The Glory of God Among the Nations

This post is part of a devotional series based on our 2019 Bible Reading Calendar.

“I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the judgment I have executed and the hand I have laid on them.” ~ Ezekiel 39:21

There is no greater good than God. There is no greater treasure than Jesus. There is no greater sight to behold than the glory of God on display in the world.

As you read through the Bible, you realize that God is passionate about his glory. Glory is a term that means brightness or majesty. In terms of God, it speaks to his goodness and character. Glory is very much a part of the nature of God. He is light and in him there is no darkness, James tells us. And none is good but God, Jesus said. God is also all-powerful and all-pure, thus why he told Moses that no person could look upon his glory and live.

In a world that has been broken and corrupted by our sin, God puts his glory on display most fully through judgment and salvation. The closing sentences of Ezekiel 39 speak to both these realities. God declared his glory would be displayed to the nations of the earth at that time as they saw the exile of Israel due to their sin and unfaithfulness but also as they saw his love for his people and his grace upon them after the exile.

This, in part, is a picture of the greater glory we see as God saves and judges through Jesus.

God brings his wrath against sin. God also gives grace and love to sinner. When Jesus went to the cross, he took all the sins of all his people–all who will trust in him as their Savior-King. In love, Jesus willingly bore all the wrath of God for sin. In turn, he grants complete forgiveness for those all who recognize their sinfulness and rely on Jesus alone. This is the glory of God in his grace through salvation.

Yet, when Jesus returns, he will also stand as judge over the sinners who have refused God’s grace and have chosen to bear the weight of their own sin. God’s wrath against sin is described as an eternal fire. The judgment against sin is final. As perfect goodness, he will not allow evil, corruption, and rebellion remain in his creation forever. He will purify creation by removing sin from it. This is the glory of God in his righteousness through judgement.

In both cases, God puts his glory on display. The day will come where all people will see the glory of God through Jesus. The choice is ours today whether we will see that through salvation or judgment.

Scripture quotes taken from the Christian Standard Bible.