“glorious appearing” (Tit. 2:13, NKJV)
We are currently examining the concept of glory. In the previous teaching we looked at the concrete manifestation of the glory of God, and noted that it was a physical experience in the Old Testament, for both believers and unbelievers. The manifestation of glory was largely nestled in signs and wonders. But we also noted that the New Testament brought about an entirely new dispensation around glory. In Matt. 12:39 Jesus declares: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” We’ve spent quite a bit of time talking about what this sign of Jonah might be. In short it means knowing the resurrection power of Jesus, and living within it. Jesus the Christ is after all “buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).
The appearance of the God of glory is manifested in the new covenant only through the Son,” who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3). It is for this reason that we need to have an excellent understanding of this immensely important principle concerning the manifestation of God’s glory in the dispensation in which we’re living. The “knowledge of the glory of God” only occurs “in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). Remember: it was initially apparent in the physical realm through the figure of the Son:
- “When the Son of Man comes in His glory …” (Matt. 25:31)
- “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4)
- “For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” (2 Pet. 1:17).
But it’s very important to remember that one of the primary facets of Jesus’s purpose was “bringing many sons unto glory” (Heb. 2:10, ASV). For this reason Col. 1:37 (AMP) is such a pertinent element, that the identity of Christ WITHIN believers was the culmination of this purpose of Jesus: “the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of [realizing the] glory”. The core process of this is nestled in Col. 3:4: “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
Glory is thus not OUTSIDE the believer as was the case in the Old Testament; it is WITHIN us! People who search for glory in atmosphere, in places, in people, by participating in certain activities, in worship, prayer, intercession, whatever, have a total misconception of the nature of the New Testament “glorious appearing” (Tit. 2:13).
- Selah: Read the teaching of Day 1131-1150 again, about the symbolic meaning of the sign of Jonah.
- Read: 8-10
- Memorise: 8:3 (how important this Scripture is for today’s teaching!)
