My subject and title tonight is Understanding God's Glory. Understanding God's Glory. This is a subject that has fascinated me for years. It's impregnated across the whole of the Word of God. A concept that's so, so significant and a vast and a vital subject and so helpful to us, I believe, tonight. Well, the Lord God, he only ever wrote two books. Two books, not the Old Testament and New, but as Psalm 19 tells us, as we've just sung, there is the book of creation, which reveals God wonderfully, but yet in a limited way. And then of course, there is the Word of God. And the purpose of both of the books which God has written is to declare the glory of God. Psalm 19, the heavens declare the glory of God. The firmament shows his handiwork. Why did God write these two books? Well, if you turn for our opening text, a verse that we read, it's the bit in brackets in verse 14. We beheld His glory. What a statement. To behold the glory of God. That's what I want us to do tonight. This is a subject you can keep coming back to again and again. It's a well that you will never ever exhaust because God's glory is the sum total of His attributes, His characteristics, and those are all infinite. So you come back to this well and you will always draw from it. We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. Christ Jesus came into this world to reveal heaven, to reveal the Godhead even more fully than the first book, the book of creation. Creation, of course, is like a vast canvas, the biggest oil painting ever made. And on that canvas there is such a vast detail, sunsets, mountains, creatures, showcasing his artistic flair, his brilliance, is creative power and it's like an invitation. You don't need a degree in languages because the language of this invitation can be understood by anybody and everybody. God is saying, Marvel, come and gaze, come and look at my glory, just a glimpse of it. Even creation is inadequate beautiful and pure as it is, to convey sufficiently the glory of God. And so Jesus Christ had to come into the world, and he had many purposes, we could think of them, but one of them was to reveal the Godhead, to demonstrate his divinity, to show who he is, and what God is like. So over this study and perhaps one more, I want to try firstly to answer what is the glory of God to help us to understand it just a bit more, just to make a bit more progress in our understanding. And then next time, God willing, how should we respond to his glory? We can only scratch The surface, so deep, is the glory of God, so vast. But, it's my conviction that if we understand a bit more, if we love Christ, this will help us in our Christian life. And if there's anybody tonight that doesn't yet know Christ, or you're struggling for assurance, you don't know if you know, and some sit in that category, while you gaze at the glory of God and surely that will draw you in and the Lord will draw you more to himself. Now I don't want to be technical this evening but this subject You can't really understand how it unfolds in scripture without seeing the different words which are given for glory, or as other words used it. There are three Hebrew words. The first one, the most familiar, in the Old Testament, if you turn with me in the book of Exodus, in chapter 33, this is the perhaps most obvious chapter to turn to. in the whole of the Word of God on the subject of glory. The first Hebrew word, you don't need to remember it, is, we would say, Kabod. Let me read it and then explain what these verses mean. Exodus 33, this is Moses, he's been called and he is fearful. And therefore he asked for some special revelation to come to him. Verse 12, And Moses said unto the Lord, See thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people, and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by thy name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight, Now therefore I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight, and consider that this nation is thy people. Verse 14, And he said, My presence shall go with thee. And I will give thee rest. Read from verse 18. Here's the poignant part. Verse 18 of chapter 33, and he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. Give me a glimpse. I'm a fearful man. I'm a timid man. I need assuring. I need some evidence. Show me thy glory. This word for glory means heaviness, weight. It's as though God is loaded with all his attributes. And so Moses says, show me some of that weight. I need to feel it. I need to know. the weight, the heaviness of Thy glory. It's not physical heaviness, but it's a weight of dignity. You think of the crown jewels, the crown that the monarch wears. They hate to wear it. Apparently it's so heavy, it weighs down upon them. But this is more than just the physical weight. This is the weight of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, a weight. Well, what will he be shown? Can all of God's glory be revealed? No. He'll just get a tiny, tiny glimpse. Verse 19, and he said, this is the Lord speaking personally, directly to Moses, I will make all my goodness to pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord, who he really is, 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, near 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 cliff of the rock and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by and I will take away my hand and thou shalt see my back parts but my face shalt thou not be seen. Extraordinary words. Isn't it interesting that the particular characteristic that our God chooses is His goodness. His goodness, not his power. He could have chosen that. Not his justice. He could have chosen that. But his goodness. That quality which is intrinsically part of God's character, as indeed all of the attributes are, but his goodness. Taste and see that the Lord is intrinsically, thoroughly, completely good. And His grace and His mercy. What an astonishing word. That's one of the words for glory. I want you to turn on to 1 Chronicles and chapter 22. We see a second word. We've got so many references that we could give, but I'm limiting myself to one. For each of the six words, three Hebrew, Old Testament, and three Greek. 1 Chronicles 22 and verse five, this is King David. David said, Solomon, my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for the Lord, this is speaking of the temple that David had upon his heart, must be built for the Lord and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceeding magnifical. That's an old word, it means magnificent, glorious, of fame and of glory. This is the second word, it's tiferous, it means beauty, splendor and magnificence. And you know all the details that was to describe and to define the plan for the temple. It's so ornate. Why? Because it will be a picture, a visual aid of another aspect of the glory of God. I will therefore now make preparations for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death. David couldn't build it. He had blood on his hands. He was a warrior. But Solomon would build it. in all its magnificence. And that temple, which was never the Lord's plan, it was David's idea, that temple would be a further way in which God would reveal an aspect of his goodness, his beauty, his magnificence, his splendor. So that's the second word. Turn on to Psalm 100. We see the third Old Testament word, I hope you don't mind me doing this, it's vital. We can't really get the breadth, the depth, the height of God's glory unless we see how it is described in all its different dimensions. Psalm 100, familiar psalm, and verse 5. And the word here is Tov in the Hebrew. For the Lord is good. It's a different word than the good back in Exodus. The Lord is good. It denotes goodness of a moral nature. Part of God's glory is his goodness is infinite. The Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to all generations. This is the covenant, loyal, faithful goodness of God. He cannot help it, can we say that reverently? He has to be good. It is his glorious nature. So that's the third word. Now the others are even more familiar to you because we have English names that come from them. If you'd like to turn to the book of Matthew, in chapter 6, it's a cross-reference back to the Old Testament, Matthew chapter 6, and it's referring to Solomon. Matthew 6 and verse 29. This is the Lord Jesus speaking, it's in the Sermon on the Mount, We'll come to it in the months ahead in our series. And this is what he says, the Lord Jesus. And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory, the word is doxa, from which we get doxology. Even Solomon in all his praise, honor, Magnificence. Even Solomon was not arrayed like one of these lilies of the field. Something God had made. Something so wonderful. And then the word is used again in the verse that we started with. You don't need to turn to it. John 1.14. We have seen his praiseworthiness, his honor, his magnificence. Doxology. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Here's another word, used the same word and I have to turn to another reference. John 2, the first miracle that the Lord Jesus did. Cana of Galilee. This is what it says in verse 11. You know the turning of the water into wine. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth his glory, his doxa, his praiseworthiness, his honor, his magnificence, and his disciples believed on him. Why did he come? He came so we could behold His glory. How do we see His glory? We see it in creation, we see it in His word, and we see it in His life. And the very first miracle, the key to understanding it is, this is to reveal God's glory. That's why Christ turned the water into wine. Water, well that's good. It quenches the thirst. But what did he turn it into? Something that was so abundantly better, overflowingly better. And that's his first miracle to reveal his glory. So we have three Hebrew words, the first Greek word, let's turn to the next one, Titus. In chapter two, and verse 13. And you know this word as well, the Greek word is epiphaneia, an epiphany, moment we sometimes say. Something which is an appearance, a coming of the Lord. Titus 2 verse 13. This is looking forward to the second appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. Titus 2, just before Philemon and after Timothy, and it says this, Titus 2.13, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious, the epiphany appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. An epiphany. The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, like the first, but can we say even better, brighter, eternal instead of temporary. The second appearing will be even more glorious. Another way in which he will reveal himself, his second coming. And that word is used often in 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, to speak of the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. The final word before we begin to apply is in the first letter of John, 1 John, chapter 1. I think you'll know the verse. and verse 5, first letter of John, of the three letters of John, first letter, chapter 1 and verse 5, then this is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light, the word in the Greek is phos, pho, phos, it means lightness, brightness, In God there is no darkness at all, not even a shadow of turning. He is all light. And that light came into the world and the world didn't understand it. He came to his own and his own rejected him. That word, God is light. No qualification. He is light. And in Him is no darkness at all. It's a repetition. The positive, the negative. There is no darkness in Him. There should be none in us. No lies, no deceit, no cover-up, no excuse, no camouflage, nothing. Only pure. burning light. So that's the six words, three Hebrew words and three Greek words. They all give us some new dimension of the glory of our God. So what does the Bible teach about God's glory? The first thing is this, God's glory is to be revealed. It's part of the revelation of who God is. His glory is telling you about Him. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the glory of God is associated with His presence. How often the presence of God is mentioned, His face, His appearance, His countenance, His spirit. And it's to do with the glory of God. God can be seen in creation, we've said that, in his works, of course in redemption, but ultimately in the person of Jesus Christ. It's his appearing that gives us and reveals to us his glory. Perhaps a verse just to quote, Colossians 1, 27, to whom God would make known the riches of the glory of this mystery. Christ in you, the hope of glory. Isn't that extraordinary? Christ reveals the glory of the Godhead, but when you love the Lord Jesus Christ, Christ lives within you. He's come to take residence, to take ownership, to take management, to take over. And you willingly want Him to take over because in your life, He will begin to reflect His glory in you and me and in our lives. Christ in you, the hope of glory, the reflection of that glory and the certain hope that when He shall appear, we shall be with Him. So that's the first aspect of His glory that the Bible teaches. The second, slightly overlapping, is His presence. I'll just give you one example of this. Turn back to Exodus and chapter 40. Exodus chapter 40. And verse 34 and 35, here is a clear visual evidence of the presence of God. Exodus chapter 40, we read 34 and 5, then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. What was it like? Well, this cloud was so thick, it was viscous. Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation because the cloud abode. Therein and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. What was it? I don't know. You certainly couldn't see through it. Moses felt it was almost oppressive. It was so thick. This is a representation of the presence of God and of the weight and of the thickness. It was impenetrable for Moses. He couldn't go in. Something repelled him. The holiness, the presence, the weight of God being in the tabernacle. Let me just pause. I can't not give you a word of application. When we come to worship here, do we feel something of the presence of God? I don't mean something physical that you can see, some smoke on stage or lights and stroboscopes, no. That's man-made imaginations to whip up a crowd. But when we come into the presence of God, should we not feel a bit like Moses? Should we not sense a weight, a presence? God is here. God is in the midst. We're opening his word, we're coming into his presence with gladness, with joy. But with seriousness, we should feel the weight that Moses felt These indicated the cloud and then the fire by night when they traveled through the wilderness. They indicated that God was there, God was with them. There were times it disappeared. They didn't know God's presence. Do we not want to know God's presence in our life? Isn't that what we should covet more than anything else? God is with me. Who can be against me? The Lord God Almighty is in my life, through Christ, through His Spirit. Let's turn to the book of Revelation, chapter 4. I give you another truth that is demonstrated by this overall issue of the glory of God, His manifestation and revelation, His presence, Well, let's see how the Apostle John responds. Revelation 4 and verse 11. And this is to do with the subject of worship. This is what is said. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power for thou has created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created what caused this response well the four and the twenty elders had fallen down before him verse 10 that sat on the throne and they worshipped him that liveth forever and forever and cast their crowns before the throne and they worshipped him the glory of God should cause us to desire, to worship, to reverence Him, to give Him the glory, the honor that is due unto His name. Well, another application perhaps, you might like to turn to 2 Corinthians and chapter 3, This is the transformation that this glory, how much has your life been transformed? And mine, is it just a pale reflection of what it should be like? We love the Lord, we go through the motions, our daily devotions are just routine. Well, 2 Corinthians 3 and verse 18, but we all, every believer, with open face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed, transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. The Holy Spirit's presence in our life draws us to the glory of God, and the more we understand the glory of God, the more we will be transformed into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what it says. Verse 17, now the Lord is that spirit. And where the spirit of the Lord, there is liberty, freedom from the world. And as we look and behold at that glory, we are progressively, step by step, transformed and changed. You see, conversion isn't the end. It is in a sense, it's the end of the old life, but it's really just the beginning. It's the beginning of becoming more and more and more like Christ, a transformation by the work of the Holy Spirit. Go back to the book of Revelation, my final point before we come to some further application. Revelation 21, nearly the final chapter, but one of the whole of God's Word. Revelation 21 and 23. This is what it says, speaking of heaven. Revelation 21 verse 23, and the city, the New Jerusalem, the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. This city of heaven, the New Jerusalem, Zion, it's so bright. What is it that makes it so bright? The Lamb. The Lord Jesus Christ. He is the light, the light of the world. There's no need for the sun there. There was light in this world before the sun was made. Where did that light come from? Let there be light. You see, the evolutionists get it the wrong way round. The Word of God has it right. The beginning of time, there was light before the sun, the moon, and the stars from God. And at the end of time in heaven, when the world is no more, and sin and death and Satan have finished their work on earth, there will be light in heaven. the new heavens will be returned to the way they once were. Well, I want to close in the brief time we have to just remind you, when we think of the glory of God, what should we think about in practical terms? What is it? Is it this vague concept? A cloud, fire, smoke? Or for us, more helpfully, is it truths? Well, I think it's the latter. I'm going to mention ten qualities very briefly, just a verse for each or some of them, of the characteristics of God. that help us to see his glory. This is his glory. Each one of them is his glory. I can give you proof texts for that. The first one, obviously, his holiness is his glory. What did Isaiah say? Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. What was the fullness? His holiness. That's the first thing. Secondly, His Majesty. The sense of awe we get when we come before God displays His glory. Psalm 104, verse 1. Bless the Lord, O my soul, O Lord my God, Thou art very great, Thou art clothed with splendor. and majesty. Do we come before God and just see him as a mate? A chum? Do we just speak of him as a friend? He is. Ought not we to have some more sense of the majesty that surrounds his throne? Thou art very great. Thou art clothed with splendor and majesty. We could turn to 1 Timothy 6, 16. King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, the radiance of God. We don't often speak about that. The radiance, the penetration of that light and power and beauty, so much so that Moses couldn't stand. except in the cleft of the rock, we could speak of his love. We've already mentioned John 1.14. Fifthly, we could speak of his power. Think of Romans 1.20, 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 Those who haven't bowed the knee, those who hate God, atheists, agnostics, haters of God, are without excuse. You see, the glory of God is there for everybody. It's intrinsically within His power. Sixthly, we could speak of His wisdom, Ephesians 1.11, working all things according to the counsel of His will, that we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ, His wisdom. Seventhly, I don't need to mention the verse, His grace. Ephesians 2, 8, His justice. Eighthly, here's a verse, Psalm 97, verse 2, clouds and thick darkness are all around Him. What does that mean? Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. You see, all these attributes, they radiate and emanate from the throne of God. He's described as being in a thick cloud. I don't know whether that's literal. I don't think it is. It's just a symbol, a visual aid to help us to see that God's glory goes out of him. It's like a sort of nuclear reactor, except times billions. That's how powerful his attributes are. What about his imminence? That's the opposite. That speaks about the closeness that God has to his creation, his imminence. Old-fashioned word. He's so intimately involved in all the world. He's not far and distant. He's near and involved. And then finally, we could speak of his transcendence. All his qualities have a superiority over everything else in creation. What an extraordinary thought. The glory of God. Have you got something of it tonight? Something more? Have you scratched the surface of His holiness, majesty, radiance, love, power, wisdom, grace, justice, His immanence, His transcendence? These are the divine attributes. We see something in creation. We see more in Jesus Christ. We see the combination of the two in the Word of God. But we need to come often to look and to think about the glory of God. This can touch our lives. This can change us. This can make us more like the Lord Jesus Christ. This can give us power, holiness, godliness. The more we understand. Let's finish with the verse that we started with. That verse from one first chapter of John, we beheld his glory, we just got a glimpse. The glory as of the only begotten of the Father. Look more to him, be drawn to him, gaze at him, wonder, marvel. And that will be such a blessing to each of our lives.