Topical Bible: God is Declared to Be: Glorious

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The glory of God is a central theme throughout the Bible, reflecting His majesty, holiness, and the awe-inspiring nature of His presence. The term "glorious" is used to describe God's inherent splendor and the honor due to Him. This entry explores the biblical foundation for understanding God as glorious, drawing from various passages that highlight His divine glory.

Old Testament Foundations

In the Old Testament, the glory of God is often associated with His presence and power. The Hebrew word for glory, "kavod," conveys a sense of weightiness and honor. One of the most vivid depictions of God's glory is found in the account of Moses on Mount Sinai. Exodus 24:16-17 states, "And the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered it, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites."

The glory of God is also revealed in the tabernacle and the temple, where His presence dwelt among His people. In 1 Kings 8:10-11 , during the dedication of Solomon's Temple, it is recorded, "And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD."

Prophetic Visions

The prophets also spoke of God's glory, often in the context of His sovereign rule and redemptive plans. Isaiah 6:3 captures the seraphim's proclamation: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; His glory fills the whole earth." This vision underscores the pervasive and universal nature of God's glory.

Ezekiel's vision of the glory of God departing and later returning to the temple (Ezekiel 10:18-19; 43:2-5) illustrates both the seriousness of sin and the hope of restoration. God's glory is not static but dynamic, interacting with His creation and His covenant people.

New Testament Revelation

In the New Testament, the glory of God is most fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. John 1:14 declares, "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." Jesus embodies the glory of God, making it accessible and visible to humanity.

The transfiguration of Jesus is another significant moment where His divine glory is revealed. Matthew 17:2 describes, "There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light." This event affirms Jesus' divine nature and His role in God's redemptive plan.

Eternal Glory

The New Testament also speaks of the future revelation of God's glory. In Romans 8:18 , Paul writes, "I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us." Believers are promised a share in God's glory, a hope that sustains them through trials.

The book of Revelation culminates in the vision of God's eternal glory. Revelation 21:23 describes the New Jerusalem: "The city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp." Here, God's glory is the ultimate source of light and life, underscoring His eternal reign and the fulfillment of His promises.

Worship and Response

The recognition of God's glory demands a response of worship and reverence. Psalm 29:2 exhorts, "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness." The glory of God is not only a theological concept but a call to live in awe and obedience to the Creator.

Throughout Scripture, God's glory is a testament to His unmatched greatness and the profound impact of His presence in the world. The declaration of God as glorious invites believers to reflect on His majesty and to live in a manner that honors His holy name.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 15:11
Who is like to you, O LORD, among the gods? who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 145:5
I will speak of the glorious honor of your majesty, and of your wondrous works.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

"Behold Your God!"
... And blessed be His glorious name forever: and let the whole earth be filled ... they
would not be received if they should return to God, the prophet declared: ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 26 behold your god.htm

The Glorious Gospel
... The Glorious Gospel. A Sermon (No.184). ... When we tell you he is God, we have at once
declared his omnipotence and his infinity; and when these two things ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the glorious gospel.htm

Trypho Objecting that Christ is Described as Glorious by Daniel ...
... objecting that Christ is described as glorious by Daniel ... curse contained in the law
of God fell on him ... was inglorious, and His generation not declared, and that ...
/.../chapter xxxii trypho objecting that christ.htm

Justification from Eternity
... God does not justify us because we are becoming more holy, but when He has justified
us we grow in holiness ... This glorious confession, declared with so ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxii justification from eternity.htm

Glorious Predestination
... Our Lord was declared to be the Son of God by the actions which ... we are predestinated
to be conformed to the image of God's Son ... My brethren, what a glorious model ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 18 1872/glorious predestination.htm

Messiah the Son of God
... and that the reverence we owe to His great and glorious Majesty, as ... the seed of David,
according to the flesh, was declared to be the Son of God with power ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 2/sermon xxvii messiah the son.htm

The Shout of Faith
... a faith will be sure to win a glorious and a ... and their fears and their feelings have
declared that there ... their gaze on the unseen power of God's salvation, and ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/smith/the god of all comfort/chapter 14 the shout of.htm

God Has Everything to do with Prayer
... mighty decree and man's mighty praying to bring to pass these glorious results ... This
concerns God. He has declared this in the death of His Son by an unspeakable ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/iv god has everything to.htm

Divine Election and Reprobation
... with his pleasure and will" to the praise of his glorious grace, which he ... As the
doctrine of election by the most wise counsel of God was declared by the ...
/.../anonymous/synod of dort/divine election and reprobation.htm

"This Then is the Message which we have Heard of Him, and Declare ...
... is light," and that is holden out and declared for this ... a light of understanding
and wisdom in God, and a ... driven out, by the approach of that glorious light of ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xi this then is.htm