What is the Glory of Man?
“Thus saith the Lord, Let
not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his
might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory
in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which
exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in
these things I delight, saith the Lord.”
--Jer.
9:23,24
Every
person reared in the Reformed Confessions of Faith knows that man was created
for the glory of God. But what does
that mean? The trees, the moon, dogs,
frogs, slugs, and even the devil himself were created for God's pleasure and
God's glory. Is man no different from
these?
The
Holy Spirit puts man at a great difference from these things. Man was created to know God: specifically to
know God and God's workings in the earth.
It is
not enough to have an abstract knowledge of God, something to hang your
reasoning on. God cannot be separated from
His Providence, for it is in the works of creation that the invisible things of
God become visible (Romans 1). To
truly know God is to have the eye of faith opened to see the works of God in
lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
The
world is not the devil's playground, though God permits him to wander about for
a time. The earth is the Lord's and the
fullness thereof. The person and work
of the devil are not the proper occupations for the mind and soul of man,
though many fall into a snare and profess to understand the devil's work far
better than they know God and His work.
But the end of that knowledge is death and despair. The true glory of humankind is in the
knowledge of God, and the beholding of His wonderful works in the world. It's too bad if you miss it.