God’s glory includes three different dimensions. Each one works with the others to reveal the whole. And we experience it in different degrees.
Three words describe these dimensions. 1- Doxa 2- Shekinah 3- Kabod.
Doxa speaks of the coming fullness of the Spirit within. As we start walking with God this glory increases, as Jesus is formed within us.
Matthew 25: 31“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 “And all the nations will be gathered before Him
This verse describes the first dimension known as doxi glory. The word doxa comes from the Greek and means honor, renown, and splendor. It speaks of an exalted state or a most glorious condition of being.
Doxa glory represents a perfect state of blessedness promised to believers and connects us with the Excellency and Kingly Majesty of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 3: 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
We are transformed from glory to glory, or from doxa to doxa. We are moving in the Spirit from glory to glory. We go from one level of splendor to the next as we continue to walk with God.
The manifestation of glory in this dimension is hard to describe, but we know we perceive it as we become aware of Jesus’ kingly position. In this dimension we surrender to his authority to rule over us.
To encounter Jesus as Lord is entering into doxa glory. The doxa glory opens up the way for a multitude of souls to come into the kingdom of God.
Receiving Jesus as Lord is experiencing doxa glory. It is life-changing encounter. This glory within us is reflected to our soul as in a mirror. As we see this glory, or perceive it within us, we are changed into the same image. When this dimension of glory is present, you are fully aware that Jesus is Lord.
The second dimension is the visible glory of God, the Shekinah glory. This means dwelling or settling and, in a fuller meaning is described as the transformational glory in which visible change occurs in the atmosphere.
Psalm 21:3 you came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
This is the glory of God coming upon us, or overshadowing us.
The appearance of the cloud by day and the fire by night in the time of Moses was the appearance of the Shekinah glory – Exodus 40:34 – 38.
The Shekinah glory is also seen in the imagery of the thrones and robes in Isaiah 6:1 and Jeremiah 17:12.
Ezekiel encountered the Shekinah glory, and said, and there before me was the glory of the God of Israel, as in the vision I’ve seen in the plain – Ezekiel 8:4.
Matthew 28:20 – for where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them. This is his Shekinah presence.
Holy Spirit wants to reveal the Shekinah glory to us and we should always expect to encounter it when in corporate gatherings of believers.
The reason this does not happen, is because that local body is not sold-out believers. Twice when I would worship God with all my heart, and I mean all my heart, every area of my life surrendered, to exalt the Lord, the Shekinah glory would come into the service and touch everyone that was present. It is the glory of God coming down out of heaven into the natural realm.
Seeing the Shekinah glory upon a person is a sign of the Holiness of God in that person’s life. Sanctification is every area of our life, separated exclusively for God’s use.
We can see this command and promise in Isaiah 60:1 Arise, Shine; for thy light has come, and the glory of Lord is risen upon you. The word risen means, that it flows out of you, it shoots forth from within you and rests upon you. 2For , behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
This is a promise for us in the days of darkness which are coming upon the earth within the generation we are living in and the church right now is not prepared for it.
We can see this promise in manifestation when Jesus was on the mount of transfiguration. The glory just burst from within Him, and shone upon his face and his clothes shined and the heavens were opened and the glory came down upon Peter, James and John. And two of the cloud of witnesses was present, and Moses and Elijah began talking to him.
This is what happens when we are transformed by the renewing of our soul, specifically the mind. Our soul comes under the Lordship of Jesus over our spirit, and our soul becomes one with our spirit and the glory is released. This is a result of the saving of the soul, or the end result of the process of sanctification.
The third dimension of visible glory is Kabod. It’s a Hebrew word that means happiness or weight. The kabod glory is the realm of glory in which we encounter the weightiness of God. This is also the cloud of glory. You can feel the glory as it descends into our midst.
Second Chronicle 7:2 – the priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it.
Sometimes we experience the weighty glory in the midst of trials and afflictions – second Corinthians 4:17. This is God turning our situations around and reminding us of his promises. Instead of feeling the weight of the world, we feel the weight of the glory of God.
From within this cloud, we heard the voice of God speak with clarity. Exodus 19:9 – When the Lord spoke to Moses I’m going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that people will hear me speaking with you, and believe thee forever.
When we enter into this dimension of God we need pen and paper to take notes as he speaks.
In Psalm 91:1 David sang about the secret place of the most high. In verse one the Psalm speaks about the cloud canopy or shadow of the Almighty. This is the cloud of God’s glory and within that cloud, we find refuge and deliverance, protection and healing, and angelic interaction.
We have to live in Psalm 91 in these last days to receive the immunities and protection as darkness begins to cover the earth.