The Glory of God Vs. The Nature of God’s Glory
First of all what is the difference between the Glory of God and the Nature of God’s Glory. God’s Glory encompasses all that He is. God’s Glory is basically God himself. His Nature is a distinct aspect of that Glory (not commonly shared with man) which is most commonly revealed through His specific attributes. Let me give you an example. Michael Jordan the professional basketball player would be described as a tall, athletic, competitive, aggressive and fast. This is who Michael Jordan is, this is his glory. But what is his nature? His nature is fallen, like all of us; he is a rebellious sinner by nature. Can you see the difference? Now let’s take a look at God. God could be described as merciful, gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth… these are just mentioning a few (Exodus 34:6). This is God’s Glory. So what do you think God’s Nature would be, wouldn’t it be the same thing? No, God’s nature is that He is a perfect (Infallible and Holy) (2 Samuel 22:31, Leviticus 11:44-45). Gods Glory is mostly who we need Him to be because of our sin and His Nature is who He is despite our sin. With this in mind, let’s get on with the interpretation.
To seek more of God should be the desire of every Christian. We should live to please Him. Jesus said that we should worship the Father in spirit and in truth, and that the Father is looking for such to worship Him.
John 4:19-24
The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a
prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this
mountain; and ye say, that in
Jesus is clearly stating that we must be honest and real regarding our service to a Holy God… but there is a question. How is it possible to serve God in truth if part of our understanding of God is void of that truth? God clearly wants us honest and real toward Him but He also wants us wise in Him. The objective of this interpretation is to reveal the clear difference between the Glory of God and the Nature of God so the believer might worship God more accurately.
When the Israelites were delivered from the hand of pharaoh,
God wrought many signs and wonders to bring them out of
Numbers 14:11
And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people
provoke me? And how long will it be ere
they believe me, for all the signs which
I have shewed among them?
Deuteronomy 4:34
Of hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the
midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war,
and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors,
according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your
eyes? Unto thee was it shewed, that thou mightest know that the Lord he is
God; there is none else beside him.
The Israelites partook of the water poured forth from the
rock (Exodus 17:6). They walked in the
mists of the dry land of the
It is clear the Israelites had no problem receiving the miracles of God. The abode in them, they complained in them and they even corrupted themselves in them (Exodus 20:19-23, 32:1). They were a loose people. In all that the Lord did through signs and wonders, the Israelites simply sucked up these miracles like a camel sucks up water and went about their business.
I want to demonstrate the Israelites had no problem receiving God’s Glory, which was graciously and mercifully demonstrated through His signs and wonders. The Israelites abode in that Glory, they complained in that Glory… and they corrupted themselves in that Glory.
Now let’s take a look at God’s distinct Nature. The Israelites had been in the desert wilderness awhile now; they had experienced the Glory of God through His merciful signs and wonders and through His direct intercession for their lives. They were now about to experience something they had never experienced before. God’s Nature. Below Moses was getting ready to receive the 10 commandments from the Lord, and the Lord was giving Moses careful instructions for the people.
Exodus 19:1-24
In the third month, when the children of
Exodus 20:18-22
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of
the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they
removed, and stood afar off. And they
said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak
with us, lest we die.
The results of God
revealing His Holy Nature were obvious.
The same people who could abide in the Glory of God could not abide in
the Nature of God. You see, God is one
God but there are different attributes of this one God. The Father represents the eternal Judgment of
God. The Son represents the eternal
Mercy, (Forgiveness and Intercession) of God.
The Holy Ghost represents the eternal Revelation, (Communion) of
God. When God showed Himself among the
people through signs and wonders this was God’s Glory (Numbers 14:10-11, 21),
an aspect of God the children of
Deuteronomy 5:22-29
These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the
mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness,
with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of
stone, and delivered them unto me.
And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst
of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto
me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; And ye said, Behold,
the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard
his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth
talk with man, and he liveth. Now
therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear
the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die. For who is there of all flesh, that hath
heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we
have, and lived? Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall
say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee;
and we will hear it, and do it. And
the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD
said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they
have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. O that
there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my
commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children
for ever!
This intimidating reaction
from the people was what the Lord wanted to get out of the Children of
Israel. God is not some insecure God or
a God that always needs to have us fearing Him.
God knows if we have a reverent fear for Him, of His awesomeness in our
consciousness, that we in turn will become humble and end up doing good. It is almost like when you know your boss is
looking over your shoulder, it is at that time you are very diligent. God knows by default man focuses on himself, and
is extremely is fickle… but when man has a healthy fear of God and esteems God,
that man is humbled and becomes desirous to serve. God basically wanted His people to focus on
Him, and in the process, not focus on themselves (leading them into sin). We need to remember, when God revealed
Himself to the people through signs and wonders and by great acts among them,
the people would appreciate it for a time, but then would always revert back to their pride
and complain. God’s Nature had a
different and lasting affect on the people.
God’s Nature, whom God revealed Himself to be even before He created man
(God’s voice, thick clouds, smoke and fire – Genesis 1), put a fear in the
people that was so deep and so astounding that the people even asked not to deal
directly with God any more. They asked a
prophet (Moses) to talk with God in their stead, and then to relay the message
back to them. This understanding right
here is why I am writing this interpretation.
This understanding is huge for our understanding! This really shows the context of the God we
serve and how God has ordained (in our hearing and in our understanding) that
man should discern God. Notice that the
people of
Deuteronomy 5:30-33 (God is addressing Moses)
Go say to them, Get you into your tents again. But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it. Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
Deuteronomy 18:15-19 (This is Moses speaking)
The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
Prophets and Apostles
in the Church
God had sanctified the
office of the prophet as the office that would hear from God and relay the
message to His people. This prophet
chosen from God was called not only to abide in the Glory of God, but was also required to dwell among God’s Nature. Moses was the first among these prophets and
God was faithful to raise up other prophets who would stand before Him and
intercede for His people (1 Samuel 12:23).
Now it is clear that since Jesus came and died for our sins that the
office of the prophet has taken on a new meaning. Even the book of Hebrews gives reference to
this:
Hebrews 1:1-2
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
The Bible also says “for
the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). It is clear that we, Jesus’ Church (His
Body), are established within His ministry.
He is the head and we are the body.
We are joined with Jesus by the Holy Spirit and as His church, we become
a partaker of all that Jesus Himself did (John 14:12). Paul the apostle, through the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, offers knowledge about the ministry of the apostle and the
prophet:
Ephesians 2:16-22
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having
slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were
afar off, and to them that were nigh.
For through him (Jesus) we both have access by one Spirit unto the
Father. Now therefore ye are no
more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the
household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles
and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed
together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit.
It is clear Paul is
testifying that other believers would come in under the protection and foundation
of the apostles and the prophets of whom Jesus was the chief cornerstone. There were no apostles before Jesus came,
only after (Moses was only a figure).
So… the above Biblical reference mentioning a built foundation of the
apostles and prophets could only imply the foundation of the early church (the
Old Testament prophets testifying of these things – 1 Peter 1:10). This verse describes the early apostles and
prophets carrying on Jesus’ work of intimate fellowship with the Spirit (Acts
6:2-5). Below Paul relays that it is
through the revelation of the Spirit that the apostles and the prophets today
have the ammunition to build any kind of solid foundation of knowledge about
who God is, thus bringing Spirit led edification to the church. I want to add the below scripture explaining
the role of the prophet and apostle, which is to faithfully abide in the
revelation of the mystery of Christ, becomes the equivalent of an old testament
prophet abiding in God’s Nature. As we
learned above, during Old Testament times, this action was only required of the prophet (and now the apostle… who is
a prophet who’s calling is to
glorify Jesus in the church).
Ephesians 3:1-7
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye
have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read,
ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery
of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men,
as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,
and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to
the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his
power.
To abide in the revelation
of the mystery of Christ is a prophetic unction which becomes the life burden
of the prophet and apostle. This is the
equivalent to a teacher’s study or a pastor disciplining himself regarding
people skills. It is as real and as
burdensome as any office in the church, although harder to fully understand. The Bible says the spirits of the prophets
are subject to the prophets (1 Corinthians 14:29-33). In other words, a prophet’s discipline is
under his own hand, or his own spirit if you will. The prophet is in control (The entire back
section of 1 Corinthians 14 is talking about order and attempts to emphasize
the prophet is in full control – kind of like I am in control of my own spirit
as I write this interpretation).
Furthermore, it’s not like during Old Testament times where the Spirit
of the Lord would suddenly come upon someone and the person would shout, “Thus saith
the Lord… (2 Chronicles 20:14-15).”
Prophets (by way of their spirits) are faithfully called to abide in the
revelation of Jesus Christ at all times. Just like
pastors might be required to always have their cell phones on and located in
their pocket (because of the burden of the congregation)… prophets are always
expected (by way of their spirit) to abide in the mystery of Christ. This abiding is a lot like meditating accept
prophets are called by God, empowered with gifts and faith to abide in God’s
revelation (Acts 10:9-48) (for the edification of His church). This basically means when a pastor abides in
Christ, and meditates, he’ll perhaps receive some knowledge and maybe a sermon. When a prophet does the same thing, they
dutifully receive God’s answers regarding the mysteries of Christ so the church
can become edified therein. It’s the
same process… just utilizing different gifts.
A teacher grabs a bible and teaches.
A prophet grabs a bible and prophesizes… and the whole process is
subject to him (his spirit, or his abiding).
Paul the apostle explains in the book of Galatians that the gospel he
preached was not taught to him by man… nor did he receive it from man, but it
came by way of the revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:12). Paul then goes on to say that when Jesus
Christ first revealed Himself, that Paul conferred not with flesh and
blood. Why would Paul emphasize
this? Because Paul wanted people to know
his understanding of the gospel did not come from man at all (not the first apostles,
not anyone) but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Paul’s emphasis regarding this mater is quite
extreme. He was taught it by way of the
revelation of the Spirit (1 John 2:27, Ephesians 3:5). Almost all of Paul’s letters contain solid
knowledge and wisdom which he received as he, day in and day out, faithfully
abode in the revelation of the mystery of Christ (Ephesians 3:1-7). People can attempt to downgrade this truth
because they might not fully understand it.
Myself and these interpretations are living proof that abiding in the
revelation of the mystery of Christ is possible and there is absolutely nothing
weird, super-spiritual or confusing about it.
No man has ever taught me anything regarding the core of these
interpretations because God wouldn’t allow it.
I have no Bible school experience.
I have faithfully abode in the revelation of the mystery of Christ for
the past fourteen years and these Bible Interpretations I write are proof that
this process is very human, very real and very subject to my spirit and the
gifts/faith God has entrusted to me… (The reason God would not allow man to
teach me is because, just like a bird must learn to fly, one who abides in the
revelation of the mystery of Christ must do so by faith – and man will only get
in the way of that kind of process).
Almost every interesting thing you will read in these interpretations
came by way of direct revelation into the Spirit as I abode in the revelation
of the mystery of Christ by my spirit. Simply put,
I am living proof. (For more on the
ministry of the apostle and prophet abiding in the revelation of the mystery of
Christ, please read Great Expectations and Apostle Milkshake
located in Volume 2).
Later in the same letter,
Paul defines the ministries of the church.
Prophets and apostles are vital:
Ephesians 4:11-13
And he gave some, apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till
we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
As you can see, this verse
specifies that apostles and prophets were given till: “we all come in
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Do you believe this was accomplished by the
time the first apostles and prophets died out in the first century? It is clear the five-fold ministry was given
for the perfecting of the saints. As
long as the saints of God need perfecting, we still need apostles and prophets.
In short, the ministry of
the prophet and apostle is greatly needed.
I have demonstrated in the first part of this interpretation that God’s
Glory is a lot easier to receive than his Nature (God’s Nature, via Jesus’
sacrifice, now translates into God’s revelation for the church). Most people can do fine with God’s Glory but
when His Nature comes upon them they are left in disarray. Many churches have received the Glory of
God. They have been “in Spirited” by God
and have felt and experienced the supernatural presence of God. But it never lasts (not like it did with the
early church). I am sure many are
wondering why. It is because if we covet
God’s power, then for true edification to come, His Nature needs to be
received. If the church receives God’s
Glory they will receive a touch and it will be real. But if the church receives the Nature of God,
brought about by way of revelation coming through the current apostles and
prophets, then that very Nature of God (His Revelation) will become influential
and will flow over into all sorts of edification and empowerment for the church. If the
I understand there is a
lot of fear. Pastors and teachers don’t
know whom to trust. Some are put off
because a prophet in the past has done things that raised some doubts. I understand and sympathize will all of these
things. But lets make one thing
clear. The Bible states that the
ministries of the apostles and the prophets are vital to a solid church
(Ephesians 2:16-22). With that
understood, the apostles and prophets just need to be refined so that instead
of embarrassing the church… they can edify the church. I believe this refining process is going on
right now (2002). You can tell what type
of prophecy I believe in. All these
interpretations I write are prophetic… and I do not believe any of them grieve
or garner any kind of mistrust. There is
nothing magical or deceptive about prophecy.
Look at the writings of Paul and Peter.
Their letters bring comfort and they enlighten and challenge you via
Godly edification. That is what prophecy
does… it edifies, exhorts and comforts (1 Corinthians 14:3, Acts 9:31). I believe there will be a final acceptance,
in the end times, of the offices of the apostles and prophets. When this happens, the church will finally
begin the consummation of her destiny.