Material of Bible School "The anointing of abundance and excess ", Kyiv
Сourse: "The Glory"
Part 2. Disobedience to the Lord Jesus
Lesson 18. Meaning of the word "Glory" in Scripture
The basic verse of this message: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Plan
1. Glory to God
2. Glory in the Creation
1. Glory of God
In minds of the born-again, the word "glory" is more associated with a variety of glorification: "praise", "laudatory hymn", or exaltation of someone: "praise", "glory", "honor". And, indeed, Scripture has verses where this word speaks about that, but basically the word "glory" in Scripture speaks of and makes an emphasis on something else, something that God has defined. In our study on the meaning of the word "glory", we begin by considering God, because then it is represented truly.
Initially, the definition of the word "glory" in Hebrew already speaks about its essence and reveals its meaning. It sounds like kabod (kavod), which comes from a single root word with the meaning "heavy" or "weighty".
Someone may ask: "How can glory be heavy or weighty?". It is important to correct this kind of thinking. We start by thinking from the position of physical gravity.
The heaviness and weight of the glory of God should not be seen as something that falls on you and presses you into the ground. No. The heaviness and weight of the glory of God is similar to the way a tall and very fat man, weighing over two hundred kilograms, comes into a crowded cafe, he does not sit on anyone, does not bother anyone, but everyone's attention is suddenly on him. The topics of conversations change, thoughts change and his appearance made a huge impact. And, even when someone is already leaving the cafe, he continues to think and reflect on what he has seen, what he sees becomes a burden.
The heaviness and weight of the glory of God is when no one can remain indifferent, the glory of God captures the mind, soul and every cell. The Glory of God draws all eyes upon it, all creatures respond to the glory of God. When God through Moses came to Egypt, Egypt could no longer remain the same, all the inhabitants of Egypt experienced the influence of the glory of God.
Also, the word "kabod" carries the meaning of "completeness" or "full measure", "completeness" of something. Completeness is a very important aspect of the glory of God, which speaks of the immutability and permanence of God: “For I am the LORD, I change not…” (Malachi 3:6). Unchanging and constancy are qualities that are always desirable and in demand, they are a solid foundation in relationships and enter into peace. It's written: “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:10).
So, the word kabod, used in the phrase "the glory of God", in most cases means "the visible manifestation of God in something".
Jesus Christ in conversation with Martha, sister of Lazarus, said: “Said I not unto thee, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” (John 11:40), another verse from the Scriptures says: “…and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father” (John 1:14), and, as we know, the manifestation of the glory of God exerted a strong influence on those who experienced it.
In the New Testament in regard to "glory" the Greek word "doxa" is widely used, and it means the properties or the true nature of a thing. It describes "the nature and actions of God in the process of His appearance; that He Himself represents and expresses Himself, especially through the person of Jesus Christ. "
“Doxa” – is an expression of the perfection of God's character, especially His righteousness, the demonstration of His distinctive features and characteristics.
Thus, speaking of glory (kabod or doxa) of God, we mean the significance and reputation of His personality, the fullness of His presence on earth, the visible manifestation of His character traits and the comprehensive expression of His nature.
God the Creator is God of glory: “…the Father of glory…” (Ephesians 1:17), Who created everything for His diverse expression.
2. Glory in creation
All the creatures of God in their pristine form and essence are the manifestation and expression of His glory or that for which God originally planned them in His wisdom: every bird, fish, insect and reptile, as well as every mammal, as well as the sun, the moon, stars and all other heavenly bodies initially have God's intended glory for them. The Spirit of God through King David in one of the Psalms said: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psalms18:1). In the vision of the heaven in the book of Isaiah, the Seraphims cried to each other: “...Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3). Also, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul wrote about the Glory, detailing what the essence of glory is, read carefully: “There are also celestial bodies…” (1 Corinthians 15:40), that is which God created to be revealed outside the earth (heavenly): “There are… the terrestrial…” (1 Corinthians 15:40), or is that what God created to be revealed on the earth.
Attention! “…the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another” (1 Corinthians 15:40). What is the other glory?
In the light of what we saw in the study of the glory of God, the words "another glory" literally mean: another mission, purpose, calling.
There is a certain mission from God for all heavenly creatures, and God has definite mission for all earthly creatures. Obviously, the word "glory" in Scripture is also represented in words calling, purpose, intention. All these words emphasize the plans of God for an individual, prepared by God for a particular creation.
Consequently, in it is also the obedience of creation to its Creator: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21), or a mission defined by Him. Speaking of "glory", we will talk about God's mission.
We read again taking into account the individual will of God: “… but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory” (1 Corinthians15:40-41). It is very important that every born-again knows that the difference from another born-again is not in a different interpretation of the Scriptures or denominations, but in the mission - in glory. This applies to every creation of God, they all vary in glory, in God's specific mission for them.
The glory of God draws to itself. How often do people want to go where there is something untouched? As they say: "Where the foot of a man has not walked". Animals in the zoo do not cause such a delight, both in their natural habitat, in their natural environment, people do not get tired of watching them, in the zoo it takes only a couple of minutes.
Fish in an aquarium pleases the eye, but how exciting it is, seeing them in the sea. People pay a lot of money, and, risk their lives, they want to see and to be in the natural habitat of fish. Artificial flowers, no matter how qualitatively they were made, they do not have life. Therefore, expressing love, people continue to give only living flowers in their glory.
People, tired of not carrying glory in themselves, try to recreate the primordial nature of the creation of God, making diverse landscapes and, thus, without knowing it, they say that they need His glory. All creation of God draws to the glory of God, to the way God created everything. Everything created by God is created by His glory for the manifestation and spreading of His glory.
Question: "What is the glory of a hen?". The fact that it does what God originally planned for the hen. Then it is in demand, both by God and by people. But another glory of the chicken, another glory of rooster and another glory of the sparrow, but they are all birds.
Question: "What is the glory of an apple tree?". The fact that it does what God originally planned for it. Then it is in demand, both by God and by people. But another glory of the pear, and another glory of the cherry.
Question: "What is the glory of a stool?". The face it does what the manufacturer originally planned for it. Then it is in demand by people. But another glory of the armchair, and another glory of the puffin.
What is their other glory? In what they are meant for – specific in their mission.
When the creation of God shows the glory prepared for them by God, we see the glory of Creator: “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19-20). In God's glory for creation, God expressed Himself, His will and His intentions.
All plants, animals, birds, fish, heavenly bodies were created to act and behave according to the set purpose from God: acting in accordance with it, they show their own, God-given, glory.
You know what will happen to the lion that is familiar to you as a predator when he enters the glory for him? We read: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox” (Isaiah 11:6-7).
Let us once again remember when Lucifer the Archangel, who lost his glory. He lost God's glory for him at a time when he decided to become what he, as the creation of God with a mission for him, could not be. Lucifer decided to change his mission, change the glory that God had prepared for him.
The question: "Who separated him from the glory for him?". He himself.
Question: "How did he separate himself from the glory he was prepared for?" By willing to be what God did not create. And the method of separation from God's prepared glory has not changed to this day.
Question: "While Saul going to Damascus was a Pharisee, was he in the glory that God prepared for him?" No. In the glory, prepared for him by God, he entered after he asked the Lord what He would command him to do.
The whole system acting in the world is directed at the fact that man does not aspire to be what God has determined him to be, so that the glory prepared for the Creator is not revealed. When the creation reveals the glory that God has prepared for it, it blesses the creation, and heaven comes to earth.
One of the main missions of the Son of God Jesus was to bring people back to God's glory for each of them, so that everyone would follow the path of glory prepared for him by God even before the creation of the world. As it is written: “Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go” (Isaiah 48:17).
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