We often say that God is glorious, but what does “glory” mean? Something that has glory is something to be honoured; it is something that has some quality of which makes it special, and it has something that means it is not ordinary. If something were common, ordinary, it would not be worthy of honour or praise.
God is to be honoured for who He is; He is who He is (Exodus 3:14). He is shining radiant beauty which never diminishes in any way forever. This radiance is His holiness (Isaiah 6:3) which is beautiful for the believer to behold.
So tragically in our day, this sense of the honour and special character of God is almost entirely extinguished within much of modern evangelicalism in the West. We need to get back to seeing God for who He is. We must not look at Him like an idol we imagine in our minds, as that idol we invent will never measure up to the true God of Scripture! We must have eyes to see His wonderous glory, and ears to hear of this glory, the glory of this true and living God!
God is Light
One way the Bible describes how special God is, can be seen in relation to light. He is pure light, without any mixture of darkness (God is simple; 1 John 1:5), nor is there any shadow of turning in Him (God is immutable; James 1:17).
The light in this world fades. There are places of shadow and darkness. The world is not made up of pure light. The radiance and shine of earthly crowns of earthly kings can only go so far, but this light that is God endures forever without being diminished in any way. This light is equally as glorious in the person of the Father, and in the Son and in the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 1:3; 1 John 5:7). This light cannot be divide nor multiplied for it is pure, for it is without parts or any composition of any kind. Our God is simple and without parts.
Irenaeus (130-202AD): “He [God] is simple, uncompounded Being, without diverse members, and altogether like, and equal to Himself, since He is wholly intelligence, and wholly reason, and wholly hearing, and wholly seeing, and wholly light, and the whole source of all that is good – even as the religious and pious are wont to speak concerning God.”
Without light there is no life on this planet. Plants depend on light for food. The animals depend on plants, and they also need light. We, humans, need light; it affects our mood and health. We need spiritual light from God; it affects our spiritual mood and health.
Spend time in the radiant warmth of Christ so that it lifts you from the onslaughts of this fallen world and that you may have joy from Christ Jesus. The Word of God, the Bible, is light to feed and nourish our souls. The Law of God is light. The worship service on a Sabbath day is a source of light, as God dwells among us at worship, as we dwell with Him in the Holy of Holies (Song 2:16). Prayer is how we have access to the One who is light. The devil wants you away from this light and to not value this light.
Embracing Light
The gospel message is to embrace light and flee from darkness (John 1:5; 1 John 1:5). Jesus Christ, who is light, is that message or announcement from God. When we embrace light from heaven, we are embracing all the Christ is. He is warmth, He is life, He is joy, and He is spiritual uplifting help for the fallen sinner. If you take away Christ from the believer, He longs to be back in the presence of that radiance once more. The believer is happiest in the presence of this light that is God.
Worship Him
He is the One True God. To be in His presence is enjoyable for the believer. We truly do not see how special He is unless we enjoy His presence. There are no others like Him (Isaiah 45:5)! We have been made to glorify and to enjoy our God forever, having been made in the image of the true God. To worship God is to do what we have been made for.
Dear friend, do not rob yourself of this great and wonderful privilege of being in the presence of God by faith in Christ. Dear friend, by the grace and mercy offered in the gospel of Christ, do not rob yourself of the great privilege of worshipping Him!
Come see His splendour! Come see His radiance and His light! Come that you may dwell in His light and radiance forever!
