The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 11:40,
"Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?'"
Just at the time Jesus was going to raise his friend, Lazarus, from the dead, he told Martha (as well as possibly all who were there) that if she believed in him she would see the glory of God. Having made this statement he called to Lazarus to come out of the tomb -- which he did!
What exactly does it mean to "see the glory of God"? In this case it meant to witness a reversal of the natural order of things. When people die, their body begins the process of putrefaction. The body decomposes into the natural elements it consisted of. This is the natural course of events and the way God has ordained things.
Not so with Lazarus. He had died and his body had undergone the process of putrefaction for four days. Jesus reversed that natural course of events and called Lazarus back to life.
The veil that shrouds our view of God on his heavenly throne and the existence of the heavenly realm itself has been penetrated a precious few times that allowed a select audience a view. Seeing the Creator God reverse the natural order of things, as in the raising of Lazarus, is a glimpse of this. It is a limited view of the massive power and authority God has over all things.
Witnessing the glory of God has taken different forms and different views to differing degrees for those fortunate enough (and unfortunately enough!) for those who have had the experience. We can think of examples of this, such as Moses and the "burning" bush, John and the revelation given him in the last book of our Bibles.
One view of the glory of God that has always attracted my attention is the commissioning of Isaiah as prophet to Israel. We read of it in Isaiah 6. Here is a fascinating portion from that chapter: "In the year that King Uzziah died, I [Isaiah] saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.' At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.'" Isaiah 6:1-5.
"Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?'"
Just at the time Jesus was going to raise his friend, Lazarus, from the dead, he told Martha (as well as possibly all who were there) that if she believed in him she would see the glory of God. Having made this statement he called to Lazarus to come out of the tomb -- which he did!
What exactly does it mean to "see the glory of God"? In this case it meant to witness a reversal of the natural order of things. When people die, their body begins the process of putrefaction. The body decomposes into the natural elements it consisted of. This is the natural course of events and the way God has ordained things.
Not so with Lazarus. He had died and his body had undergone the process of putrefaction for four days. Jesus reversed that natural course of events and called Lazarus back to life.
The veil that shrouds our view of God on his heavenly throne and the existence of the heavenly realm itself has been penetrated a precious few times that allowed a select audience a view. Seeing the Creator God reverse the natural order of things, as in the raising of Lazarus, is a glimpse of this. It is a limited view of the massive power and authority God has over all things.
Witnessing the glory of God has taken different forms and different views to differing degrees for those fortunate enough (and unfortunately enough!) for those who have had the experience. We can think of examples of this, such as Moses and the "burning" bush, John and the revelation given him in the last book of our Bibles.
One view of the glory of God that has always attracted my attention is the commissioning of Isaiah as prophet to Israel. We read of it in Isaiah 6. Here is a fascinating portion from that chapter: "In the year that King Uzziah died, I [Isaiah] saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.' At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.'" Isaiah 6:1-5.
Notice Isaiah's reaction to witnessing the glory of God!
On another level, many of us look around at what we can see naturally, and recognize the glory of God embedded within his creation as well.
What additional examples from Scripture can you think of?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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