Have you beheld the glory of
God?
The experience of all believers
in Christ is expressed in the words of the apostle
Paul, “We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the
Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His
likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes
from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians
3:18).
Jesus Christ came that men
might see His glory and believe on Him (Jn. 20:31).
At the miracle in Cana of Galilee, Jesus “revealed
His glory, and His disciples put their faith in Him”
(John 2:11). The disciples saw His glory during the
day of His flesh, and believed that God had visited
them.
“We beheld His glory.” What was
it they saw? John testified, “And the Word became
flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full
of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14).
The apostle John literally
says, “He pitched His tent among us.” He
“tabernacled” Himself among men. John has in mind
the Jewish tabernacle in the wilderness, or the
portable “tent of meeting” which was the center of
worship in the Hebrew nation.
The tent that housed the
tabernacle was about 45 feet long and 15 feet wide,
and was divided into two rooms, called the Holy
Place and the Holy of Holies. The Ark of the
Covenant was the only piece of furniture in the Holy
of Holies also called the Most Holy Place.
It is important to keep in mind
that everything about the tabernacle centered on the
worship of the LORD God. But it served a greater
purpose of pointing to the coming of the Son of God
who would pitch His tent among us so we could behold
His glory and worship Him.
The tabernacle was the center
of worship in the Old Testament. Today we gather
around the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and
worship the LORD God. “It is through Jesus alone
that we have access by one Spirit unto the Father”
(Eph. 2:18).
The tabernacle symbolized the
dwelling place of the LORD God. The divine glory in
the Holy of Holies symbolized the holy presence of
God with His people.
The second person of the
Trinity became a human being and “pitched His tent
among us.” God became man and lived among us. In Him
man could behold God’s glory.
The tabernacle was the center
of Israel’s camp in the wilderness (Num. 2:17).
Everything centered around it. It is highly
significant that Jesus Christ “is the center of the
Christian encampment. He is our gathering place,”
notes Boice. Jesus said, “And I, when I am lifted up
from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (Jn.
12:32). “For where two or three come together in my
name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).
The tabernacle was where the
testimony of God’s self-revelation was preserved. A
copy of the Law of Moses was preserved in the Ark of
the Covenant.
Jesus Christ came to fulfill
the law completely. “Do not think that I came to
abolish the law or the prophets; I do not come to
abolish, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). He came to
bring the law to full completion, perfection and
give complete obedience to it. Indeed, Jesus was the
complete fulfillment of its type, prophecies and
payment of the penalty of sin.
The apostle John saw that God
had been revealed in the flesh of His unique Son and
declared, “We have seen His gory, the glory of the
One and Only, who came from the Father.” Jesus
replaced the ancient tabernacle of God. In His flesh
He is the manifestation of God’s presence and power
on earth. God meets with man today and speaks to him
in the second tabernacle. Instead of a limited
revelation of Himself as was given to Moses (Ex.
33:20), we have the full, revelation of God, “the
exact representation” of the invisible God in His
Son (Heb. 1:30.
The old tabernacle was the
place where the sacrifices were made reminding the
people of Israel “without the shedding of blood
there is no forgiveness of sin” (Heb. 9:22).
There is no other name given
among men were by we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
There is no salvation except through faith in the
perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb.
9:11-14). “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son,
cleanses us from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:7).
The perfect sacrifice of the
Lamb of God was offered up to the LORD God in the
tabernacle of His own flesh at the cross of Calvary.
Have you put your faith in Him and beheld His gory
and worshipped Him? Yes, you can “behold the glory
of God” today.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author's written consent.
Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
Bible word studies for sermon preparation, messages, devotions and personal Bible studies with abiding principles and practical applications.
Reports on what God is doing through Bible believing evangelical Christians in Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, India and Ecuador. Jesus said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7).
Study the master theme of the Bible with these prophecies and types in the Old Testament of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Free Sermons and Bible studies indexed by Scripture reference and doctrinal studies .
