The glory of God is known little to the church world of today. Many reading this do not even know what is meant by the phrase, “glory of God.” I want to discuss the glory of God, comparing what I will call "Old Testament glory" with “New Testament glory.” Our main text shall be found in II Corinthians 3:
II Corinthians 3:7-11 – “But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.”
There are a few points to bring out from this passage regarding the glory of God.
The Old Testament was a Glorious Covenant
Make no mistake about it! The Old Testament was glorious! There was a God-fearing glory associated with the Old Testament. Think about when Moses went into Mount Sinai to receive the law of God written upon tables of stone; written by the hand of God Almighty Himself. The atmosphere around that dreadful place roared with thunder! The earth itself shook at the awesome presence of a holy God! When Moses came off that mountain, his face shone, having to be covered with a veil. It wouldn’t hurt one thing if the church today would approach God Almighty will such reverence and godly fear. Our text reads this way – “If the ministration of death…was glorious…” Yes, the Old Testament Law of Moses was the ministration of death. It was the Law of Moses that defined sin, condemned sin, and punished sin. The Law of Moses provided no life, no deliverance, and no salvation. Theoretically, if one kept the entire Law of Moses, he could be saved, but in actuality, no man ever kept the whole Law! The Law of Moses was rightfully called the ministration of death. It could only condemn us to death, and it could do no more.
There is Something More Glorious Than Old Testament Glory
Look with me at a couple of passages to show how God’s glory was revealed in the Old Testament:
Exodus 40:34, 35 – “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.”
In this verse, at the completion of the building of the tabernacle, the glory of God filled the tabernacle to the extent that Moses, who had spoken to God face to face, could not enter the tabernacle! The word, “tabernacle” means literally, “dwelling place.” God’s presence would abide in the place that Moses had built! And when His divine presence moved in that place, the Spirit of God was so thick that no man could stand to go in that structure! It makes me think of the Great Day of Judgment. If God’s presence on Mount Sinai shook the mountain; if God’s presence filled the tabernacle in the above passage; how much more is the presence of God going to shake this world when lost men and women stand before the great Judge of the earth? If Moses, a man who lived so close to the Lord he could talk to the Lord face to face, could not enter the tabernacle while the presence of the living God was saturating that structure, how much more will the vile, wretched, unrepentant sinners tremble on that dreadful morning? Yes, the Old Testament is a glorious covenant.
Years after the tabernacle was built, when Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, we see the same glorious experience as Moses experienced.
I Kings 8:10, 11 – “And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.”
After the temple was built in Jerusalem, the priests – those who had been sanctified (set apart) solely for the work of the Lord – could not stand to minister in the Lord’s house! The ministers had to back away and let God’s presence saturate that place – and that is exactly what happened.
The Old Testament was glorious! God’s presence fills the pages of the Old Testament. Every God-fearing individual who reads the Old Testament understands that God is holy; God is righteousness; and holiness is demanded of Him. He still declares, “Be ye holy, for I am holy!” The glory of His holiness is clearly seen within the leaves of Old Testament scripture.
But – there is something more glorious than Old Testament glory! Not only is there an experience more glorious than Old Testament glory, but I have experienced it! I have heard so many ministers push for Old Testament glory. I have seen ministers try to work up an atmosphere to where everyone in the house of God was on their faces before God. While that kind of glory is fine, I wish ministers today would understand that there is something far better than a house full of people on their faces before God.
My original text not only states that the Old Testament was glorious, but it also says, “the ministration of the spirit shall be rather glorious.” He goes on to say, “MUCH MORE doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory!” Yes, Paul states that the Old Testament is glorious – but the Old Testament Law of Moses only condemned us. The New Testament – the gospel of Jesus Christ – is “MUCH MORE glorious” than the Old Testament glory of a house full of people on their faces before God!
Look with me at the gospel of John:
John 1:1, 14 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and WE BEHELD HIS GLORY, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
What is more glorious than the Old Testament glory of a holy God dwelling in a tabernacle or a temple constructed by the hands of man? While God’s presence dwelling within a tabernacle, temple, or church is glorious; it is far more glorious when the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached, and a person trusts Jesus Christ to save him from his sins, and at that very moment, the Spirit of the living God takes up residence in the heart of that individual! I like it when God’s Spirit visits man-made structures; but I like it much more when the gospel is received and God’s Spirit resides within a God-made structure, within the inner man of a new convert! I do not know if there was rejoicing in the presence of the angels when God’s Spirit visited the tabernacle of Moses or the temple of Solomon. But one thing I know for sure – “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repenteth!”
Suppose an angel came to me tonight, and said, “Bob, I am sent by the Father to give you something.”
“All right,” I reply. “What are you giving me?”
“Whatever you choose. You have two choices. You can either experience the glory of God like Moses and Solomon saw. That is, when you preach, people will sense the awesome presence of God, and His presence will fill the church every time you speak. Or…” the angel continues, “you can have the glory that the apostles had. They handled Jesus Christ, the glory of God; they saw Jesus Christ, the glory of God; they preached Jesus Christ, the glory of God; and, as a result, they saw many conversions. They saw, not the glory of God filling buildings; but they saw the glory of God – the Spirit of Jesus Christ Himself – filling human vessels. They saw individuals get changed by the power of God! Which do you choose?”
The choice would be easy. I would choose the greatest glory of all – Jesus Christ saving lost men and women, filling them with His glory. I would much rather see the Spirit of Christ enter into the heart of lost men and women than to see the Spirit of Christ enter a building.
Which do you prefer?
