It is a common misconception that the glory of God has some sort of religious connotation. To most people, it means that God is some invisible force looking over them from above, protecting them from all harm and guiding their every move. However, this isn’t what the Bible says at all! In fact, when we look at the Bible’s definition for “glory” we can see that it has nothing to do with what humans think about God and everything to do with who He really is…
The Bible talks about God’s glory often, but what exactly is it? The Bible says that God’s glory is his presence and his beauty. What is this all about?
The glory of God is a theme that comes up often in Scripture. The Bible says that the glory of God is revealed to us through his Son, and yet we still don’t know what it means exactly. In this article we’ll look at what the glory of God according to the bible is and some practical ways you can experience it for yourself.
The Glory of God Is His Essence
- The glory of God is his essence.
- The glory of God is his being.
- The glory of God is his presence, which means that He exists eternally in heaven, and that He will never cease to exist (Psalm 102:27). This can also refer to Jesus’ second coming, when he will come again on Earth as King and Judge (see Revelation 1:7).
- The glory of God is His power as well as His goodness and mercy.
The Glory of God Is His Being
The glory of God is his being. His being is his nature, character, holiness and power. The glory of God is seen in all he does and says. The Bible teaches that his existence cannot be understood by humans but it can be experienced through him by those who follow him (John 17:3). As you study the Bible more closely you will see that the glory of God is everywhere!
The Glory of God Is His Presence
In the Book of Psalms, David writes: “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it. For He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully” (Psalm 24:1-4).
David praises God for His presence everywhere: on earth, under heaven (the sky), and in heaven. The glory of God’s presence is found not only within us but also outside of us—in creation itself!
The Glory of God Is His Power
The Bible tells us that the glory of God is his power. The Bible also gives us plenty of examples of the glory of God being shown in different ways.
Jesus said, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This means that creation itself was a demonstration of God’s power and glory.
The miracles performed by Jesus during his ministry were another example of how God revealed himself to man through his power: “And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom…and healing all kinds of sickness and every disease among the people” (Matthew 4:23–24).
And so was it with those who followed after him: There were many times when an angel would come to someone who needed help—helping them build something or providing food for them (Acts 12 & 16)—and these things happened because they had faith in Christ (Hebrews 11).
The Glory of God Is His Goodness and Mercy
The Bible tells us that God is merciful and good. His mercy should be shown to all people, even those who have sinned and are not deserving of it.
For example, the prophet Jonah was sent by God to warn the people of Israel about impending judgment for their wickedness. Instead of obeying his Lord and going to Nineveh (where most likely he would’ve been killed), Jonah ran away from God’s command and boarded a ship headed for Tarshish (modern day Spain).
The Glory of God Is His Works (Creation)
God’s glory is seen in his works. The Bible says that “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1) This includes everything, including creation:
- God made all things (Genesis 1:1-2). “In the beginning, God created…”
- He made the sun and moon (Genesis 1:14-19). “Let there be lights in the vault of heaven…”
- He created plants and animals on day three (Genesis 1:20-23).
- On day five he created humans (mankind) from dust on earth and breathed life into them, making man one of his most precious creations because he was made in His image.(Genesis 2:7). Man was given dominion over animals to take care of creation so that it would not be destroyed by mankind’s sinfulness as described below under “What Happens if We Disobey?”
The Glory of God Is His Word (Scripture)
God’s Word is the living Word of God (1 Peter 1:23). It is the only source of life and salvation for mankind. The scriptures reveal that God spoke all things into existence in the beginning, and He continues to speak His Word through prophets, apostles, and Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches us how to live our lives so we can glorify Him with our actions as well as our words.
The Glory of God Is His People (Israel)
God’s glory is revealed in His people, Israel. God chose the Israelites to be his own and gave them a land of their own, with a leader named Moses who brought them out of Egypt and into Canaan. God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments and a law by which to live by, specifically for that time period in history. He also gave them a temple called Tabernacle where they could worship Him on special occasions like Passover or Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).
The Glory of God Is His Son Jesus Christ
Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about the glory of God.
- “And I will put my glory among you.” (Leviticus 16:2)
- “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2:9)
- “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5)
You can motivate yourself without being mean to yourself.
You can motivate yourself without being mean to yourself.
You can be kind and encouraging to yourself.
You can be your own best friend.
You can be your own cheerleader.
You can be your own champion.
You can be your own hero!
Conclusion
The Bible says that God is our source of strength and motivation. The glory of God is a wonderful thing to meditate on, but it’s also important to remember that his glory isn’t just external. It can be internal as well. His presence is within us too! So when things get tough, don’t worry: there’s no need to feel ashamed or guilty about being human–God accepts us just as we are because he knows how hard life can be sometimes