Christ the visible glory of the invisible God

Deuteronomy 1:32-33 (ESV)
Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God, [33] who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go.

Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God. In spite of the multitude of arguments that Moses gave of why they ought not be afraid - that God was a God who goes before us, and fights for us, that He is the one who has taken care of us in the past, and that He is the one who cares for us as a Father unto the future - Israel chooses to disbelieve in God. They did not believe in God's promise that He will give the land to them. They did not believe in the promise that He made to Abraham 400 years ago. They did not believe in the good report of Joshua and Caleb. They did not believe that God was able to destroy the Amorites before them, thus esteeming them in their hearts stronger than God. They did not believe in God's provision that He had provide them before their eyes. They were plagued and totally blinded by unbelief.

Moses said all that he could say to the Israelites to convince them of God's faithfulness, but they still did not believe. Moses is reflecting on this event very bitterly. Moses had given them all the evidences and used all his strength in trying to persuade them. There were no more words to be said that which could be said to them. Is not this how God feels when people do not believe in Jesus Christ, who is God's final Word to mankind? Through His Son He spoke everything He can possibly speak of Himself to man, that they may believe and have eternal life:
John 5:24 (ESV)
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV)
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, [2] but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

But when we disbelieve this final Word that God has spoken, there shall be no escape. Those who refuse the Gospel can NEVER enter into the Kingdom of God:
Hebrews 2:3-4 (ESV)
how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, [4] while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

When Christ came to the world, He declared to us this Salvation, which was none other than Himself. Jesus is our great Salvation. Thus Jesus declared Himself to us, and those who have heard from Christ, His apostles and His first disciples declared that same Christ, wrote their testimony in a book, the New Testament. By this we have believed that final Word from God, and became saved because of our faith, which God counted as our righteousness, through the redemption work of Christ Jesus on the Cross and the resurrection.

But how shall we escape, if we neglect this final Word from God and go on sinning? God has nothing to say to man than what He has already said. He became a Man and showed Himself to us and spoke us all things that we need to escape the wrath of God. He did all the miracles while He was here, and granted the same miracles to His disciples to prove that Christ is real and was true. But if we do not believe, how shall we escape the condemnation of God? If we don't believe in Jesus, then God cannot convince us even if He performs ten million miracles before our eyes, because we did not believe in the miracle of Jesus Christ Himself. Let us believe in Jesus Christ, and thus believe in God who sent Him. Let us not weary God, who has spoken every word from His mouth until there was nothing more He could add. Let's take His word to be truth and trust in Christ for salvation.

Thus we learn that there is no more word that can be added to God has spoken through Christ and His apostles. As John warns in Revelations, knowing that it would be the final book of Holy Scripture:
Revelation 22:18 (ESV)
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book
With His revelation to John, Christ said all that He could ever say to mankind. God has exhausted Himself of all warnings, exhortations and encouragements, and there are no more new things that a mortal man ever needs to hear and to believe, and thus be saved. The Holy Scripture is complete as it is, and it cannot be broken, nor can be modified or added to. What more can be said, but what God has said to us through His Cross and the resurrection? Christ died for His people's sins, showing His love, and also died for righteousness' sake, to show that everyone who does not trust in Christ will also likewise be killed. Christ rose again, showing that all mankind will also likewise rise again, that the righteous will rise unto life and glorification, and the wicked will rise to damnation and eternal shame. What more significant thing could God say than what He has already said through the Gospel?

Who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day. There was a visible glory of God that followed Israel in the desert, to be witness unto them of God's protection and care and provision. During the night, when it was pitch black, a pillar of fire led the way through the darkness, also keeping them warm when it became cold. During the day, a special cloud led the way to show them where they should go, keeping in pace with them, also covering them from the blazing sun of the wilderness and giving them shade from the heat. These works of God were visible. Therefore they had no excuse of their unbelief.

God is not visible, but His glory is always visible in us and around us. Through the Christian, God's glory is visible through our changed life from what we were before we were born-again. God's glorious presence is evident in our lives that are more Christ-like, not under the slavery of sin, and that which is filled with joy. Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit is the visible glory that accompanies the Christian wherever He goes.

God's creation declares God's glory for the unbeliever. All the created things: our bodies that are fearfully made, the Sun, the Moon and the stars, the mountains and the hills, the creatures that moves on earth and in the Sea. The clouds that cover the canvas of the blue sky. All creation visibly declares God's glory:
Psalm 19:1 (ESV)
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

The whole universe IS the glory of God, for it shows the invisible God's magnificence, His wisdom, His knowledge, His power, His Creator-ship:
Romans 1:20 (ESV)
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

No unbeliever can say on that Day of Judgment: 'But I have never seen the glory of God'. For he saw it, day by day, whenever he looked at nature and the things that God created in the world. He saw God's glory, every time He had any joy, enjoyment, any blessing, any good, any peace, anything beautiful. It was God displaying His glory to him, but he did not see His glory, because his mind he had closed. For though God is not visible, God's glory is visible to us, if we look with the eyes of faith:
Acts 7:55 (ESV)
But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

Human beings were made to be a particular glory of God, because we were made in the image of God:
1 Corinthians 11:7 (ESV)
For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.
The human being was made to be the visible glory of the invisible God. Man was made to show who God is by living a life of righteousness, holiness and love, reflecting perfectly God's glory in every way. This is man's purpose in life, to show the invisible God. But instead of showing God, man began to show the Devil, by obeying him, and disobeying God. Because of this God delivered all mankind to be children of the devil, reflecting all the lying murderer that he is. Hence the first man born from Adam, Cain, was a murderer, to show that man had fallen far, far, far from being the glory of God. And since then, all human beings have failed to show the invisible God, and failed at reflecting His image. This is what SIN is:
Romans 3:23 (ESV)
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

This is why Jesus Christ became a Son of Man, in order that He may reclaim the glory that Adam has lost. Son of God came to the world, as a Man, fully shining the glory of God, always obeying and doing the will of the Father, never once failing at one point to perfectly reflect the image of God. He did what we could not do, that is, to show God. Jesus showed God to us, being the fully visible, perfect glory of the invisible God:
John 14:9 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ''Show us the Father''?

The cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night are symbols for Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was the one who had covered them as they walked in the wilderness, being their refuge from the wrath of God, covering their sins, also protecting them from harm, and leading the way which they should go, filling their tabernacle with His visible presence whenever they settled. Jesus Christ was their pillar of fire in the night, during their dark times of distress and suffering, He was with them, to lead them through the darkness, and also giving them the warmth from the fire of His love when they needed it the most. Jesus Christ is the visible glory of the invisible God:
Colossians 1:15-19 (ESV)
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him. [17] And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. [19] For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

Just as Israel refused to believe in the visible glory of God, and did not go into the land of Canaan, those who refuse to believe in Jesus Christ, the visible God, will never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. If God had manifested Himself with mere clouds and pillars and fire and so harshly punished those did not believe in that manifestation, how much more shall God punish those who did not believe in His manifestation of the flesh in Christ Jesus? Everlasting burnings is the only fitting punishment.

To show you by what way you should go. God was telling Israel by what way they must now go. He was telling them to go to the promised land and take over the land from the inhabitants. And they ought to have had the confidence, since the pillar of fire and the cloud told them God was with them. Just as God was with them in the desert, God would be with them in their battles with the Canaanites.

Here we learn that that wherever God tells us to go, God goes with us. So many times we are afraid to obey God when He tells us to do something because we think that we are sent alone. But God is always with those whom He sends. He said He would be with Moses:
Exodus 4:12 (ESV)
Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak."
When God sent Jesus Christ to the world He was always with Christ, apart from when Christ was on the Cross:
John 8:29 (ESV)
And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him."

This is surely encouraging, to know that God is with whomever He sends, that they may not lose heart. So, we are encouraged when Christ sends us like sheep in the midst of wolves:
Matthew 10:16 (ESV)
"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
We take heart, because we know that Christ the Shepherd is with us while we are in the midst of the wolves. Therefore we are not afraid:
Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

God showed Israel visibly the exact way on which they must walk in the wilderness by the cloud and the pillar of fire. We also know the exact Way on which we must walk:
John 14:4-6 (ESV)
And you know the way to where I am going." [5] Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" [6] Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
If the path is one that Christ walked on, we know for sure that it is definitely the way on which we must walk. If Christ forgave us, we also must forgive. If Christ spoke the truth, we also must speak the truth. If Christ healed the sick we must also heal the sick. If Christ prayed, we must also pray. If Christ died to sin and self and rose to God, we must do likewise. If Christ obeyed the Father, so must we. As it is written:
Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
John 1:14 (ESV)
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 8:12 (ESV)
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Let us walk the path that Christ walked, not being afraid, for Christ goes with us wherever we go. The way may be the way of suffering, but we know where we are heading to: the Father God. Let us trust in God to take us to where He is, knowing that Christ has prepared a place for us in the Father by dying on the Cross for us and rising again from the dead. Let us remember what it cost Christ to buy us a place in heaven and fellowship with God. We have God because of Christ's payment. Let us adore and worship Him. Amen.