Human Response 174: Shout at the Glory

Leviticus 9:22-24 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings. and Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people. And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Well, who wouldn’t shout and fall down upon seeing the glory? The glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people after they had seen the tabernacle and the first sacrifices. What does glory look like? It involves fire. They saw fire come out from the Lord. Presumably, it came from above the Ark of the Covenant, where the invisible God resided.

Fire is beautiful, but terrifying. So is the glory of God more bright and beautiful than anything we have ever seen. It is also a most terrifying experience, inducing fear of God, a undoubtable faith in the realty of God. “Our God is a consuming fire [Hebrews 12:29].” “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God [Hebrews 10:31].” There an everlasting fire prepared for the devil, and the devil and all unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire.

The glory and fire of God produces a shout of fear, and it also leads one to fall on his face in worship and submissive surrender. The glory of God is depicted in living technicolor on the cross, where, surprisingly, it looks like love, overwhelming love. In response to this Gospel we respond with a shout of joy and total worship of the living God. Every time we hear the gospel our heart burns within us. It burns up sin. May the Word never become old, dry, and boring. Let the heart respond with shouting, singing, rejoicing, and worshiping.