THE GLORY OF GOD
1. INTRODUCTION
· The way we ‘see things’ affects how relate, treat them.
· Eg. Objects Eg People Eg New car, old car
New shoes, old shoes
· When lose respect or value of things/people tend to treat badly.
2. HOW YOU SEE GOD AFFECTS HOW YOU RELATE TO HIM
Rev.4:11 Rest not day and night saying Holy Holy - Worthy.
· In heaven God is seen ‘as He is’ - inspires awe, respect.
· In heaven God is the centre and focus of attention and worship.
· Personal background - Catholic: respect, reverence without relationship/ Pentecostal: relationship without respect.
Ro.1:20-24
· Nature of God is revealed in creation - clearly seen by all.
· God is great - look at creation - vastness, vanity, detail.
· “Holds waters in palm of hand; measures universe with span of hand” Is.40:12.
· “Heavens cannot contain him much less this house” 1 Kg.8:27.
· Two steps towards spiritual and moral decline.
i) Refusal to glorify God for who he is } Vain = foolish,
ii) Refusal to express gratitude and appreciation } idolatry, self centred
Result
· Thinking self centred and understanding darkened
· “Changed the glory of incorruptible God”
· Changed the truth of God into a lie.
i.e. The glory, majesty, excellence of immortal God were exchanged for something people were familiar and comfortable with.
· What is the glory? What was it exchanged for?
3. GOD’S GLORY IS HIS GOODNESS AND MAJESTY - ALL HIS ATTRIBUTES
(O.T.) Glory = kabod = heavy, weighty
(N.T.) Doxa - appearance, magnificence, radiance, dazzling lustre.
Glory = The presence and attributes of God made manifest.
Exodus 33:14 - 22 Glory - all the goodness of God.
· v20 Cannot see face of God or will die.
· Tim.6:16 Has immortality, dwells in light no man can approach, has seen.
· God conceals or veils His glory in cloud - too awesome to behold.
· Exodus 34:5-6 Descended in cloud - Proclaimed His Name - King entering.
· Glory is brighter than noon sun in Middle East. Act. 26:13.
· Mk.9 Glory of Jesus revealed in mountain - eye witnesses of His majesty.
· Moses response - Bow in respect and worship. 2 Pet.1:16.
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4. WHEN PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO GLORY OF GOD - IMPACTED
e.g.
· Moses face shone Ex.34:29, 30.
· Israel fled in terror. Ex. 20:18-21.
· People could not stand. 2 Chron. 5:14.
· Paul blinded - life changed. Act.22:11 - Could not see for the glory of that light.
· Isaiah convicted of true condition Is.6:1-8 “I am unclean”
· When you relate to God as He is your true condition is exposed, need for change.
· Your view of God affects how you relate to Him.
5. PEOPLE REDUCE GOD’S GLORY TO AVOID THE NEED FOR CHANGE
Ro.1:23 Changed glory; changed truth - worshipped creation
· Exod.32 - Israel - worshipped image, changed the glory.
· Calf - familiar part of Egypt culture, common.
· Still acknowledged Lord saved - reduced glory to something less awesome.
· Today: People reduce God’s excellence to level familiar, common.
· Result: Man centred -what I think, feel, going through, needs. Disrespect for God and self centred.
· Eg
· Church meetings - punctuality, attendance, lack of awareness
· Worship - giving, centreing on Christ, talking, distracted.
· Attitude to prayer, Word of God - neglected.
· Attitude to presence of God, move of Holy Spirit - taken for granted.
· Attitude to responsibility - someone else! Too much! Near enough is good enough!
· Attitude to authority - critical!
· Attitude to sin - OK, everyone else (Heb.10:26-31), only little, God will forgive.
· Attitude to truth - e.g. 1 Thess.5:18 In everything give thanks. Will thank if I feel like it, things going well.
· Day of shaking and glory of Lord coming to His house.
· Hag. 2:6-9 Glory of Lord will fill the house of God.
FOR DISCUSSION
Do not attempt to answer all the questions.
GOD’S GLORY IS ALL HIS GOODNESS
1. Read Exod. 33:13-23; 34:5-8
· Why did Moses want to know God’s ways? How are His ways different from His works?
· What effects do the presence of God have on people? (v.14 - 15)
· How did God respond to Moses request to see His glory? Why?
· What is the glory of God? (33:19; 34:6,7)
2. Impact of the Glory
Ask different people in the group to read the following passages and identify how the glory of God impacted people.
i) Ex.34:29-30
ii) Ex.19:16-19
iii) Ex.20:18-21 - What difference is there between Moses response and the people’s response? Why?
iv) 2 Chron.5:13-14 - Why could the priests not stand?
v) Acts 22:6-14 - What was the impact on Paul’s sight? On his life direction.
vi) Mark 9:1-6
vii) Is.6:1-8
· How did the Seraphims respond to seeing the glory of God?
· How did Isaiah respond? What did he become aware of?
· What5 two things happened to him? (v7,8)
· Why is it important for messengers of the Lord to be clean?
3. Changing the Glory
Read Exod.32:1-7
· How did the extended delay of Moses return affect the people of Israel?
· What did the glory of God look like to them? (Ex.24:17-18)
· Why did they want to make a golden calf?
· (Note the calf was a familiar part of the Egyptian religious culture)
· Why did they act as though the glory cloud was not there at all? What attitudes does this reveal? (Compare Ro.1:21)
· How do people today take God for granted and show lack of respect for him?
· Who did the people worship and honour at their feast? (v5)
· Why did they prefer their own image of God (the calf) to the reality (the fire)?
· How does that apply to people today?
· What was the impact upon them? (v6 - 10).