Slide 0 The Lens of Glory

Slide 27 Is there a biblical linkage between Christ and the glory of God? Since the Bible is Christ-oriented, Christ- centered and Christ-filled, if there is a linkage between Christ and the glory of God, we should expect to find that where Christ is, the glory of God is there too.

Slide 28 Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory.”

Slide 29 Concerning Unbelievers And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:3-5

Slide 30 Concerning Believers For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

Slide 31 What the Bible says about “The Lamb” (see Revelation 5:12) I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. Revelation 21:22-23

Slide 32 Transfigured Glory After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Matthew 17:1-2

Slide 33 Transfigured Glory … among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. Revelation 1:13-16

Slide 34 The linkage between Christ and the Glory of God is clearly in the Bible. We will begin to see how the theme of the glory of God permeates Scripture

Slide 35 What does the Bible indicate is the highest priority of God?

Slide 37 Haggai 1 offers us an answer to this question The Historical Context The people of Israel stopped building the second Temple under political pressure and an imperial stop work order (Ezra 4:23-24). Haggai delivers a message to the people on the first day of the sixth month of the second year of the reign of King Darius (August 29, 520 BC)

Slide 38 Haggai 1 offers us an answer to this question The Historical Context For the returned exiles, expectations fell short and frustrations mounted. The work of their hands yielded little result when compared to the effort which they put in (Haggai 1:6-8).

Slide 39 Haggai 1 offers us an answer to this question The Historical Context God, through Haggai, commanded the people twice to “Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5-7). The Lord stated that He is the one who caused the people’s efforts to fall short (Haggai 1:9-11). But why?

Slide 40 Haggai 1 offers us an answer to this question The Historical Context The people were focused on their own interests and not those of the Lord (Haggai 1:4,9). They allowed the unfinished temple to stay unfinished for about 16 years

Slide 41 Haggai 1 offers us an answer to this question The Historical Context God’s priority is seen His command: “Build the house [of God], that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified” (Haggai 1:8).

Slide 42 The Bible clearly shows that the Glory of God is God’s highest priority