Three responses to the Glory of God

Three Responses to the Glory of God

What do you do when you are faced with God's glory, as we will all be at one point or another, in this life or the next?  If you look at revelations of God's glory throughout scripture, specifically focusing on visions of the Father enthroned (Exodus 19 and 24, Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1, Daniel 7, and Rev 4 and 5), a number of similarities show up between the visions, and you see three main responses to the encounter.  People either are fearful because of their own awareness of their sin in the presence of a Holy God, are angry because they love their sin more than the vision of Holiness and they want to fight back, or fall on their face in utter worship.

Hear the Bible study I lead on the topic here

Outline:
Common Imagery:

• Red and White stones, clothing, fire, lightning. 
• Holiness and wrath. 
• All of these visions are in the context of judgment.  God is good and holy, even when he is dispensing judgment and wrath.
• Living beings: 
• Unique category of angel 
• surrounding throne of God
• Directing worship of God
• Heralds
• Differences in the details between Ezek and Rev are difference in mode. 
• Sea of glass, crystal
• God sees through to the world of men
• calm, peaceful
• purity and holiness
• Fire, lightning, thunder: 
• terror
• A certain amount of fear is appropriate in the presence of God

Common design of the temple of Heaven and the tabernacle/temple on Earth

• Throne = Mercy seat
• Lightning/thunder/cloud = Shekinah glory cloud
• living creatures = cherubim over the ark and in the Holy of Holies
• 24 elders = 24 orders of priest (1 Chron 24:7-19)
• Alter of incense = bronze alter
• 7 candlesticks = 7 lamps of the menorah
• sea of glass = bronze sea in the temple 
• Ox, Lion, Man, and Eagle of the 4 living creatures: Judah (lion) East; Dan (Eagle) North; Ephriam (Ox) West; Ruben (Man) South. 
• Jems everywhere in heaven = breastplate of the priest.

Some clarification on the Elders

• Have been seen as 12 representing the 12 tribes and 12 representing the apostles.  
• More likely a specific class of angelic being. 
• Listed among the angels in Revelation "4 Living creatures, elders, and the angels..." 
• Do not include themselves in those redeemed in Rev 5:9-11. 

Application: All of humanity will need to come to grips with their response to God's Glory.  If you see it while in your sin, you will either repent (Isa 6) or rebel (the balance of the book of Rev).  If you see it redeemed, you will be driven to pure worship (Rev 4 and 5). How will you respond?  The same revelation will make some cling to their Savior and others fight against the power revealed in it.

2Cor 2:14-16

We are to be the representation of God to those around us and pray that God will use us to draw men out of rebellion, through repentance, and into worship.