Sharing in the Increasing Glory of God
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it…
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.”
The way of the Law was wonderful but sometimes hard for King David. While he “delighted in God’s Law” in the psalms, he also dealt with the weight of punishment when he broke that law. God’s Law in the Old Testament was so good because it gave people that had lived as slaves in Egypt for 400 years a new structure for their lives. As they created a nation, they needed to have an established way of life and were thankful for the access they had to God.
That old Law served it’s time as a punishment system. It gave guidance but then warnings in case of deviation from that guidance. There was a bit of God’s glory (instead of glowing fire of greatness read wisdom, insight, brilliance) in it, but it wouldn’t last.
God promised through Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and King David that He would put His Law into the hearts of His people. It would no longer be an outward guard rail, but an internal GPS. It would no longer be external, but deep in our souls.
Jesus started that conversion and made the final preparations during the Last Supper. He said “‘No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. ’” John 15:15 As Jesus makes His will and His plan known to us by transforming our lives from the inside out, we see that we can live a new way of life.
The greatness of God living inside of us to instruct, encourage, enable, and comfort us is so much greater than an external law. As we walk in love and grace, yearning to please God out of gratitude and joy instead of fear, we’ll see those glorious benefits. We’ll also see them not fade but increase in our church as we share that glory with one another.
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