When you try to picture or imagine God, what comes to your mind? Do not think in terms of His attributes such as holiness, purity, etc., but think about the visual picture you have of Him. What is it? The Bible does not give us a visual description of God, but the picture which it does portray most often of God is brightness of light.

The Glory of the Lord

Time and time again in the Bible the visual self-manifestation of God to man is called “the glory of the Lord.” It was a great brightness which shone when God made his presence known.

Moses Desired to See God’s Glory

The glory of the Lord came down on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:16). “In 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” (Exodus 24:17).

“And the Lord said unto Moses thou hast found grace in My sight and I know thee by name .and he (Moses ) said, ‘I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory’ and He ( God) said, ‘thou canst not to see My face: for there shall no man see Me and live. And the Lord said, ‘Behold, there is a place by Me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover thee with My hand while I pass by: and I will take away Mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts; but My face shall not be seen’” (Exodus 33:17-23).

Because Moses had been in the presence of the glory of the Lord, when he came down from the mount, the people could not look on Moses’ face because it shined so brightly (Exodus 34:29-35). He had to put a veil over his face so that the people could get close enough to hear as he read the law (Exodus 34:33).

Glory of the Lord in the Tabernacle

When the tabernacle (the place where the Israelites were to worship) was finished, the glory of the Lord came and filled the tabernacle, especially over the ark of the covenant which was in the Most Holy Place (Exodus 40:34-35). When the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle even Moses was not able to enter it (Exodus 40:35).

Glory of the Lord in the Temple

Solomon built a permanent place of worship (the temple) and again the Bible says, “It came to pass, when the priests were coming out of the Holy Place, that the cloud filled the House of the Lord, so that the priest could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the House of the Lord (I Kings 8:10-11).

The Message of the Glory of the Lord

Theological Word Book of the Old Testament #943 gives this interesting comment about the glory of God: “In this sense, the noun ‘kabod’ (glory) takes on its most unusual and instinctive meaning. Fortyfive times this form of the root relates to a visible manifestation of God these manifestations are directly related to God’s self-disclosure and his intent to dwell among men.”

As sinfully wicked and inferior as man is, God wants to dwell among us. He did so in the Old Testament times by the glory of the Lord.

Jesus the Glory of the Lord on Earth

We of the Christian age have been blessed to receive the greatest manifestation of the glory of the Lord. The Hebrew writer said that Christ was “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3).

The apostle John said, ” And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

This is why he was called “Immanuel”—God with us (Matthew 1:23). When the angels appeared to the shepherds the night Jesus was born, the darkness of night was removed when “the glory of the Lord shone round about them” (Luke 2:9). Could the glory of the Lord be the explanation for the star which led the wise men?

He came and dwelt in the flesh that He might be near us and has sent His Holy Spirit because God wants to dwell with his people.

Afterword

John wrote, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full (I John 1:3-4).