘Surely the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives.
When God came down on Mount Sinai, the congregation saw the glory and greatness of Almighty God. His glory and power was so great that the people trembled in God’s presence.
Jesus is called the “Lord of Glory.”
If they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, (1 Corinthians 2:8). Our faith is in Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, (James 2:1). When Christ came to appear on earth, He came in humility and weakness. In heaven and before the angels, His coming was “Glory to God in the highest.” Everyone in heaven knew what His coming to earth would accomplish. After He suffered a while, He was raised up in glory.
Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of glory.”
1 Peter 4:14 says, “The Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”
You are blessed when the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. That blessing counteracts every evil that may come.
Isaiah prophesied about the Holy Spirit coming and resting upon Christ.
Isaiah 11:2 NKJV The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
The Spirit of glory and of God rested upon the Lord.
Time is wrapped in God’s glory.
God’s glory is revealed throughout the Bible.
- In Genesis, when the God of Glory finished the creation, He said: “It is very good.”
When God said “it is very good,” creation was filled with glory. All creation bore His Own perfection and fullness of glory. Nothing was lacking or flawed. Everything bore the imprint of God’s nature of excellence. It was “very good.”
- The end of time is finished in glory.
When the “Holy City, the New Jerusalem, comes down from God out of heaven it will have the glory of God,” (Revelation 21:10). Both ends of the Bible demonstrate the glory of God. It is beneficial for us to know that the God of glory will conclude all things in His glory.
Romans 9:23-24 NKJV That He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
The second expression of God’s glory is prepared for those who are made His children. God has glory that will be made known on the vessels of His mercy.
The Church is wrapped in the glory of God.
On the day of Pentecost, the church was born in the glory and fire of the Holy Spirit, (Acts 2). Ephesians 5:27 tells us that in the end, the Church will be presented to God “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
What is the manifestation and power of the glory of God on these vessels of mercy?
Whenever we come into God’s presence, we will be dramatically and powerfully affected by His glory. Throughout the Bible, the glory of God was both spiritual and something that could be seen or known. When God’s glory was revealed, people trembled under the weighty power of God’s presence and radiant glory. They could both see and feel the power and glory of God.
Before sin entered, all of creation bore the imprint of God’s glory.
When Adam sinned and fell, he lost the covering of glory and was stripped naked until God offered a covering. When God offered them a covering, it did not recover the glory.
Something splendid happens when the glory of God is shown on Christ and the redeemed of God.
When the glory of God was seen in the face of Jesus, the disciples witnessed His miracles, wonders and power. Often the disciples recognized the glory that was in the face of Jesus. The glory of the Father and the Spirit rested upon Him.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, Who commanded light to shine in the darkness, has made the light of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus to shine in us.
In life and in death this glory is seen in the children of God.
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.
Something amazing happens when anyone is in touch with God.
As we behold and fellowship in His glory, we are changed. His glory comes upon us and we are changed by the Spirit of the Lord.
The limitless riches of Christ bring us the riches of His glory.
- At the conclusion of His creation, God looked at everything that He made and said: “It is very good.” Everything was in harmony with God and bore the image of His glory. Everything was filled with peace and joy.
- Look at the Tabernacle in the wilderness. The glory of God came down when everything was made according to the pattern God gave. (Exodus 25:40) Everything about the Tabernacle was satisfying to God and was glorious and holy.
- When the Temple was finished according to the pattern that God gave David, “the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” (1 Kings 8:11; 2 Chronicles 5:14; 7:2)
- On the Mount of Transfiguration, Christ was so approved and satisfying to God that He was transfigured and clothed in glory. “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.” (Matthew 17:2) There was a noticeable glory and radiance upon Him.
When God is satisfied, the manifestation of His glory is spontaneous.
The full pleasure of God brings down the glory.
This explains the activities of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Ephesians 5:27 tells us the Lord is working to present us to Himself “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
Throughout the early church, the glory of God and the glory of Christ was revealed.
- On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down and filled the house and the glory of God was revealed on them, (Acts 1-2).
- Just a few days later when Stephen was killed, the hatred, wrath and malice against Christ and the “Way” was seen. Stephen was dragged outside the city and stoned. It looked like defeat. Then the glory of God appeared on the face of Stephen. He said, “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” The glory was so real that Saul was smitten in his heart.
- Out of Stephen’s death came the Apostle Paul. Saul was convicted in his heart by the glory of God that was seen on Stephen’s face. Later, on the Samaritan road, the glory of God shone down on him and he found it impossible to resist God.
- Then James was taken by Herod and executed and Peter was seized and put in prison. Then the church prayed and the Lord of glory took action and sent His angel to the prison and Peter’s chains fell off.
- Herod was against the glory of God until he was smitten and eaten with worms.
The next verse says, “The word of God grew and multiplied.” (Acts 12:20-24)
We see this throughout the church.
Every time it appears that the powers of Satan and darkness have any success, the Lord of glory comes in.
It happened with Lazarus.
Jesus said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified.” (John 11:4)
We see this many times in believer’s lives.
We reach a moment of total hopelessness and despair and the Lord of Glory comes in with healing and miracles. Don’t despair when the devil seems to triumph, the end of the story has not come. Satan will not triumph against God’s elect.
The riches of God’s glory will always flood in to overwhelm the attack of Satan.
Along with the glory comes the power, might, and blessing of God. There is a substance and weightiness to God’s glory that overwhelms every attack against your life. God has limitless riches of His glory in Christ.
