A FASCINATINGLY ‘GLORIOUS’ STUDY
One of the most interesting subjects one could study in the Bible, is the Presence or Glory of the Lord, to study out those occasions when God spoke up or showed up, or otherwise revealed Himself. We encourage you to go through the entire Bible, and pay special attention to every reference to God when He reveals Himself. Most of all, to me, the most fascinating, are those words that relate to God's glory, the Shekinah glory of God!!!
THE VERY SAME IMAGE!!!
Would you please turn to 2 Corinthians, chapter 3. I will show you where the Apostle Paul proves himself to be verbose and repetitive, loquacious, and wordy. Read verses 7 and 8: “But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?”
Here, you will see that Paul is making a speech and is referring his readers to a portion of Scripture from the Old Testament that he expects his readers to know about. For example, if I mention "The Prodigal Son", or, "David and Goliath", or "The Fiery Furnace", or "The Handwriting on the Wall", most every Christian knows the story, and the details of it. So, also, Paul mentions the time when Moses went up on the Mount, he saw the Glory of God, he came down from the Mount, his face shining like the sun, so brilliantly that no one could look at him, so he had to put a veil over his face so people could stand to talk to him. Then, in verse 8, God, through Paul, makes the point that the glory that was on Moses' face was nothing, by comparison to the glory that is available to us today.
Then, read verse 9: “For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.” Same thing: Moses went up on the Mount, he saw the Glory of God, he came down from the Mount, his face shining like the sun, so brilliantly that no one could look at him, so he had to put a veil over his face so people could stand to talk to him. Here, in verse 9, God, through Paul, makes the point that the glory that was on Moses' face was nothing, by comparison to the glory that is available to us today.
Then, read verse 10: “For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory on account of the glory that surpasses it.” Same thing: Moses went up on the Mount, he saw the Glory of God, he came down from the Mount, his face shining like the sun, so brilliantly that no one could look at him, so he had to put a veil over his face so people could stand to talk to him. Here, verse 10, God, through Paul, makes the point that the glory on Moses' face was nothing, "NO GLORY" by comparison to the glory that is available to us today!
Then, read verse 11: “For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.” (NAS) Same thing: Moses went up on the Mount, he saw the Glory of God. He came down from the Mount, his face shining like the sun, so brilliantly that no one could look at him, so he had to put a veil over his face so people could stand to talk to him. Here, in verse 11, God, through Paul, makes the point that the glory that was on Moses' face was nothing, by comparison to the glory that is available to us today! Note the words, "Much more! Much more!! MUCH MORE!!!". In other words, God wants your face to shine much more brightly, now, than did the face of Moses, as bright as it was.
The grand conclusion comes in verse 18: "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a (looking) glass (or, mirror), the Glory of the LORD, are transformed into the very same image”!!! What image? The image of the Glorified Christ
THE MIRROR!
I ask the people to whom I am preaching, "Where did Moses go to see the glory?" They answer, "To the mountain!" Then I ask them, "Where are we to go, in order to see the glory?" I tell them that I want the answer from this verse 18. They don't know. The answer I am looking for, is: "The Mirror!!!"
In our worship center, we have 2 huge mirrors. Many people do not like mirrors. Most people, when they look into the mirror they see themselves. Many people see inferiority, ugliness, stupidity, failure, defeat, old age, weakness, insufficiency, sickness, or some other negative quality.
Then, I ask them, "Why, the mirror?" The answer I am looking for, is: Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;" NAS; Col 3:2-3 "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."
NAS In other words, the answer is, "The King's Greatest Secret!"! In James 1:23,24, the sinner looks at his face in the mirror and then forgets what kind of person he should be. But in 2 Cor.3:18, the saint is to look at himself in the mirror, and remember that he or she has been crucified with Christ, is dead and buried, that it is no longer he or she who is living, and that the Person being seen in the mirror is the glorified Jesus Christ Himself living within one's self and that Jesus is now living within and looking out through our eyes, living within our skin, our head, our brain, our souls, our spirits, our bones, muscles, cells, bone marrow, walking around within our clothes, our shoes, our lives, our bodies, that it is not we who are talking or walking or thinking or being, but that it is the glorified Christ Who is living His Own glorified Life within us, through us, as us, in our place, with our co-operation and faith and conscious willingness. Amen. Please see our little book, The King's Greatest Secret!!!
Paul is telling us that he has died, that it is NO LONGER Paul who is living, but that it is Christ Who is living within him. In other words, with eyes of faith and humility, WE ARE TO SEE THE GLORIFIED CHRIST LOOKING BACK AT US FROM THE MIRROR!!!!!!!!!!!!
1 John 2:6 "If any one says that he abides in Him (Jesus), he ought also, himself to walk, even as HE walked!!!" The same walk. No difference.
1 John 4:17b says: "As He (Jesus) is, so are we, in this world!!!"
Who? US!
Where? HERE!!
When? NOW!!!!!
When I am in Africa, ministering, I ask the people: "Is Jesus' face, your color, or my color. They smile and point to themselves and say, "My color!" I ask, with a challenge, "Is the color of Jesus eyes, your color or my color?" They laugh and shout, thumping themselves on the chest, and say, "My color!!" Then I taunt them and say, "I can prove to you from the Bible, the color of Jesus' face, the color of Jesus' eyes." I have their attention. "Do you want me to show you?" "Yes", they cry. So, I take them to Revelation, chapter one:
Rev.1:14 & 2:18 “His eyes were like a flame of fire” "His face shone, like the sun in its strength." Then, I ask the people, "What color was Jesus' face?" and I get them to repeat after me, with great volume and drama, "Like the sun in its 'POWAHHHHHHH'!!!!" "What color was Jesus' eyes? "Like a flame of FYAHHHHHHHH!!!" "What color does God want your eyes to be?" "Like a flame of fire!" What color does Jesus want your face to be?" "Like the sun in its power!!" "As He is, so are we, in this world!!!"
Tell me when this prophecy will come to pass: Joel's Army: Joel 2:1 "Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the Day of the LORD (Yahweh) is coming; Surely it is near, 2 A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, So there is a great and mighty people; There has never been anything like it, Nor will there be again after it to the years of many generations. 3 A fire consumes before them, And behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, But a desolate wilderness behind them, And nothing at all escapes them. 4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like war horses, so they run. 5 With a noise as of chariots they leap on the tops of the mountains, Like the crackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble, Like a mighty people arranged for battle. 6 Before them the people are in anguish; All faces turn pale. 7 They run like mighty men; They climb the wall like soldiers; And they each march in line, Nor do they deviate from their paths. 8 They do not crowd each other; They march everyone in his path. When they burst through the defenses, They do not break ranks. 9 They rush on the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter through the windows like a thief. 10 Before them the earth quakes, The heavens tremble, The sun and the moon grow dark, And the stars lose their brightness. 11 And the LORD (Yahweh) utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great, For strong is he who carries out His word. The Day of the LORD (Yahweh) is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it?" NAS
Who are these people? Not the Russians. Not grasshoppers. The Bible clearly tells us who these people are! Verse 11: His camp! His army! His camp. Here is; "He who carries out His Word!!!" Those who do God's will! Please note, what the Bible has to say about those who do God's will. You will find a theme that runs through the course of the entire Bible. Those sons of God who are led by His Spirit! (Rom. 8) Jesus said, in Mat.12:50, "For whosoever shall do the will of My Father Which is in Heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother." KJV
Who are these people? The saints! What are they able to do? Ps 149:5 "Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. (Tell me, when will this Scripture come to pass??!) 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD (Yahweh). KJV "What soever you bind, shall be bound!" Mt.18:18 (WHEN?!) You shall do the "greater works" Jn.14:12! (WHEN?!) "If two of you agree, it SHALL be done!" Mt .18:19 (WHEN?!) Have we seen this? Not to any great extent. Will we see this? Of course! When?
Sukkot OR Sukot OR Booths OR tabernacles (NAS)
(Please note: In every place “Booths” is mentioned in the NAS, “Tabernacles is mentioned in the KJV, the NIV, and the ASV.
Lev 23:34 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) for seven days to Yahweh.’ ” (NAS)
Deut 16:13 “You shall celebrate the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) seven days after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and your wine vat;” (NAS)
Deut 16:16 “Three times in a year all your males shall appear before Yahweh your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles), and they shall not appear before Yahweh empty-handed.” (NAS)
Deut 31:10 “Then Moses commanded them, saying, ‘At the end of {every} seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles),’ ” (NAS)
2 Chr 8:13 “And {did so} according to the daily rule, offering {them} up according to the commandment of Moses, for the sabbaths, the new moons, and the three annual feasts-- the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles).” (NAS)
Ezra 3:4 “And they celebrated the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles), as it is written, and {offered} the fixed number of burnt offerings daily, according to the ordinance, as each day required;” (NAS)
Zech 14:16 “Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of Hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles).” (NAS)
Zech 14:18 “And if the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no {rain will fall} on them; it will be the plague with which Yahweh smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles).” (NAS)
Zech 14:19 “This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles).” (NAS)
Matt 17:4 “And Peter answered and said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ ” (NAS)
Mark 9:5 “And Peter answered and said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ ” (NAS)
Luke 9:33 “And it came about, as these were parting from Him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah’-- not realizing what he was saying.” (NAS)
John 7:2 “Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles), was at hand.” (NAS) The whole of Chapter 7 takes place at the Feast of Tabernacles.