IN Eph. 2:17,17And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. (Ephesians 2:17) the Apostle Paul refers to “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory.” The mighty power of God, as displayed in the exaltation of Christ, and of the Christian in Him, is the prominent thought in this prayer, but not the only one. The thought suggested by the expression, “Father of glory,” is sweet to the heart of the child. While we connect the idea of power with the title “God,” affection is inseparably associated with the title “Father.” While meditating in wonder and delight on the bright scene of glory which is before us, the happy thought crosses the mind, “My Father’s love is the spring of all that glory — the fountain of all that perfect blessedness.” He is “the Father of glory.”
Great indeed and wonderful is the effect of God’s power as here seen by the eye of faith. It is called, “the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places.” But who can speak of the happy combination of love and glory? Yet, surely, even the brightest glory is but the outward manifestation of love. Nevertheless they go well together — we would not have them separated; and thank God they never will be: but all will allow that love is the deeper, closer thing. Both will be seen in the millennium. Then the heavens will not be so high above the earth as they now are. They will be, as it were, together. Jacob in vision saw them united as by a ladder, and the many glories encircling the Messiah were seen from earth’s point of view. Then the Church will be seen in company with Christ, according to His own word in John 17. “And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved me.”
Here all is plain as to the future. The glory which the Father gives the Son, the Son gives to us, that the world may know that the Father sent the Son, and that He loves us, as He loves the Son. When the world sees us in the same glory with Christ, it will then know that we are loved with the same love. Wondrous, blessed truth! The soul can only bow in worship, while meditating on the grace that shines in these bright scenes of love and glory.
But what of the Father’s house? Ah! that is the inner circle, the home of love. What is enjoyed there the world can never know. It will see the glory outside the house, but it can never gaze on the family scenes inside. It is the children’s place, and we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. His word can never be broken. All who are the children of God now will be in the children’s home then.
Oh! who could rest without the full assurance of an eternity of love and glory. Dear reader, is this thy blessed hope? It is surely worthy of all thy thought and attention, and all sacrifices too, even unto life itself, rather than lose that home of love, that eternal glory. One word settles all, “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on Him.” A. M.