The scripture says “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14 KJV. This scripture is beyond exciting to me. It tells me that the once mysterious characteristic of God’s nature – His Glory, will be revealed in such a way that its expanse will be as wide as the earth and its depth will be as deep as the sea. This is astounding for someone like me who lives for abiding in God’s manifested presence aka His Glory.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of Glory is “great beauty and splendor.” While this is limited in grasping the full dimension of God’s Glory it is a great place to start. Isaiah had an experience of witnessing God’s great beauty and splendor and he recorded,
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw [in a vision] the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted, with the train of His royal robe filling the [most holy part of the] temple. 2 Above Him seraphim (heavenly beings) stood; each one had six wings: with two wings he covered his face, with two wings he covered his feet, and with two wings he flew. 3 And one called out to another, saying,
“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts;
The whole earth is filled with His glory.”” Isaiah 6:1-3
The magnificence of this scene dazzles the mind and it makes me hungry for this knowledge of His Glory that is promised to be revealed.
I remember being compelled during what I call my Grace Journey to learn more about the glory of God. I read countless books on the topic and I gleaned wonderful insights concerning the Shekinah Glory and the Ark of the Covenant. I also learned a lot from unpacking the Hebrew word for glory – Kavod.
Guillermo Maldonado in his book The Glory of God explains “The word kabowd is one of the most significant in the Hebrew language. Its literal meaning is “weight,” but the term is used figuratively in the sense of “splendor,” “abundance,” ”honor,” or “glory”; it is something “glorious.”[1] Kavod has a lot of other meanings including wealth and majesty to name a few, however, it was my experience with encountering a small smidgen of God’s glory that transformed my life from the outer court into the pursuit of living in the very throne room of God.
[1] Guillermo Maldonado, The Glory of God, (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2012), Kindle Location 110
Anika Janelle Pettiford, The Founder and CEO of Elani Enterprises is also an Author and Bible Teacher. Upon graduation from Seminary with a Master’s in Theological Studies, Anika launched what she calls “His ministry through her” – Grace, Gold and Glory. Taking the gospel to the Marketplace is Anika’s unique positioning in the Kingdom of God.
