Light and Glory

One of the main words in the Bible is the word “glory.” The Hebrew word for “glory” is kabed, which has the meaning of being heavy in weight, of being great, of the reputation of a person, the name of a person in light of great deeds, of something great in beauty and strength. It is used of the visible manifestation of God in the Tabernacle and the Temple in stunning holiness and splendor.

The Old Testament speaks of the glory of man as fading but the glory of God as eternal. It is a word that describes God; He is glorious, and all that God does is glorious, “The heavens declare the glory of God, the sky above proclaim his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1; “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11. Glory is what you see when God reveals Himself in His word and work. Hallelujah!!!

The New Testament word for “glory” is the Greek word doxa, which is from a root word meaning good standing and good reputation. It also has the meaning of weight, as in the worth of something, like gold. In reference to gold, doxa, came to have the meaning of splendor, light, brilliance, and radiance; the essence of light. John’s testimony was, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.

Paul talked about the difference between the glory of the ministry of condemnation in the Old Testament and the glory of the ministry of righteousness, which he said, “…far exceeded it in glory.” 2 Corinthians 3:9. In that passage, he said that Moses had to put a veil over his face to conceal the fading glory from his face after he had been in the presence of the LORD. It seems as though the Israelites in Moses’ day were more interested in how the glory was fading than the word of God that Moses was bringing to them from those face-to-face encounters with God.

He goes on to say in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that “…we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” AMEN! This means that as you look into the word of God and see the Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit’s illumination of Him, you are transformed into His glorious image a little at a time. Rather than fading glory like Moses covered up, yours is growing in radiant splendor and is seen for what it is; the glory of the Lord! The light of the glory of Jesus Christ shines in you, with you, through you, as you, before the Father and the watching world around you; for His glory and your joy, which glorifies Him!

Today, take one of the verses above as yours; say it ten times; cover it up and say it ten more times by memory; pray it throughout the day (five times before lunch; five times before going to bed). Say it and pray it before your feet hit the floor in the morning. And don’t be surprised if people start to put their sunglasses on when you walk up! Hallelujah!