The LORD has been pleased, over the years, to set forth the glory of HIS NAME in various ways. We see it first of all when “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Gen 1:1). Then we see HIM manifest the unbending nature of HIS decrees as HE drove the man and the woman from the garden. Next we see HIM destroy the very natural creation as HE manifested HIS purpose to redeem HIS remnant as HE spared Noah and his family as the flood covered the Earth according to HIS decree. Then HE came down upon the plains of Shinar and confused the languages of those who determined to make a name for themselves.
HE raised up Job as an upright man in the earth, and directed Satan to seek his destruction. Yet HE upheld Job by HIS unseen hand and used the whole experience to bring Job to a place of repentance, so that HIS NAME alone might be magnified, as Job confessed his subjection to the glory of HIS PRESENCE. HE called Abram out of pagan darkness that HE might make a mighty nation, called by HIS NAME, which no man could number.
HE gave the son of the promise (Isaac) to Abraham, fourteen years after the son of his flesh (Ishmael). It was in Isaac that HE intended to manifest the glory of HIS grace as HE gave him two sons. One whom HE loved and the other whom HE hated. “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Rom 9:13) HE would demonstrate HIS sovereign grace in choosing Jacob, a truly unworthy servant for no other reason than that it seemed good in HIS sight. HE would be glorified in this purpose. For HE gave Jacob twelve sons and had a purpose for each one. Two of them in particular are specifically used by HIM to demonstrate the glory of HIS purpose in the redemption of HIS people.
Joseph was an illustration of CHRIST. He was rejected by his brethren. He became unknown to them. Yet he never forgot them and HE made provision for their sustenance even when they had no knowledge of their need. In the LORD’s time, Joseph came to a place of power and he whom they sold for money, was made manifest as the deliverer of his brethren as they were fed from the fruits of his table. Judah on the other hand demonstrated the natural corruption of the flesh of man as he impregnated his own daughter-in-law. Yet GOD would once again demonstrate HIS glory even through the wickedness of men, for it is through that lineage that HE ordained CHRIST to come. HE is indeed the ONE who has prevailed to open the sealed book and to declare the glory of GOD in the Earth, “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” (Rev 5:5) “For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda.” (Heb 7:14)
Time would fail us to recount the continual manifestations of the LORD’s glory which HE has unfolded in the history of mankind. Every page of that epic volume is written by HIS own pen and set forth by HIS own INTERPRETER, so that HE causes those who see to see and those whom HE has blinded to have no rejoicing therein. Yet to the sons of GOD, they can find no greater place of joy than in contemplating the wonders which HE is pleased to unfold day by day. I am reminded of those sobering words penned by Isaac Watts,
“Chained to his throne a volume lies, With all the fates of men,
With every angel’s form and size, Drawn by the eternal pen.
His providence unfolds the book, And makes his counsels shine;
Each opening leaf, and every stroke, Fulfils some deep design.
Here he exalts neglected worms To sceptres and a crown;
And there the following page he turns, And treads the monarch down.”
These are those things which make us say with the Apostle Paul, “And who is sufficient for these things?” (2Cor 2:16) We are made to tremble before HIM.
It has pleased the LORD to most clearly manifest HIS GLORY in the redemptive work of CHRIST, HIS only begotten SON, who has come into the world in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin. Making HIMSELF an offering for sin in HIS agony in Gethsemane and HIS suffering on Calvary. HIS glory there can only be seen by those to whom it is given. And the further unfolding of HIS glory in HIS resurrection from the dead and HIS ascension back into the heavens forms the very basis of the HOPE of those whom HE has called from death unto life. We seek no other revelation nor do we look for another DELIVERER. We are quite satisfied with that which HE has done. Yet that is not all that HE has done, though that all forms the very basis of that work which HE is yet pleased to perform in those whom HE has called.
HE promised HIS disciples that HE would send to them a “COMFORTER” who would lead them into all TRUTH. Those whom HE calls HIS own, HE will never leave nor forsake. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”. (Php 1:6) Those who are admonished to “work out their own salvation”, HE reminds of the SOURCE of their “working, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Php 2:13)
The Psalmist describes this very condition as he says, “Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.” The purpose of this “flourishing” is so that HIS NAME might be glorified as HE is pleased to bring life and immortality to light in the declaration of the Gospel. “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” (Isa 61:3) The purpose of the preaching of the Gospel is for the glory of GOD.
Then he says, “They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” The LORD will remain faithful to HIS people unto the end even as Keene wrote in his timeless hymn:
“E’en down to old age, all my people shall prove My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn, Like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavour to shake,I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”
John records such a thought for us in John 13:1; “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”
Thus the Psalmist closes with, “To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” The LORD will bring glory to HIS NAME as HE demonstrates HIS unfailing faithfulness to those whom HE loves. There is not even a shadow of turning in HIM. “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb 6:17-20)
mam