The weight of God's glory

The weight of God's glory is a profound and awe-inspiring concept that is woven throughout the Scriptures. The glory of God refers to the radiant, majestic, and incomprehensible splendor of His being, which is the source of all goodness, truth, and beauty. This glory is beyond human comprehension, and yet it is revealed to us in various ways through His creation, His Word, and ultimately in the person of Jesus Christ.

The weight of God's glory is the tangible and overwhelming sense of His presence and power that can be experienced by those who seek Him with a humble and contrite heart. It is the recognition that God is the ultimate authority and source of all things, and that our purpose in life is to glorify Him in all that we do. The weight of God's glory is also a reminder of our own limitations and frailty, and the need for us to rely completely on His strength and wisdom.

One of the most significant passages in the Bible that speaks to the weight of God's glory is found in Exodus 33:18-23. In this passage, Moses asks God to show him His glory, and God responds by saying, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name 'The Lord.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live." And the Lord said, "Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen."

This passage illustrates the overwhelming and powerful nature of God's glory. Even the mere sight of His face would be too much for mortal man to bear. Instead, God chooses to reveal His glory in a way that Moses can handle, by allowing him to see the afterglow of His passing. This encounter with God's glory leaves Moses speechless and trembling, a testament to the weight of His majesty.

Another passage that speaks to the weight of God's glory is found in Isaiah 6:1-4. In this passage, the prophet Isaiah is given a vision of the throne room of God, and he sees the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!"

Isaiah's vision of the throne room of God is a vivid illustration of the weight of God's glory. The sheer magnitude and grandeur of the scene leave Isaiah feeling unworthy and unclean. He recognizes his own sinfulness in the presence of such holiness and is overwhelmed by the weight of God's glory.
Finally, in the New Testament, we see the weight of God's glory manifested in the person of Jesus Christ. In John 1:14, it says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." In Jesus, we see the fullness of God's glory revealed in human form. He is the perfect representation of God's character and nature, and through Him, we can experience the weight of God's glory in a tangible and transformative way