Only God Is Great
By J.B. Hixson, Ph.D.
09/24/2021
I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. (Isaiah 42:8)
The year was 1715 and Louis XIV of France had died. Louis, who called himself, “The Great,” was the monarch who made the infamous statement “I am the State!” His court was the most magnificent in Europe, and his funeral was correspondingly spectacular.
His corpse lay in a golden coffin. No expense was spared. To magnify the deceased king’s greatness, orders were given that the cathedral should be very dimly lighted, with only one special candle set above his coffin creating a sort of halo affect for the king’s body as he lay in state.
Thousands gathered for the service and waited in hushed silence as the Bishop Massilon, presiding over the service, began to speak. To the astonishment of all, he began his funeral message by slowly reaching down, snuffing out the candle, and proclaiming, “Only God is great!”
I do not know whether or not Bishop Massilon was a believer. In all likelihood he was not, as the Gospel was usually overshadowed by the state church in those days. But I do know this: Massilon got it right in this instance. Only God is great!
God’s glory outshines all others. The word “glory” in Scripture means “beauty, splendor and majesty.” The Hebrew word is kavod, which means literally “heavy.” The Greek equivalent is doxa, which among other nuances means “power, greatness, and amazing might.” God’s glory is how we describe the intrinsic effect of all of His attributes. The greatest expression of God’s glory is His eternal Son and our Savior. Jesus Christ is “the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person.” (Heb. 1:3)
Seven hundred years before Christ, the prophet Isaiah reminded God’s people that God will never share His glory with another (Isa. 42:8). He also recorded the words of the seraphim as they cried out, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)
Have you ever wondered, where has all the glory gone? When I look at the world at large, it does not appear to be very glorious. Yet we can be confident that some day, like never before, God’s glory will fill this earth. “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2:6–9) What a day that will be!
What about you? Is God’s glory missing from your life? You do not have to wait until Christ returns to experience the fullness of God’s glory. You can experience it right now through a relationship with the King of Glory—Jesus Christ. He died for your sins and rose from the dead. Have you trusted Him, and Him alone, for salvation?
09/24/2021
I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. (Isaiah 42:8)
The year was 1715 and Louis XIV of France had died. Louis, who called himself, “The Great,” was the monarch who made the infamous statement “I am the State!” His court was the most magnificent in Europe, and his funeral was correspondingly spectacular.
His corpse lay in a golden coffin. No expense was spared. To magnify the deceased king’s greatness, orders were given that the cathedral should be very dimly lighted, with only one special candle set above his coffin creating a sort of halo affect for the king’s body as he lay in state.
Thousands gathered for the service and waited in hushed silence as the Bishop Massilon, presiding over the service, began to speak. To the astonishment of all, he began his funeral message by slowly reaching down, snuffing out the candle, and proclaiming, “Only God is great!”
I do not know whether or not Bishop Massilon was a believer. In all likelihood he was not, as the Gospel was usually overshadowed by the state church in those days. But I do know this: Massilon got it right in this instance. Only God is great!
God’s glory outshines all others. The word “glory” in Scripture means “beauty, splendor and majesty.” The Hebrew word is kavod, which means literally “heavy.” The Greek equivalent is doxa, which among other nuances means “power, greatness, and amazing might.” God’s glory is how we describe the intrinsic effect of all of His attributes. The greatest expression of God’s glory is His eternal Son and our Savior. Jesus Christ is “the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person.” (Heb. 1:3)
Seven hundred years before Christ, the prophet Isaiah reminded God’s people that God will never share His glory with another (Isa. 42:8). He also recorded the words of the seraphim as they cried out, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)
Have you ever wondered, where has all the glory gone? When I look at the world at large, it does not appear to be very glorious. Yet we can be confident that some day, like never before, God’s glory will fill this earth. “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2:6–9) What a day that will be!
What about you? Is God’s glory missing from your life? You do not have to wait until Christ returns to experience the fullness of God’s glory. You can experience it right now through a relationship with the King of Glory—Jesus Christ. He died for your sins and rose from the dead. Have you trusted Him, and Him alone, for salvation?
Recent
Archive
2025
March
God, Satan, and Sandy Hook ElementaryIs Haiti a Harbinger?The Evil in the “Lesser of Two Evils”New BeginningsA Truly White ChristmasThe Counsel of God's WordAll is ForgivenIdentity CrisisThings that Matter… Things that Don'tTurn Down the Volume so You Can HearWILD BOARS LOOSE IN THE VINEYARDA Measure of AssuranceReign, Reign, Go AwaySpiritual SomnambulismYou Might Be a Fool If...Bright Lights and Other DistractionsLife Is Not a Game of Go FishThere is No ComparisonLeggo My EgoThe Insanity of IngratitudeThankful for the Little ThingsSurviving the Culture of NowA Forever SaviorSlow Down and Save TimeHope in ExileDon't Just Do Something, Stand ThereTrue LoveGod in the MidstOnly God Is GreatOne Nation Under GodGodly FearThe Amazing RaceNew Life in ChristFruit InspectorsThe Calcium of the SoulGood, Better, BestLord, Please Send More BearsElusive PeaceEasily AmazedIn a MomentWhat Goes Around Comes AroundThe Good, the Bad, and the UglyIndiscriminate GraceBackseat DriverThings Are Not Always As They AppearLook for the LightDoctrine Is DeadThe Golden KeyWarm On the InsideBelieve it or NotWhose Neighbor Are You?Planks, Specks, and Self-Righteous PrigsCloudy MedicineNever Look Back?Are Monsters Afraid of You?Old Habits Die HardContending with HorsesSeeing the InvisibleNever Underestimate the EnemyGod Can Tie His Own ShoesHe did itDo You Believe in Miracles?Storybook EndingGod's Return PolicyToo Good Not To Be TrueStand UpLife's PuzzlesThe Lord is my ShepherdBeside Still WatersThe Right PathValley of ShadowsDelivered from the EnemyWho You Are When No One Is LookingBig World, Big GodIt's Who You KnowSin, the Soil, and SalvationClark Kent ChristianityPrecious MemoriesWaiting and SoaringA Little Birdie Told MeOur God ReignsTrust in the LordGive Credit Where Credit Is Due
April
Thanks but No ThanksSin... Own ItWhat You See is What You GetWill You Be A Fool for Christ?Spilled MilkThe Tenderness of CompassionLife's Instruction ManualWhere Do You Live?Stop. Look. Listen. Think.At Your FingertipsHead for the Hills?Is it Time Yet?The Balm in GileadOwn ItThe Greatest ResetAbundant GracePaid in Full
No Comments