How shall ev’ry valley be exalted, and ev’ry mountain be made low, the crooked straight and the rough place plain?

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed (Isaiah 40:5).

What is the glory of the Lord? And how is it revealed?

The glory of the Lord was revealed in the appearance of the glory of the Lord on Mount Sinai.

In this theophany, . . . “there was thunder and lightning , with a thick cloud over the mountain , and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.  As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.” (Exodus 20:16).

But, as the Prophet Elijah learned a thousand years later, the glory of the LORD is not revealed by thunder, lightning, thick clouds, or trumpet blasts. The glory of the LORD is revealed by his voice—by his words! (1 Kings 19:11-13).

And so, at Mount Sinai “God spoke all these words” (Exodus 20:1) that we refer to as the Ten Commandments.

God began by saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Exodus 20:2).

In the Twenty-First Century, the glory of God still consists of delivering us from slavery and oppression of all types, including spiritual slavery to sin and physical exploitation by others.

And God still reveals his glory with his words:

“You shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not worship idols.

You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.

You shall keep the Sabbath.

Honor your father and your mother.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not lie.

You shall not covet anything that belongs to anyone else.”

(my paraphrase of Exodus 20:3-17)

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

When you think about the glory of the LORD, what do you think it is and how is it revealed? Why?

Is God’s glory revealed in thunder, lightning, thick clouds, or the sound of a trumpet? How? How not? Why? Why not?

Is God’s glory revealed by the voice of God—the words of God? How? Why?

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For related ideas, please read my blogs “Hesed Saves and Nurtures Baby Moses” and “Hesed Nurtures Israel—Mount Sinai”.