The Glory of God

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Then I heard every creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
Revelation 5:13

Have you ever wondered “what’s it all about?” Why are we here? And what about the stars, the oak tree, the ant, or the elephant? Indeed, why is there anything at all? The answer can be found by turning to the first chapter of Genesis: it’s all here because God made it.

Now in all honesty, this response more accurately addresses the question of how everything came to be, but the original question remains unanswered. Because what we really want to know deals with purpose, not mere mechanics: why did God bother in the first place? The answer to this question is fundamental to our understanding of God and how we relate to Him.

While you won’t find God’s motivation explicitly spelled out in the creation account, we do get an important clue from His assessment at the end of each day: “and it was good.” Then on the sixth day, as God surveys all that He has made, He pronounces everything to be “very good.” So at least at a certain level, we can conclude that God performed the work of creation because it pleased Him.

Nevertheless, we also know that God’s pleasure was regrettably short-lived. For when Adam and Eve disobeyed, they immediately brought God’s curse upon everything which He had formerly blessed. Thus, when you consider the events that transpired in the Garden of Eden, it seems almost bizarre that God would pronounce things to be “very good”…because their actions didn’t take Him by surprise. God knew how everything was going to unfold even before He said “Let there be light.”

Creation’s Paradox

When you stop and really think about it, this nuance of the creation story can give you a migraine. For not only is God all-powerful, He is also all-knowing. So when God looked down from Heaven upon all He had created, He knew full well that Adam & Eve were going to defy Him. He knew that their actions would corrupt the inherent purity of the world which He had created, yet He allowed it to happen anyway. Hence we are presented with a dilemma, for we also know that God is anything but pleased by the existence of sin. Just turn over to chapter six of the book of Genesis,
where we find that God has become so grieved by the condition of the world that He almost destroys it all:

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Genesis 6:5-8 (NKJV)

We all remember what happened next, and while there is certainly much we can learn from Noah’s example, perhaps the most important lesson of this story is that God hates sin so much that He would rather destroy the work of His own hands than look upon wickedness. So if God knew all of this in advance, why did He let it happen???

Or take it back one step further. By the time Satan comes onto the scene in Genesis, he and his legions are already fallen. This being the case, we are left to wonder why God created angels that
could rebel against Him. Because it seems conceivable that had Satan never fallen, humanity might not have either. Then again, even granting the fact that God allowed Satan to rebel, it seems plausible to suggest that He could have dealt with Satan before he ever had the
chance to deceive mankind. And yet we know that He did not.

So why didn’t God just vaporize Satan and get it over with? Why did He leave the Tempter around knowing that he would lead mankind astray? Hence we have come full circle, back to the original
question: Why did God create anything at all?

There seems to be an irreconcilable tension between what we know of God’s character and what we affirm about His omniscience. In this case, they just don’t seem to line up: why would a holy
God create something that He knew would come to disgust Him? Moreover, why would a loving God create mankind knowing that so many would end up facing eternal punishment in Hell? These are arduous questions to say the least, but if we were to get an answer from God, I expect that it would probably sound something like this:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9

Maybe it’s just me, but this statement from God seems to bear a striking resemblance to the classic parent’s retort: “because I said so.” And while most children tend to bristle at this phrase, there is nevertheless some validity to it. For when parents say this to their children, it is a short-hand way of reminding them of two things:

• The children probably wouldn’t be able to grasp the explanation
  even if their parents spelled it out in detail.
• They are still responsible to be obedient, even if they don’t
  understand.

To put this into context, as God’s children, we may not get detailed explanations for why He does certain things simply because His reasons are beyond our comprehension. And it is in these cases,
where God remains silent, that He calls us to trust Him anyway.

Fortunately, though, when it comes to the question of why God knowingly created a world that was destined to fall, there are enough clues strewn throughout the pages of Scripture for us to piece together a fundamental understanding of His ultimate purpose. Indeed, we find the answer proclaimed throughout the Psalms as well as by the very angels in Heaven:

And [the angels] were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory!”
Isaiah 6:3

Quite simply, God created this world and filled it with life because it glorified Him! In fact, the creation account is but the first of many illustrations in Scripture that reveal a more general truth
about God, one that is foundational to a proper understanding of Him: everything He does is for His glory.

To God Be the Glory

The assertion that God does everything for His own glory makes perfect sense when we consider creation prior to the Fall, for as God’s handiwork, creation is a direct reflection upon Him and His
nature.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalm 19:1

That’s why creation’s inherent “goodness” is repeated six times—its superlative goodness points to His purity. God is also glorified by the sheer immensity of creation, as the vast size and wonder of the universe mimic His infinite nature and remind us that God is transcendent and beyond our comprehension. Furthermore, the intricacy of the created order clearly demonstrates God’s unfathomable wisdom and power. Just consider how recent discoveries about everything from the depths of space to the inner workings of the cell testify to God’s greatness!

In short, all of creation proclaims God’s majesty, and the more we learn, the more we come to realize the incredible complexity and order of the universe. We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made, and our very existence bears witness to the fact that He is an awesome God. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans:

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Romans 1:20

Even so, the fact that creation initially glorified God does not appear to help us much with the problem of its present corruption. For if it is true that everything God does is for His glory, then it
would necessarily follow that when He allowed creation to fall, that He was doing so for His glory. And indeed this is the case, for although it seems counterintuitive to suggest that anything impure
can glorify God, even creation’s present flaws glorify Him in a negative sense by showing us what He is not.

For instance, consider how sin helps us to understand God’s holiness and His righteousness. After all, apart from knowing what sin is, you can’t really appreciate what it means to be without sin.
Furthermore, think how Jesus’ sacrifice to secure redemption for the world testifies to God’s supreme mercy and love. Ironically, it is the existence of sin that helps us to comprehend His forgiveness!

For God has bound all men over to disobedience, so that he may have mercy on them all. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.
Romans 11:32-33,36

So does this mean that sin is…good? Certainly not, for if there was anything good about sin, then God would have created it! The key point to remember is that creation in its present state is a byproduct of man’s handiwork, not God’s. For although creation still bears much of its original glory, the fullness of its glory has been lost, marred by the actions of our first parents. In other words, any imperfection in creation now reflects the corruption of mankind and of our nature, not upon any deficiency in God. Hence, even a fallen creation glorifies God by presenting the splendor and majesty of the Creator in stark contrast to the finitude and shortcomings of the creature—the Fall actually emphasizes God’s uniqueness!

What then, are we to make of God? It seems contradictory to suggest that a good God would sanction suffering, pain, and death all for the sake of showing how merciful and how powerful He is, doesn’t it? In other words, it would be easy to conclude that God actually created evil so that He could “show off,” so to speak, but understand that this view of God is not the Biblical view.

We need to be very careful at this point, because the Bible is clear that there is no evil in God—He is holy and therefore incapable of anything wicked or impure. On the contrary, God’s preference is
clearly not the tarnished world we see today, for when He completed His work in creation everything was “very good.” The responsibility for the introduction of sin into this world rests solely with Adam & Eve—not God—so just because He is able to bring glory to Himself out of the mess we’ve created doesn’t make Him responsible for it. Indeed, death has never been His choice for us; rather, it is the consequence of the choice we freely made for ourselves.

“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” declares the Sovereign Lord. “Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”
Ezekiel 18:23

So the key to understanding the existence of evil is simply this: God created us with wills, with the ability to make choices, because He is more glorified by our willing decisions to honor and obey Him than if we were simply acting as robots, with no ability to choose. For when we submit ourselves to doing things God’s way, in spite of our inclinations to do things our way, we acknowledge that His ways are right. Whenever we obey Him, we demonstrate our belief that He has more understanding and wisdom than we do. In short, our acts of obedience glorify God by showing our deference to His majesty, His authority, and His wisdom. This is why Jesus says:

The reason my Father loves Me is that I lay down My life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.
John 10:17-18

Note that Jesus stresses He is choosing to lay down His life voluntarily, in accordance with the calling that God has placed upon Him—hence the reason that God is pleased. For Jesus is clearly
acting out of obedience to His Father’s desires, not because He is eager to endure the horror and torture of the cross:

Then [Jesus] said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”
Matthew 26:38-39

In similar fashion, whenever we surrender ourselves to God and His call upon our lives—whether large or small—we glorify Him with our obedience.

Unfortunately, though, along with the ability to make choices that honor God comes the possibility of making choices to the contrary…the two go hand-in-hand. Thus, evil and sin are the byproducts of our choices to willfully disobey God, and while He presently tolerates the existence of evil, He did not create it and certainly is not responsible for it. In the final analysis, the moment that Adam & Eve decided to do things their own way, all God did was agree to their terms. But since He knew what was coming, He also had a plan of redemption already in motion:

He [Christ Jesus] indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world. 
1 Peter 1:20 (NKJV)

In short, God is more glorified through giving us wills and subsequently enacting our salvation than if He had created us otherwise. That is why redemption was in view from the very beginning,
and on the day when God finally restores creation, destroys sin and death, and establishes His kingdom, He will be supremely glorified for all eternity by His faithful subjects! So the amazing truth about creation—both before and after the Fall—is that either way God and God alone is glorified. And He wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Center of Attention

Not surprisingly, our culture promotes a very different view of the world and how it is supposed to work. Our popular literature, TV shows, movies, and music all tend to reinforce the notions of
personal fulfillment and satisfaction, leading us to put ourselves—rather than God—at the center of our lives. From here it is a small step to living as if God is here to serve and to gratify us, rather than the other way around.

Furthermore, the culture both legitimizes and fuels our inclination to desire the good things that we see God giving to others. What do the commercials tell us? “Because you’re worth it…” or “You
deserve it…” The problem, of course, is how easily desire can lapse into covetousness. For as we begin to focus on what we lack rather than what God has already given us, we can come to resent God when reality doesn’t align with our expectations:

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Psalm 73:2-3

So whenever we take God’s glory out of the equation—either intentionally or otherwise—our prayers can quickly become little more than wish lists because our focus is upon ourselves rather than God. Indeed, there is a thin line between obeying Jesus’ command to be anxious for nothing, and reducing God to little more than a “genie” who we go to in times of need or trouble. Our culture inexorably draws us to the latter, and the danger is how easily we can be swayed by this kind of twisted theology based upon appeals to the Old Testament:

Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel.
Numbers 24:1

as well as the New:

Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.
James 1:17

Therefore, we need to consciously put God’s glory at the center of our thinking in all that we do. Because if our focus is upon ourselves and our desires, we will eventually come to the mistaken
conclusion that if we are “happy” and “comfortable” then God must be pleased. But clearly this is not the case, for our contentment and happiness can actually blind us to God’s displeasure! Remember the church in Laodicea?

Once again, we need to be diligent to take the entirety of God’s word into account, because God’s pleasure often has little or no connection to our own. In fact, we often find that our pleasure is directly at odds with His. Look again at James:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops patience.
James 1:2-3

Clearly the circumstances to which James refers have little to do with contentment. This is why he counsels us to “consider” it all joy. He is talking about an act of the will, a steadfast resolve to be encouraged in light of the knowledge that God is refining us and using our trials for His glory. Or as Paul observes:

We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:3-4

And what about the passage from Isaiah which describes the mission of the Messiah?

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
Isaiah 53:10 (NKJV)

As we’ve already seen, Jesus clearly took no “pleasure” in being our sin-bearer, and to suggest that God took any pleasure in Jesus’ suffering is nothing short of blasphemy! But what did please God was Jesus’ willingness to lay down His life for the glory of His Father.

Thus, we see that the answer to the question of why God chooses to do anything is always the same: because it glorifies Him! Indeed, God’s aim is not merely to bring glory to Himself, but to maximize it. So why did God create a universe full of stars and planets? Because it glorified Him! Why did He fill it with life? Create mankind? Because it all glorifies Him! And why did God allow mankind to fall? Because ultimately, He is more glorified through our redemption than if He had created us otherwise.

Without exception, everything is inextricably linked back to God’s glory in some way—either positively or negatively—and coming to grips with this fundamental truth is the first step in reconstructing a Biblical view of God. Because once you accept this principle, you will begin to ask the right questions when trying to understand difficult passages of Scripture. You will put God, rather than yourself, back at the center of attention, asking “How does this glorify God?” before you ask “What does this mean to me?”

For in the final analysis, God’s glory is what it’s all about. And if you miss that, you’ve simply missed the point.

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