America is reflecting lawlessness in all levels of society. The Glory Days of our country has declined from that which our founding fathers envisioned. Americans are considered materialistic, rude, proud, and selfish by many around the world.
When God created everything, the angels sang and shouted over the Glory of all He had done. (Job 38:7)
If Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem because they didn’t recognize Him as their Messiah, what is He doing now over America and His creation? Jerusalem was killing all the prophets and righteous men God was sending to her. Jerusalem was reflecting a hard calloused heart.
We as parents weep over the mistakes, wrong choices, and sins of our children and loved ones. We see the reflections of ourselves in many of their lifestyles, causing us to grieve for our sins as well as theirs.
God created mankind to reflect His Glory.
Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on His throne surrounded by Seraphims. These high-ranking angels cried: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is filled with His Glory!” (Isaiah 6:1-3)
Isaiah seems to define God’s Glory as the manifestation or reflection of His holiness. God’s holiness is His very character. His character is so pure that it cannot fellowship with anything or anyone that characterizes any traits of darkness or evil whatsoever.
We all have been in situations where we have been uncomfortable with people and their behavior. When attending any gathering of people, we intuitively migrate toward those who most match our demeanor. Certain people, we avoid, while others we seek. In a few seconds, we can evaluate what and who is comfortable and uncomfortable to be around.
We can do this because the heart reflects what it is feeling. Jesus said out of the heart the mouth speaks. Solomon said there is a power of death and life in the words of the tongue. When we think it, and then feel it, even without acting upon it, we reflect whatever it is we are thinking and feeling to those around us. (Matthew 15:18) (Proverbs 18:21)
Some of our attitudes and behaviors stain the very atmosphere for those around us. We all have been guilty, some of us more so than others. The Bible calls us sinners for a reason.
Jesus paid the price for all of our sins. His righteousness becomes ours by faith.
Our sins can be forgiven as we call upon the Name of Jesus Christ and seek to obey His teachings. His teachings reflect the very character of His Father. God’s Glory becomes ours as we draw closer to Him in prayer, praise, worship and in thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
God’s Glory will be reflected by every man, woman, and child from sea to sea when Jesus reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords from Jerusalem.
Habakkuk 2:14 says, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
Jesus reflected the Glory of His Father. Husbands are to reflect the Glory of Christ. Wives are to reflect the glory of the husbands. Children are to reflect the glory of the parents.
Satan fell from reflecting the Glory of God to reflecting lawless evil and moral depravity.
Satan deceived Adam and Eve and now all of mankind reflects selfish desires instead of God’s Glory. Babel, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Britain and now America have all sought to consolidate knowledge, and power in a one world language, currency, leader, and religious system: all have failed.
Light reflects different ways from differently shaped surfaces. The shape of the surface affects the reflection of the light. Man has distorted his image of God by denying that God exists, and by removing Him from all public offices. The only reflection coming from mankind now is that of self and his dark desires manifesting in all kinds of lawlessness, immorality, and unethical behavior in all levels of society.
Jesus is the Light of the World, and He teaches that all mankind should be followers of His teachings and imitators of His character enabling us by His Holy Spirit to be lights shining in the darkness.
When His Holy Spirit withdraws His followers from this earth, Satan and his followers will cover this world in darkness. The seven years of tribulation will be God’s judgment upon those who have insisted on living lawless and disobedient lifestyles while ignoring the very character of God that desires to manifest in their thoughts, feelings, words, and actions.
Many of us have failed to reflect God’s Glory as divorce and remarriage have influenced many of our lives. Our children have failed to reflect our glory as hurt and bruised souls of broken families. Our grandchildren are reflecting the world more and more as they have followed their peers and teachers who have also failed to reflect God’s Glory. We are racing toward the self-centered generation which doesn’t know God at all. (Judges 2:10)
The Light of God’s Glory upon His creation has become distorted and diminished as it bounces off surfaces that have become tarnished and stained with selfish, sinful desires of human hearts.
As Moses came down from the mountain with his face reflecting the Glory of Jehovah God; the people cried that they were afraid to look upon his face. Moses had to cover his face with a veil to make the children of Israel comfortable in his presence.
How much more will we desire to run from the very Presence of God on His throne when we are called to stand before Him and give an account of the things done in this body of flesh; good and bad.
Our only hope is Jesus Christ and the covering of His Blood as Atonement for our many sins. Daily confession of our wrong choices and sins of commission and omission is a necessity to stay washed clean by obedience to His Living Words found in the Bible.
Only as Pastors and believers rededicate their lives to a personal relationship with Christ, will they begin to manifest God’s Glory. Only as believers live that reflection among others, will leaders rise who fear God and seek laws that reflect His character. God’s Glory will reflect in all the earth as humanity submits their will to the Will of their Heavenly Father.
Isn’t this what Jesus teaches us to pray every day?
“Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed or revered be that name, thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”