In conclusion, each of the four pericopes presented in this paper help to provide a fuller and richer understanding of the idea of the glory of the Lord. As Balthasar points out in the conclusion of his book, the “abstract-sensuous kabod [of God leads] to the concrete-person kabod” of the Lord. Thus, God’s physical manifestations of glory are meant to reveal His infinite sublimeness and lordliness. The Lord’s kabod is one of the central characteristics which constitutes His distinctive nature. The first passage (i.e. 14:10-31) in this paper drew attention to the fact that God’s glory discloses His magnificent identity as the Lord of the cosmos. God’s kabod, henceforth, cannot be suppressed, and its grandeur is clearly revealed throughout all …show more content…
In the second text (i.e. 16:4-15), God’s kabod is shown to be intended as an invitation to humanity to enter into a more generous relationship with the Lord of the universe—one that will never be exhausted, and which remains as mysterious as a cloud. The third pericope (i.e. 24:12-18) illustrates that God’s glory is intertwined with His love for human beings which is so strong that He is willing to both initiate dialogue and condescend to them. The Lord’s only condition is that humankind be willing to respond to His loving communication. In the fourth passage (i.e. 33:18-23), God reveals the greatest earthly manifestation of His kabod by allowing Moses to see beyond the natural manifestations of His glory (i.e. the fire and cloud). Moses is permitted, before the rest of humanity, to see the glorious backside of …show more content…
The Lord, who is a gentle and patient lover, never forces Himself upon another person. Instead, He gradually reveals Himself first in creation and then in the person of Jesus Christ. God’s kabod is willing to condescend in order to draw all of humankind to Himself—as illustrated in Jesus’ incarnation. If God, therefore, is willing to humble Himself for humanity’s sake (i.e. in the incarnation, passion, and death of Christ), then human beings must, in turn, be willing to humble themselves in love and service to their neighbour. As all these passages illustrate, the genuine source of all glory is the Lord. Since all of humanity shares in His glory, they should then be willing to live in a way that imitates and spreads that kabod. The best way to share God’s glory is to love in a manner that gives kabod to the Lord. Like the text about the manna and quails in the desert, humanity should be generous and creative in the way that they show love to one another. Their love for each other should be so tender and munificent that it envelopes others like God did with Moses on Mount Sinai in the cloud. The love of humanity should also burn like a fire in their souls which does not destroy—just like the fire on Sinai, but rather it should help to transform and give direction—like a light in the darkness. God’s glory is