May 18

Isaiah 48
Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines glory with the following paragraphs.
GLORY — beauty, power, or honor; a quality of God’s character that emphasizes His greatness and authority. The word is used in three senses in the Bible:
1. God’s moral beauty and perfection of character. This divine quality is beyond human understanding (Ps. 113:4). All people “fall short” of it (Rom. 3:23).
2. God’s moral beauty and perfection as a visible presence. While God’s glory is not a substance, at times God does reveal His perfection to humans in a visible way. Such a display of the presence of God is often seen as fire or dazzling light, but sometimes as an act of power. Some examples from the Old Testament are the pillar of cloud and fire (Ex. 13:21), the Lord’s deliverance of the Israelites at the Red Sea (Exodus 14), and especially His glory in the tabernacle (Lev. 9:23–24) and Temple (1 Kin. 8:11).
Since the close of the Old Testament, the glory of God has been shown mainly in Christ (Luke 9:29–32; John 2:11) and in the members of His church. Christ now shares His divine glory with His followers (John 17:5–6, 22), so that in their lives Christians are being transformed into the glorious image of God (2 Cor. 3:18). Believers will be fully glorified at the end of time in God’s heavenly presence (Rom. 5:2; Col. 3:4). There the glory of God will be seen everywhere (Rev. 21:23).
3. Praise. At times God’s glory may mean the honor and audible praise that His creatures give to Him (Ps. 115:1; Rev. 5:12–13).
In verse eleven the Lord says, “I will not give my glory to another.” This is a repeat of Isaiah 42:8 where glory meant the honor and audible praise that should be given Him. In 42:8 it was being given to idols. Here in 48:11 it is in the context of how His glory is displayed through His people. From the very creation of His people Israel, God had intended to display His glory through them. He plagued Pharaoh and the nation of Egypt in order that they would know that He is the Lord (Exodus 7:17). But Israel had become stiff-necked and proud. They had stifled the glory due to the name of the Lord. Indeed they had given that glory to their idols.
Consequently, the Lord asks, “How should My Name be profaned?” He straightens them out by reminding them that He is the first and the last. He is the One who called them. He is the One who will bring the Babylonians and the Chaldeans. He is the One who will humble the Babylonians and the Chaldeans. He is the One who will redeem them. He is the One who causes water to flow from the rock. He waters their thirsty lives. Yet, they gave His glory to idols.
How do we do the same? We do not make idols to which we physically bow down. But we do make idols. We think that our employment or business is that which sustains us and brings us comfort. We develop our careers and invest our money and think that we have built this comfort for ourselves. Or, if you have not yet developed your career our established your wealth, it is indeed that for which you hope. And you hope that you will do it by the power of your own hand. And God does indeed have a career and a job with which He wants to bless you. But it is not just for your enjoyment, it is for His glory. And when that career or wealth is established, we must give credit to Him and use all of our wealth for His glory. The same is true for every area of our lives. It is all for His glory. When we use it otherwise or attribute our accomplishments to ourselves, it is the same as bowing down to an idol, just like Israel did.
I want my life to flow with His glory; don’t you? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john