The Knowledge of the Glory of the Lord
Isaiah Declared It!
Isaiah Declared It!
“They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:9 (ESV)
Our Hope is rooted in the promise that the earth will be ‘full of knowing the Lord as the waters cover the sea” by filling it to the fullness of its capacity. The premise is that everywhere God will be present and in every place the knowledge of him will be enjoyed to its fullest expression.
Habakkuk Repeated It!
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14 (ESV)
Habakkuk was complaining to the Lord, asking the Lord why he was allowing evildoers to judge his people? God’s answer to Habakkuk’s complaint settled it. God works in the world to accomplish his purpose, but God’s purpose goes beyond simply punishing the wicked. God desires that all the world know him. The final verse of the third woe gives an uplifting and positive element to the woes. God will work to make himself known in all the earth. In Hebrew thought “knowledge” means more than information. Knowledge is seen in fundamentally relational terms. To know God is to be in a right relationship with him, with characteristics of love, trust, respect, and open communication. Knowing involved intimacy and experience, being used in its most fundamental sense to describe the marriage relationship. For the earth to be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord involved knowing God rather than simply knowing about God. Not to know God for Israel and for the nations invited His judgment (Ps. 79:6; Jer. 10:25), which was the context here in Habakkuk.
Jeremiah also pictured a knowledge of the Lord coming in a New Covenant that transcended geographical borders or conventional barriers. (Jer 31:31–34)
Ezekiel repeatedly uses the recognition formula, “and you shall know that I am Yahweh” to show that all God is doing has divine purpose behind it. That purpose is to introduce himself to Israel and to the nations.
In the Old Testament “glory” is a “technical term for God’s manifest presence” (see Exod 16:7), or his “revealed excellence” often connected with the cloud (Exod 16:10) and with the Ark of the Covenant. It was represented as a consuming fire (Exod 24:17). All the earth would be filled with the knowledge of the manifest presence of God.
Israel expected God’s glory to fill their place of worship (Exod 40:34, 35; 1 Kgs 8:11; 2 Chr 7:1–2; Ezek 10:4; 43:5; 44:4). Habakkuk joined a prophetic chorus calling for more. God’s glory should be recognized as filling the entire universe (Num 14:21; Ps 72:19; Isa 6:3), letting all the people of the world experience and respond to God’s manifest, weighty presence. The prophet wanted the knowledge of God to be as pervasive as the waters that fill the seas. For Christian believers the verse takes in mind and heart to the work of Christ, who came into the world to make God known in the most unique way possible (cf. John 1:14; Eph 1:17). Through Christ the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.
David Sang It!
“Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!” Psalm 72:19 (ESV)
“All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.” Psalm 22:27 (ESV),
For David, the whole earth would be filled with God’s glory in the context of worship-saturated prayer in the ‘tent’ or ‘tabernacle of David.’ David, the man after God’s heart (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22) saw the intimate details of God’s dwelling place in heaven –the perfection of beauty (Ps. 50:2; 119:96), along with its’ governmental order of worship around His throne (1 Chr. 28:11-19). David was commanded to replicate this liturgical pattern on earth (2 Chr. 29:25). The heavenly order of worship that David received by revelation was God-centered (Ps. 27:4), relational (Ps. 149:3-4), continual (1 Chr. 9:33), musical (1 Chr. 15-16), and antiphonal or responsive (Neh. 12:8-9, 24).
Due to David’s all-consuming desire to dwell in God’s immediate presence within the heavenly temple (Ps. 27:4; 28:2), he vowed to establish a dwelling place for God on the earth, as it is in heaven (Ps. 132; Mt. 6:10). Around 1000 BC, David set the Ark in the tabernacle that he pitched for it in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6; 1 Chr. 16:1), where he employed 4000 musicians (1 Chr. 23:5) and 288 singers (1 Chr. 25:7) to minister to God in day and night prayer with worship, as a full time occupation (1 Chr. 16:37). Thus began the “Davidic order” of worship with prophetic music and singing, centered on encountering God’s beauty, as it is in heaven.
David’s Song is found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36. Throughout the song there are multiple verses related to all the earth and the nations. About a third of the verses in David’s song had to do with the nations or publishing the Good News. For example, the very first verse of the song (v. 8) reads: "Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done" (NLT). Verse 9 continues “Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.” Note also verses 23-24; 29-31;35-36.
Malachi Proclaimed It!
“For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 1:11 (ESV)
Malachi proclaimed that from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord will be made great. He proclaimed that in every place on the earth, incense (prayers of God’s people) will be offered to his name together with a pure offering of worship! And again the purpose was so the ‘Name’ of the Lord of Hosts would be made great in the nations of the earth.
Amos Prophesied It!
“In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,” declares the Lord who does this. “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the Lord your God.” Amos 9:11–15 (ESV)
Scripture testifies to a worldwide movement of worship-saturated prayer that will create a global open heaven for a great end time harvest. It is based on the biblical premise of the restoration of the Tabernacle of David globally. A great harvest will result as the booth (tent) of David is restored in the earth according to the pattern of unceasing worship in heaven! It is God’s desire to have a global covering of worship-saturated prayer on earth after the pattern of heavenly worship around the throne.
These verses clearly refer to the last days because in verse 15, God says of Israel "I will firmly plant them there in their own land. They will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the Lord your God. (v.14-15). This part of the prophecy occurred in May 1948 when Israel became a nation. This ties the promise of Amos 9 to the present day. Amos linked the restoration of the Davidic order of worship to the acceleration of the great harvest (vs. 11-12) in the generation in which Israel was restored to her land forever (vs. 14-15).
James Validated It!
James highlights the same prophecy in Acts 15:16-17 at the Jerusalem council:
“And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things.”
Verse 17 ties this promise to the harvest: "… So that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord.”
This movement of worship-saturated prayer will be fueled by God’s beauty (Isa. 4:2; 62:3-5, 6-7), releasing such intimate revelation of Jesus through song that it produces the same response in the nations as when Isaiah actually saw Jesus face-to-face (Isa. 6:5; 24:16). God’s people won’t just sing “worthy”, they will sing why he is worthy and the nations will respond! This time it would not just be local, partial and limited as in David’s day but global, total and comprehensive, including all the Gentiles in every place.
Revelation 4 and 5 Illustrated It!
“And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Revelation 4:8 (ESV)
“And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:8–9 (ESV)
Revelation 4 and 5 reveal the pattern of worship in heaven. Day and night the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders never cease to say “Holy, Holy, Holy..” and then are singing a new song, with harps (worship and praise) and golden bowls full of incense (the prayers of the saints), “Worthy is the Lamb.” This leads to a harvest song about the redeemed coming from every tribe, language, people and nation because of the absolute worth of Jesus.
Moving Forward as ‘Messengers of Hope’
According to Habakkuk, as the revelation of God’s greater work – to cover the earth with his glory as the waters cover the sea – becomes ‘plain’ herald’s, or messengers of hope will run with it (Hab. 2:2). The will do so confident that the vision will not linger, but that “it will certainly come and will not delay” (Hab 2:3). Even Habakkuk himself became such a messenger: “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day … he enables me to go to the heights” (Hab. 3:2, 19). Interestingly, Habakkuk’s book was written to be sung in the temple, and thus to be his ongoing message of hope to all who came to worship.
“God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.” Habakkuk 3:19
Revival encompasses the hope of the extraordinary, divine interventions that pour out on us the ‘manifest presence of Christ’ a phrase for revival coined by the 18th century Puritans.
God’s desire is to use ordinary people to do extraordinary exploits for his names’ sake! He longs to send forth messengers of Hope who like Paul will, “Proclaim Christ, the Hope of Glory.”
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” Colossians 1:15–18 (ESV)
“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” Colossians 1:27–29 (ESV)
Our one central and all-consuming focus ought to be the unrivaled preeminence of the risen and living Christ. Jesus Christ FIRST in everything. The risen and living Christ is deserving of absolute and unchallenged preeminence in all things: in life, in work, in love, in marriage, in money, in business, in the halls of government, in our universities and elementary schools, and most of all in the hearts of all people. All things were created through him and for him, meaning that our lives exist for the spread of his fame, for the extension of his reign, for the increase of his gain, and for the honor of his claim of that which rightfully belongs to him.
Our hope is found in Christ alone! Hope is the anticipation of God’s goodness in every area of our lives. Our ultimate hope in the goodness of God is in seeing and savoring, praising and prizing, recognizing and relishing the glory of God in the face of Christ. Christ is our HOPE! He is the summation of all the promises of God, the source of all the riches of God, now and forevermore. In Christ we have been given an inheritance of HOPE. Our Hope is in hearing the music of the future, and dancing to that music, by faith, NOW! The song being sung is the Beauty and Majesty of Jesus Christ.
Let’s enter into the power and pleasure of being obsessed with the magnificence of Jesus today! As Paul wrote,
“I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly.” Philippians 3:8-9 (AMP)
Prayer of Repentance
Too often, we fall woefully short of this glorious obsession. Therefore, Father we REPENT - - individually and on behalf of all your people:
We repent… for how we have diminished your Son, regarding Him more as our mascot than our Monarch.
We repent … for how we have manipulated your Son, coming to Him to use Him. As far as we think we need Him – that far and no more.
We repent… for how we have hoarded your Son, seeking His blessings for ourselves, with little thought about bringing those blessing to others. We’ve assumed that He was there only for us. We’ve acted as if He was not Lord of neighbors and nations.
We repent… for how we have resisted your Son, withholding our affections from Him because we were afraid of what it would cost us to draw near to Him – and thus we denied His lordship over all.
We repent… for how we’ve replaced your Son…with creeds and programs, and organizations, and causes performed in His name - but without the consuming passion He deserves as the Lamb who was slain!
To that end, Father, awaken us – awaken us to see All that the Lord Jesus Christ is: to see who He is as the Son of God … to see where He is leading in the Purposes of God… to see how He imparts the Resources of God … and to see what He must receive from the People of God.
Father, help us recover ALL the hope we are meant to have in our Sovereign Savior. Do this for the revelation of Your glory in Him, throughout this nation – and among all the nations! AMEN!
A messenger of Hope will likely share these characteristics and convictions:
A messenger of Hope recognizes Christ is our message. He is our ‘hope of glory.’
A messenger of Hope acts in the power of the Holy Spirit, whose major ministry is to take the things of Christ and reveal them to us, especially to show us what is to come (John 16:12-15). He causes us – and our message – to abound in Hope (Romans 15:13).
A messenger of Hope is marked by a lifestyle of hopefulness. Our daily decisions must constantly be wrapped around the hope of revival, and nothing short of that will do.
A messenger of Hope is a person of prayer. Before he speaks a message to others, he will pray his message back to God.
A messenger of Hope looks at our generation with a vision of the future from God’s perspective – God does all things for his Glory and our Joy! Our hope encompasses the whole plan of God for all the nations. God is better than we think he is and doing more than we think he is doing.
A messenger of Hope, like all servants of Christ, must be ready to sacrifice to fulfill their calling. As Henry Blackaby says so well,
“Lord, whatever it costs me, I release my life to you to be a spiritual leader during these times of crisis. Do with me whatever you will. Amen.”
As messengers of Hope may we ...
Seek Jesus more fully for all He is by how we pursue and encounter him through prayer which leads us to
Savor Jesus more fully for all He is by how we praise him and treasure him in worship which leads us to
Speak of Jesus more fully for all He is by how you talk about him with other believers which leads us to
Show Jesus more fully for all He is by how you imitate him in word and deed -which leads us to
Serve Jesus more fully for all He is by how you minister to others for his sake -which leads us to
Share Jesus more fully for all He is by how we introduce unbelievers to him as Lord and Savior!
For the Supremacy of Christ in all things,
Dr. Jason Hubbard
Executive Coordinator of the International Prayer Council, www.ipcprayer.,org
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Excellent!