BEHOLDING HIS GLORY

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Dec 16, 1913

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 48.

BEHOLDING HIS GLORY

The Mighty Transformations That Are Wrought

"WE all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory." What a marvelous statement that is! In this sinful world, man may behold the glory of the Lord. In fact, the one who believes in Christ, actually by faith beholds that glory, looks upon it, sees it—God's own glory, "the glory of the Lord."

But we are told that this glory is seen by reflection,–"as in a glass." The glory of God is reflected from somewhere into our open faces. What is the means by which God reflects His glory to His children?

We know that the revelation of Christ's life is a revelation of God's glory. The Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ, and shows them to us. John 16:14. From every page of the Bible the glory of the Lord shines. As the old hymn phrases it:

"A glory in the Word we find, When grace restores our sight; But sin has darkened all the mind, And veiled the heavenly light. "When God's own Spirit clears our view, How bright the doctrines shine! Their holy fruits and sweetness show The Author is divine. "How blest are we, with open face To view Thy glory, Lord, And all Thy image here to trace, Reflected in Thy word! "O teach us, as we look, to grow In holiness and love, That we may long to see and know Thy glorious face above."

Also from the book of nature, as from one vast reflector, shines the glory of the character of God. "For the invisible things of Him, even His eternal power and Godhead, from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made." Rom. 1:20 (paraphrased). Not many study nature, science, material things, to obtain this reflection of the light of God; and one whole denomination denies the verity of material things, declaring that they

are antagonistic to the character of God, and teach perverted views of God. Not so says the Word.

NATURE SHOULD TEACH US

From the vast field of nature we may gather great facts which make clear to us God's wisdom, His goodness, His love, His care, His providence. As Christ in His parables announces, God does these things in nature to show us how much more He will do for our souls. For example, "If God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" The humble flowers of the meadow rebuke us, then, by saying to us, as Christ plainly teaches, "O ye of little faith." The sparrows teach us that not one hair of our head can be disturbed without the knowledge and permission of God. The Lord makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Thus from the life of Christ, from the records of the Word, from the world of nature, the light of God shines, and "their harp-line of melody has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world."