The seraphim cry, "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isaiah 6:3). At Cana Jesus "manifested forth his glory" (John 2:11), and one day "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD" (Habakkuk 2:14).
The glory of God is the shining weight of who He is: His holiness, goodness and power made visible. At Christmas the angels sang "Glory to God in the highest" (Luke 2:14), and on Epiphany, January 6, the church remembers the wise men coming to that light. These twelve King James verses trace His glory from Sinai to Bethlehem to the new Jerusalem. For God as light, see light; for praise, see worship.
The whole earth is full of his glory
1. Isaiah 6:3
"And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."
Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up while the seraphim cried, Holy, holy, holy. The hymn Holy, Holy, Holy draws on this scene. God's glory is not confined to the temple; it fills the whole earth.
2. Psalms 72:19
"And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen."
Psalm 72, a prayer for the king long read as pointing to the Messiah, closes the second book of Psalms: let the whole earth be filled with his glory. It suits a new year and a heart for missions.
3. Habakkuk 2:14
"For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."
Habakkuk wrote in a dark time, yet God promised His glory would fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. The waters do not cover part of the sea; they fill it. That is the scale of the promise.
4. Psalms 24:10
"Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah."
Psalm 24 pictures the gates lifting their heads so the King of glory can come in, and many churches sing it in Advent. Who is this King? The LORD of hosts, whom Christians recognize in Jesus.
His glory revealed: Sinai, Christmas and Epiphany
5. Exodus 33:18-19
"And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy."
Moses prayed, shew me thy glory, and God promised to make all His goodness pass before him. God's glory is His character, not only brightness. Later it filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34).
6. Isaiah 40:5
"And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."
After the voice in the wilderness, Isaiah promises that the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Handel set this verse in Messiah, and the Gospels see it fulfilled in Jesus.
7. Isaiah 60:2-3
"For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."
A classic Epiphany reading: darkness covers the earth, but the Gentiles shall come to thy light. The wise men, following a star to Jesus, were an early answer to this promise.
8. John 2:11
"This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him."
At a wedding in Cana, turning water into wine, Jesus manifested forth his glory. Many churches read this story in the Epiphany season. His glory first showed up at an ordinary family celebration.
Made for his glory
9. Isaiah 43:7
"Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him."
God says of His people, I have created him for my glory. You were made to reflect God, the way the moon reflects the sun, which gives meaning to ordinary work, meals and relationships.
10. Romans 3:23
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
Sin is falling short of the glory we were made for. The good news follows in Romans 3:24: we are justified freely by His grace through Christ. See our page on salvation.
11. Psalms 115:1
"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake."
Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us. When a project, ministry or family milestone goes well, pray this verse so the credit goes to God, for His mercy and His truth.
12. Revelation 21:23
"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."
The new Jerusalem needs no sun or moon, for the glory of God lights it. The glory Moses glimpsed and the shepherds saw will one day fill everything.
A short prayer
Holy God, the whole earth is full of Your glory, and I so often miss it. Open my eyes to see Your glory in Jesus, as the shepherds and wise men did. Forgive me where I have fallen short, teach me to live for Your glory and not my own, and let my life reflect You this year. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the glory of God?
The Hebrew word for glory, kabod, carries the idea of weight or worth. God's glory is the visible display of His holiness and goodness. In the New Testament it is seen most clearly in Jesus: "we beheld his glory" (John 1:14).
What does it mean to glorify God?
To glorify God is to show and say how great He is, in worship, trust and everyday faithfulness: "whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). Jesus said, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit" (John 15:8).
Which verses about God's glory fit Christmas and Epiphany?
For Christmas, read Luke 2:9-14, where "the glory of the Lord shone round about them" (Luke 2:9), and John 1:14. For Epiphany, read Isaiah 60:1-6 and Matthew 2:1-12. See also our Bible verses about Christmas.
Does God share His glory?
God says, "my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images" (Isaiah 42:8). Yet His people reflect it, "changed into the same image from glory to glory" (2 Corinthians 3:18) as they look to Christ.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about Christmas · Bible verses about stars · Bible verses about light · Bible verses about worship · Bible verses about music · Bible verses about mountains · Bible verses about trees
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