A Greater Glory
2Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
Under the Old Covenant, established by Moses using the Ten Commandments given by God to set the terms of what would be required to have any hint of a relationship with God as a people, there was a glory. At the start it caused the face of Moses to shine. But that shine was already starting to fade as he came down off the mountain where he had just been with God.
The relationship of the Old Covenant was tenuous at best because it relied on the ability of the people to stay in step with the law to remain right with God and receive His blessing s as opposed to being cursed. We all know how miserably Israel failed at saying right with God.
When we think of glory we think in terms of an effect in a moment. But is that a correct way to see it?
The ministry of righteousness excels in glory. What exactly does that mean and what does it look like?
It means we get to enjoy a relationship that doesn’t fade based on our ability to keep the law. It means God is now relating to us based on a righteousness that was imputed to us through Christ. That means the relationship holds. The presence of God remains with us even when we cannot discern it due to our neglect of it.
The glory of His presence is expressed in us and through us by the person of the Holy Spirit. In fact, when we read about the glory that came into the temple on the day Solomon dedicated it, and we marvel about how the priests could not stand and do their work because of the intense cloud and weightiness of the presence of God, we should get excited. Not because we are in a quest to capture the experience in similarity, but because the glory that is ours when we are together is greater than that which took place at Solomons temple.
God’s glory is tied to our relationship with Him and our belief in Jesus. If we will but believe as the Scripture says concerning Jesus we are welcomed to partake of the fullness of God through coming to know the love of Christ and believing in His finished work.
In Christ you are right now a part of a New Covenant far more glorious than that of the Old one. You have stepped into a ministry of righteousness covenant authenticated with the very blood of God’s Son and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.
A ministry of righteousness that far exceeds the ministry of death that was written and engraved on stone tablets so long ago. You have come to a greater glory, a greater experience of His presence, a greater continuance of closeness with Him that you never had to earn!
I challenge you to ponder these things in your heart and mind and let the Holy Spirit give birth to an even greater revelation of all that is yours to experience and know in Christ!
