The Glory of Christmas

Do you get a little sad when the Christmas tree comes down? I do. I think it is because Christmas is so shiny and light-filled, that it just seems a little less bright without all the tinsel and baubles decorating our homes. It is like the “glory” of Christmas has been packed away in our storage boxes until next year. Thankfully, the real glory of Christmas lives within our hearts all year long if we have accepted Christ as our Savior. Let’s take a look at how the glory of Christmas can dwell in us.

Recall that God’s Shekinah glory led the Children of Israel around in the desert (the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night). Later that brilliant cloud would descend on Mt. Sinai where Moses was called into its fiery brilliance to receive the Law. Moses would have to veil his face when he came down because he was reflecting the intense glow of God’s glory. The people couldn’t even look at him until he put the veil over his face. Eventually, the glow would fade.

After Moses directed the building of the wilderness tabernacle, “according to all that God commanded”, and all of the proper sacrifices had been made, God’s Shekinah glory descended into the Holy of Holies, which was behind the veil, and it rested on the Ark of the Covenant between the Cherubim (angels) that flanked the mercy seat (Leviticus 9).

The cloud that descended represented the extended, visible, manifest presence of God with His people. However, because of their great sin of idolatry, this visible presence withdrew and ascended into heaven: Ezekiel 11:22-23 “Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them. The glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain which is east of the city…”

How sad that the visible manifestation of God’s glory departed – but it did so because of the sin of His people. But, all through the Old Testament, there are prophesies of how the glory would return and save God’s people. Whew – then a came a dry period at the close of the Old Testament. For over 400 years God would be silent. He would not speak through the prophets or through leaders. The world must wait for the glory to return and the promise to be fulfilled.

Fast forward to the birth of Jesus Christ…the silence is broken with the cry of a new born baby. Not just any baby – the Messiah! John 1:14 tells us that “…the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth…” The glory had returned, this time veiled in human flesh. Jesus Christ was full of grace and truth. The Ark of the Covenant where God descended was full of the Law that none of us could keep. The Law has no grace, only condemnation. But this Baby was full of grace and truth – exactly what fallen humans needed to be restored to the Father.

Don’t let the glory of Christmas be packed away in boxes this year. Accept God’s gift of His son so the glory can abide in you day by day. Yes, the physical Glory (Jesus) has departed again into heaven, but He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers so that we would never be without His glorious manifest presence again. Let His glory fill your soul so you will have an internal glow that no veil can mask and will never fade!