What is Glory? In these excerpts from “Called Unto His Eternal Glory”  and “The Glory of God” Lance Lambert defines the biblical meaning of glory.

What Does Glory Mean in the Bible?

In my estimation there is no substitute word for the word glory. Some modern versions [of the Bible] have used the word splendour. Some have suggested the word magnificence. At other times they have thought to translate this word in both Hebrew and in Greek by the word honour. Actually, now and again it can be translated as honour, but none of these words convey the real meaning of glory. We have to leave it as glory, and the Holy Spirit has to reveal to us what glory is.

It is the same with grace. Once you start to substitute the word unmerited favour, you have done damage, I think, to the word grace. Grace has to be revealed to you. No amount of words can actually convey the word grace. Only God can reveal to the human heart what grace really means.

It is the same with glory. The Spirit of God has to take this word, this concept, this truth, this reality, and He has to reveal it to us so that it becomes part of our own being.

What is Glory?

We often think of glory as the President pinning medals on chests, a certain sort of reward for battles won or for bravery or something else, whether in the army or in civilian life. But glory is not medals being pinned on the chest, brass bands playing, and wonderful, rousing kinds of anthems being sung.

What is glory? The Lord can sometimes speak to us but He does not manifest His presence. He can actually work without manifesting His presence. But when He manifests His presence, that is glory. So here you have the most extraordinary thing. The presence of the Lord had been with the people and spoken with Moses. He had done so many acts before them in delivering them from Egypt and keeping them, but suddenly the presence of the Lord was manifested and the tabernacle was filled with the glory of the Lord. No one could stand; no one could enter.

It was the same with the temple. God did so many things through King David in all the preparations for the temple and all the wonderful defeats of the enemies of God, but when the temple was finally complete and the ark was brought in, then the presence of the Lord was manifested. As I see it, it is the presence of the Lord manifested.

The Meaning of Glory

Now, I wonder whether you and I, as those who have been redeemed through the grace of God, really realise to what God has called us. Have we just become little Christians that can sing a hymn, that can say our prayers, that can read the Bible? Have we become people who have just a knowledge of faith? Are we people, in fact, that can work miracles and signs and wonders? Are we a people who know that God can do it? Are we a people who know the power of God, the provision of God, the miraculous provision of God? We may know all those things and still not touch the heart of the matter.

Dear, dear child of God, you and I have been saved that we might become the receptacle, the dwelling place of God’s glory. Now what does that mean? Does it excite you? I fear sometimes it does not because we are often more thrilled with other things than the thought of glory.

What is glory? Glory is the presence of God in a completely full and committed way. When God commits Himself, it is glory! It is absolute glory.