From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase

Part 21 of a series. Read part 20.

The Old Testament prophets spoke of a Messianic glory that is now manifested in the elect of God.

Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. (Isaiah 60:1-3)

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2)

Glory Prophesied

As we continue our study of this section of Handel's Messiah, let us turn our attention from the contrast between the light of God and the darkness of sinful man to focus upon the words we find in these texts concerning the glory of God:

...and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee... the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.

The Holy Spirit through Peter gives us the significance of these words:

Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven - things which angels desire to look into. (1 Peter 1:10-12)

Glory Revealed

We find the answering fulfillment of these prophetic words in Christ and His church. Notice, for example, how many times the word "glory" appears in the Holy Spirit's description of the great covenant of redemption among the persons of the Trinity, which has been made and implemented on the behalf of God's elect:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth - in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the Word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. (Ephesians 1:3-18)

The Recipients of Glory

Truly, the prophesied glory of the Messiah has risen upon His people. They are the recipients of "the glory of His grace" (verse 6). Those who trust in Christ do so "to the praise of His glory" (verse 12). The presence of the indwelling Spirit of God as the down-payment of our ultimate deliverance from sin and death is likewise "to the praise of His glory" (verse 14). The "Father of glory" gives to His saints "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of" Jesus the Messiah, so that they may have their understanding enlightened to know "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints" (verse 18).

It is in the Messiah that those who are members of His body have the hope of future glory. The Spirit through the Apostle Paul speaks of this to the Colossian believers. He speaks of

His [Christ's] body, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:24-27)

The great and glorious mystery of which the prophets spoke in the passages quoted in Handel's Messiah is this: Christ himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit whom He has sent into the world, now dwells in every believer in Him - and thus He is indeed "the hope of glory." The Messiah, the Captain of our salvation, is "bringing many sons to glory" (Hebrews 2:10) in fulfillment of prophecy.

Is This Your Glory?

Dear reader, is Jesus this for you? Is He the Captain of your salvation? Is He bringing you to glory? If that is true, is your focus upon the present glory of the enthroned Christ and on your future glory as His redeemed saint?

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

Are you living life in this present world in the light of future glory? As Paul reminded the Thessalonian church,

[Y]ou know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged [implored] every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

The New Testament also reveals another, yet future aspect of the glory of which the prophets spoke. The Messiah is coming again in glory with His angels to judge the world and to avenge His persecuted saints, so that His name may be glorified in them. As Paul also reminded the saints at Thessalonica,

it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-12)

This is the culmination of the glory of the Messiah that is being shed upon His people, of which the prophets spoke.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-25)

Next: "For unto us a child is born"

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