What Is Glory?

[Uncle Dale]

What is "glory"...

 

Were I to ask this question of those who were "keeping watch

over their flock by night," -- of Orson Pratt -- and of Aaron,

brother of Moses -- how might their respective answers differ,

one from another?

And -- do the Latter Day Saints have yet more light and truth

to shed upon our understanding of this word (whose ancient

meaning betokened both illumination and verity -- both light

and perfection)?

 

 

"Oh Lord, I love the habitation of Your house And the place where Your glory dwells."

"and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid..."

"Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory"

"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord..."

"Soon thy towers will shine with splendor divine, And eternal thy glory shall be."

"I gotta home in Glory Land that outshines the sun..."

 

UD

 

[JLHPROF]

The Glory of God is Intelligence, or in other words, Truth and Light.

 

(Which is why when certain scholars claim God is  only increasing in glory but not in knowledge or truth they are arguing nonsense).

Edited January 12, 2015 by JLHPROF

[Rivers]

It's a movie starring Denzel Washington.

[Uncle Dale]

In Elder David Moffat's 1885 "Latter-Day Saints' Catechism," the author
indicates that God cannot "occupy two distinct places at once;" which
raises a question of whether "the Glory" dwelt in the "House of the Lord"
(1st Jerusalem Temple) continually: or, whether the ancient Israelites and
Jews professed that "the Glory" only descended there periodically.

In the Exodus "tent of meeting" Moses seems to have only encountered
"the Glory" there occasionally -- the Divine indwelling not being continuous.

I wonder also, what 19th century Latter Day Saints thought of the
opening lines of the Battle Hymn of the Republic? -- since its words
appear to be based upon a biblical understanding running contrary to
LDS doctrine (at least as far back as the brother of Jared, etc.)

 

UD

[JLHPROF]

In Elder David Moffat's 1885 "Latter-Day Saints' Catechism," the author

indicates that God cannot "occupy two distinct places at once;" which

raises a question of whether "the Glory" dwelt in the "House of the Lord"

(1st Jerusalem Temple) continually: or, whether the ancient Israelites and

Jews professed that "the Glory" only descended there periodically.

In the Exodus "tent of meeting" Moses seems to have only encountered

"the Glory" there occasionally -- the Divine indwelling not being continuous.

I wonder also, what 19th century Latter Day Saints thought of the

opening lines of the Battle Hymn of the Republic? -- since its words

appear to be based upon a biblical understanding running contrary to

LDS doctrine (at least as far back as the brother of Jared, etc.)

 

UD

 

Not necessarily.  Seeing the coming of the Lord would provide more glory (truth and light) to all who witness the event.  They would no longer be operating on faith, but on newly acquired knowledge.  At least in that one area.

[Uncle Dale]

Not necessarily.  Seeing the coming of the Lord would provide more glory (truth and light) to all who witness the event.  They would no longer be operating on faith, but on newly acquired knowledge.  At least in that one area.

 

 

I'm trying (in my own mind) to picture what Orson Pratt might

have replied -- and perhaps my imagination is not far from

being right:

 

The Gentiles (specifically Federal troops during the Civil War)

would indeed have only seen the radiant "glory" of God, had

God come forth into their midst. Not being possessed of the

pure and enduring faith of the Saints, those profane soldiers

could not have comprehended the Divine Being obscured by

encompassing brilliance beyond that of the sun at mid-day.

 

So also with some other biblical figures and writers, who professed

that man cannot see God directly and live -- that human beings in

the flesh were limited to perceiving only the overpowering light of

Glory, which (to their limited vision) was obscuring. But not so with

Adam, Enoch, the Brother of Jared, etc., whose faith elevated them

to a higher level of worthiness and to direct perception of the Divine.

 

But, I may be wrong.

And Elder Pratt was not always right, either.

 

UD

[The Nehor]

I think of it as perfection.....and shininess.

[Ahab]

I believe the word glory has more than one meaning, just as most if not all other words do, but I most often think of our Lord's glory as his intelligence or presence, whether it's him or others he sends in his name and authority. Like when the glory of the Lord appeared to shepherds on the night he was born, when angels from the presence of the Lord shared intelligence regarding his birth. And like how the presence of the sun in our solar system can be seen and felt millions and even billions of miles away from where it is, while the presence/glory of the moon doesn't have anywhere near that much influence.

Anyway, any and all of the definitions in the dictionary apply, or at least can apply, but I usually think of the word presence or intelligence.

Edited January 12, 2015 by Ahab

[Uncle Dale]

I think of it as perfection.....and shininess.

 

Ever look up the English words for "urim"

and "thummim?"

 

Like a summer shower -- giving us each hour...

 

UD