The Knowledge Of The Glory

Glory means: Brilliant showy splendor, brilliance, sparkle, glitter.

Ex 33:13-34:8, “Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You [progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly] and that I may find favor in Your sight. And [Lord, do] consider that this nation is Your people. And the Lord said, My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest. And Moses said to the Lord, If Your Presence does not go with me, do not carry us up from here! For by what shall it be known that I and Your people have found favor in Your sight? Is it not in Your going with us so that we are distinguished, I and Your people, from all the other people upon the face of the earth? And the Lord said to Moses, I will do this thing also that you have asked, for you have found favor, loving-kindness, {and} mercy in My sight and I know you personally {and} by name. And Moses said, I beseech You, SHOW ME YOUR GLORY. And God said, I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim My name, THE LORD, before you; for I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy {and} loving-kindness on whom I will show mercy {and} loving-kindness. But, He said, You can not see My face, for no man shall see Me and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place beside Me, and you shall stand upon the rock, And while My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away My hand and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen. THE LORD said to Moses, Cut two tables of stone like the first, and I will write upon these tables the words that were on the first tables, which you broke. Be ready and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. And no man shall come up with you, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mountain; neither let flocks or herds feed before that mountain. So Moses cut two tables of stone like the first, and he rose up early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tables of stone. And the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord! the Lord! a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, Keeping mercy {and} loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but Who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children, to the third and fourth generation. And Moses made haste to bow his head toward the earth and worshiped.”

•The glory of the Lord may mean different things depending on the context
•In many instances and in this lesson we will study it as God’s manifest presence, Ex 40:34-35, “Then the cloud [the Shekinah, God's visible presence] covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle! And Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud remained upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”
•When God was leading Israel out of Egypt to Canaan, the Glory of God appeared in the form of: a) Cloud - Ex 24:15-16, “Then Moses went up into the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day [God] called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.” Ex 16:10, “And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud!”
b) Fire - Ex 24:17, “And the glory of the Lord appeared to the Israelites like devouring fire on the top of the mountain.”
•The glory was “kept” in the ark of covenant, Ex 25:21-22, “You shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony [the Ten Commandments] that I will give you There I will meet with you and, from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are upon the ark of the Testimony, I will speak intimately with you of all which I will give you in commandment to the Israelites.” 1 Sam 4:21-5;10, “ And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel!--because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. She said, The glory is gone from Israel, for the ark of God has been taken. THE PHILISTINES brought the ark of God from Ebenezer to Ashdod. They took the ark of God into the house of Dagon and set it beside Dagon [their idol]. When they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon had fallen upon his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him in his place again. But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had again fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and [his] head and both the palms of his hands were lying cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left him. This is the reason neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon the people of Ashdod, and He caused [mice to spring up and there was] very deadly destruction and He smote the people with [very painful] tumors {or} boils, both Ashdod and its territory. When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god. So they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? They answered, Let [it] be carried around to Gath. So they carried the ark of the God of Israel there. But after they had carried it to Gath, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing an exceedingly great panic [at the deaths from the plague], for He afflicted the people of the city, both small and great, and tumors {or} boils broke out on them. So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as [it] came, the people of Ekron cried out, They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us to slay us and our people!”
Heb 9:5, “Above [the ark] and overshadowing the mercy seat were the representations of the cherubim [winged creatures which were the symbols] of glory. We cannot now go into detail about these things.”
•Israel had a condition of experiencing the positive aspect of God’s glory – Purity!. Is 33:13, “Hear, you who are far off [says the Lord], what I have done; and you who are near, acknowledge My might! The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling seizes the godless ones. [They cry] Who among us can dwell with that devouring fire? Who among us can dwell with those everlasting burnings? He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises gain from fraud {and} from oppression, who shakes his hand free from the taking of bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes to avoid looking upon evil. [Such a man] will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; water for him will be sure. Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; [your eyes] will behold a land of wide distances that stretches afar.”

The Glory Of God In Israel vs In The church

In Israel, the glory of God appeared physically and they could see it with their eyes. The children of Israel were not born again, they were spiritually dead. They were not spiritually alive hence God had to deal with them in the physical. They could not fully grasp, see or understand spiritual things. The church has been made alive in Christ, we are born again and our spirits alive in God. We are spiritual alive and can see, grasp and understand spiritual things. Gen 22:16-18, “And said, I have sworn by Myself, says the Lord, that since you have done this and have not withheld [from Me] {or} begrudged [giving Me] your son, your only son, In blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore. And your Seed (Heir) will possess the gate of His enemies, And in your Seed [Christ] shall all the nations of the earth be blessed {and} [by Him] bless themselves, because you have heard {and} obeyed My voice.” This scripture is often quoted to mean Israel is the sand and the church stars. I believe there is some truth in it.

1 Cor 15:46, “But it is not the spiritual life which came first, but the physical and then the spiritual.” Mostly, God would deal with Israel in the physical but He deals with the church in the spiritual. With that understanding, let’s go back to out subject. The glory of God appeared in Israel in the physical but we do not see the same in the church. But this does not mean that the glory of God is no longer seen or experienced in the church.
Cor 3:6-4:7, “[It is He] Who has qualified us [making us to be fit and worthy and sufficient] as ministers {and} dispensers of a new covenant [of salvation through Christ], not [ministers] of the letter (of legally written code) but of the Spirit; for the code [of the Law] kills, but the [Holy] Spirit makes alive. Now if the dispensation of death engraved in letters on stone [the ministration of the Law], was inaugurated with such glory {and} splendor that the Israelites were not able to look steadily at the face of Moses because of its brilliance, [a glory] that was to fade {and} pass away, Why should not the dispensation of the Spirit [this spiritual ministry whose task it is to cause men to obtain and be governed by the Holy Spirit] be attended with much greater {and} more splendid glory? For if the service that condemns [the ministration of doom] had glory, how infinitely more abounding in splendor {and} glory must be the service that makes righteous [the ministry that produces and fosters righteous living and right standing with God]! Indeed, in view of this fact, what once had splendor [the glory of the Law in the face of Moses] has come to have no splendor at all, because of the overwhelming glory that exceeds {and} excels it [the glory of the Gospel in the face of Jesus Christ]. For if that which was but passing {and} fading away came with splendor, how much more must that which remains {and} is permanent abide in glory {and} splendor! Since we have such [glorious] hope (such joyful and confident expectation), we speak very freely {and} openly {and} fearlessly. Nor [do we act] like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze upon the finish of the vanishing [splendor which had been upon it]. In fact, their minds were grown hard {and} calloused [they had become dull and had lost the power of understanding]; for until this present day, when the Old Testament (the old covenant) is being read, that same veil still lies [on their hearts], not being lifted [to reveal] that in Christ it is made void {and} done away. Yes, down to this [very] day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their minds {and} hearts But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord, the veil is stripped off {and} taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His {very own} image in ever increasing splendor {and} from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. THEREFORE, SINCE we do hold {and} engage in this ministry by the mercy of God [granting us favor, benefits, opportunities, and especially salvation], we do not get discouraged (spiritless and despondent with fear) {or} become faint with weariness and exhaustion. We have renounced disgraceful ways (secret thoughts, feelings, desires and underhandedness, the methods and arts that men hide through shame); we refuse to deal craftily (to practice trickery and cunning) or to adulterate {or} handle dishonestly the Word of God, but we state the truth openly (clearly and candidly). And so we commend ourselves in the sight {and} presence of God to every man's conscience. But even if our Gospel (the glad tidings) also be hidden (obscured and covered up with a veil that hinders the knowledge of God), it is hidden [only] to those who are perishing {and} obscured [only] to those who are spiritually dying {and} veiled [only] to those who are lost. For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers' minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image {and} Likeness of God. For what we preach is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves [merely] as your servants (slaves) for Jesus' sake. For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forthd [as i] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty {and} glory of God It is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of {Jesus} Christ (the Messiah). However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur {and} exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.”

•In the church the glory of God is manifested in Christ
•It is the Holy Spirit that revels that glory to us
John 17:22-24, “I have given to them the glory {and} honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one {and} perfectly united, that the world may know {and} [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You have entrusted to Me [as Your gift to Me] may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me [Your love gift to Me]; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”

Christ came to restore unto us the glory of god which we lost when Adam sinned. Rom 3:23, “Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor {and} glory which God bestows {and} receives.” That glory is in us and we are to live in it. We are not to see the glory at a distance in the form of a cloud or fire but that glory is in us. Eph 3:16, “May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened {and} reinforced with mighty power in the inner man BY the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].” Col 1:27, “To whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within {and} among you, the Hope of [realizing the] glory.”

Heb 10:20, “Heb 10:19-23 “Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom {and} confidence to enter into the [Holy of] Holies [by the power and virtue] in the blood of Jesus, By this fresh (new) and living way which He initiated {and} dedicated {and} opened for us through the separating curtain (veil of the Holy of Holies), that is, through His flesh, And since we have [such] a great {and} wonderful {and} noble Priest [Who rules] over the house of God, Let us all come forward {and} draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance {and} absolute conviction engendered by faith (by that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled {and} purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water. So let us seize {and} hold fast {and} retain without wavering the hope we cherish {and} confess {and} our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) {and} faithful to His word”

The glory or presence of God was confined in the Holy of holies in the Old Testament but Christ opened the way for all of us to experience the glory. We all have access into the presence of God and experience His glory in us always.

We live in the dispensation of which God said, “For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea. “ Hab 2v14

We do not to go around looking for clouds and pillars of fire, we just look into our spirits for there is the glory!