Written and compiled by Gary Kukis
These studies are designed for believers in Jesus Christ only. If you have exercised faith in Christ, then you are in the right place. If you have not, then you need to heed the words of our Lord, Who said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten [or, uniquely-born] Son, so that every [one] believing [or, trusting] in Him shall not perish, but shall be have eternal life! For God did not send His Son into the world so that He should judge the world, but so that the world shall be saved through Him. The one believing [or, trusting] in Him is not judged, but the one not believing has already been judged, because he has not believed in the Name of the only-begotten [or, uniquely-born] Son of God.” (John 3:16–18). “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life! No one comes to the Father except through [or, by means of] Me!” (John 14:6).
Every study of the Word of God ought to be preceded by a naming of your sins to God. This restores you to fellowship with God (1John 1:8–10). If we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9). If there are people around, you would name these sins silently. If there is no one around, then it does not matter if you name them silently or whether you speak aloud.
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Preface: The phrase glory of... occurs 109 times in the ESV. Most of the time, it is the glory of the Lord. The second most often phrase found is the glory of God.
I don’t know that I want to look at every passage; but let’s view a representative group of them, to discover just how these words are used. |
The ESV; capitalized will be used below. Emphasis, where used, is mine. |
1. The phrase the glory of the Lord occurs 13 times in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers; but not at all in Genesis or in Deuteronomy. 1) We may think that the glory of the Lord would be found as a part of the plague narrative, but it is not. It is closely associated with the people of Israel moving along in the desert and being exposed in one way or another to the glory of the Lord. 2) The glory of the Lord is first associated with the manna from heaven; which food sustained the children of Israel throughout their 40 years in the desert. This is logistical grace (God providing for His Own). Exodus 16:6–8 3) God spoke to the people of Israel. The glory of the Lord is associated with God personally responding to the expressed wants and desires of the children of Israel. Exodus 16:9–12 4) The glory of the Lord was abundant on Mount Sinai, where the cloud covered the mountain. Moses went there to receive the Word of God. Exodus 24:15–18 5) The glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle upon its completion. Exodus 40:34–35 6) This same cloud guided Israel through the desert, so it is associated with divine guidance. Exodus 40:34–38 7) Throughout the books Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, the glory of the Lord appears to the people. Lev. 9:6, 23 Num. 14:10, 21 16:19, 42 20:6 8) I do not know that I could differentiate between God and the glory of God in these passages. They do not appear to be presented as separate and distinct entities. 2. In fact, throughout the Old Testament, it is hard to disassociate the glory of the Lord from some sort of appearance which is clearly a manifestation of God. 3. When the Temple had been completed, the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. In fact, this filling of the Temple was so intense that it could not be inhabited by the priests. 1Kings 8:11 2Chron. 5:14 7:1–3 4. The psalmist famously tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God in Psalm 19:1; where God’s creation reveals God and His brilliance. 5. The Glory of the Lord refers to Jesus Christ, the Revealed Member of the Godhead. 1) Psalm 104:3 is one of the Old Testament passages where all 3 Members of the Trinity are named: Psalm 104:30–32 When You send forth Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the ground. May the Glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in His works, Who looks on the earth and it trembles, Who touches the mountains and they smoke! 2) Isa. 40:3–5 is a passage directly pertinent to our study: A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the Glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." It is John the herald who will quote this passage in anticipation of the revealing of the Lord (Matt. 3:3 Mark 1:3 Luke 3:4–6 John 1:23). 3) These words in Ezek. 1:28 appear to refer to the Lord: Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the Glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of One speaking. 4) Ezek. 10:4 appears to be a vision which Ezekiel is having, which vision features a clear manifestation of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Glory of the LORD went up from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the Glory of the LORD. See also Ezek. 10:18–19. 5) Jesus will return with His angels in the Glory of his Father in Matt. 16:27. See also Mark 8:38 Luke 9:26 6) See also Isa. 58:8 60:1 Ezek. 3:23 8:4 9:3 11:22–23 43:1–5 44:4. 6. There are times when we do not find the glory of the Lord or the glory of God, and it still refers to the revealed Member of the Godhead. 1) 1Sam. 15:28–29 And Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret." 2) Psalm 66:1–4 Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His name; give to Him glorious praise! Say to God, "How awesome are Your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies come cringing to You. All the earth worships You and sings praises to You; they sing praises to Your name." Selah. 3) The glory of His (Your) name is also found in Psalm 79:9. 4) In Psalm 89:17, we find the glory of Israel’s strength, which is a reference to God increasing Israel’s power and footprint. 7. There are a few times when the glory of is not affixed to the Lord or to God; and God’s power or magnificence is being referred to: 1) Psalm 145:10–12 All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD, and all Your saints shall bless You! They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and tell of Your power, to make known to the children of man Your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom. 8. There are a few times when the glory of is not affixed to the Lord or to God; and deity is clearly not referred to. 1) Psalm 37:20 But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. 2) Psalm 49:16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. 3) In Isa. 10:16–20, God is judging Israel (The glory of his forest and of his fruitful land the LORD will destroy...) 4) When speaking of the glory of man (in one way or another), judgment is often a part of such a passage. Isa. 13:17–20 16:14 17:3–4 21:16 35:2 Ezek. 25:9–10. 5) Similarly, see Prov. 14:28 17:6 20:29 6) Generally speaking, when glory is affixed to something which is passing, temporary, the indication is, this is applied to reveal a glory that is temporary or a glory which is tied to the world. 9. After all of this study, it should be clear that when we speak of the glory of God or the glory of the Lord, we are speaking usually of a divine manifestation and/or of divine power. My point being, the Bible does not lightly throw those phrases about. |
Passages not covered in this study: Psalm 106:20 138:5 Prov. 25:2 Isa. 60:13 66:12 Daniel 4:30, 36 11:20 Micah 1:15 Habak. 2:14 Haggai 2:9 Zech. 12:7 John 7:18 11:4, 40 Acts 7:55 Rom. 1:23 3:23 5:2 6:4 8:21 15:7 1Cor. 10:31 11:7 15:40–41 2Cor. 3:18 4:4, 6, 15 8:19, 23 Philip. 2:11 Col. 1:27 2Thess. 1:9 2:14 1Tim. 1:11 Titus 2:13 Heb. 1:3 Rev. 15:6 21:11, 23. Some of these are quite interesting, but they either restate what has already been studied, or go off in a different direction entirely. |
1. In
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