1 Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, 2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. Psalms 104:1-2 Introduction The scripture we have read presents the almighty God as one clothed with honor and Majesty covering himself with light as a garment and stretches out the heavens like a curtain. The four attributes described in this verse form part of the unfathomable matchless nature of God. David described God as, Very Great, clothed with honor and majesty, Clothing himself with honor and majesty, and also Covers himself with light as garment. The words You cover yourself with a light as garment captures the attention of our study today and by comparing scripture with scripture we will realize it is more specifically associated with the glory of God. And therefore the phrase covering yourself with light can be looked as synonymous with covering yourself with glory. Suffice to say; God has over the ages been enswathed with a covering of glory and enswathed in His Glory even the coming age. The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Psalms 113:4. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. Psalms 96:4-6 It is God s predetermined plan that in the end, after He reconciled all things to himself, the whole earth be filled with an enswathement of the knowledge of His glory as the waters cover the sea, just as it were in the beginning. For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Habakuk 2:14 The word glory The word glory stands out with a peculiar reference to the government of the earth, especially as it relates to the purpose for man s creation in the beginning and his redemption following the fall. The reference to Christ s return in His glory and the fact that He will sit upon his own throne referred in scripture as the throne of His glory following His return can clearly be known in the light of the way glory is used throughout Scripture. 1. MAN S CREATION AND THE COVERING OF GLORY
2 In Genesis 1:26-28, God created Adam in His own image and likeness to replace Satan as the earth s ruler and covered him with part of his glorious covering- covered with light as with a garment This garment of light, elsewhere in Scripture, is specially associated with God s glory. 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. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis. 1:26-28 God s image and likeness, was that enswathement seen covering their bodies at the time of his creation. Both the Man and the woman enjoyed a pristine covering of the light of God s glory that provided an outer garment covering which they lost following the fall. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. Genesis. 3:7b Faithful obedience in keeping God s command was the only sure way for the couple to maintain the image and likeness of God enswathed upon their bodies. The picture of this covering of this enswathement glory is such experienced at the mountain of transfiguration by Peter, John and James Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Mathew: 16: 28, 17:1-4 2. THE FALL OF MAN AND THE LOSE OF THE GLORY Following the deception of the woman and finally both partaking of the forbidden fruit, Adam and his wife lost their outer garments and the enswathement of glory which previously covered their nakedness. Both the man and his wife now became a fallen image, resulting in certain conditions which had not heretofore existed To this end, the loss of this Glory not only resulted in a recognized nakedness but also to separation that could henceforth be recognized. This is the evident reason for Adam and Eve s eminent choice of action. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the
3 day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Genesis. 3:7, 8 And realizing that a separation now existed between them and God, they sought to hide from Him Man since that time has remained in a fallen condition, leaving him estranged from the covering of Glory: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). The Greek word for Come Short is Hustereo which means to fail to attain, or to be excluded from, In essence, due to Man s sinful state, the resultant outcome was an eminent exclution from the glory of God in the respect seen at the time of man s beginning in Eden. And finding man in this state, God covered Adam and his wife s naked bodies, not with the lost Glory but with animal skins Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. Genesis. 3:21 It is for this very reason of the lost enswathement of God s covering of glory that Man lost in the Garden, why Jesus Christ came to earth the first time 2000 years later. The scripture tells us that though during this first coming, He came in the likeness of sinful flesh that is without the Glory For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: Romans. 8:3 He did this by laying aside the Glory which, He had previously shared with the Father and took upon Himself a body of flesh which, like fallen man s body, was not enswathed in a covering of Glory. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. John 17: 4-5 At the cross of Calvary Jesus Christ suffered an open shame as his Jewish brethren stripped of His garments to appear naked on the cross, wearing a crown of thorns and His body separated from the glory of God. The amazing thing is, for 2,000 years of human history, insofar as the Record is concerned, there is no mention of or allusion to God s Glory. Man s rule over the earth within a theocracy and in connection with God s Glory, was put on hold. 3. GOD S APPEARANCE TO BRAHAM WITH GLORY In appearing to Abraham from the Ur of the Chaldean, it is evident that God was set for fresh beginning with a different man.
4 Stephen s address to some opposing leaders of the synagogue council referred to the calling of Abraham from the Ur of the Chaldees as an episode of The God of glory appearing him. And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charan. This was referring to Genesis 12 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3 Moving on, the expression, the God of glory, appears only one other place in that chapter, and it is used in this place as a Messianic title But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, Acts 7:55 This appearance marked a significant impact to future generations turning matters around fitting into God s predetermined plan and was made possible because Abraham obeyed God. Now next verses is my most favorited scripture By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:8-10 The Apostle John while in the Island of Patmos had a glimpse of the Glory of God in that city And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. Rev 22:23-24 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God Romans 5:2 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 1Corinthians.4:6 God s appearance to Abraham as the God of glory was a clear indication that a 2,000-year silence relative to the Glory and the theocracy was at an end. God was about to take one man out of the human race and, through this one man, bring to pass His plans and purposes relative to the creation of man in the beginning.
5 The outworking of these plans and purposes, though still awaiting complete fulfillment 4,000 years after God s appearance to Abraham, can be seen today in a threefold fashion. Through Abraham God has brought forth the promised Redeemer from to both the nation of Israel and the Church. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis. 3:15 Through Jacob, Abraham s grandson Jacob the son of Isaac, the Nation of Israel was born. And through the Abraham s lineage is the seed of David. Christians are Abraham s seed through being in Christ And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Acts 7:2 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Galatians. 3:16 Then, And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatian 3:29 We therefore realize - through Christ, Israel, and the Church, the purpose for God s appearance to Abraham as the God of glory will ultimately be realized, placing man back in the position for which he was created. The important thing to learn about the glory of God appearing to Abraham had to do first and foremost with the restoration of man in relation to a restored kingdom, which involved a restoration of the Glory. And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran Acts 7:2 In God s kingdom, only sons can rule [all angels, because of their individual creation, are sons of God ( which has to do with regality, not salvation e.g., Satan, because of creation, is a son of God)]; and in the human realm, only firstborn sons can rule. To fulfill His purposes concerning Abraham and His progeny in relation to regality, God performed a special creation, later followed by an adoption of the one whom He had created. God performed a special creation in the person of Abraham s grandson, Jacob [Isa. 43:1]. This creation had to do with Jacob, the natural man, not Israel, the spiritual man. Thus, the creation could be passed down from father to son, ultimately placing the entire nation descending from the loins of Jacob in the position of God s son.
6 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. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis. 1:26-28 Then God later adopted His son, the nation of Israel. And adoption placed Israel in the position of God s firstborn son in a position wherein the nation could realize the reason for man s creation in the beginning And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. Exodus 4:22-23 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Romans 9:4 4. THE RESTORATION OF THE GLORY After 2,500 years of Man s lost glory, God raised up Moses and the Glory was now restored. However, this restoration came in a somehow different fashion compared to the former, though the reign of death ended and man was no longer separated from God. The process of this restoration continued at the point where Israel, God s firstborn son had to be delivered from Egypt. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. Exodus: 4:23-24 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. Exodus: 12:41 The Law had now been given to Moses, And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Exodus 19;3-6 The tabernacle had also been constructed as God had commanded Moses And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. Exodus: 25:8
7 To culminate this restoration, the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle Moses build at Sinai and for the first time in history a theocratic kingdom then existed on the earth....so Moses finished the work. 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 was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. Exodus 40:33b-38 The glory - Hebrew- Shekinah the manifest presence of God as it pertained to the government of the earth had been restored to man, though not in the same manner as experienced by Adam prior to the fall. Man in his sinful state remained distanced from the Glory of God in this respect, as described by Paul in Rom. 3:23. The Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai, though in possession of the Glory in one respect, were excluded in another. Israel, as God s firstborn son within a theocracy, was to be removed from the wilderness of Sinai and placed in the land covenanted to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. According to God s plan, the moment the nation of Israel entered the land, of course with God in their midst, the Nation would rule over and be a blessing to all the Gentile nations. Although God patiently waited for the perfection of the Nation s obedience in order to realize the position, this only happened to a limited extent. At some point, the kingdom reached its height during Solomon s reign (that is about 500 years after the establishment of the theocracy in the wilderness of Sinai), but conditions afterward deteriorated to the point that God eventually allowed pagan Gentile nations to come into the land of Canaan and take His people into captivity. I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. Joel 3:2 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the Lord your God. Leviticus. 26:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: Deutronomy:28:1 Following the death of King Solomon, about 925 B.C., the Kingdom divided into two, forming both northern and southern kingdoms.
8 And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. 2Kings 17:4 In the year 722 B.C, that is about 200 years later, God allowed the Assyrians to come down and take those comprising the northern kingdom into captivity; and slightly more than 100years later, about 605 B.C., again, God allowed the Babylonians to come over and move against the southern kingdom after the same fashion. Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. 6 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. 2Chronicles 36:5-9 Eventually, God removed His Glory from Israel, pointing to an end to the Old Testament theocracy. Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory. Ezekiel 10:4 Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims. And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the Lord's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. Ezekiel 10:18-19 And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city. Ezekiel 11: 23 In that regard, God removed His glory from the Nation of Israel almost 2,600 years ago, and to this day no restoration has occurred. And later the same temple where the glory of God would settle was destroyed. When Christ came on earth over 2000 years ago he found the Temple having been rebuilt but without glory. And, Israel s rejection of the King and the Kingdom at this time resulted in Israel being set aside while God removed from the Gentiles a people for his name, delaying any restoration of the Glory to Israel for another 2,000 years Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. Acts 15:14; For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. Romans. 11:25 5. THE COMING GLORY The day is now beckoning, with Christ presently knocking at the door a time when the Glory of God will be restored and a theocracy will once again exist on the earth.
9 And not only will the Glory of God be restored to the Nation Israel as seen in Ezekiel. 43:1-7and Chapter. 44:4, but Christ will also be present in all His Glory, and Christians will also be present in the kingdom in glorified bodies. In that day, Christians will possess transfigured bodies enswathed in a covering of light, a covering of Glory, just as it were in the case of Adam and Eve in the garden. We long to be enswathed in that glory when Christ comes in His Kingdom For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 2Corinthians 5:2 Jesus had Peter, John, and James have a foretaste of this enswathement of God s glory for our encouragement. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light Matthew 17:2 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. Luke 9:32. To peter the experience of that glory is something that he had to keep in record. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 2Pter 1:16-17 And when he comes, Israel will be restored to the land covenanted to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and rule at the head of the nations; On the other hand, Christians, having been adopted as firstborn sons will rule over the nations from the new Jerusalem in the heavens above the earth; and Christ will have a dual reign, ruling from both David s throne in the earthly Jerusalem and from His Own throne in the heavenly Jerusalem. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body Romans:8:23. In that day, God s three firstborn Sons (Christ, Israel, and the Church) three Sons of Abraham, to whom God appeared as the God of glory will rule the earth. And God s original purpose for man s creation, occurring 2,000 years prior to the days of Abraham, will then be realized.