Biblically, the definition for the Glory of God means several things. Sometimes, it describes God’s splendor and majesty, a glory so great that no human being can see it and live. At best, one can see only an “appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.” In this sense, the glory of the Lord designates His uniqueness, His holiness, and His transcendence.
The glory of God also refers to the visible presence among His people as the “Shekinah” glory. This Hebrew word means “dwelling of God.” It employs to describe the visible manifestation of God’s appearance and glory. The New Testament equivalent of the shekinah glory is Jesus Christ, who, as the glory of God in human flesh, came to make His dwelling among us.
The third aspect of God’s glory is His holy presence and power. Even though the heavens declare the glory of God and the whole earth is full of His glory, the brightness of His majesty is not now visibly evident and often goes unnoticed. However, believers experience God’s glory and presence in His nearness, love, righteousness, and manifestations through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Old Testament warns that any Idolatry intrudes on God’s glory and brings reproach to His name. Whenever God manifests Himself as our redeemer, His name glorifies and reflects overall His being. Christ’s entire ministry on earth brought praise to our God. Christ’s glory was the same He had before the world began. The glory of His ministry far surpassed the glory of the Old Testament’s ministry. Repeatedly, the New Testament refers to the relationship between Jesus Christ and the glory of God. His miracles revealed His glory.
Today, the experiences of the Glory of God are in the lives of believers. How does it apply to the followers personally? Regarding God’s majestic glory, it is still true that no one can behold the fullness of his glory and live. We know it is there, but we do not see it directly. God lives in unapproachable light and glory, which no mortal human can see face to face. Nevertheless, God manifests His glory in visible form.
God’s Shekinah glory was there in Bible times for His people to experience. However, all believers will know at the consummation when we see Jesus. As the final goal of redemption, we will be into God’s glorious presence, share in Christ’s glory, and have a crown of glory. Even our resurrection bodies will bear the glory of the risen Christ.
Believers will experience the holy light of His presence. The Holy Spirit brings the presence of God and the Lord Jesus near to us. When the Spirit becomes powerfully active in the church through His supernatural manifestations, believers experience glory in the midst. The blood of Jesus redeems His followers. They unite with Him and by the Spirit may share in His glory and have it rest on them. One reason Jesus came into the world was to reveal His glory to people. As believers, we must live our entire lives to the glory of God so that he receives the splendor.