THE GLORY OF GOD

HIS GLORY REIGNS
B. Childress
Sep 21, 2007


In the Beginning...

The Glory of God is God's Presence manifested.  The Glory of God is God Himself, the Light
and Life of Himself...of His Righteousness, of His Holiness.  God is a consuming fire.  He is
the perfect and all consuming light.

The glory of the Lord is not a cloud.  God hides Himself in the cloud.  He is too magnificent for mankind to
behold.  If the cloud did not screen out His countenance, all around Him would be consumed and
immediately die.  


God is an all-consuming light.  Paul, who encountered this light (the Lord's Glory) on the road to Damascus, relayed
his experience to Timothy as  an "unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see."  In relaying his
experience to King Agrippa, "he described this light as brighter than the sun.'  Paul did not see the Lord's face; he only
saw the light emanating from Him - he was blinded by the light that emanated from His glory.


We have to start at the beginning...millions perhaps billions of years ago.

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."  Genesis 1:1  God did not create the earth "without form and
void."  The Hebrews words translated without form and "void are rhyming words tobu va' bohu. Tobu is defined as
formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness, chaos, waste.  Bohu is defined  as emptiness.  Va simply means "and."  
God did not create earth a formless, confused, empty chaotic mess.  Such a creation would not meet the biblical
criteria for God's work: God is perfect.  "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of
truth and without iniquity, just and right is he."  Deuteronomy 32:4 God's work is glorious; "His work is honorable and
glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever." Psalm 111:3

The Bible provides its own commentary on tobu v' bohu.  The first passage of scripture states that God did not make
the earth tobu, "For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he
hath established it, he created it not in vain (tobu), he formed it to be inhabited:  I am the LORD; and there is none
else." Isaiah 45:18  God created earth in a state of glorious perfection. Earth was habitable when God created it.  
Dinosaurs may have been part of the world that then was, "For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of
God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the waters: whereby the world that then
was, being overflowed with water, perished:"  2 Peter 3:5,6


The Creation of Lucifer

To meet the criteria for God's handiwork, perfect and glorious, the beings He designed to work with Him must contain a
certain "thing."  That "thing" is dangerous to the Creator.  But His created beings would be nothing more than puppets
without it.  That "thing" is a free will.

Lucifer, the archangel, was the most beautiful being God has created as described in Ezekiel 28:12-15, "...Thou
sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious
stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the
emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold:  the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the
day thou was created.  Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy
mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from
the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee."

God is not a creator of puppets or marvelous looking humanoid creatures programmed by microchips to worship and
obey Him without fail.  Indeed worship is only meaningful when the worshipper wills to worship.  Obedience can bring
God pleasure  only when the "obeyer" chooses to obey.  One's will is his "chooser."  With it he makes the choices
which determine his eternal destiny.  God gave Lucifer - as He gave all the angels - a free will in the day of his
creation.  He must have used it to worship and please God for some measure of eternity.  How long, the Bible does not
reveal.


The Day Life on Earth (The World That Then Was) Ceased to Exist

  • Earth we are told was habitable when God created it, "For thus saith the LORD that created the Heavens; God
    himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be
    inhabited:  I am the LORD; and there is none else."  Isaiah 45:18

  • Dinosaurs may have been part of the "world that then was."  The big question among scientists is "What
    happened to the dinosaurs?"  A wide range of theories were put forth to answer this question.  But recently,
    many scientists have agreed on a theory that the last of the dinosaurs died on one cataclysmic day.  They
    believe that a widespread mass extinction of animal life occurred when an asteroid collided with earth. However,
    it is widely believed that this cataclysmic event was precipitated as the result of the fall of Lucifer.  The totality of
    this event was revealed to Jeremiah by the Lord, "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and
    the heavens, and they had no light.  I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved
    lightly.  I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all birds of the heavens were fled.  I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful
    place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his
    fierce anger.  For thus hath the Lord said, 'The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.'"  
    Jeremiah 4:23-27  God allowed Jeremiah to look into the past and see the day when judgment fell on "the world
    that then was."  Genesis 1:2 says, "And the earth was without form, and void (tobu v' bohu); and darkness was
    upon the face of the deep..."

  • Based on the revelation given to Jeremiah, a replay of the violent destruction:

1)  Light was removed - God removed earth's light; not just it's natural light, God's Light (1John 1:5)

2)  Life was nowhere to be found.  Even the bird's were gone - of course, when God removed, the Light of        Life
every creature died in an instant.

3)  Mountains and hills shook - could this have been when fault lines in the earth occurred?

4)  All the cities were destroyed - all, not some.  Evidently the "world that then was" had cities.


What caused such total devastation, such chaotic ruin?  "..the presence of the LORD, by His fierce anger."  Jeremiah
4:26


  • And what made God so angry?  A rebellion so great it split the angelic hosts.  A revolt against God led by the
    most beautiful being God has created, the archangel, Lucifer.

  • Lucifer fell because he chose to exercise "free will" against God.  Isaiah 14:12-14 provides us with the answer,
    "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground.  Which
    didst weaken the nations!  for thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above
    the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:  I will ascend above
    the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."  

Lucifer's five treasonous "I wills" reveal much:


1)  "I will ascend into heaven."  His kingdom was in a place from which he had to go up to carry out his rebellious plan.

2)  "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God."  Lucifer had a throne and therefore a kingdom.

3)  "I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north."  This describes the place of God's
throne.  Lucifer was after the throne of God.

4)  "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds."  The atmosphere of Lucifer's kingdom included clouds - clouds he
would surmount in an attempt to exalt his throne.  Many Bible scholars agree that his kingdom was here on earth. It
was "the world that then was."

5)  "I will be like the most High."  All this entails we do not know.  But his later temptation of Jesus reveals that he
wanted to receive rather than give worship.


Lucifer deceived even some of the angels and led an organized revolt against the Most High God.  The outcome of
which Jesus revealed to us, "And he said to them, 'I beheld Satan as lightning falling from heaven.'"  Luke 10:18  
Lucifer's rebellion so angered God that He (God) removed Himself from the environs of earth sending it into a chaotic
wasteland covered with dark waters.


The Circle of Glory

  • Between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:12, there existed a span of time where the earth lay beneath dismal
    waters.  We can only speculate about what the angels might have been thinking as they looked at the one dark
    spot in God's otherwise perfect order of things.  

  • The angels were watching as things began to change. Though the Spirit of God hovered (or brooded) over this
    chaos, He would not move upon it until the word of God was released .  With God's spoken words, divine order
    was set into operation on this planet, "...And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water."  Genesis 1:2  
    They (the angels) spread the news that the Holy Spirit was moving upon the "dark" spot.  They heard God's first
    words and watched their glorious fulfillment, "And God said, 'let there be light:' and there was light." God was not
    commanding the sun and the moon to become.  God was talking about the Light of Himself:  God returned Light
    and Life to earth - He had removed His Presence, but now He would work there again.

  • In God's work week He established a new order of things.  He separated the waters.  He called forth the seed
    that was in the earth although He did not create new plant life.  He set the sun, the moon, the stars.  He created
    new animal life (Genesis 1:11,12; 1:20,21).  His work progressed in divisions, the first day...The second day...
    The third day and so on.

  • And then the sixth day.  The most angel-astonishing day of all, Genesis 1:26, "And God said, Let us make man
    in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
    and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."  The
    angels were probably asking questions - what is man?  One angel even dared to ask the Creator, we are told.  
    Psalm eight records his questions ( we know these are the words of an angel; the New Testament tells us so (
    Hebrews 2:5-7):

"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained; what is man,
that thou art mindful of him?  and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  For thou hast made him a little lower than the
angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.  Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands;
thou hast put all things under his feet:...O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in the earth!"  Psalm 8:3-6,9

  • "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast
    ordained..." This angel had just watched the wonders of the work of God in creation.  So he began by
    complementing the Creator.  Then he asked the big questions.

  • "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?" - What is a man? What is this being, O Creator, that he has a
    place in Your mind?

  • "And the son of man, that thou visitest him?"- Angels may have had to call on God.  Here is one whom
    God visits in the garden.

  • "For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels (Elohim)..." - The Hebrew word is not angels. It is
    Elohim.  Elohim is the plural word for God.  It shows God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. For
    eternity past the angels had known this order.  The Triune Godhead, archangels, and angels.  Now there is a
    new order in creation.  Man is ranked just under the Godhead.

  • "Thou...hast crowned him..." - Wonder of wonders to the amazed angel!  God crowned man!  He didn't ask
    Gabriel or Michael to do it.  Amid majesty and pageantry far surpassing any crowning of any earthly monarch,
    God Himself arose and crowned His man.  Kings wear crowns - by this crowning, God fixed forever the place of
    man in God's heart and God's plans.

What was the crown made of - GLORY.  God's Glory, the highest heavenly reality.  For the glory of God is God's
Presence manifested.  The Glory of God is God Himself.  God's Glory sat upon man as his crown and clothed him as
his covering.  It fitted man for the fellowship he enjoyed with his Creator.


The Fall of Man

God's Word had gone forth:  Man would have dominion over the works of God's hands.  Satan challenged it.  If he
could stop God's Word from coming to pass, he could defeat God.  His tactics were simple.  He tempted the will of
man.  Man yielded and turned his will crosswise to the will of God.

"And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid
themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.  And the LORD God called unto
Adam, and said unto him, 'Where art thou?"  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I
was naked;  and I hid myself."  Genesis 3:8-10

God saw what they had done, pronounced judgment upon them, and clothed them in tunics of skins, most likely from a
lamb, foreshadowing the Lamb of God who would come and restore man's relationship with God.

This event put into motion the circle of glory.  Man was crowned with glory.  He fell from the glory.  
Through Jesus Christ he can return to the glory.

Billye Brim recounts having a flash of revelation in her spirit and saw the predicament of the fall:  "To the right, high
and lifted up was the place of the throne of God.  To the left, low and very low, stood Satan with man cringing at his
side.  Between the two places there was a great gulf fixed. Satan was laughing up at God from across the gulf.  He
thought he had won.  He thought he had succeeded in separating God and his man forever.  Satan knew that Adam,
who once delighted in the Presence of God, would not be consumed by it."  Why?  The Lord spoke to her and said,
"You always look at the fall from man's viewpoint, I want you to look at it from My point of view.  The reaction of a
natural man to a fallen son is to grab him and clasp him to his bosom.  Had I clasped Adam to My bosom, I would have
consumed him.  My glory would have burned him up.  And in him mankind.  Satan would have stopped My words from
coming to pass.  For I had spoken that man would have dominion over the works of My hands."  But God had a plan.  
A plan which began in heaven before the foundation of the world. God did not need to do anything at that time
because He had already done something - Jesus.

In the Old Testament, God's glory stood behind a thick curtain in the Holy of Holies.  The High Priest alone could enter
there once a year on the Day of atonement - and then he took precautions.  It wasn't that God did not want mankind in
His Presence.  It was that man could not endure the glory of God.

When David brought up the Ark of the Presence on a cart rather than in the way God had instructed them to carry it
for their safety, the oxen stumbled and Uzziah reach out to steady the ark and died.  It wasn't that God was just waiting
to get him, God's glory broke forth to judge sin when the two came into contact (2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13).


The Mystery of the Church

  • The New Testament calls God's plans "mysteries:" the mystery of Israel (Romans 11:25,26); the mystery of
    iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2:7); and the mystery of the church (numerous references).

  • God concealed His plan for the church throughout the Old Testament.  Prophets prophesied about it, while they
    wondered of what and of whom they were speaking.  Even the gospel writers did not grasp the meaning of the
    mystery. It was not until a man named Paul came along that God revealed what He had concealed, the mystery
    of the church.  Paul refers to it as, "...the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began" Romans 16:25;
    "...the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God..." Ephesians 3:9

"Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect:  yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this
world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God
ordained before the world unto our glory."  1 Corinthians 2:6,7

When did He ordain the plan?  Before the world.  For what purpose?  Unto our glory.  To lift us into the glory of His
Presence.

The Father of Glory, sent the Lord of Glory to lift up the man who had been crowned with the Glory but had fallen from
the Glory, back into the Glory of His Presence.  If Satan had seen the plan, he never would have lifted God's spotless
Lamb to the altar of the Cross where His innocent Blood could be shed to cleanse man to once again stand in the
Glory of God's Presence.

"Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom
God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the
hope of glory:" Colossians 1:26,27

  • Jesus Christ, The Anointed One, came to take up abode inside the man and to become his hope of glory.  
    Since Jesus arose, when a person believes in his heart that Jesus died on the Cross and that God raised Him
    from the dead, and confesses with His mouth the Lord Jesus, he is saved.  He is born from above.  He is born
    again.  At our new birth, the process of glorification begins and progresses according to the plan as we look into
    God's Word for His glory and yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit.

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory
to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."  2 Corinthians 3:18

  • In the last hours before He appears to receive the Church, it will change in ever increasing splendor and from
    one degree of glory to another, until there is only one more capstone of glory to be added to the Temple.  That
    will be the glorious rapture of the glorious Church (Ephesians 5:27).  Glory!  That is what you and I are saved
    "to."  Salvation is not just what we are saved "from" - the devil and sin.  Salvation is what we are saved "to" - God
    and His Glory!  The church is destined to stand before God's face forever, in the Presence of His Glory
    (Ephesians 1:4; 3:21).


It is the last of the last days.  God's glory is to be manifested in greater degree in His church.  Very soon now we
will walk the streets with our faces shining, and men and women will come to us to accept the Lord Jesus Christ they
see within us.  

The Blood of Jesus has everything to do with it.  For it is His Blood that cleanses us, and covers us, and enables us to
stand in His glory.


Changing The Glory of the Incorruptible God

"For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord?  Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the
Lord?  God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him."  
Psalm 89:6-7  The psalmist first declares the awesome wonders of God, then gives the exhortation to fear Him.

Man's great folly is reducing the glory of the Lord to our image and to the measure of corruptible man.

  • Irreverence was displayed in Adam's transgression.  He listened to the wisdom of the serpent, "for God knows
    that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."  Genesis
    3:5  It was futile for Adam to think that he could ever be like God apart from God.  In the vanity of his mind, Adam
    reduced God to the level of mere man.

  • Look at the wilderness error of the children of Israel and you will find the same root as the cause of their
    rebellion.  Their fear of God was shaped by their own erroneous image of His glory.  Moses climbed Mount Sinai
    to receive the word of God.  A number of days passed, so the people gathered together in their own wisdom
    apart from God's power and presence and formed a calf of gold.  The calf of gold was brought before the
    people who, with one accord, said, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt"  
    (Exodus 32:4)  Then a proclamation was made by their leader:  "Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord"  (Exodus 32:
    5).  The Hebrew word for "Lord" is the word Yehovah, also known as Jehovah or Yahweh.  This word is defined
    as the "Existing One," the proper name of the one true God.  They used the name of the only True God.  This
    was the name of the One whom Moses preached, the name of the One with whom Abraham had a covenant, the
    name of the One whom we serve.  In essence, the people, leaders as well, had pointed to this golden calf and
    called it Jehovah, the one true God, who had delivered them out of Egypt.  It is interesting to note that the
    Israelites still acknowledged that it was Jehovah who delivered them from their bondage, they just reduced God's
    greatness to a level they were more accustomed to dealing with (For over four hundred years, the Israelites had
    seen such objects in Egypt.  It was a familiar part of the Egyptian culture and  therefore common  to worship
    objects).  In the Old Testament, coming out of Egypt is a type of coming out of the world and being saved as
    taught in the New Testament.  The Old Testament's natural happenings are types and shadows of what was to
    come in the New Testament.

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,"  Romans 1:20-22

  • And things did not change much..look what Paul goes on to say about these people living in New Testament
    times, who do not give God the reverence deserved,  "... and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an
    image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things." Romans 1:23  
    The modern day church is surrounded by a culture that worships man.  There are people who are quick to
    acknowledge Jesus as Savior, Healer, and Deliverer.  With their mouths, they acknowledge His lordship.  Yet
    they reduce His glory to the level of corruptible man by their actions and heart attitudes - being disobedient to
    God's Word. God does not receive the honor and reverence He deserves or else they would instantly obey
    Him.  In the scriptures, the only people God calls his friends are those who tremble at His Word and presence
    and are quick to obey, no matter the cost.  With their lips they honor Him, but their fear toward Him is taught by
    the commandments of men.  They have filtered God's Word and commands through their own culturally
    influenced thinking.  Their image of His glory is formed by their limited perceptions rather than by His true image
    as revealed through His living Word.  They have given God the appearance of the "Sugar Daddy in the sky"
    whose desire is to give us whatever we want, whenever we want it.  Their lack of reverence for authority sets
    them up to be easily offended with God. This sets these men and women up to be quick to criticize authority.

How can we see reverence restored when we have fallen so short of His glory?  How can obedience prevail when
disobedience and rebellion are considered normal?  God will restore His holy fear to His people and turn them back to
Him that they might give Him the true glory and honor He is so worthy of receiving.  He has promised, "But as truly as I
live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD."  Number 14:21

His Works Speak of His Glory

Isaiah had a vision of the unsearchable glory of God.  He saw the Lord in His throne room, high and lifted up, and His
glory filled the room.  Around Him stood massive angels called seraphim, who, because of God's great glory, cover
their faces with their wings and cry out:  "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!"  
Isaiah 6:3  These spectacular angels are not merely singing a song.  They are responding to what they see.  Every
moment through veiled eyes they glimpse another facet and a greater dimension of God's glory being revealed.  
Overwhelmed, they shout, "Holy, holy, holy!"  These angels have been around God's throne for untold ages, for time
immeasurable.  Yet they experience a perpetual revelation of God's power and wisdom.  His greatness is truly
unsearchable.

"All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.  They shall speak of the glory of thy
kingdom, and talk of thy power;"  Psalm 145:10,11

Not only are the greatness and power of God's glory seen in creation but also His great wisdom and knowledge.  Below
are just a few of the wonders of God...

  • God weighed all the water on the face of the earth in the palm of His hand (Isaiah 40:12)

  • God can measure the universe with the span of His hand (Isaiah 40:12)

  • He arranged the stars of the heavens with His fingers (Psalm 8:3) and He counts the number of the stars - He
    calls them all by name. (Psalm 147:4,5)

  • The sun is 93,000,000 miles from the earth.  It would take you over 21 years, nonstop, to reach it by jet.

  • All forms of created life are based on cells.  Cells are the building blocks of the human body, plants, animals,
    and every other living thing.  The human body, which in itself is an engineering wonder, contains about
    100,000,000,000,000 cells.  He designed these cells to perform specific tasks.  They grow, multiply, and
    eventually die right on schedule.  Cells consist of numerous tinier structures called molecules, and molecules
    are comprised of even smaller structures called elements - and with elements can be found tinier structures
    called atoms.   The atom contains protons, neutrons, and electrons.  These are core building blocks that hold all
    things together.  Where does the atom get its energy?  What force holds its energetic particles together?  
    Scientist call it atomic energy, but God has already said He is "upholding all things by the word of His power"
    (Hebrews 1:3).  Colosssians 1:17 says, "In him all things hold together. "

Take the time, be still, and consider the works of His hands.  We are told to do this.  As you do, creation will preach a
sermon to you.  It will declare His glory!


Divine Order, God's Glory, Judgment

Before God's Glory comes, there first must be Divine Order........

Before God manifests His glory, there must be divine order.  Once His glory is revealed, there is a great blessing.  But
also once His glory is revealed, any irreverence, disorder or disobedience is met with immediate judgment.  A pattern
has already been established from the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth - the circle of glory.  

The earth became formless and chaotic, there was no order but disorder.

1)  DIVINE ORDER:  God spent six days bringing divine order to the earth.  Then He brought order into man's body.  
Once divine order was achieved, God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being."  
God literally breathed His Spirit into this human body.  Man was created in the image and likeness of God, and then
woman was taken from the side of man.  

2) THE GLORY:  God "crowned him with glory and honor" (Psalm 8:5).  In essence, the man and woman were clothed
with the glory of the Lord and didn't need natural clothing. This couple had the privilege of walking with God in His
glory.

God first brought divine order by His Word and Spirit.  Then His glory was revealed.  Blessing abounded...but then
came the fall.

3)  JUDGMENT: The Lord God commanded the man not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil, for to disobey would be immediate spiritual death.  Mocking God, Satan challenged God's Word with his twisted
contradiction, "you will not surely die.  For God knows the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be
like God, knowing good and evil"  (Genesis 3:4-5). They chose to disobey God.  God saw what they had done,
pronounced judgement upon them, clothed them in tunics of animal skins.  Then the fallen couple was driven from the
garden where eternal life was found.  Judgment was severe - the result of Adam's irreverent disobedience in the
presence of God's glory.


The Tabernacle of His Glory  

1)  DIVINE ORDER:  Several Hundred years pass and God finally finds a friend in Abram.  God makes a covenant of
promise with Abram and changes his name to Abraham.  Through this man's obedience, the promises of God are once
again secured for generations to come.  Abraham's descendents end up in Egypt as slaves for four hundred years.  In
their hardship God raises up a prophet and deliverer named Moses. Once again, God will walk with man for this has
always been His desire.  He instructs Moses to make Him a sanctuary  so that He "may dwell among them" (Exodus 25:
8).  This sanctuary was called a tabernacle  God is very specific about how to build it, who is to build it and who is to
serve in it:  every thing detailed down to the materials, measurements, furnishings, and offerings and how it was to be
erected, "Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'One the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of
the tent of meeting'" Exodus 39:42-40:2 .  God warned Moses, "See that you make all things according to the pattern
shown you on the mountain"  (Hebrews 8:5 and Exodus 25:40.)  This would provide the divine order necessary before
the King's glory would be manifest in their presence. "So Moses finished the work"  Exodus 40:33

2)  THE GLORY:  Divine order was in place by the Word of God and a people submitted to the leading of the Holy
Spirit. Then,  "...a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  And
Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the
LORD filled the tabernacle.  And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went
onward in all their journeys:  But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it as taken
up."  Exodus 40:34-38  God's glory manifesting and abiding among Israel brought tremendous blessing. In His glorious
presence were provision, guidance, healing, and protection. No enemy could stand before Israel.  The revelation of His
Word was abundant.  There was also the benefit of having the cloud of His glory to shade the children of Israel from
the heat of the desert by day, was well as to provide warmth and light for them at night.  There was no lack of anything
they needed.

3)  JUDGMENT:  God had instructed Moses to "take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the
children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as a priest."  This was Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazer, and
Ithamar (Exodus 28:1).  These men were set apart and trained to minister to the Lord and stand in the gap for the
people.  Their training was a part of divine order.  With everything in place, their ministry began.  After the glory of the
Lord had been revealed in the tabernacle,  "Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and
put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not."  Leviticus 10:1  
Profane in Webster's Dictionary is, "showing disrespect or contempt for sacred things; irreverent."  They were careless
with what God had called holy and exhibited a lack of reverence, bearing an unacceptable offering. And so, "...there
went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD."  Leviticus 10:2  These two men
were instantly judged for their irreverence and met with immediate death.  Their irreverence took place after the
revelation of God's glory.  Following this judgment of death, "..Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake,
saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified.  And Aaron held his
peace."  Moses knew better than to question God's judgment - he even warned Aaron and his two surviving sons not
to even mourn them lest they die as well.  This would have further dishonored the Lord.

This cycle of divine order, glory, and judgment can also be found in the building of the new sanctuary by Solomon
which begins in 1 Chronicles 22:14

A New Sanctuary - Make Ready a People Prepared for the Lord

First there had to be divine order.  This time the emphasis would not be on outward, but inward order.  There in the
secret place of the heart would be where the glory of the Lord was next revealed.


1)  DIVINE ORDER:  This ordering and transforming process began with the ministry of John the Baptist; his ministry
was "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ"  (Mark 1:1).  His ministry was summed up by these words:  "And he
will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God...to make ready a people prepared for the Lord'  (Luke 1:
16,17).  God anointed John to prepare the temple not made with hands.  By the Spirit of God, he began the process of
preparation for the new temple, "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness (John, the Baptist), Prepare ye the way
of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain
and hill shall be made low:  and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:  And the glory of the
LORD  shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."  Isaiah 40:3-5

John was not sent to those who did not know the name of the Lord.  He was sent to those in covenant with Jehovah.  
Israel had become religious, yet believed everything was fine.  John exposed this deceit and tore aside the shroud of
such deception.  He shook the unstable foundation on which they had justified themselves as Abraham's seed.  He
brought to light the error in the doctrines of their elders, and exposed their formula prayers void of passion and
power.  He showed the futility of paying tithes while neglecting and even robbing the poor.  He pointed out the
emptiness of their lifeless religious habits and clearly revealed that their hardened hearts were far from God.  His
message was a call for men to turn their hearts back to God.  His divine assignment leveled the ground of the hearts
that received him.  The lofty mountains of pride and haughty hills of religion were made flat, preparing the people to
receive the ministry of Jesus.

The Master Builder

Once John's work was complete, Jesus came to prepare the temple on the level ground of humility until the building
process was complete.  Once again God's Word brought divine order, but this time His Word was revealed as God's
Word made flesh!  Jesus is the Master Builder (Hebrews 3:1-4), not only by His teachings, but in the life He lived.   
Those who received John's ministry were ready to receive the work of their Master Builder.  Jesus addressed the
religious proud that resisted Him - even tax collectors and harlots believed him. When Jesus had fulfilled all His Father
had ordained for Him to do in His earthly ministry, He was sent to the cross by Caiaphas, the acting high priest as the
sacrificial Lamb.  Jesus, the Lamb of God, hung on the cross, shedding every drop of His innocent, royal blood for us.  
Once this was done, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Luke 23:45).  God moved out!  God's
glory would never again be revealed in a building made with hands.  Soon His glory would be revealed in the temple
He had always longed to dwell in.

2)  THE GLORY:  On the Day of Pentecost, the glory of the Lord is manifested.  "And when the day of Pentecost was
fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing
mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as
of fire, and it sat upon each of them."  Acts 2:1-3  Notice, "they were all with one accord."  Divine order.  These one
hundred and twenty were all dead to themselves.  They had no agendas.  All that mattered was they obeyed the words
of Jesus.  After His resurrection Jesus told the people not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the
Father.  It is estimated that about five hundred (about the same number He appeared to after His crucifixion and
resurrection) initially waited for the promise, but as the days passed, the size of the group dwindled.  It is possible that
the Lord waited until those who remained had the resolve to say within themselves, If we rot, we are not moving, for the
master said wait.  Only those who were completely submitted to the Master could make such a commitment. They had
true unity. They were one in the purpose of their Master.  Their hearts were in order. They were willing to pay the price.

A measure of God's glory manifested on these one hundred and twenty men and women.  This manifestation of God's
glory was strong enough to attract the attention of multitudes of devout, God-fearing Jews residing in Jerusalem from
every country under heaven (Acts 2:6-7).  God had revealed a portion of His glory and the people were in awe of His
presence and power.  He continued to work in a mighty way.  Daily there were testimonies of tremendous miracles and
deliverances.  Men and women came into the kingdom in droves.  Those who had previously given their lives to Jesus
were refreshed by the presence of His Spirit.

3)  JUDGMENT:  If, when God reveals His glory and the people return to a lack of fear, there is certain judgment.  
In fact, the greater the glory, the greater and swifter the judgment of irreverence.  Whenever sin enters the presence
of God's glory, there is an immediate reaction.  Sin, and anyone who willfully bears it will be obliterated.  The greater
the intensity of light, the less chance darkness has to remain.  That is the reason why Ananias and then Sapphira fell
over dead when they lied to Peter about the proceeds from the sale of their property.  There was a tangible presence
of God's glory on Peter and because they were irreverent in the presence of the Lord, whose glory had been revealed
already, judgment was swift. When God's glorious presence is limited or rare, darkness is perpetual and
unconfronted.  Judgment is delayed.  But to the degree the light of God's glory increases, there is an increase in the
execution of judgment.  

THE COMING GLORY

The latter rain of God's glory will not only bring refreshing to God's people, but also to those around them.  The latter
rain is different than past revivals.  These revivals affected a city or a region here or there, such as Azusa and Wales.  
They also affected the nations, but you had to get there to be a part of it.  But in the Book of Acts His glory manifested
everywhere His disciples went.  The glory of God was poured out all over the known world.  The latter rain will be
poured out all over the earth in a much greater measure!  We must raise our eyes to the horizon and look for His
coming glory!

God says His glory will be restored to His people, and even unbelievers will be drawn to His light (Amos 9:11).  God's
glory will be restored to the church and will exceed the glory as it was in the days of David.  James quoted this
scripture to the leaders of the church and applied it to the last days by saying:  "Simon hath declared how God at the
first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.  And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it
is written, AFTER THIS I WILL RETURN, AND WILL BUILD AGAIN THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH IS FALLEN
DOWN; AND I WILL BUILD AGAIN THE RUINS THEREOF, AND I WILL SET IT UP:  THAT THE RESIDUE OF MEN
MIGHT SEEK AFTER THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES, UPON WHOM MY NAME IS CALLED, SAITH THE
LORD, WHO DOETH ALL THESE THINGS.  Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world."  Acts
15:14-18


By the Spirit, James saw this great harvest of believers coming into the kingdom with the
restoration of His glory.  God says the harvest will be so abundant, the reaper so loaded with work
that he will not be able to complete the work before the plowman comes to prepare the fields for a
new season (Amos 9:13) .  Watch for this day for it is rapidly approaching.  The time is short.  Do
not resist His purifying work and neglect the knowledge of the Lord. Get ready for His glory!



Sources:

The Fear of the Lord, by John Bevere, Copyright 1997 by Charisma House.

The Blood and the Glory, by Billye Brim, Copyright 1995 by Harrison House.
2010 - HIS GLORY REIGNS
LIFE IN JESUS-MINISTRIES