December 2024 – The Glory of God and the Coming of Christ

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P r o p h e tic Truth in the N e w s

December 2024

Published monthly by Mike Wingfield Ministries

All Bible references are from the KJV   

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(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)

P.O. Box 67, Boones Mill, VA 24065

The Glory of God and the Coming of Christ

“And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven

with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30

By Mike Wingfield

Traveling the globe and interviewing people would give great insight into the diversity among the world’s cultures. What makes people so different? According to the Bible, how a person lives is determined by how he thinks (Proverbs 23:7). The most vital question that directs all our thoughts is, who is God? What a person believes about God will formulate that person’s total view of life.

The Bible is clear there is only one true God and no other. God said to His people who were worshipping other gods and idols, “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me” (Isaiah 45:5). Our faith is firmly built upon that single truth. What you believe about God is vital to your faith. If your understanding of God is shallow, your faith will be weak. If your heart is passionately fixed upon discovering and knowing God, your life will be filledwith wisdom, meaning, and purpose. You will be known as a person of great faith!

At the heart of all our problems in this world and even our churches is this one defining question, who is God? If you were to ask people around the world who God is, you would be shocked at some of their answers. The reason there are so many different views of God is that sinful man always tends to create his view of God based upon his experiences and reasoning. Man likes to have a god that fits his culture and makes him feel good about himself.

Man likes to create a god or idol that will be like him, and in some ways can be controlled by him. These people change “the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, andfour-footedbeasts, and creeping things” (Romans 1:23). Obviously, they have deceived themselves and are wrong. Their reasoning seems good to them, but they are living in spiritual darkness. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

The Bible is the primary source of revelation we must turn to if we want to know God. The Bible is God’s only source of written truth. It is a self-revelation given to man by God. Therefore, what we believe about God must be grounded in a clear understanding of what God has said about Himself.

The Holy Spirit of God has given us this written revelation about Himself – God! He is also the One who guides us in our interpretation and understanding of all that He has said about God. The unsaved man cannot receive “the things of the Spirit of God: for the are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Only God can fathom His eternal greatness. Therefore, man himself cannot explore “the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10).

There are many mysteries that man cannot fathom. However, the greatest of all infinite matters to comprehend are the things of God. God is a holy God! That means He is infinitely set apart from all His creation. There is an intellectual chasm between God and His creation that cannot and will never be breached. God will always be infinite, and man will always, even in his eternal spiritual state in heaven, be finite. Our understanding of God will continue to expand for all eternity!

The godly men whom the Spirit of God chose to give us this written revelation continually testified as to how difficult it is for man to understand God. In Psalm 139, godly King David of Israel wrote about how God knows all things and is everywhere present at the same time. In verse 6 of this Psalm, he wrote, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” In Romans 9-11, the apostle Paul wrote about the great mysteries of God’s faithfulness to Israel, despite their rebellion against Him. In Romans 11:33, Paul exclaimed, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

Pursuing the knowledge of God is far more than a deep, intellectual quest. Getting to know God is a profound, rich experience that is very rewarding to the souls of godly men and women. It brings comfort, peace, and joy. It is rich food for the hungry heart. The psalmist said, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalm 34:8).

God has invited us to seek Him! “Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually” (1 Chronicles 16:11). Also, read Psalm 27:4; and Isaiah 55:6-7. God has promised, “he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Dear friend, please focus on this promise. Do you want to be spiritually rewarded by God? Are you willing to pay the price to continually seek His face? This means you must be willing to sacrifice other things to put God first. This means you will study the Word of God and seek His face in worship and prayer in the quietness of your heart. This will happen when He becomes the focus of the meditation of your heart throughout each day.

If someone were to ask you to tell them about God, what would you say? How would you describe God? The Bible says that when we walk with God, He is our “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15). Abba is the affectionate Hebrew word for “daddy” or “papa.” It is the word used by Jewish children to intimately address their father when they call out to him. I will never forget that on one of my tours in Israel, our group was in the Old City of Jerusalem. We were in the Jewish quarter. As usual, it was very congested. Suddenly, out of the crowd came the voice of a little boy, crying, “Abba, Abba!” As I turned to look, I saw the Jewish father lift his little son into his arms. The little boy threw his arms around his dad’s neck, and they affectionately embraced each other. Immediately, this word picture of God the Father as our Abba came into clear focus. It was precious! A tear came to my eyes. A smile was on my face.

Friends, God wants us to seek Him and to know Him because we love Him and have a real relationship with Him. Just like the bond of a small child to their father, so should there be a bond that unites the heart of the believer to his heavenly Father.

People cannot have a personal relationship with a false god or idol. These gods and idols do not exist. Our faith must be more than just a religious feeling or ritualistic action. Christianity is more than a religion; it is an intimate relationship with God!

God delights in showing mankind that He is real and there are no other gods. Throughout the Bible, we are told about God’s visible manifestation that proves He is there and that He is God. This visible manifestation of the infinite, supernatural attributes of God is called “the glory of God.”

The word “glory” is repeated many times in the Bible. This word is infinite in its meaning because it is a word that attempts to depict God’s infinite power, presence, and the very essence of Who God is. When I say the word “God,” what comes to your mind? If we are all honest, when we try to imagine who God is, we intellectually draw a blank. He is nothing like anyone we have ever seen or imagined! In part, it is also because no man has ever seen God at any time (John 1:18). God, in His essence, is a Spirit. Jesus said to the woman at the well in John 4:24, “God is a Spirit.” This simply means that God is not a physical being like all the rest of His visible and tangible creation.

All of creation is finite and is limited to time, space, and matter. That is not true of God. He is infinite and dwells in a context of limitless space. He is omnipresent. God is infinite in the context of matter. He is not limited to a physical, tangible body. He is a Spirit. God is infinite in His power. Within the context of His holy character, and His perfect, revealed eternal plans, nothing is impossible with Him! In other words, God’s power is self-limited. He can only do those things that would allow Him to act in by His holy character and that which He said He would do. God is not at liberty to do anything contrary to His declared purposes and plans. If He did anything that would declare His Word to be null and void, He would become a liar. This is impossible because He is the God of truth. He cannot lie (Titus 1:2).

God chose a people to display His glory. Speaking about Israel in Isaiah 43:7, He said, “I have created him for my glory.” By His sovereign choice, God chose an undeserving, rebellious, small ethnic group of people through whom He desired to display His glory. History demonstrates that the Jewish people have the unenviable position of being the world’s most hated group of people. Why would God call this kind of people to demonstrate to the world who He is?

God chose Israel as the instrument of His praise. He did this because when He would do impossible and unexplainable things to them, through them, and for them, the world would know that it was God, not the Jewish people that did these things.

There is a very significant lesson to learn in all of this. God’s glory is from Him, about Him, and for His praise alone! God told Israel in Isaiah 42:8, “I am the LORD: that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another.” Mankind is acting foolishly and dangerously when he takes credit for what God has done. God is to receive all the glory.

When the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he warned them of this problem. The believers in this church were immature (1 Corinthians 3:1). Their core problem was their pride. They wanted to take the credit for what only God could do. In 1 Corinthians 1:26-28, he informed them that God delights in using people and things that are weak, insignificant, foolish, and that which is despised. He reminded them that God does this so that He is the only One who should receive the glory (1 Corinthians 1:29, 31).

No people group in all of history has witnessed the glory of God like the Jewish people. More miracles happened to them, for them, and because of them than anyone else. The people of Israel and the land of Israel continue to be, instruments that display the glory of God.

The glory of God has been manifested in many ways throughout Israel’s history. The invisible God supernaturally displayed His glory to His people. During the wilderness wanderings, He daily made His presence known through the Shekinah Glory. This was a visible cloud during the day and a fiery cloud during the night. There were supernatural occurrences connected with the Tabernacle and later at the temple in Jerusalem. God demonstrated His glory through the presence of the holy Ark of the Covenant, located inside of the Holy of Holies.

When Israel came to Mount Sinai, where God gave them the Law, His presence and power were uniquely manifested. Exodus 19reports that the mountain was covered in a mysterious cloud, accompanied by lightning and thunder. The mountain quaked, as God descended upon the mountain in fire. All of this was a manifestation of the glory of God.

Many other miraculous events that displayed the glory of God in the history of ancient Israel are too numerous to mention. On many occasions, God manifested His glory to His people with the supernatural defeat of their enemies. Even the enemies of Israel were filled with fear at the sight of the displays of God’s glory. Listen to what Rahab said to the spies when they entered Jericho. “And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” (Joshua 2:9-11).

The greatest displays of the glory of God are a vital part of the first and second comings of Christ and during the millennial reign of Christ. In the face of a world filled with disbelief and in rebellion against God, God has and will display His glory for all of mankind to see.

When God’s Son was born in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago, the glory of God burst forth upon the hillside of this little village. Nine months before that night, God had informed a virgin Jewish girl and a godly young Jewish man in Nazareth that the baby she would deliver would be the Son of God and the Savior of the world. God caused a godless emperor in Rome to make an edict for everyone in Israel to report to the city of their family ancestry to register for taxation. The timing of this edict caused Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem just in time for Jesus to be born.

It was significant that Jesus, the Messiah, be born in Bethlehem. The ancient prophet of Israel, Micah, had prophesied 700 years earlier that the “ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” would be born in the little village of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

The journey for Joseph and Mary from Nazareth, where they lived, to Bethlehem was very difficult. It was a journey of 80 miles. Most of their trip included very difficult terrain, especially for a woman who was ready to deliver a baby. It probably took them at least four days to walk this winding foot path, averaging about 20 miles per day.

The first leg of their trip from Nazareth, located in the hill country of Galilee, was about 15 miles to the Sea of Galilee. This part of their journey forced them to travel up and down a winding path around mountainous terrain. The elevation dropped by about 1,800 feet. Traveling on this kind of path required great physical strength and mental caution.

The last part of their trek, from Jericho to Bethlehem, took them a full day. This would be the most physically challenging part of their entire trip. Each step took them up a steep winding narrow path from 1,300 feet below sea level up 20 miles to Bethlehem, 2,543 feet above sea level. There is no doubt that the difficulties of this challenging trip produced the physical conditions that helped Mary to go into labor and give birth to Jesus.

Asignificant part of the eternal plan of God had now come to fruition. The Messiah, both God and man, had just been born. This required a heavenly celebration. The Father dispatched a group of angels to announce the arrival of His Messiah. This announcement was given to a small number of shepherds who were caring for their sheep on a hillside, just a short distance from where Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were in a lowly stable where animals were sheltered for the night.

In the stillness of the night, God displayed His glory. An angel of the Lord appeared and “the glory of the Lord shone round about [the shepherds]” (Luke 2:9). This glory of the Lord was a mysterious, brilliant supernatural light. This light was almost blinding to the shepherds, something they had never experienced before. They were surprised, stunned, and visibly shaken.

After the announcement of the angel, probably Gabriel, about the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:10-12), there was an additional stunning visit from heaven. “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:13-14).

We do not know all that was done or said by these angels from heaven. For thousands of years, they knew about God’s plans to send His Son into this world. As servants of God, it was their pleasure to display the joy of all of heaven to see the fulfillment of that which their Lord had promised would happen. They understood that the birth of Jesus was a glorious display of the power and mercy of their faithful Master in heaven.

These angels had been there in the beginning and rejoiced when they saw the Son of God speak the creation into existence out of nothing. Job 38:7 says these angels “sang together” and “shouted for joy.” We cannot imagine what these shepherds must have seen and heard as the angelic singing and shouting must have reverberated across the hills of Bethlehem. And then, suddenly the angels went away from the shepherds “into heaven” (Luke 2:15).

As at times past in Israel, this was a stunning, tangible display of the glory of God. In His grace and power, the invisible God has chosen to prove Himself to mankind, so that we might be in awe of Him, worship Him, and serve Him. “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; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

The patience of God is incredible. After this sudden burst of the glory of God at Jesus’ birth, the Lord did not display the fullness of the glory of God until Jesus entered His earthly ministry at 30 years of age. As designed by the Father, the glory of God was manifested through Jesus with everything He said and did. Jesus displayed the awesome attributes of God in His miracles and messages. People were stunned when they heard Him teach. His numerous miracles surpassed anything Israel had ever witnessed in the past. It is no wonder that His presence attracted massive crowds. They knew what He did was supernatural.

The pinnacle of Jesus’ display of the glory of God was experienced by only three of His disciples at the time of His Transfiguration. On top of a high mountain in Israel, Jesus “was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light” (Matthew 17:2).

The last of the living apostles, John, wrote in His gospel near the end of the first century about the impact of the glory of God displayed by Jesus. He wrote, “And the Word [Jesus] 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). A few verses later John wrote, “No 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). The Greek word translated “declared” in this verse means to unfold, reveal, or to manifest. An online resource, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains, states that this word means “to provide detailed information.” This simply means that a vital part of Jesus’ life and ministry while on earth was to put God on display in greater detail. God had given His people a detailed written revelation about Himself. However, when Jesus came, He took this revelation about God to the next level. His mission was to display God and His glory.

However, soon, the Lord will give an even greater revelation of His Son and the glory of God. During Jesus’ first visit to earth, the glory of God was somewhat limited in its scope and nature. Only a remnant of the world’s population witnessed the glory of God at Jesus’ birth and during His earthly ministry.

When He comes again, the glory of God will be on display on earth for seven years as God supernaturally intervenes in the affairs of all nations. God has promised Israel, “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come” (Joel 2:30-31).

At Mount Sinai, when God gave the Law to Israel, He displayed His glory with supernatural signs. The mountain was enveloped in a great cloud, with thunder, lightning, and a mysterious fire. The mountain also quaked. See Hebrews 12:25-29.

At the heart of God’s revelation of His glory during the Tribulation Period, there will be the global shaking of the earth (Isaiah 24:1-23). God will gradually and systematically destroy man’s modern way of life. Only a small remnant of the global population will be alive to witness the return of Christ to this earth. Why will God decimate planet earth during the Tribulation? Read Isaiah 2:10-22. This passage reveals that the Lord will rise in the last days to “shake terribly the earth” (verses 19, 21). Isaiah wrote that the Lord will do this “for the glory of His majesty” (verses 10, 19, 21). He will remove all the power and glory of the nations. In that day, “the LORD alone shall be exalted” (Isaiah 2:11, 17).

When Jesus returns to this earth, every living person on the planet will witness the glory of God (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7). He will return to Jerusalem. Long ago King David wrote about this moment, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory” (Psalm 24:7-10).

For 1,000 years all the inhabitants of earth will see the Lord of glory in His temple in Jerusalem. Habakkuk 2:14states that during this millennial reign of Christ all “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

Finally, after the Millennial Kingdom, the saints of God from all the ages will be gathered onto the new earth and into our home in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-3). This city will be immersed into “the glory of God” (Revelation 21:11). This city will be completely unique. “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof” (Revelation 21:23).

Someday, we will live with the Lord and rejoice in the glory of His presence. “Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment” (Psalm 104:1-2).

Get ready for the shout that will take us out!