by T. Austin-Sparks
First published in "A Witness and A Testimony" magazines, 1965, Vol. 43-4 - 43-5.
Glory, in the Bible, is the expression of the satisfaction of God's nature. God is holy. God is righteous. God is truth. God is love. God's nature is utter and exact, without mixture, compromise, or duplicity; and so on. When things are as God wills them to be there is glory whether in a sentient way, or in a spirit of glory. This is seen in creation. When God had finished His work, He was able to say "It is very good", and everything speaks of a glorious state. It can be seen in the whole Bible that, when the glory, of life, joy, fulness, power, departs or is limited, it is because man's hand is laid on Divine things, or man's nature has asserted itself. Man's mind, reason, will, touching the Testimony means death and shame, as in the case of Uzzah. So human weakness and dependence are always the way of the glory.
