Geoffrey R. Kirkland
Christ Fellowship Bible Church
In a song of praise to God, David, Asaph, and the worship-leaders proclaimed: “Splendor and majesty are before God” (1 Chronicles 16.27)! THE SPLENDOR OF GOD emanates from the glorious Being of His majesty and power and holiness. The splendor of God signifies His beauty and glory and worth and radiance! This wonderful reality evokes awe and humility on the part of the observers.
One writer so aptly put it like this: Our God is not only great, but good. Not only big, but beautiful. Not only strong, but stunning. He is, in a word, majestic. The majestic splendor of God are radiances of the stunning power of our beautiful God. The splendor of God is joined with his majesty, strength, and beauty, all beheld in His sanctuary (Psalm 96.6).
As you reflect on God’s power in creation and His unrivaled ability to do the impossible by creating with His own absolute word, the psalmist exclaims: Bless the LORD O my soul, O LORD my God you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty (Psalm 104.1). This splendor finds expression in the greatness of God and in the power of God. The word for splendor often speaks of majesty, strength, glory, honor (thus, splendor). It often arises is passages juxtaposed with majesty.
David says that He will meditate on the wonderful works and glorious splendor of God’s majesty (Psalm 145.5). That meditative splendor is seen in creation (Psalm 8.2). Indeed, the splendor of God even speaks of the Messiah who will rebuild the Temple and have royal, divine, majestic honor and splendor in the latter days (Zechariah 6.13). Everything discussed here can be summed up in the phrase: “awe-inspiring splendor.”
When you gaze upon God the King rightly you should bow low in humble adoration with cheerful and submissive devotion. The splendor of God covers the heavens (Habakkuk 3.3). God actively, daily, consistently displays His most excellent splendor in the heavens with the moon and the stars which He sets carefully in place (Psalm 8.1). Oh to gaze upon the royal majesty of your King!
The splendor of God should should affect you practically and personally in these ways. First, it should instill hope. Your God always promises to bring good out of every circumstance and situation of life. You can hope not in self and in situations and in expectations but you can and should hope in God and in His steadfast and splendid character. Second, it should embolden trust. Your God is not only powerful but He is good. This splendid and majestic God of royal power is absolute in authority and merciful in tenderness and good in His ways. Third, it should eliminate all fear and worry. Your God as the splendid Monarch over the universe governs all things well and is working out His perfect decrees in every single moment. Never fear or worry because it adds nothing, it does nothing, it accomplishes nothing, and it changes nothing. Fourth, it should evoke awe and humility and worship! Praise your King!
Finally, the splendor of God must instill incredible trembling in the hearts of unbelieving sinners and willful God-rejecters. The proud may strut along fine now but soon enough they will hide in the rocks from the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty (Isaiah 2.10). In judgment against all arrogant unbelievers, God will arise and make the earth tremble in the splendor of His majesty (Isaiah 2.19). The greatest of God’s most splendid, majestic, and royal works is the coming to save guilty worms who deserve His very own wrath. What a Savior! Splendid and majestic is His work (Psalm 111.3). Seek Christ the King and bow low in humble trust in Him alone for there is no other name, under heaven, given among men by which you may be saved (Acts 4.12)!
**More from this ongoing blog-series can be found HERE.
