EE. GLORY
Another marvelous attribute of God is glory. Acts 7:2 says, “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham.” Acts 7:55 says, “Looking intently into heaven, he [Stephen] saw the glory of God.” Glory is the expression of God, God expressed in splendor. God’s glory was a great attraction to Abraham, separating him from the world unto God. God’s glory was also a great encouragement and strength, enabling Abraham to follow God (Gen. 12:1, 4).
Second Peter 1:3 says that God has called us to, or by, His own glory. Furthermore, 1 Peter 5:10 says that God has called us into His eternal glory. According to 2 Timothy 2:10, God’s salvation is with eternal glory. This indicates that eternal glory is the ultimate goal of God’s salvation (Rom. 8:21). God’s salvation leads us into His glory (Heb. 2:10).
In the Gospel of John we read that the Word, who was God, became flesh and tabernacled among us, and that we beheld His glory (John 1:1, 14). John 1:18 goes on to say, “No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” There is glory in the declaration of God. When we see God, we see glory.
Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Man was made by God in His image in order that man may express Him for His glory. But man sinned. Now instead of expressing God, man expresses sin and his sinful self. Therefore, man is short of God’s glory. Nevertheless, we have been ordained for God’s glory and called to it (1 Cor. 2:7; 1 Thes. 2:12). As believers, we are being transformed into this glory (2 Cor. 3:18) and shall be brought into it (Heb. 2:10). Eventually we shall be glorified with Christ (Rom. 8:17, 30) to bear the glory of God for God’s expression in the New Jerusalem.
Romans 9:23 says, “What if He should make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He had before prepared unto glory.” God created us as His vessels to contain Him and express Him. God makes known the riches of His glory upon us, His vessels, which He has prepared unto glory. We were predestinated by His sovereignty to be His containers, vessels of honor, to express what He is in glory. This will be fully revealed in the New Jerusalem.
An outstanding feature of the New Jerusalem is that it has the glory of God (Rev. 21:11), His expression. The entire city of New Jerusalem will bear the glory of God, which is God Himself shining out through the city. Actually, the glory of God will be the content of the New Jerusalem, for this city will be completely filled with His glory. This indicates that the city is a vessel to contain God and express Him. The glory of God is actually God Himself being manifested. The fact that the New Jerusalem is full of God’s glory means that God is manifested in this city. The church life today should also have God’s glory, manifesting and expressing Him in this marvelous divine attribute.
FF. HONOR
Revelation 4:9 says that the living creatures “give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits upon the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever.” Revelation 5:13 says, “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying: To Him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb, be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever.” These verses from Revelation indicate that honor is another attribute of God. Whereas glory—God Himself expressed—refers to a condition, honor refers to a high position, in particular to the dignity that is related to such a position.
GG. MAJESTY
Another attribute of God is majesty. Jude 25 says, “To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might, and authority before all time, and now, and unto all eternity. Amen.” Here majesty denotes greatness in honor. The fact that God has the attribute of majesty indicates that He is the greatest One with His dignity. We may also say that majesty is the totality of glory and honor. Because God has glory and honor, He also has majesty.
(Conclusion of the New Testament, The (Msgs. 001-020), Chapter 11, by Witness Lee)
