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The Glory Of God
December 14, 2014
God is more real than most of us acknowledge. He interacted with Adam and Eve, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He talked face-to-face with Moses. He fought on behalf of the Israelites. He was associated with something known as "the glory of the Lord". What was this glory? It is mentioned in both Old and New Testaments. It was cloaked in cloud and fire. Ezekiel described it in the book that bears his name. - Bernie Parsons
The Glory of God
by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 12-14-2014
Presented to Load church of Christ on 01-18-2015
We recently looked at several written pieces of evidence from the scriptures
that show that God maintained a personal relationship with several of our
religious ancestors who led the Israelites. Something that we often fail to
notice is referred to in the Holy Bible as “the glory of God”.
The glory of the Lord appeared when the Lord had instructions for Moses.
Exodus 16:7 "And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD;
for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that
ye murmur against us?"
Exodus 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.
11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
The glory of the Lord was often shrouded in clouds and/or fire.
Exodus 24:16 "And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the
cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of
the midst of the cloud/
7 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top
of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the
mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights."
The glory of the Lord inside the cloud signaled when the Israelites
traveled, or stayed put.
Exodus 40:34 "Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the
glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation,
because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the
tabernacle.
36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of
Israel went onward in all their journeys:
37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day
that it was taken up.
38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on
it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their
journeys."
The glory of the Lord appeared to signify that God was directing Moses.
As we saw in our earlier lessons, the Lord spoke directly to Adam, Abraham,
Moses, and others.
Leviticus 9:6 "And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commanded
that ye should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you."
Leviticus 9:23 "And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the
congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the
LORD appeared unto all the people.
24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the
altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they
shouted, and fell on their faces."
The glory of the Lord intervened when the Israelites sought to kill their
leaders.
Numbers 14:10 "But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the
glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all
the children of Israel."
Numbers 16:19 "And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD
appeared unto all the congregation.
20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them
in a moment."
The glory of the Lord was associated with the major miracles that God
wrought.
Numbers 14:21 “But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with
the glory of the LORD.
22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I
did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times,
and have not hearkened to my voice;"
Exodus 14:24 "And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked
unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud,
and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that
the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD
fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that
the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon
their horsemen."
Numbers 20:6 "And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon
their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.
7 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy
brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give
forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock:
so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink."
The glory of the Lord appeared at the inauguration of the temple.
2 Chronicles 7:1 "Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came
down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and
the glory of the LORD filled the house.
2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the
glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house.
3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the
glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to
the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying,
For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever."
Ezekiel chapters one, ten, and eleven, give a description of the glory of
the Lord, which settled to the ground, rose into the air, and flew about.
Ezekiel 1:26 "And above the firmament that was over their heads was the
likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the
likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above
upon it.
27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about
within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the
appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of
fire, and it had brightness round about.
28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so
was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of
the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my
face, and I heard a voice of one that spake."
We also read about the glory of the Lord in the New Testament writings.
1 Corinthians 10:1 "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be
ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed
through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that
spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."
Luke 2:9 “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of
the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord."
Luke 9:30 "And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and
Elias:
31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should
accomplish at Jerusalem.
32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when
they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.”
Luke 9:34 “While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them:
and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son:
hear him."
Matthew 16:27 "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with
his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."
Acts 1:9 "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was
taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two
men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in
like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
Revelation 15:8 "And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God,
and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the
seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled."
