“There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.”
1 Corinthians 15:40-41 NLT
Paul briefly ventures into the realm of astronomy with these verses today, and he discusses the glory of the heavenly bodies, such as stars, the sun and the moon, comparing them with the glory of earthly bodies. But what is glory? It obviously depends on what we are talking about, as each “body” has a glory of its own. But there is one Person whom Paul omits from his list, and that is God Himself. His glory infinitely surpasses all other glories.
“The heavens proclaim the glory of God“.
If we look up the word “glory” in a dictionary, all we find is something like “high renown or honour won by notable achievements”. I remember being informed of the “glory” experienced by the athlete Roger Bannister all those years ago when he finally broke through the previously impenetrable barrier of running a mile in under four minutes. The prowess of some athletes who have battled incredible hurdles to win at their sport is remarkable. Take, for example, Laura Kenny, who won six gold medals and had to overcome childhood asthma and a collapsed lung to reach the point of success. But these human examples of glory, good as they are, are rather pathetic and lifeless when compared to the true glory of our Heavenly Father. Paul looked into the heavens to find an example of glory, probably because he remembered Psalm 19:1-2, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known”.
“Holy, holy, holy is the
Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
How do we define the glory of God? The glory of God is the beauty of His Spirit. It is not an aesthetic beauty or a material beauty, but the beauty that emanates from His character, from all that He is. God’s glory is eternal and never fades or disappears. An athlete’s glory, that moment of victory, fades away with time, as Peter wrote, “As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades””. (1 Peter 1:24). But not so with God. Moses asked God to show him His glory; Exodus 33:18, “Moses said, “Please show me your glory””. In the next verse God defined His glory as His goodness, “And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy”. In the Old Testament, a manifestation of God’s glory was often accompanied by natural events such as earthquakes or fire, as we read from the Mount Sinai event in Exodus 19. Isaiah received a glimpse of God’s glory that radically changed the course of his life. Isaiah 6:1-3, “It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!””
In the New Testament, the glory of God was revealed through Jesus. John 1:14, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son”. Jesus continued to reveal His glory through the miracles that He committed. The first was when the supply of wine for the wedding had run out, and Jesus performed a miracle. John 2:11, “This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him”. It is sad, though, that many people seek glory for themselves, looking for sources other than God. “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:22-23).
But to define God’s glory completely is beyond human understanding and expression. But one day we will find out for ourselves in Heaven, which is a place where we will experience God’s glory. The Psalmist referred to Heaven itself as “glory”; “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory” (Psalm 73:24). We pilgrims are a people who are truly blessed because we have received a glimpse of God’s glory through Jesus. Peter wrote, “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9). So, we call out to Him through our spirits, drawn to His love and kindness, grace and mercy.
Remember the old Fanny Crosby hymn, “To God be the Glory”? The first verse is something we can hum and dwell on in the day ahead.
To God be the glory, great things He hath done,
so loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
and opened the life-gate that all may go in.
Father God. We echo the words of the hymn and pray as Jesus taught us, “For Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever”. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 