For some reason, I felt like I wanted to read up on all about God's glory. I don't know why, but I did. I looked up all of the verses and found out some pretty cool things.
First of all, we need to know what glory is. In my Bible, it says glory is "Praise, greatness, and honor that people can see or sense; usually of God." So when I talk about glory, think of that definition.
1. Fire seems to symbolize glory in the old testament, and light symbolizes glory in the new testament.
I just thought that, that was interesting. I don't know any meaning behind it, but if you look up these verses in the Bible (Exodus 24, 2 Chronicles 7:1-3, Luke 2:8-14, and Revelation 21:22-27) you can see that that's what people called glory, if glory was an actual object.
2. When people see glory, they praise God.
I guess that makes sense, doesn't it? If the definition of glory is "Praise, greatness, and honor," you would think that people praised God. 2 Chronicles 7:3 says:
"When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying,
'He is good;
his love endures forever.'”
I just think that that's so amazing, to be praising God because of his greatness. It really makes me think on how much I praise God, rather than asking God for things.
3. We can see the glory of the Father through Jesus.
John 1:14 says: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
If we know and believe Jesus, we can see God's glory. I think that that is so awesome!
4. All who believe in Christ and contemplate the Lord's glory are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory.
That might be confusing, but let's look at 2 Corinthians 3:18
"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
When they say all who have unveiled faces, they mean that all who believe in Christ. Us ourselves have veiled faces, but earlier before this passage it says "only Christ can take the veil away" (vs. 14b) So, all who believe in Christ and reflect on God's glory (his praise and honor that people can see) are being transformed into God's image with "ever increasing glory." I don't know if that made sense to you, but it does to me. That so excites me! I want to be transformed into God's image and have "ever increasing glory!" I think that, that is my favorite thing that I learned about Glory today.
4. In heaven, we will need no sun because the Glory of God is the one that gives us light.
I just think that that's sooo cool! There is no sun, because God's glory shines around us! Doesn't that make you think?
Revelation 21:22-23 "I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp."
Remember that this is basically my journal of things that I learned today. You may have found more things to note, but I just really appreciate God's glory even more! I hope you enjoyed my journal on the glory of God. :)
