The chorus above, has been on my mind for many weeks. With it as an introduction, I hope to share a little of what my spirit is sensing, as well as sharing bits of my journey over most of my life time. Some perhaps, may grow weary with my quoting of choruses from many years ago. I do this because they speak prophetically to my spirit, and I pray to yours also, IF you will hear with your spirit.

The subject of “the GLORY of the Lord” has been precious to me for many years. A strong expectation was birthed in my spirit in 1956 as we sang of the “Mighty Glory Coming In Our Day.” We really knew so little of what it was meant by these words. Clearly, it wasn’t the Evangelical/Pentecostal idea of heaven being called “Glory.” Nor was it the self-serving Pentecostal holler for the “glory to come down”so that we would get some super goose pimple blessings that would make us shout and feel good. Nor for that matter was it Latter Rain, The Move, or any other precious move of the Spirit that I have been privileged to take a part of.

By way of history, I was but a lad of twelve when in 1948 a fresh move of the Spirit, that most called “Latter Rain,” broke out. In the late 1940's and early 1950's some said that God was doing, “a new thing” as it was so precious to them and the degree of the anointing was so much greater and different that what they had known in Pentecost. While having minimal contact at that time, what I knew about this move of the Spirit, brought a hunger for more of what God was doing.

It was in 1982 when I was preparing to teach a class about the 20th century apostolic move, that I wrote to George Hawtin to ask him about the beginning of the 1948 move of the Spirit. He replied, “The move of the Spirit began on the day of Pentecost.” Very true! A further reality is the Spirit’s moving goes all the way back to the plans and purposes that our Father had on His heart. This was even before earth’s creation when the Spirit brooded/moved over the waters. Adam Clarke described this as, “was brooding over; for the word expresses that tremulous motion made by the hen while either hatching her eggs or fostering her young.” The Spirit is still moving according to the divine purpose, with “times of refreshing” according to Acts 3:19.

The Apostle John wrote the “Revelation of Jesus Christ” as it was given to him. It was primarily a word of encouragement for the people of his day who would go through, or were then going through, great tribulation. YET, it is also the revelation of whom Christ NOW IS. This book has the greatest examples of worship to be found anyplace in Scripture. It was written in a time of persecution, and there is much about the language we fail to comprehend because it was written to those who knew the colorful language of the middle east and it’s terminology which was foreign to the Romans, and to our western world.

When looking at Revelation 21:5 we read: “And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I AM MAKING ALL THINGS NEW." [NAU - New American Standard Update Bible] There is a depth to the word “NEW” that implies more than something being restored to its prior state. The Greek word “kainon” is better understood in the way Jonathan Mitchell’s translated Revelation, or, as he calls it, “The Unveiling of Jesus Christ can be found here.”

Verse 1 “And I saw a new (new in nature; different from the usual; better than the old; superior in value and attraction -- Kittel; new in quality -- Vincent; Wuest) heaven and a new [ibid.] Land (earth), for the first (former; preceding; earlier -- Kittel) heaven and the first (former, preceding) Land (earth) went away (pass away), and the sea does not exist any longer

Verse 5. And the One (He who is) continuously sitting upon the throne said, “Consider this! I am continuously making (or: I am repeatedly creating) ALL THINGS (everything) NEW.”

We become aware of the fact that God is in taking something already made, and then making something more glorious than what was before. Now, consider the history of Job. He went through major devastation and losses. However, in the end Job 42:10-17 tells of Job having more than at his beginning. In case you think all of Job’s devastation was inspired by Satan’s, read the first chapter again and see that it was God who set Job up for what was to happen to him. The ONLY one with power today is He who has ALL power and authority, and to whom every knee will bow in worship, the Lord Jesus Christ. All else is false, a facade.

Now, let us consider the Potter of Jeremiah 18:4. “But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.”

This verse raises the question. “Why was the vessel marred, brought to a state of decay, spoiling, and corruption in the hands of the Potter?” “Could this not have been prevented?” It becomes clear that The Potter had something greater in mind because He made it into another vessel of His choosing and the marring was part of the process. Our Father is taking mankind from Restoration to Glorification. Psalm 90:3 tells us a little of how God works, “You turn man back into dust, and say “Return, O children of men.” Some Bible versions use the word “destruction ”rather than “dust.” The process was one of reducing to the basic elements, and then making something better. Indeed, “Who are we to question the ways of The Potter?”

What happened in Genesis Three is commonly called “the fall.” Since the Lamb of God “was slain before the foundation of the world,” we must ask, “Why did God permit this to happen? Clearly it was a part of the process as He not only knew about, and permitted it to happen, but planned for redemption [a return to one’s rightful owner] from the results of it. In other words, our Father had a purpose in it, of which we only still only see in part.
A.E. Saxby wrote in God of Creation, “The character, as well as the ability of the maker, is visible in the thing that he makes. If a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, then it is certain that the great Creator of all, who is holy in all His ways and righteous in all His works, who is good and only doeth good and whose tenderness is over all His works, can design nothing the end of which is not pure happiness and usefulness. Whatever catastrophes may have intervened, and however mysterious are the processes by which His goal will be reached, it follows, from the fact of His unimpeachable character, that the consummation of His work will justify all His methods.“

Genesis Three records not only the fall and its negative effect on mankind and all of creation, but also of The promised “Seed.” This is a word of hope, and of reconciliation! In Romans 8:20-22 we read, “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”

Creation, including mankind whom God said was “very good,” was subjected to futility [3153 mataiotes]. Two other passages that use the word “mataitotes” give a good description of the depravity involved. They are Ephesians 4:17-19 and 2 Peter 2:18-19. The way the New English Bible puts Romans 8:20 is good, “It was made the victim of frustration, not by it’s own choice, but because of him who made it so;” Unlike evangelical scholars who blame Adam for this state, M.R. Vincent said, “It was God, not Adam or Satan who was the cause of this state.” To this it must also be said that whatever limited freedom of choice the created may have, does not overrule that of the Creator, but rather is purposed to fit into His grand design.

Romans 8:19 -2 3 speaks of the longing of creation to be set free from the bondage of corruption. The clue as to how, is found in these words, “the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.” This speaks of mature sons who will walk as Jesus walked, by being limited to only doing the will of the Father. He who was the Son of Man, and the Son of God, walked in limitation as a servant son - a son with the attitude of a servant.

Within those who are growing into full/adult sonship, there is a longing to burst forth from the cocoon stage similar to what the caterpillar goes through on its way to becoming a butterfly. Yes, to burst forth from the limitations of corruption as we await the adoption, the huiothesia, the placing as a son, unto the fullness of the redemption, even the deliverance from corruption of our bodies. It will take place in HIS timing!

In late 1954 a negative situation happened in my life which resulted in my father telling me that I should attend Bible school as I was unemployed at the time. So, in January 1955 I began to attend Chicago Bible College until during the fall of 1955 when the Lord spoke to my heart and told me to leave. Most misunderstood why I left, however, I still was very much in the center of God’s will by remaining in Chicago.

It was in 1956 that I was privileged to attend life changing “latter rain” meetings in a Chicago mission conducted by Omar Johnson, A.A. Anderson and a pastor from Joplin Missouri. It was there that I learned the chorus that was given to A.A. Anderson which speaks of the longing to burst forth from the caterpillar stage that so many of us have gone through, or are going through.

This chorus does no disservice to the reality of the indwelling Christ in us. Rather, it speaks of the inner longing for the glory that man is destined to have. There shall surely come the bursting forth of the sons of God in HIS glory. For as we see Him we will be changed into His likeness!

A mighty working of the Holy Spirit is taking place this very hour in His sons, but it is not always in the area of revelation or of blessings. In fact, to some, it may seem like an enemy has attacked them spiritually, emotionally, financially and physically just as the swarming, creeping, stripping and gnawing locusts of Joel 2:25 which God called, “My great army which I sent among you.” Be assured that ALL of these things are designed of God for our good and His glory.

In 1953 while I was in Los Angeles learning that I was not called to be a door to door evangelist, my father sent me the following poem which helps to explain the dealings of God in our lives.

This pressure, tribulation - THILIPSIS - is what Romans 5:3-5 is all about. It is the process of being changed into the image and likeness of Christ until the “fruit [singular] of the Spirit” which is the nature of Christ is manifest in our lives. It is a part of the process of the “fetters being broken” and “the mountains being cast down,” so that HIS GLORY fills our earth. The heavens are filled with His glory, and earth, our personal earth will be also, until the whole earth is filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD.

The following is part of a prophetic word from some years ago that I found difficult to accept because the emphasis has always been on the “Treasure - Christ - in the earthen vessel.” We have considered ourselves to be but clay pots, perhaps some of us are even “cracked pots,” but we are in facts vessels to contain and reveal His glory! It was only recently that I began to see what God’s purpose was in those words.

“I see a vessel of clay being molded into a wine urn. I see this clay being beaten and fired into pure gold, and during this beating, and this firing, it is taking much pressure and much pain. Yes, from the bottom to the top, even so it is turned into the finest gold, the purest gold.”

This speaks of the indwelling TREASURE changing the vessel from its earthen condition to the place where the Treasure is all that is seen. From time to time we may have a little bursting forth of the gold of Christ, be assured that these days of limitation will not last, for Christ will appear in us in all of His golden glory!

In Romans 3:23 there is a verse that all evangelical soul winners know by heart. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We have all emphasized the sin, and missed the glory. As Watchman Nee once said, “God’s purpose for man is glory, glory, glory,” and he got it right. The NEB puts it this way, ”and are deprived of the divine splendour.” Indeed we have been deprived for a time, however, within the purposes of God this is not to be forever, for God did not create us to be “mud men” and crawl around as unworthy and worthless worms as some would have us to believe. Rather, it is to become sons of God filled with His radiating glory.

There is a longing for fulfilment within the breast of every man, whether known or not. Many seek to find it in various forms of pleasure, talents, carnal desires, intellectual journeys, or in some form of spiritual worship, be it to an inanimate object, or to some other version of what they consider being a god, even in themselves. Some in legalistically attempting to worship the One they know as Saviour, but know not as their life, and who is abundant Grace. This longing is there because our Father is calling, “Come home! Come find your Home in Me.”

Moses was a man who had the greatest understanding of God in his day, Yet, in spite of his many encounters with God, his heart was not satisfied. In Exodus 33:18-23 we read of his heart cry and God’s answer.

“Moses implored, "I pray You, show me Your glory!" However, God knew that Moses was not able to handle this full display of glory, so he said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion."

God unveiled Himself as much as He knew Moses could deal with. He revealed Himself, both in His character, through His many descriptive names, and He permitted a little of his parting glory to be seen. Moses lived in the realm of types and shadows of the more excellent glory to come in Jesus Christ. Through the death, and resurrection of Jesus, God threw open the doors for all to enter in. When Jesus Christ’s blood was shed, and He died, and was resurrected, ALL of mankind past, present, and future, was included within Him.

Moses was told, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!" There is now a new and living way for ALL to behold His face, to look and live. Second Corinthians Chapter Three speaks of the difference between the Mosaic order which has passed away, with such glory as it had, and how the glory of the ministry of the Spirit of Christ abounds, and surpasses the Law of Moses in glory!

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, {there} is liberty. 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.

No longer are we bound as the children of Israel were from climbing the mount to God because of the fear of His might, glory and terrifying fire. Rather, we are in a place of liberty to enter in. The word “liberty” in 2 Corinthians 3:17 means -“freedom of access.” WOW! This is sure different from the “in part” realm of the old order! We need not hold back, but enter in as all the bounds to the past limitations have been done away within, and by, Christ, AND, we are WITHIN CHRIST who leads US in the train of HIS triumph!

A marvelous thing is NOW happening. As we behold His glory, we are being changed into His image and likeness. “For the light of the glory of His unveiled face is the glory that is changing us.” No longer will the glory kill us as Moses was told, rather it changes us from glory to glory, and the “crooked paths are being made straight, and our “weary hearts are being relieved” as we live in the light of His glory which is changing/transforming [metamorphoo] us! Hallelujah!

In Habakkuk 2:14 we read, "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Also in Isaiah 11:9 we read, “ for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”

For some time I have been pondering the words, “as the waters cove the sea.” To most of us as sea is a large body composed of water. The word “sea” may also refer to a “sea of heads” in a crowd to describe the multitude of people. In Genesis One we have the gathering of the waters called “sea.” But in Habakkuk and Isaiah we have “waters covering the sea.” There is a different application of the word Sea in 1 Kings 7:23 and 2 Chronicles 4:2.

When Solomon’s Temple was being fitted for the priestly services and sacrifices of that day, the Laver used in the Tabernacle was replaced with a massive brazen container called a “Sea.” It was semicircular 534cm or, 17.5' in diameter, 276cm or 8.75' deep, and could hold from 605 to 757 hectoliters or, 16,000 to 20,000 thousand gallons of water. At the base of this massive Sea there were ten basins or lavers to which this water flowed for washing. No matter how you measure it, it was a vast object which speaks to us of the vastness of the love of our God who is LOVE. It is the revealing of the love of God to every man that changes the understanding of our Father.

As we further consider the subject of “the sea” we know that the “sea” was a container in Solomon’s temple that was filled with water. We too are containers, and are to be full of God’s glory. It is the life of the victorious believer, the sons of God, who are not bound by the problems in this life, but rather relate to those of Revelation 15:2. “And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.”

Glass is made from sand, which is of the earth. It is transformed by intense heat/fire into something that is no longer a multitude of individual grains, with all of their individualism as so many of us may tend to be, but rather into the unified, glorified saints, united as one, and who have become clear as crystal with no impurities left as the Fire of God has dealt with them, until only the many membered Body of Christ may be seen completely united under Christ our Head.

When considering Solomon’s Sea with its water that went down to the lavers, I was reminded of the river in Ezekiel Forty-seven that had its source in “the House.” The water flowed out from the House bringing life wherever it went. It flowed through the desert and into the dead sea bringing life, and by the banks of the river trees began to grow for food, and with leaves for healing.

In Scripture there are several notable trees and rivers. In Genesis we have the tree of life and a river. In Ezekiel we have a river and trees. In the Gospels we have the tree that Jesus died on that results in life for all, and the river of water that flowed from His side. This brings us to Revelation 22:1-3, where we read:

“Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve {kinds of} fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;”

As Jesus said, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, "From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water."' [John 7:38] Living water is life giving, and that which flows from the “Throne of God” within us, is to flow out into all the world, bringing life wherever it goes as it ministers HIS LIFE to all mankind.

The prophets spoke of the “coming glory.” However, we have the heavenly NOW view as recorded in Isaiah 6:3. There the Seraphim, “called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth IS FULL OF HIS GLORY." I am recalling how I used to divide a congregation into two with one half saying, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts” This antiphonal worship would continue as the other half responded with, “the whole earth IS FULL OF HIS GLORY."

We have the ultimate as our Father God sees it. Perhaps one may wonder how the “knowledge of the LORD, of the glory of the LORD” will fill the earth. It will be the unveiling of a vast company of in-Christed sons of God. They perhaps may sing something like the following, as they carry out the purposes of our Father God.

“For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, "All things are put in subjection," it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:25-28

Indeed, God our Father is doing something new and special, something unique in all of history as He gives beauty for ashes. And He fills with His glory that which man considers to be fit for the scrap heap. May these words have been a blessing to you as we end this article with the chorus that we began with.