The Glories of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Seven Glories of Christ - Part 1

From: The Christian Shepherd: 2000 By: Stanley Bruce Anstey

• 5 min. read • grade level: 7

Editor’s Note: The glories of our Lord Jesus Christ shall occupy our hearts in worship and praise for all eternity. They ought to fill our hearts with praise even now as we meditate upon them. We trust the following two-part series may be used to this end for each who read.

Glory is manifested excellence. The personal glories of our Lord Jesus Christ are many and varied. Some are intrinsic and some are acquired. Some are veiled and some could not be veiled. Some are shared with the redeemed and some cannot be shared.

His Godhead Glory

This essential glory in deity was not something the Lord Jesus acquired. It ever belonged to Him, for He was “with God” and “was God” (John 1:1¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)). He is “the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person” (Heb. 1:3³Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3)). He is “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see” (1 Tim. 6:14-16¹⁴That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: ¹⁵Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; ¹⁶Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:14‑16)).

When the Lord Jesus came into manhood there was a union of His divinity with humanity which is inscrutable (Matt. 11:27²⁷All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. (Matthew 11:27); Rev. 19:12¹²His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (Revelation 19:12)). His Godhead glory was veiled in the body of His human flesh (Heb. 10:20²⁰By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:20)). One exception was when He let a glimpse of that glory shine out—all those who had come to take Him fell backwards (John 18:46).

While this glory was veiled to man in the flesh, it has been revealed to faith. We know Him as the eternal God, though we cannot fathom the infinite depths of His person. Upon His return to His Father on high the Lord prayed that this union of His humanity and divinity would be taken into the glory from whence He came so that He would have it as a glorified Man (John 17:5⁵And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (John 17:5)). This is a glory that will never be shared; it belongs to Him alone.

His Sonship Glory

This is a glory that Christ has as being the only begotten Son. It is not an acquired glory, for He always was the eternal Son of God. He was the one concentrating object of His Father’s delight, for He ever dwelt in the bosom of His Father (Prov. 8:30³⁰Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; (Proverbs 8:30); John 1:18¹⁸No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18)). This glory was first manifested when He came among men. “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we have contemplated His glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father)” (John 1:14¹⁴And 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. (John 1:14) JND). The parenthesis in this verse defines the character of this glory which men beheld. It is that which an only begotten child would have with his father, having his full, undivided attention.

To illustrate this a brother told of the time when he was waiting for his wife outside a department store. He noticed in the car in front of him a young father with his newborn son. The young man was totally absorbed in his son, never taking his eyes off the baby. Similarly, when the Lord Jesus came among men they saw Him living in the full enjoyment of His Father’s love, being the object of His undivided attention. Joseph’s coat of many colors is also a type of this, distinguishing him as being the son of his father’s special love (Gen. 37:34³⁴And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. (Genesis 37:34)).

His Creatorial Glory

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork” (Psa. 19:1¹<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork. (Psalm 19:1)). “That which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead [divinity]” (Rom. 1:19-20¹⁹Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. ²⁰For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:19‑20)).