A parable and more thoughts on the Glory of God

There once was a boy who lived on the coast. His father was a fisherman who spent days at a time out at sea. One night a terrible storm swept over the area while the man was out in his boat. The next day he was found washed up on shore barely alive. As he lay gasping on the doctor’s bed, he grabbed his son’s hand and panted, “The sea is a wild thing my boy. I knew every sandbar, every current, every wind, but the sea itself is unfathomable.”

If men could return from the dead; if great saints of old could write one last appendix to their institutes and systematic theologies, I think it would read similarly to this fictional sailor’s words. I knew every doctrine, every creed, every confession, but YHWH in His glory is beyond our finite minds.

The implication here is not that He is broader than the Scriptural confines He has set for Himself, but that He is deeper than we have or can imagine.

More thoughts on the Glory of God

Psa 106:20 They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass.


Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

A more intense horror can not be imagined. Mankind has bartered with the devil - the infinite, awesome, glory of YHWH for the finite, filthy idols of this world.

I am not sure how to comprehend this. How is He able to have mercy on any of us? Such a crime is most incriminating. Esau's selling of his birthright is nothing compared to our selling of the glory of YHWH for the pleasures of this world.

Thanks be to Christ for redeeming us from our own hellish bargains and returning to us the promise of gazing upon the glory of YHWH.

Thoughts on the Glory of God

Americans love false realities. Think of the films we watch, the books we read, and especially the fictional characters we impose on our holidays - Santa Clause, the Easter bunny etc. Why do we love fantasy so much? Why is Jesus Christ too boring to keep kids interested in Christmas?

I am saddened by this, and recently I've been thinking over what it will be like to see YHWH in all His glory some day - to know Him as He fully knows me (1 Corinthians 13:12). My vision of Him now is very incomplete and shadowy, but then - it is a strange product of a regenerate man that his greatest desire is to see YHWH in His glory.

We speak of majesty and love and mercy and faithfulness and justice, but then we will SEE it! I'm not even sure how to articulate this. Once I saw a picture taken of the earth - it was a small speck (like dust) in a huge sunbeam, and I was struck by our puniness. The creator of this whole galaxy by a word will reveal His glory to me.

I expect to be engulfed in terror, to be prostrate, to cling to the cross for defense, but honestly I can't wait for that day.