The Earth Full of His Glory

by Stephen Jones

The Earth Full of His Glory
The concept that the whole earth will some day be filled with the glory of God is expressed five times in the Bible. The first example is found in Numbers 14 when Israel refused to enter Canaan at the Feast of Tabernacles. When Caleb and Joshua urged the people to enter Canaan, the people would have stoned them, except that suddenly "the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel" (14:10). God then threatened to disinherit Israel, but Moses interceded for them, saying that the Canaanites would say that God was incapable of bringing Israel into the land He had promised them. In other words, man's inability to follow God would be stronger than God's ability to bring them to the place of obedience.

This is a classic issue even in the Church today. Is God really sovereign? Does He really have the power to bring His glory into the earth through an obedient people? The task seems hopeless, if dependent upon the will of man; but an absolute certainty, if it is dependent upon God and God alone.

Although that generation lost the opportunity to receive God's fullness, God swore by an oath on His own name that He Himself would see to it that His glory would some day fill the earth. Numbers 14:21 says, "but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD." This is God's intent, His purpose, His plan, and none can turn it aside or hinder it from coming in its appointed time.

God is bringing His glory to the earth in three stages, bound by three veils that are removed one at a time.

[my comment: remember Noah also released the Dove three times. This is symbolic of the three levels of spirit anointing or the three *heavens of consciousness* that are given to bring creation into the fullness of God experientially. The Passover Age began with Moses unto Christ, the Pentecostal Church Age from Christ unto the Present, and the Tabernacles Glory Age before us. But on an individual basis it represents our justification, our sanctification, and our glorification, spirit, soul, and body.]

The removal of these veils lead us into the three ages of Passover, Pentecost, and finally, Tabernacles, where His glory will be fully manifested in the overcomers. This will be the first body of people, a relatively small body of believers, who will be the first of the firstfruits unto God. The Church will come in next at the end of the Tabernacles Age. [into immortality] And in the years following, God will deal with the rest of the world until His glory has filled the whole earth. Details of God's plan in this regard are discussed fully in our book, Creation's Jubilee.

Besides Psalm 72:19 and Numbers 14:21, there are three other Scriptures where God declares His intention to manifest His glory throughout all the earth. Isaiah 6:3 says,

3 And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory."

In this prophetic vision at the time of Isaiah's call to the ministry, the prophet saw the goal of all prophetic utterance, the final end of God's work and purpose for creation. He saw the earth not burned up and in ruin, but on fire with the glory of God through the baptism of fire and the Holy Spirit. In Isaiah 11:9 the prophet affirms this. Then in Habakkuk 2:14 the prophet says,

14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

To what extent do the waters cover the sea? I dare say it is one hundred percent. The prophet says that His glory will fill the earth in the same way. That is, there will be left no place on earth where the knowledge of His glory is not found. The earth has a glorious future, not because man's will is so powerful, but because God is sovereign.

Even so, God is also love, and for this reason He does not use force to get people to love Him in return. He is courting the nations, and this takes time. It is not God's intent that all men serve Him out of duty, but rather that they love Him and serve Him out of a heartfelt desire to do so. God's love is irresistible, after all, once a person has any real knowledge of that love. This is why God created time. It takes time for courtship to take place. Time was created out of love."