CAN HUMAN BEINGS SEE THE GLORY?

/ 2019 / By /

What is the real definition of “glory?” Is it important for us to know the types of glory in this world? Can human beings see the glory of God? If so, who is qualified to see His glory?

During this week due to my year-end projects’ deadline, I had a very long-distance driving to meet clients in different states in the freezing temperatures and icy roads with heavy holiday season traffic conditions. Unexpected highway lane closing and slow driving conditions forced me to tune to various radio stations in my car to listen to some music, news, and messages, etc., to avoid driving frustration.

As per the American tradition, during the Christmas season, most of the commercial radio stations play songs such as, Oh You Better Watch Out and You Better Not Cry, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, White Christmas, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Santa Baby, Blue Christmas, Rockin Around the Christmas Tree, Jingle Bells, and many other songs.

Since these songs are being played everywhere, especially in the shopping malls, grocery stores, restaurants, and other places; therefore, I decided to listen to Hymnal from the Christian radio stations wherever I could get a good reception.

Yesterday, while I was on the highway driving and listening to Christmas songs, I heard the hymn “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night,” and suddenly thought about the “glory of the Lord” shone around the shepherds crossed my mind. Even though, since my childhood days, I have been listening to the Nativity story, but never thought about both “an angel” appearing and the “glory of the Lord” shining around, and to my surprise this incident happened to none other than simple and humble shepherds at the same time.

In fact, at that moment, I started asking myself the following questions:

  1. Why were the shepherds first one to receive the birth of Jesus Christ’s news by an angel of the Lord, and why not others?;
  2. Why did the “glory of the Lord” shine around only to the shepherds, and why not around others?;
  3. Were the shepherds only qualified to see the “glory of the Lord” at the time of Jesus Christ’s birth?”;
  4. Why did both an “angle” and the “glory of the Lord” appear only to the shepherds, and why not to the Magi (i.e., Wise Men)?;
  5. Why did the heavenly host appear praising with the angel only to the shepherds, and why not either to mother Mary, father Joseph, the Wise Men, or others?; and
  6. How did humble shepherds with a simple sign find a baby lying in a manager, and why the Wise Men, in spite of a guided star first ended up in King Herod’s palace?

Moreover, as I started writing a short blog on this topic, another thought on the “glory of the Lord” crossed my mind. That is, when Moses asks the Lord “Please, show me Your glory (Ex.33:18 NKJV),” and the Lord said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live (Ex. 33:20 NKJV).” This indicates that no man can see His glory. But as per the Scriptures, ordinary shepherds were able to see it (Luke 2:9 NKJV). Why?

To answer all of my questions I had to do a short study on this topic. According to Vine’s Dictionary of New Testament Words, a Greek word “doxa” is referred to as the glory of the Lord in the New Testament. One of the meanings is used as the nature and acts of God in self-manifestation.

Regarding types of glory, I think there are two; first, glory of men, and second, the glory of the Lord. One of the supporting texts in the Bible on types of glory can be found in the book of Jeremiah 9:23-24, where the Lord says “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight (NKJV).”

After my prayerful meditation and evaluation, I reached the following conclusion on the topic of shepherds being witnessed soon after Jesus Christ’s birth with three events at the same time. That is, the appearance of an angel, shining the glory of the Lord around them, and the appearance of the heavenly host with the angel praising God, respectively:

  1. Why were the shepherds first one to receive the birth of Jesus Christ, a Savior, the Messiah (Lk 2:11 KJV)? Because, I think, it was a Divine master plan. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not (Jn. 1:11 KJV).” As we know that His own (Israel- Genesis 32: 28 KJV) were shepherds (Gn. 46:32 KJV). Even before Jacob is known as “Israel,” the first time he met Rachel, a shepherdess at the well (Gn. 29:9 KJV), and later she became his wife with two (2) sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph was also a shepherd (Gn. 37:2 NIV) and later became the governor of Egypt, and the rest is history. Moreover, it was prophesied stating that “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel (Mt. 2:6 NIV).”
  2. Why did the “glory of the Lord” shine around only shepherds, and why not around others? Because, as per the Old Testament, the glory of the Lord was with His people (i.e.,“shepherds or Israel”). For instance, during the “Ten Commandments” review, the Israel people afraid of God’s presence, and said “ Surely the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives. Now therefore, why should we die (Deu. 5:24 NKJV)?”
  3. Were the shepherds only qualified to see the “glory of the Lord” at the time of Jesus Christ’s birth? Yes! I think. Because shepherds were His chosen people (i.e., Israel), and He came to His own (Jn. 1:11 NKJV). Also, Isaiah prophesied by stating that “The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together (Isaiah 40:5 NKJV).”
  4. Why did both an “angle” and “glory of the Lord” only appear to the shepherds, and why not to the Magi (i.e., Wise Men)? Because “Wise Men” were not His (i.e., a chosen or Israel) people. Moreover, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Cor. 1:27 NIV).”
  5. Why did the heavenly host appear praising with the angel to the shepherds only, and why not either to mother Mary, father Joseph, the Wise Men, or others? I think, based on human nature, at least three witnesses or evidence needed to ensure His people (i.e., shepherds) regarding their anticipated “Messiah’s (Jn. 4:25 NIV)” birth.

In fact, if we refer Luke 2:16 verse to various translations, we see the word “haste (KJV),” and “hurried (NIV).” Meaning, an immediate action was taken by the shepherds to go and see the baby. Interesting to note that the decision to see the baby was made by    shepherds themselves without any doubt or question! As we know that an angle gave them the good news, and a sign, but quick decision to go and see the baby was made by the shepherds.

I think with 3 evidence the shepherds were fully convinced that a Savior has been born. Therefore, they said “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us (Lk. 2:15 NKJV).” Wow! “Proof- by- evidence.” We can clearly see the 3 types of evidence, physical evidence, testimony evidence, and documentary evidence, respectively.

  1. How did humble shepherds with a simple sign find a baby lying in a manager, and why the Wise Men in spite of a guided star first ended up in King Herod’s palace? One of the observations that I made on this question is that the “glory of the Lord” gave shepherds the wisdom to locate and identify a simple sign, which is “a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger (Lk. 2:12 NKJV).” Another observation is that God’s wisdom is always better than man’s worldly wisdom. This we can see in the Old Testament when God reveals His Omnipotence to Job by saying “Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart (Job 38:36 NKJV)”?

Finally, my answers to the main topic, which is “Can Human Beings See The Glory”? The answer is yes! As we know that the “glory of the Lord” shone around shepherds at the time of Jesus Christ’s birth (Lk. 2:9 NIV), in my opinion and belief that the same glory of the Lord shines around the “Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:11 NIV).”

This can be verified with Jesus Christ’s beloved disciple John’s statement “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14 NIV).”

Even Jesus Christ said “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me (Jn. 8:54 NIV).” Jesus Christ also said that “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God (Jn. 11:40 NIV)?”

Based on Jesus Christ’s statement, “if we believe in Him, we will see the glory of God.” I think when simple and humble people like shepherds believed in a Savior’s birth. Likewise, we can also be humble and believe in His Son’s birth are able to see the glory of God. I hope and pray that with the belief of a Savior’s birth on this Christmas Day; we can also see the glory of God. Shalom!!!

Merry Christmas.