There is a lot of anger, fear, and stress in the world today. In America, people are acting as if the political left and political right are the dividing lines between good and evil. Social media plays out like a war zone, with people talking past one another, and demonizing one another without really listening to each other. Every action by someone leads to an angry reaction from someone else. There is an increasing sense of instability in our society, and instability breeds uncertainty, and most people respond to uncertainty with anxiety. But the Bible calls Christians to conquer their anxieties through hope in the world to come. But what does this mean?

For many, this hope means a reunion with loved ones. Others think of it as a time of unending peace and joy. And yes, heaven will include many wonderful things. But our true hope is about something more, the very thing that makes heaven what it is. Our true hope is anchored in a direct, unmediated view of God’s glory. To be fully experiencing and enjoying God. Paul spoke of this when he wrote, “Christ in you the hope of glory”. I am saying that you need an increase in your vision of God’s glory. This will empower you to power through uncertainty.

What is the glory of God? Simply put, God’s glory is the sum total of all that he is. The glory of God is a revelation of his person, his nature, his essence.

Throughout Scripture, God’s glory is seen in various forms and in differing degrees. It is seen as fire, or intense light, or as a cloud. For example, the cloud that led Israel through the wilderness. God’s glory filled the Tabernacle, then radiated over the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies. However, the full magnificence of God’s infinite goodness is so powerful that the unmediated sight of it would mean instant death.

This is why, when Moses asked to see God’s glory in Exodus 33:18, God responded, “You cannot see my face for man shall not see me and live” in Exodus 33:20. God used the word “face” to refer to his full, unmediated glory. Now, you read that Moses did see God face to face in Exodus 33:11. But that is talking about Moses’ close personal relationship with God. The same Hebrew word used as “face” in Exodus 33:11 is translated as “presence” in Exodus 33:14. And Moses wanted more. He wanted to see God. Yet, no one can take in the fullness of God’s glory in this life. John 1:18 says No one has ever seen God. 1 Timothy 6:16 says God dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. Again, 1 John 4:12 says No one has ever seen God. A sinful person, which is all of us, cannot look upon the infinite goodness and moral perfection of God without being destroyed. So instead, God spoke his glory.

Exodus 34:6-7 says, The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation. God’s glory includes both grace and justice. The merciful grace of God, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, and forgiving our sins. And the justice of God, who will by no means clear the guilty. He is not leaving our sins unpunished; he is taking the punishment on himself. The glory of God in judging our sins yet forgiving the sinners – this is the glory of Jesus on the cross! It is a revelation of the grace and justice of God. But the full weight of the unmediated glory of God will only be revealed to us in eternity. That is what heaven will be, an ongoing revelation of the glory of God.

Revelation 21 pictures this hope. The New Jerusalem comes down from heaven as a temple of God’s glory. This city is a cube, just like the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle, where the glory of God radiated over the Mercy Seat as the only light in the place. Just like the New Jerusalem. Revelation 21:23 says And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God gives it light and its lamp is the Lamb. No one could enter the Holy of Holies, except the High Priest, and then only once a year on the Day of Atonement. But the New Jerusalem will bethe eternal Holy of Holies. And every Christian will be a priest serving the Great High Priest, Jesus. And God’s glory will be visible and experiential at all times. For believers, seeing a fully glorified Christ face to face will not destroy them, like seeing the full glory of God would have destroyed Moses. Instead, it will change us, allowing us to actually share the glory of God!1 John 3:2 says Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

In this life, being born again involves an encounter with the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:6 – For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And the more you see the glory of Christ, the more you are transformed. 2 Corinthians 3:18 – And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. This is the Christian life, being transformed into the likeness of Christ by encountering the glory of Christ. You see this glory in the Scriptures, you encounter it in the cross of Christ. But the full transformation of 1 John 3:2 won’t happen until we fully see Jesus at his return. But you should be longing for it, hoping in it, rejoicing in its promise. It cannot happen in this life, because if it did, you would worship yourself. You see, every person has an inner desire to worship built right into their soul, and we all worship something. This explains why people live in idolatry, why they “worship” people, and overvalue other things, and fall into utter despair so easily, because they fail to see the glory of God as much as they see the glory of lesser things. But you should focus your hope on seeing and sharing God’s glory for eternity. Titus 2:13 – Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.