GLORY ROAD

                                                              Part Three

    For he received from God the Father honour and glory,

when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory,

 This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this

 voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with

                         him in the holy mount.

                                                            2 Pet. 1:17-18

In this article I want to concentrate on the Glory that was revealed in Jesus during His incarnation. It was a different glory from that which He had with the Father before the world was. It was different because of our Lord’s voluntary submission to the plan and will of God the Father to redeem fallen mankind. It was different because no human could survive the revelation of the full glory of God prior to our own glorification. It was different in order that He might repair the damage done by our first parents, Adam and Eve whose conduct severed our family relationship with God in the Garden of Eden. And it was different in order that He might defeat the enemy of our soul, the Devil on our behalf, and to so identify with us as humans that he could bring many sons unto glory. 

(see John 17:1-5, Phil. 2:1-11, I Tim. 6:15-16,Heb. 2:9 below)

The wonder of Jesus is that even though He was in the form of God, and knew by divine omniscience what the cost of the incarnation would be, nevertheless He emptied Himself of that glory which He had and humbled Himself to become one of us. And yet that glory which was His upon earth was the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth! John 1:14. Those who walked with him saw it and testified of it and wrote about it. And of course on the Mount of Transfiguration Luke 9:28-31 He allowed Peter, James and John a glimpse of the heavenly glory in a way that reminds us of the privilege afforded to Moses upon another mountain in another age, and the children of Israel in the wilderness before that. (Ex. 16:10, 33:18-23) Certainly the latter glory is infinitely brighter than the former, and the final glory shall outshine them all!

When the Bible says in Acts 7:2 that “The God of Glory” appeared unto Abraham, this is not exactly the same as saying “The Glory of God” appeared. The God of Glory may appear as a Theophany, which is to say in a form that may be perceived by man in his natural state without the consequence of death that is associated with actually seeing God.

A classic example is found in Judges 13:22 when Samson’s father Manoah and his wife realized that they had been in divine company. They are horror struck, thinking that they will die. The New Testament carries forward this Old Testament meaning of divine power and majesty connected with the glory.

How far man has fallen from his original place before God at creation! And even more awesome is how high man has been lifted by the blessed work of Christ on our behalf! Hebrew 2:1ff quoting from Psalm 8 gives us a glimpse of that original beauty of God’s chief work in creation. Made a little lower than the Angels, and given authority over all things. Yet even now in the renewal of mankind that is ordained of God, and most certain to come to pass, we do not see the finished product. We have not been granted a full view of the Master Plan. But we see Jesus … bringing many sons unto glory. And yet not everyone who has the right as a child of God to see and know about this glory is indeed walking in that light. Hence the Apostle Paul prays for the Ephesians and I pray for you and I … That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.  Eph. 1:17-18.

I must conclude that even the enemies of Christ would refrain from their evil deeds if they would exercise faith towards eternal things instead of thinking in the natural realm. That kind of heavenly wisdom, hidden in God, belongs to us, and aught to control our every thought and action. It is a wisdom which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  I Cor. 2:8

Let me bring to a close our journey on Glory Road by reminding you of how we started in the July 2000 article “Glory Road One”. Peter you will remember used the word “glory” 16 times in his first short epistle, and in the fifth chapter he used it four times. He speaks in verse one about being a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.  In verse four he promises the Elders that are faithfully feeding the Flock of God that they shall eventually receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.  In verse 10 he informs us that The God of all grace, … hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus. And finally in verse 11 Peter breaks out in a doxology of praise to God in Christ to Whom is the glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

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Scriptures to be read

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

2 Thess. 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Phil. 2:1-ll If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 17:1-5 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Luke 9:28-31 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

Ex 33:18-23 And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Ex 16:10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud

Judges 13:22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

Acts 7:2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

Heb 2:9-11 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.