The Glory of God

The glory of God is one of the most profound and beautiful truths in Scripture—and yet, it's often misunderstood. We talk about glorifying God or seeing His glory, but what does that actually mean? If we were created to glorify Him, shouldn’t we understand what that truly involves?

In this blog, we explore four primary ways God's glory is made known: through Jesus, creation, his law, and the gospel.

What Is the Glory of God?

Defining the glory of God can feel overwhelming. That’s because it’s not a concept easily boxed in with simple language. It’s not like defining a basketball—you can’t describe its shape and function and have a full understanding. The word “glory” is more like the word “beauty.” It must be experienced, sensed, and seen to be understood.

So how do we begin to define something so big? One helpful starting point is to contrast it with another powerful word: holy. Holiness refers to God’s infinite perfection, greatness, and worth—His complete uniqueness. Glory, then, is what happens when that holiness goes public. It’s the visible, knowable expression of who God is.

One of the clearest illustrations of God's glory is in Exodus 33:18–19. Moses says, “Now show me your glory.” And God responds, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence.” God reveals His character—His goodness and name—making the invisible, visible. And in Isaiah 6:3, the seraphim proclaim, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” Notice—they declare God’s holiness, but say the earth is filled with His glory. Glory is the radiance of holiness.

The glory of God, in its most basic form, is when the invisible qualities of God are made visible or understandable—whether through:

1. Jesus – the clearest revelation of God's character and nature.

2. Creation – the natural world testifies to God's power, beauty, and design.

3. His Law – God's Word reveals His will, holiness, and redemptive plan.

4. The Gospel – the ultimate display of God's love, justice, and mercy through Christ's work on the cross.

   
   

Jesus: The Radiance of God’s Glory

The clearest picture of God’s glory is found in Jesus. In John 1:14, it says, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only Son.” And in Colossians 1:15, Paul calls Jesus “the image of the invisible God.”

Hebrews 1:3 puts it perfectly: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.” Jesus makes the invisible God visible. Through His life, we see God's love, compassion, truth, power, and grace put on full display.

Creation Declares His Glory

Psalm 19:1–4 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Creation continuously proclaims who God is. Likewise, Romans 1:20 reminds us that God’s “invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.”

The natural world tells a story—one of order, majesty, beauty, and power. All of it reflects the glory of its Creator. And we are all part of that creation—its most perfect word. Humanity is the pinnacle of God’s creative work. Genesis 1:27 says we were made in the image of God. And in Isaiah 43:7, God says we were created for His glory.

We are not just observers of creation—we are creation itself, made to reflect the Creator. We are His image, His reflection, His sheep, His beloved. He wants all of us to Himself. To glorify God is to bear His image—to show the world what He is like in how we live, love, and lead.

the Law Reveals His Character

The Word of God reveals His nature. His laws aren’t random rules—they mirror who He is. God tells us not to lie, because He is truth. He commands faithfulness because He is faithful. The law acts as a mirror (James 1:23)—showing us God’s perfection and exposing our shortcomings.

God does not give His law to oppress us, but because He wants us to reflect His image. His commands are rooted in His character—and to follow them is to align with His holiness. Yet, in our brokenness, we fall short. Romans 3:23 states, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

That’s why we need Jesus. Only through Him can we be restored to God’s design. He is the Redeemer who came to bring us into eternity—a new world where there will be no sin, no death, and no brokenness. One day, we will all wear the white robe given by Christ. He will reveal His glory fully, and we will dwell with God forever.

The Gospel: Glory Made Known

The ultimate expression of God’s glory is revealed in the gospel. In 2 Corinthians 4:4–6, Paul writes that “the god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ.”

The gospel is the most vivid and powerful display of who God is—His holiness, justice, wrath, mercy, and unfailing love—all made visible through the life, death, resurrection, and promised return of Christ Jesus. It is God’s invitation back to His original design, where we walk with Him in restored relationship. The gospel is not just good news—it’s the clearest portrait of God's heart for humanity, written in love and sealed with eternity.

Why This Matters

Glorifying God is not limited to singing songs or saying the right words—it’s about becoming more like Jesus and making Him known in everything we do. That said, worship is a vital part of this calling. When we worship—through song, prayer, reverence, or surrender—we enter His presence and catch a glimpse of His glory. In those sacred moments, we join the heavenly choir, echoing the eternal praise of the angels: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” Worship is not just a response to God’s greatness—it is a participation in it.

We glorify God when we:

• Live out His character

• Point others to Christ

• Reflect His love, grace, and truth

• Proclaim the gospel

• Enter into true worship, joining the song of heaven

And here's something crucial to understand: when we fail to glorify God, we aren't just ignoring our purpose—we're actually hurting ourselves. We were made to reflect God’s beauty and truth, and when we don’t, we suffer inwardly. Every person carries a sense of longing—a hollow space within that can only be filled by the presence of God.

That ache, that hunger for something more, is a longing for His glory. Our hearts were designed to be satisfied in Him. And when we live outside of that purpose, we chase fulfillment in things that were never meant to carry the weight of our identity.

The glory of God is not just an abstract idea; it is the visible expression of who He is. From the beauty of creation to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, God has made Himself known so that we might know Him and reflect Him. When we surrender our lives to Jesus, we are restored to the purpose for which we were created: to walk with God, to bear His image, and to radiate His glory. Deep, lasting joy can only be found when we live out that purpose: to glorify God and delight in Him.