God Delights to Share His Glory
This might come as a surprise since the Bible specifically talks about God refusing to give His glory to others within passages such as Isaiah 48:11. It should be clear that this refers to the habit of humans refusing to acknowledge God’s glory and instead, seeking to claim His glory as coming from themselves.
While God knows that a rejection of Himself brings corruption and death, He longs to bless His children with the joy and beauty found in His glory. We see this truth in the prayer of Jesus Christ found in John 17. Jesus Christ delighted to glorify the Father while on earth, and the Father delights to exalt the Son. Far from being an ego-maniac as many unbelievers would falsely claim, God is incredibly generous with His glory. But, we can only know that glory in a full and intimate way when we acknowledge God for Who He is.
“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed… The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:1b-5, 22-24)
This should be further evidence of God the Father’s love being at the heart of His glory. Unlike us, He does not delight in lording over His creation delighting in His power, but He delights in sharing love and glory with His children setting His love on us just as He perfectly loves the Son.
Study it Out
- What are the specific ways found within John 17 in which the Son is said to have glorified the Father while on earth? How should this inform our own actions as God’s children?
- Read Philippians 2 and John 5:22-23. How is God’s glory directly related to Jesus Christ being glorified? What does this demonstrate about the love they share? Note also the Holy Spirit’s role in declaring the glory of Jesus Christ found in John 16:12-15.