Sunday, May 24, 2020

Reflection - Spiritual Journey - God's Holiness and Glory

Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART I: SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, Chapter 3, "Keeping the Motive Clear", Question 1, Page 19.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012


Read Isaiah 6:3. What do you think is the connection between God's holiness and His glory?
PHOTO: Read Isaiah 6:3. What do you think is the connection between God's holiness and His glory?
The holiness of God is his being in a class by himself in his perfection and greatness and worth. His perfection and his greatness and his worth are of such a distinct and separated category — we have been taught that the word holy means separate — that he is in a class by himself. He has infinite perfections, infinite greatness, and infinite worth.

His holiness is what he is, as God, that nobody else is. It is his quality of perfection that can’t be improved upon, that can’t be imitated, that is incomparable, that determines all that he is and is determined by nothing from outside him. It signifies his infinite worth — his intrinsic, infinite value. 

Isaiah 6:3 says that one angel is crying to another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts,” the next thing he says is this: “The whole earth is full of his . . . ” You might have expected him to say, “holiness,” but he doesn’t say that. He says, “glory.”

Intrinsically holy, and the whole earth is full of his glory. It is the going-public of his holiness. It is the way he puts his holiness on display for people to apprehend. So, the connection between God's holiness and His glory is this: the glory of God is the manifest beauty of his holiness.


How would you define God's glory?
The glory of God is the manifest beauty of his holiness. It is the going-public of his holiness - the manifestation of his character and his worth and his attributes. The glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of God’s manifold perfections.

All of his perfections and greatness are beautiful as they are seen, and there are many of them. That is why the word manifold is used. Here it is in another sentence: the glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of his manifold perfections.


What does it mean to glorify God?
Leviticus 10:3. God says he will be shown to be holy among those who are near him, and before all the people he will be glorified. “I will be shown to be holy,” he says. “And among all the people” — to say it another way — “I will be glorified.” So to see, to apprehend, and to reckon with his holiness (and, in some sense, to perceive it) is to see glory and, thus, to glorify him.

The heavens are telling the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). What does that mean? It means he is shouting at us. He shouts with clouds. He shouts with blue expanse. He shouts with gold on the horizons. He shouts with galaxies and stars. He is shouting, “I am glorious. Open your eyes. It is like this — only better, if you know me.”

And, the Bible says, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3). If you had eyes to see, you would see the glory of God everywhere. We need eyes. We need eyes more than we need anything: “The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

To see, is to see glory and, thus, to glorify him.
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Sir Christopher Wren, a celebrated English architect and builder, who designed and built the magnificent St Paul's Cathedral in the 17th century.

PHOTO: Sir Christopher Wren, a celebrated English architect and builder, who designed and built the magnificent St Paul's Cathedral in the 17th century.
Artwork by Joseph Smith, active c.1825–1828 - Sir Christopher Wren (1632–1723)
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There is a story about Sir Christopher Wren, a celebrated English architect and builder, who designed and built the magnificent St Paul's Cathedral in the 17th century. He went to the construction site in disguise and talked to the workers there, asking each of them, "What are you doing?" One man said, "I am cutting a piece of stone." Another man replied, "I am earning five shillings two pence a day." A third worker warmed Wren's heart when he replied, "I am helping Sir Christopher Wren build a beautiful cathedral." [15]

The first man gave a technical answer, the second man an economic one, but it was the third man whose motive for his labour was outstanding, embracing a larger vision of glory. [1]


St Paul's Cathedral, west facade facing south, London

PHOTO: St Paul's Cathedral, west facade facing south, London
Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723) who was given the task of rebuilding London’s churches after the disastrous fire of 1666.
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Read Isaiah 6:3. What do you think is the connection between God's holiness and His glory? How would you define God's glory? What does it mean to glorify God?

Read Isaiah 6:3. What do you think is the connection between God's holiness and His glory?
The holiness of God is his being in a class by himself in his perfection and greatness and worth. His perfection and his greatness and his worth are of such a distinct and separated category — we have been taught that the word holy means separate — that he is in a class by himself. He has infinite perfections, infinite greatness, and infinite worth.


The holiness of God is his being in a class by himself in his perfection and greatness and worth.

PHOTO: The holiness of God is his being in a class by himself in his perfection and greatness and worth. His perfection and his greatness and his worth are of such a distinct and separated category — we have been taught that the word holy means separate — that he is in a class by himself. He has infinite perfections, infinite greatness, and infinite worth.
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His holiness is what he is, as God, that nobody else is. It is his quality of perfection that can’t be improved upon, that can’t be imitated, that is incomparable, that determines all that he is and is determined by nothing from outside him. It signifies his infinite worth — his intrinsic, infinite value.


His holiness is what he is, as God, that nobody else is.

PHOTO: His holiness is what he is, as God, that nobody else is. It is his quality of perfection that can’t be improved upon, that can’t be imitated, that is incomparable, that determines all that he is and is determined by nothing from outside him. It signifies his infinite worth — his intrinsic, infinite value.
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Isaiah 6:3 says that one angel is crying to another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts,” the next thing he says is this: “The whole earth is full of his . . . ” You might have expected him to say, “holiness,” but he doesn’t say that. He says, “glory.”

Intrinsically holy, and the whole earth is full of his glory. It is the going-public of his holiness. It is the way he puts his holiness on display for people to apprehend. So, the connection between God's holiness and His glory is this: the glory of God is the manifest beauty of his holiness. [2]


Intrinsically holy, and the whole earth is full of his glory

PHOTO: Intrinsically holy, and the whole earth is full of his glory. The connection between God's holiness and His glory is this: the glory of God is the manifest beauty of his holiness.
Picture posted by AliExpress
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How would you define God's glory?
The glory of God is the manifest beauty of his holiness. It is the going-public of his holiness - the manifestation of his character and his worth and his attributes. The glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of God’s manifold perfections.


The glory of God is the manifest beauty of his holiness - the manifestation of his character and his worth and his attributes.

PHOTO: The glory of God is the manifest beauty of his holiness - the manifestation of his character and his worth and his attributes. The glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of God’s manifold perfections.
Picture posted by AliExpress
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All of his perfections and greatness are beautiful as they are seen, and there are many of them. That is why the word manifold is used. Here it is in another sentence: the glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of his manifold perfections.


What does it mean to glorify God?
Leviticus 10:3. God says he will be shown to be holy among those who are near him, and before all the people he will be glorified. “I will be shown to be holy,” he says. “And among all the people” — to say it another way — “I will be glorified.” So to see, to apprehend, and to reckon with his holiness (and, in some sense, to perceive it) is to see glory and, thus, to glorify him.
What does it mean to glorify God?

PHOTO: What does it mean to glorify God?Leviticus 10:3. God says he will be shown to be holy among those who are near him, and before all the people he will be glorified. “I will be shown to be holy,” he says. “And among all the people” — to say it another way — “I will be glorified.” So to see, to apprehend, and to reckon with his holiness (and, in some sense, to perceive it) is to see glory and, thus, to glorify him.
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The heavens are telling the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). What does that mean? It means he is shouting at us. He shouts with clouds. He shouts with blue expanse. He shouts with gold on the horizons. He shouts with galaxies and stars. He is shouting, “I am glorious. Open your eyes. It is like this — only better, if you know me.”
The heavens are telling the glory of God (Psalm 19:1).
The heavens are telling the glory of God (Psalm 19:1).


PHOTO: The heavens are telling the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). What does that mean? It means he is shouting at us. He shouts with clouds, blue expanse, gold on the horizons, galaxies, and stars. He is shouting, “I am glorious. Open your eyes. It is like this — only better, if you know me.”
Picture posted by Nicole Guillaume and Guiding Echoes
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And, the Bible says, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3). If you had eyes to see, you would see the glory of God everywhere. We need eyes. We need eyes more than we need anything: “The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

To see, is to see glory and, thus, to glorify him. [2]


Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!

PHOTO: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3). If you had eyes to see, you would see the glory of God everywhere. To see, is to see glory and, thus, to glorify him.
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Dear Lord
Dear Lord
PHOTO: “Dear Lord, We learn that the holiness of God is His being in a class by Himself in His perfection, greatness and worth. We have been taught that the word holy means separate — that God is in a class by Himself. He has infinite perfections, greatness, and worth. His holiness is what He is, as God, that nobody else is. It is His quality of perfection that can’t be improved upon, imitated, and is incomparable. Nothing outside Him can determine all that He is. It signifies His infinite worth — His intrinsic, infinite value.

Intrinsically holy, and the whole earth is full of His glory. It is the going-public of His holiness. It is the way He puts His holiness on display for people to apprehend. So, the connection between God's holiness and His glory is this: the glory of God is the manifest beauty of His holiness.

We would define the glory of God as the infinite beauty and greatness of His manifold perfections. The manifest beauty of His holiness. The manifestation of His character, worth and attributes.

God says He will be shown to be holy among those who are near Him, and before all the people He will be glorified. So to see His holiness is to see His glory and, thus, to glorify Him.

Please help us to see God’s glory with our eyes, and thus to glorify Him.

Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!”
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Reflection - Spiritual Journey - God's Holiness and Glory
Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART I: SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, Chapter 3, "Keeping the Motive Clear", Question 1, Page 19.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012






Also from the same author, Robert M. Solomon

"Faithful to the end", A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon

'Faithful to the end', A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon<br>
Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html


"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html


"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

'Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html


"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

'Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html 


"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html
Reference
[1] From "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, Copyright © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon, ISBN 978-981-14-1836-5, PART I: SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, Chapter 3, "Keeping the Motive Clear", Page 15.

[2] John Piper (@JohnPiper), founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary, What Is God’s Glory?, https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-is-gods-glory--2

[15] Bruce Barton, What Can a Man Believe? (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1927), 252-253.


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