THE SUN GLORY
Jack Davis
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11
We read in I Corinthians 15:41 of the distinct glory of the sun. Having mentioned in the preceding verse the distinguishable glories of the celestial and terrestrial bodies, verse 41 follows with the marvelous statement, “So also is the resurrection of the dead.” I enjoy considering from our text something of what our God is and gives. He would have us realize that everything in the universe comes from Him and revolves around Him and His Son.
Jesus is spoken of prophetically as the “Sun of righteousness” that shall “arise with healing in his wings” – Mal. 4:2. Those are indeed comforting words even though they are spoken first to Israel. We read in Psalm 27:1: “The LORD us my light and my salvation.” Let us be receptive to divine illumination in our spirits, souls and then eventually our bodies. By spiritual enlightenment we may enjoy an illuminated path. “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” – Psalm 16:11.
As we honor God as our Sun, and the Lord as our light, “…the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect (full orbed) day” – Prov. 4:18. As we let our light shine, it will grow and increase unto the glory of God. As Jesus Christ is revealed to us, He is also to be revealed in us (in our hearts, from our lives.) II Cor. 4, “For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Oh yes, it has been fully provided that we see and know the glory of God! “But 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, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” – II Cor. 3:18.
GOD GIVES GRACE
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” – John 1:14,16-17. Abundant grace is given by Him that is both our illuminator and protector. “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” Eph. 43:7. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” – II Cor. 8:9. “…much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” – Rom. 5:17.
HE WILL GIVE GLORY
A certain amount of grace is necessary in order to be able to absorb any of the glory. There is, for the recipients of grace, “glory that excelleth” – II Cor. 3:9-11. There was in the law an awesome glory of God’s holiness and power. There was to fallen man a blinding glory, as Moses put a vail over his face. We think of how Saul, zealous for the law, was blinded on the road to Damascus, Grace is productive in glory, and must have recipients upon which to release, and unleash this glory. Peter was given the privilege to speak of the grace that should come, and the glory that should follow. He was inspired to write of the God of all grace, that has called us unto His eternal glory. God offers glory to those that will simply receive His grace. An abundant revelation of the glory of our dear Lord, demands an abundance of leveling grace.
Knowing His splendor and radiance, necessitates that we also know His protection. We are kept by the power of God; we are held in our Father’s hand, our lives safely hid with Christ in God. Who shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Jesus Christ our Lord?
NOTHING GOOD WITHHELD
As we walk in the light by the enablement of God’s grace, we glorify God with an upright walk. The glory of grace is seen in such a walk. Herein we withhold nothing of ourselves from Him, and are richly rewarded. He will not withhold anything that is good for us. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.” God, The Father of glory, has begotten, and is bringing many Sons unto glory. Is it possible that some will radiate the “Sun” glory?
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Revelation 21
Verse 2 – “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
Verse 9 – “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
Verses 10-11 – “And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;”
Verses 23-24 - “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
