Hebrews 1:3, Part II
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
The glory of God, what is the glory that defines the Majestic Being of God? The Word of God describes it as a radiance that no man can stand. In fact, the full radiance is a consuming fire. Exodus 24:16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Exodus 24:17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire. The external glory of God can only be known by revelation from God for man is chained and controlled by time and space. Though we as Christians are no longer citizens of this world, and long for our home in the heavenlies with Christ; we are still bound by God’s order and will. Our minds and hearts can muse on such glory, but can we assimilate it? only in type, such as the sun in 1Corinthians 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
1 Corinthians 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. Revelation 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. So the brightness of His glory is brighter than the full brightness of the sun. And yet God can cloak His glory as He appeared to Abraham, Acts 7:2, 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, and to Peter, James and John on the holy mount as we read in Matthew 17:1-8:
And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
2 Peter 1:16 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. 2 Peter 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour 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. 2 Peter 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. They were allowed to witness His transfiguration and glory, and yet so great a light was not the full glory of God. Peter compares it with the glory of His coming. Paul, also speaks of the glory of the Lord Jesus in judgment on those who do not believe in our Lord Jesus Christ
2 Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2 Thessalonians 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
 This great glory brings adoration from our hearts, and yet the brightness of this great glory of God will bring judgment to this world and to all unrepentant sinners for all eternity. To one it is a ring of love and beauty, to another a ring of fire and judgment. But what has come before in our study, Christ is Heir of all things and the Creator of all things, read the Gospel of John, Chapter 1. These are outward things, He is fulfilling the will of His father, but the brightness of His glory is who He is — the God of Glory, this is His Being, He will not give it to another. Isaiah 48:11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. All that God is comes forth from this radiance, and yet He veils it to deal with man. His glory comes with both judgment and blessing. In judgment He removes all that defiles, and in blessing His love comes as “the latter rain.” It was in the fullness of time when the glory of His love was revealed in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And as He veiled His glory to walk among men, God the Father could twice say in the Gospel of Matthew “This is my beloved Son, in whom I cam well pleased.” Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. As a symbol of His death, Christ (in Matthew 3:17) went down into the miry water of the Jordan. John the Baptist seeing Christ after His baptism as recorded in John 1:29 declares Christ to be the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. This was to fulfill His first advent, when He cried, “It is finished,” from His cross of sufferings and woe. Man, in his ignorance, can only see the outward sufferings, but those who are redeemed know that there was a suffering far greater than the tears in the outward flesh. His beloved heart was turned within Him over our sin, as in the days of Hosea 11:8, How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. But, now in the end of the age, God sent His Son — the battle was His to fight. We can only read what is revealed of His sufferings in the Word of God, both in the law and the prophets, read Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53. The Holy Spirit of God can give us glimpses of such sufferings of our beloved. He, the brightness of God’s glory, cloaked it into the darkest night of judgment for us; so His glory would shine on us who have trusted Him with life and soul. We also have this glory in Matthew 17:5 on the holy mount where God had revealed Himself to both Moses and Elijah — not as Jehovah but as the Son of His love — the brightness of His glory — the servant of faithfulness — the Lamb of sacrifice — and the Son of His beloved of whom the Father was well pleased. Does not this speak of His future glory? when all will bow the knee as in the days of Joseph in Egypt. Genesis 45:38-45;
And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
Isaiah 53:10 ¶ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 63:1 ¶ Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
Isaiah 63:2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
Isaiah 63:3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
Isaiah 63:4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
Isaiah 63:5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
Isaiah 63:6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
Isaiah 63:7 ¶ I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
Isaiah 63:8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
Isaiah 63:10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.
Although these scriptures are only windows into His glory to come, nevertheless, He will rule over all the earth; the glory of His sufferings will be magnified in the glory of His reign over all the earth. Revelation 19:11-21; Isaiah 64:4; Psalm 24:1-10.
 Revelation 19:11 ¶ And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
 Revelation 19:12 And his eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
 Revelation 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
 Revelation 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
 Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
 Revelation 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
 Revelation 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
 Re 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
 Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
 Revelation 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
 Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
Psalm 24:1 ¶ The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Psalm 24:2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
Psalm 24:3 ¶ Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
Psalm 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Psalm 24:6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. Psalm 24:7 ¶ Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Psalm 24:8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Psalm 24:9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Psalm 24:10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
 Oh, what wonders God has given us in His beloved Son. As babes we come to Him and He feeds us with the milk of His love, 1 Peter 2:2-5.
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
 We grow in the knowledge of grace and beauty, we walk not by sight but by the faith of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Just think— the God of glory invites us to sup with Him, He opens all to us. The more willing we are to receive knowledge of Him the more He gives of His love and grace. The tenderness of His touch, the softness of His voice, the drawing of His love, is this not part of His glory? Filling our hearts with His presence and love and the woeing of His Spirit as the God of all comfort.
He in His glory has defeated both death and hell. He has destroyed the works of the devil and given of Himself so that we as the children of God can have life and have it more abundantly. In the Gospel of Luke, who had life more abundantly, the rich man or Lazarus? The rich man found himself in hell while Lazarus was carried on angel wings to glory and into the presence of God. The rich man now in torment only wanted one drop of water to cool his tongue, but Lazarus was in the presence of living water and life eternal. Long forgotten were the crumbs from the rich man’s table and the dogs licking his sores because his heart was full in the presence of the God of glory.
Paul, speaking by the Spirit of God, Galatians 2:20 and Galatians 6:14 gives us the formula and place of our glory. Our place is the place of humiliation in the presence of God. I must die on the cross figuratively, my life must be given up to God, I see no other but Christ, this world crucified my Saviour and I must enter into that crucifixion. I am no longer of the world, the cross has separated me from it, and this is by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. Both Galatians 2:20 and 6:14 puts me in a place of death— first, at the place of the cross of Christ, and the other is that the world is crucified unto me. In this judgment is the weight of my sin and also the separation of my soul and life unto Christ. Paul said that God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
 So, my life is in another, that is Christ. Although the world surrounds me with it’s evil, I belong to Christ. He, and He alone, is All in All to me. Though the law of Moses is past, ungodly men draw their own laws and traditions. Galatia is alive and well in 2014. But He that dwelleth in the secret places of the most high will dwell under the shadow of His wings, and eat manna from His hand, and drink the waters of life freely from the brook Cherith. For that soul can say, I am crucified with Christ and God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Amen.
2 Corinthians 4:6 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.
© Copyright 2014 Michael C. Haigh
Soon to follow Hebrews 1:3 “the express image of his person.”
All scripture references from the Authorized King James Bible (KJV).