Date: 3 April 2022

Speaker: Theo Niemand

There are many Scriptures in the Bible referring to the glory of God. God promised that all the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord and that the glory of the latter temple shall be greater than the former. God’s intent with the Church is to present the Church to Himself a glorious church that displays the glory and the power of God. The Church was always in the heart and mind of God even before time began and never an afterthought or an emergency plan. However, when we look at the Church from an earthly perspective, we see that the Church is no longer a credible witness in the earth. It is divided, immature, broken and it lacks the glory of God – in fact, we see that the glory has departed, and it needs to be restored to the Church.

James confirms Peter’s statement by quoting from Amos 9:11-12 saying that the restoration of the Tabernacle of David refers to the restoration that God is doing in the Church today – raising up the Tabernacle of David, which has fallen down and repairing its damages. God is a restorer and when He restores something it is always increased, multiplied, and improved so that the latter state is significantly better than the former state.

To see the restoration of the glory of God, the Church must return to Christ who is the glory of God. Moses understood this when he beseeched God to show him His glory. The Lord passed before him as he was hidden in the cleft of the rock and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth. The word “goodness” in the Greek means: splendour, magnificence, it is the divine perfection of presence! The only way that we can see the glory of God or the face of God, is when He reveals His goodness – His revealed attributes, the full expression of His nature and character. The glory of God is the visible manifestation of the “weightiness” and substance of the person of God.
Glory is the inward recognition of a person’s reputation.

Glory has nothing to do with the external outward appearance, but it is all about the inward or hidden man of the heart. Glory is that substance within an individual that produces a presence and a respectful response in the eyes of the beholder. Jesus is the glory of the Father. He is the express image of His person and the brightness of His glory. It is only in the face of Christ that we can behold the glory of God and be transformed into that same image from glory to glory.

The very essence and purpose of the life and ministry of Jesus was to bring glory to the Father and to reveal the glory of the Father. As the Son of God, He was the Father’s reputation – when you saw Him, you saw the Father. On the mount of transfiguration Jesus was transformed before the three that was with Him. Who He was in Person, in substance, in weight, came shining out of Him! The word used here in the Greek “dokimē” refers to the outward shining of the inward being. The Father’s voice approved of His Son’s reputation ” This is My Beloved Son….” God is still looking for mature sons of God in the image of God whom He can entrust with the weight of His glory – who will be His reputation and accurate representation.

Christ in us is the hope of Glory, and as we behold Him with unveiled face we are being transformed. Beholding implies a “looking into”, as well as “reflecting”. You can only reflect what you behold!

The Church gives God a face in the community. The only way they will see Him is when we carry the weight of His glory. We need to put the goodness of God on display. God is looking for a Jacob generation who’s only passion it is to seek the face of God!

Ps. 24:6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah