The Splendor of Jesus

“For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)

The end of the Lord’s prayer says it all. “...For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:13) God’s kingdom is eternal, forever. Daniel prophesied about it in his visions of the Messiah to come, Jesus. “And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:14) We cannot even define eternity, God’s world. We may say it’s everlasting and yet not understand. It’s defined as perpetual. But we cannot imagine it because it’s not known in this world we live in. In this world all things come to an end. There is an end to man. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27). And Peter wrote: “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” (1Peter 4:7)

The thought that we will have a part of this eternity is beyond our understanding. We think we know what it will be like, but it’s like nothing we can imagine. “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of Whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom are all things, and we by Him.” (1Corinthians 8:6) “In Him...” meaning we’re a part of God. He has embraced us as His own children. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:” (John 1:12). God gave us His nature. And by Jesus we are God’s.

And the marvelous revelation of all of it is beyond our understanding.  “One God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:6) Do you even wonder that God is in you and indwelling? If we lived with the consciousness of His continual presence, we wouldn’t do, say or think the things we do. The Word of God tells us that He sees all even the secret things or hidden things. “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” (Romans 2:16) But we forget.

Paul in writing to Timothy to urge him to fight the good fight of faith reveals that in God’s time, He will reveal Jesus as the only Ruler, King of kings and Lord of lords. “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of God, Who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in His times He shall shew, Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” (1Timothy 6:12-16) Jesus is eternal and not only dwells in the light but is the light. Paul writes that He dwells in the light. But Jesus revealed to John that He is the light. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12) His light will light up the New Jerusalem. “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” (Revelation 21:23)

After the resurrection Jesus was seen from nine to fourteen times and seen by 513 people. They did not see Him as the light that He is. They saw Jesus in human form. But Jesus is the light that will light up the city of the New Jerusalem. He doesn’t look like a man anymore. Paul, who was then known as Saul, saw Jesus as the light. “At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” (Acts 26:13-15) When He appears to John in Revelation, Jesus looks so different, He has to tell John who He is. “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in His strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:12-18) His countenance was a light as bright as the sun. If you’ve ever tried to look at the sun, you know that it’s so bright, you can’t keep looking at it for its brightness. Such was the countenance of Jesus when John saw Him.

When we think about meeting Jesus, we think of the image we have seen in pictures. These images were created by man. We don’t even know what Jesus looked like when He walked the earth. And in heaven in His glory, He is nothing like those images we have. We have no idea of the splendor and glory that He is.