The Glory of the Lord

Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.  (Leviticus 9:22-24, NASB)

The Israelites had just finished building the Tabernacle according to the fine detail that God had given to Moses.  The people had donated the materials, and the work was done by craftsmen ordained by God.  Moses then sanctified the Tabernacle and sanctified Aaron, his brother, and Aaron’s sons as priests.  Next, Aaron and his sons made sacrifices to the Lord.  They performed a sin offering, a burnt offering, and a peace offering to God. 

As Moses, the author of the first five books of the Bible reports, “When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.”  WOW!  That must have been a sight!  God had promised to go through the wilderness with the Israelites, to be their God, and they were His people.  But to see His glory!  What happens next?  “Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”

gloryandliver
Conceptual illustration of God’s glory.  Found at Owlcation, https://owlcation.com/humanities/gloryandliver. 

I’ve often wondered how the glory of the Lord would manifest Itself.  Is it fire as the Hebrews saw?  Is it a brighter-than-the-sun light?  Or can we see God’s glory in everyday occurrences?  Is God’s glory in the sunlight?  Is it in the moonlight?  Can we see it in the stars?  Does God show His glory in “the rolling thunder”?  Or is it the people we see, who are made in the image of God?  I choose to see God’s glory in His Creation.  We just have to pay attention and look for it. 

Worship:  “Show Me Your Glory,” by Jesus Culture, ft. Kim Walker-Smith

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