[The Sun Series] In HeavenSample

Heaven Shines with God’s Glory

Did you know that the Sun radiates more energy in one second than all the energy man has used since the beginning of civilization? This is a powerful thought to ponder over, isn’t it? In light of this, today I would like us to consider the second truth about heaven. Revelation 21:23 says that “The city (heaven–the new Jerusalem) does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb (Jesus) is its lamp.” In heaven there will be no need for light; God’s glory will take care of that. You may be asking yourself, “What does this mean? What is the glory of God?” 

We certainly use the word glory a lot, but, do we really grasp the whole sense of it? In the context of the verse we have just read, glory means God’s essence. It is the sum of all of God’s attributes (mercy, grace, truth, goodness, justice, knowledge, power, eternity). All these attributes together are His glory; they represent the essence of who He is. God’s glory is spread, radiates, and enlightens all of Heaven. It cannot be contained. It is like an explosion of beauty (of all of His attributes, His essence). Imagine a place where mercy, grace, goodness, justice, knowledge, power, and eternity are spread all over! 

The second aspect of God’s glory is that it is intrinsic to Him. What does this mean? Let me ask you a question: what makes water wet? Wetness is intrinsic to water, it is part of its essence. You see, man’s glory is not intrinsic to his nature, it is granted to him. Take any king or queen from the past to the present. Take away their crown, rope, scepter, ring (whatever symbolizes his/her power) and do not let this person bathe, shave, etc. for a month. Put this person next to any homeless person in the world, and you will not be able to tell the difference. That is how weak our “glory” is. Man’s glory (beauty, fame, etc.) is granted; it is not part of his or her essence. How humbling is this?

It does not matter what race we are, what school we attended, how much money we make or have. In the light of God’s glory, our perspective of the things we value on Earth changes completely. There is no snobbery, prejudice, nor racism in heaven. We all have the same value before God’s eyes. The price Jesus paid at the cross was the same for all of humankind. 

I want you to take a minute and reflect on this today. What are the things that we are giving importance or priority in our lives that do not reflect the perspective of God’s eternal glory?

Thought of the Day 

God’s glory is intrinsic to His essence. You were created in His image. In heaven, His glory will shine so bright that there will be no need for any source of light but Him.