Read: Isaiah 40:1-5
"And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
Isaiah 40:5
It is very common for Christians to use the phrase “to the glory of God” or some variation thereof. But what does it mean to glorify God? How does one do such a thing? To glorify God is to reflect who He is. God is good, so we glorify Him by declaring and displaying His goodness. In Isaiah 40, we learn that the incarnation is an act of revealing the glory of God. It is an act in which God displays His character and nature to the world.
Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 40 is (at least in part) declaring John the Baptist’s future ministry and teaching. At Jesus’ earthly descension, the people of God had become barren and spiritually dry. They were wandering in the spiritual “wilderness” and spiritual arid “desert.” One can see the hunger in some, however, due to the fact that Jesus’ day is known as a time of “Messianic fever.” The longing for the Messiah wasn’t due to the chosen of God wanting a spiritual renewal, though. Instead, they were looking for a warrior that would free the Jewish nation from the bondage of Roman occupation.
John’s message is a message we all need to hear: The King is coming! Repent and turn to God! The revelation of the Word of God is a focal point of the redemptive work. Furthermore, the incarnation is (again, at least in part) a physical representation of God’s goodness to us. Thus, when we repent of our sins and turn to Jesus, we are not turning from a destructive way of life to a religion of esoteric ideas. In the Christian faith, we follow a person, the incarnate Word of God. To be sure, He has given us commandments by which we must live, but it isn’t as if we must guess at how these commandments play out in real life. Jesus has led the way. He has already lived the perfect life. And in the Christian religion, we follow His example by being obedient to the Father.
The glory of God is in the revelation of the Son of God through His incarnation. Jesus’ birth and redemptive work are specific acts of God in which He reveals His goodness and love to mankind. Not only His goodness and love are revealed, however, one also sees the holiness and justice of God in the life of the Son. We reflect God’s goodness, love, etc. when we live in accordance to Jesus’ teachings, will, and example. To live for the glory of God is to live a life that reflects who He is. It means displaying the characteristics of Jesus, the example for all because He is the ultimate revelation of God’s glory.
•••
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for sending your Son–your ultimate display of glory and power. Thank You, Jesus, for living the perfect life. A life of obedience and glory to the Father. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for revealing these truths to me. I pray this in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–three persons in one Being. Amen.