Topical Studies
Glory of God
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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Exodus 34:5-8 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
God expounds eleven attributes: YHWH, El, the Merciful One, the Gracious One, the Longsuffering One, the Mighty One, the Kind and Loving One, the True One, the One who Preserves Kindness, the Forgiving One, and the Chastising One. God gives Moses, not so much a vision of His power and majesty, but of His love, of how He relates to His creation. The real glory of God is His character, His nature, especially toward His children. His names are signposts of His nature, reminders of what we can expect Him to do as we live by faith.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Third Commandment (1997)
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Isaiah 60:1-3 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
The metaphor is drawn from the rising of the sun and being able to get to work and produce solutions. God pictures the whole earth covered by a thick cloud of darkness that dissolves in the light. The terms "arise," "shine," "glory of the LORD," and "brightness of your rising" give every indication of our resurrection to glory to meet the returning Christ. Because of the "rising" of Zion, mankind will be prospered in every way, morally, spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and physically.
John W. Ritenbaugh
God's Promises Are Sure!
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Matthew 11:25-27 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
Moses asked to see the visible glory of God, and He proclaimed His name verbally. Jesus is saying, "If you want to see the mind and nature of God, if you want to see His attitudes, look at Me." God reveals Himself and declares His glory to us through the life, works, and words of Jesus of Nazareth as He opens our minds by His Holy Spirit. Jesus is "the way" because of all mankind, only He, unmarred by sin, has intimate knowledge of God. Knowing God depends on our knowledge of the truth about Jesus. He shows the way we must walk, the direction and manner of living and relating to others. This is precisely the knowledge Jesus gives. Many times when we ask directions in a strange city, the response confuses us because we are unfamiliar with the town. But when we ask directions of Jesus, He says, "Come, follow Me, and I will take you there." Some people may teach truth, but He embodies truth; He is "the truth." A man may teach geometry, and his character may not affect his teaching. But if one teaches moral truth, character is paramount. Keeping the third commandment properly revolves around knowing the truth about God and His way. Colossians 1:15; 2:9 are among the strongest statements in the Bible about the divine nature of Jesus: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. . . . For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." He not only is equal to and reflects God, but He also reveals God to us because He is God. He is completely holy and has authority to judge the world. We can have no clearer view of God than by looking at Christ. He is the full revelation of God to man. He is the complete expression of God in a human body. He is unique: God became a man, imposing upon Himself the same time-space limitations as other men. He had every opportunity to waste time, get sick, eat gluttonously and become overweight, drink and experience a hangover, "fly off the handle" in anger, or attack others when someone pricked His vanity. He could have become bitter from rejection or depressed when things did not go His way. He could have worked or played with intense competitiveness to "win at all costs." He had to face death, His own as well as of loved ones. He could have felt "the deck was stacked" against Him. The gospels show God coping with life on the same terms as men. Now we can really see what kind of character God possesses. Jesus' life gives us firsthand knowledge of what the true way of life is, allowing us to cooperate with Him in His purpose. Among many other things, we see God teaching, healing, sacrificing His life, correcting in love, guarding His flock, and patiently counseling.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Third Commandment (1997)
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Matthew 17:1-5 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
When Peter recollected in II Peter 1:16, he was recalling the event in Matthew 17. When Jesus was transfigured, glorified before them, He did not take on a different shape and form than He had before. He still had a recognizable face. He still had clothing on, but everything became shining and bright. Undoubtedly, this was done to impress on the minds of these three men that this Jesus was God in the flesh.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Image and Likeness of God (Part 2)
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Luke 2:11-14 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
The title "Christ the Lord" would have been said as "Messiah Adonai" or "Messiah Yahweh" in the Aramaic that these shepherds spoke. This is a not-so-subtle intimation that this newborn child was not only the promised Messiah, but also the One known as "the Lord" or "the Lord" in the Old Testament! The angel is not merely announcing the birth of a special baby in Bethlehem but that God had been born as a human being! In verses 13-14, Luke writes: "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!'" Here appears another BOOM! in the evangelist's narrative. Suddenly, there was not just one angel in the glory of the Lord, but a whole host of them all around the quivering shepherds. Not only were they visible, they were singing as only angels can, praising God. Their presence heightens the importance of the announcement. The angels are obviously overjoyed that this greatly anticipated event in God's plan had finally taken place. Another huge step in God's purpose had been accomplished. Note, too, that this was not just a small, heavenly choir but the heavenly host that appeared in full force. God's vast army came to add their voices to the announcement that their great Captain had just been born! The hymn they sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" requires some explanation. Glory is the Greek word dóxa, which means "praise, recognition, honor, worship"—the height of reverence and adulation that we could give or say to God. "In the highest" is a somewhat controversial phrase in that, as a superlative, it could modify either "glory" or "God." Thus, it could refer to the highest glory or the highest God (or even God in the highest heaven). There is a possibility that in the Aramaic, the words the angels sang may have been "Glory to the Most High God," since that is a common title of God in the Old Testament. They also sing of peace on earth. One of Christ's titles is "The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6), and He who had just been born would eventually bring peace on earth. He would do it first through His sacrifice, making peace between God and sinful man (Romans 5:1), and later He would return in glory, bringing peace to the earth with the sword (Revelation 19:11-21). He will have to impose peace at His second coming, but once He does, the earth will have real peace. Only through the birth of God's Son in Bethlehem could the process of bringing true peace to the earth begin. The final words in the angels' song are "goodwill toward men," a long-disputed phrase. However, most modern experts in Greek agree that the whole clause should be translated, "Peace on earth among men of His good pleasure." This implies that God was bringing peace and joy especially and specifically to those to whom He had granted favor or extended grace. During the Passover sermon Jesus gave His disciples, He says, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you" (John 14:27). His disciples, numbering a mere 120 (Acts 1:15), were the only ones who could really experience peace because they comprised the extent of those with whom God had found favor. Yet, within days, thousands more had been converted, and God's peace began to expand. Real peace, a fruit of God's Spirit (Galatians 5:22), can only be produced in those in whom God's Spirit dwells (Romans 8:14). Right now, members of God's church are the only people on earth who can really have godly peace on earth because "unto us a Child is born. Unto us a Son is given" (Isaiah 9:6). We are the "men of His good pleasure." Jesus tells His disciples in Luke 12:32: "Do not fear little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." We are the ones who have this favor from God. The angels' song is a declaration to us that God is with us, just as He was with Mary when He overshadowed her (Luke 1:35). As spiritual Israel and spiritual Zion, we are the apple of His eye (Deuteronomy 32:9-10; Zechariah 2:7-8), and He will do all He can to bring us to salvation and into His Kingdom. These passages mean so much more than what we usually see in a Christmas pageant, a nativity scene out on the town common, or hear in a catchy jingle. What we see in these announcements are elements of the way God works, and they should strengthen our faith in Him and what He is doing. They should solidify our hope in the resurrection because, not only did the Father bring His Son into the world just as prophesied, but He also guided Jesus through a perfect human lifetime to His sacrificial death for us all, resurrecting Him from the grave exactly three days and three nights later, as Jesus had said was the only sign of His Messiahship (John 2:18-22). That glorious Holy One ascended to heaven and now sits at the right hand of God as our High Priest. He is the Head of the church and our soon-coming King. He promises us, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5), as well as, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:3). He now awaits the word from His Father to return to this earth to set up His Kingdom. What great confidence we can have that all this will happen as planned, and we will be part of it! As the angels sang to the shepherds in the field, "Glory to the Most High God and peace on earth among those He favors!"
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Birth of Jesus Christ (Part Two): Nativity
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2 Corinthians 3:10-18 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
The Revised English Bible renders it this way: Indeed, the glory that once was is now no glory at all; it is outshone by a still greater glory. For if what was to fade away had its glory, how much greater is the glory of what endures! With such a hope as this we speak out boldly; it is not for us to do as Moses did: he put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away. In any case their minds had become closed, for that same veil is there to this very day when the lesson is read from the old covenant; and it is never lifted, because only in Christ is it taken away. Indeed to this very day, every time the law of Moses is read, a veil lies over the mind of the hearer. But (as scripture says) "Whenever he turns to the Lord the veil is removed." Now the Lord of whom this passage speaks is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. And because for us there is no veil over the face, we all see as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, and we are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory through the power of the Lord who is the Spirit. Do we understand this last verse? We are being transformed into the glory of His likeness! This passage is a comparison of the two covenants. This illustration may be helpful. When we see the full moon on a cloudless night, it is reflecting the glory of the sun. It is likely that the moon will reflect enough light that a person can see fairly clearly to make his way, even though it is nighttime. But once the sun is up, there is absolutely no comparison between the glory of the sun and the glory of the moon! As glorious as the moon looked, shining in its full glory during the dark of night, it is nothing at all compared to the full glory of the sun! This illustrates the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. The Old Covenant is the moon, bright enough to shine and containing enough reflective glory that, whenever Moses was in the presence of God, he came away with his face reflecting that glory. But that glory faded away! Soon, Moses' face was just like every other Israelite's face. Paul desires to help us understand the greatness, the magnitude, of the difference between the New Covenant and the Old Covenant! The Old Covenant had a glory, but it was a fading one! God never intended it to last! But the New Covenant is so exceedingly great—it is like the difference between the sun in all of its strength and the moon! The glory of the sun does not fade away! We need to look at some differences. Under the Old Covenant, Moses reflected the glory of God. That was wonderful, but it was external, temporary. It faded. Under the New Covenant, it is not just one person reflecting the glory of God but all Christians! It is not displayed outwardly on the face, but inwardly in their nature and character. It is a progressive transformation that increases until the Christian's character is transformed to be like the Lord's glorious character! And at the resurrection, his body will changed to conform to Christ's (I John 3:2). Man's potential not to be a greater man. He is not going to be an angel. He is going to be God! That is the image into which those of us having the Spirit of God are being transformed! For the Christian, it is the image of God after which he is being created—what we are going through this process for! We are moving through this process—through the creative power of God and our own choices—from the glory of man to the glory of God! What does God create in this process? We understand that His purpose in creating is to create the character of God in us. But how is this done? What does God create that produces the character? (Character is actually the fruit of what God creates.) God creates circumstances in which we receive the experience of being confronted with choices according to the will of God. He wants us to learn to react according to His will, according to His law. He wants us to experience, analyze, gain knowledge, deduce, understand, and finally decide to do the right thing. He puts us in circumstances to force the issue—to make us choose. God's spiritual creation is still going on!
John W. Ritenbaugh
We Shall Be God! (Part 1)
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2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
Like one of the Old Testament prophets, Paul does not hold back. He had a thorough understanding of the Old Testament due to all of the studying he had done throughout his life, and he distills it here in just a few verses. He speaks of the flaming fire, the everlasting destruction, and the glory of Christ's power, giving us an indication that we, too, as New Testament Christians, ought to understand what is coming in detail.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Shock and Awe—and Speed
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Hebrews 6:18-19 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
Here hope is seen as being external. Even though we carry the thought, the understanding, the knowledge of it in our own minds, and it appears to be internal, it is actually external to those who have it. Our hope is something that we flee to for refuge, and this hope has entered behind the veil for us. This kind of hope, which is used more frequently in the Bible than internal hope, is seen as what stirs us and produces the hope within. This kind of hope is what the Christian's hope—the object, the concept, the idea, the fact—is in. For instance, our hope can be in God or in Jesus or in salvation, as Scripture may say. It can be in God's promises, His Word, eternal life, His steadfast love, His grace, the resurrection from the dead, and sharing the glory of God. Our internal hope is motivated by these aspects of the external hope.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Trumpets Is a Day of Hope
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Revelation 1:12-17 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
This is quite a description! Undoubtedly, John was given this vision to set the stage for the entire book. It is symbolic in its application. For instance, He does not always shine with all of His glory before men. After His crucifixion and resurrection, He appeared to the apostles and others in a state in which He did not appear as we see here. He also showed His disciples that He is not just an ethereal, formless, shapeless spirit because He ate a meal with them. Even though he could pass right through solid walls, He nonetheless could eat. The transformation to spirit reveals the glory of the entirety of the person. Christ's body radiates His perfect and pure nature. Symbolically, the radiation of the glory of His nature is what emanates from Him as a result of His character. That is what God is bringing us to!
John W. Ritenbaugh
We Shall Be God! (Part 2)
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Revelation 4:11 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
The Living Bible renders this verse, "O Lord, you are worthy to receive the glory and the honor and the power, for you have created all things. They were created and called into being by your act of will." Kenneth Wuest, an eminent authority on the Greek language, translates the last phrase, "and because you willed it, they existed and were created."
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Sovereignty of God: Part Three
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Revelation 14:1-2 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
Although it does not specifically say so, the wording strongly indicates that the voice mentioned here is that of the Father speaking at another pivotal time in world history: the day His Firstborn stands upon Mount Zion to meet His newly changed brothers and sisters. At the time this voice from heaven is heard, Jesus Christ—the Word of God and the Lord or Yahweh of the Old Testament—is on earth on Mount Zion. Other biblical passages describe the voice of God in remarkably similar language to verse 2. Notice this verse in comparison to Ezekiel 43:2 and Revelation 1:15: » And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters. . . .
» His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters. . . . Now consider Job 40:9; Psalm 29:3; 77:18; and 104:7: » Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?
» The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders. . . .
» The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind. . . .
» At Your rebuke they fled; at the voice of Your thunder they hastened away. Finally, note Isaiah 30:31-32: » For through the voice of the LORD Assyria will be beaten down. . . . It will be with tambourines and harps. . . . These proofs seem fairly conclusive that it is the Father's voice described in Revelation 14:2.
John Plunkett
The Voice of God
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