To Fill the Earth with His Glory

A careful study and examination of both biblical and natural history will support the conclusion that God creates men and women to meet the challenges and needs of the generation to which they are born. This can readily be recognized in Scripture with the emergence of prominent prophets, judges and leaders who led Israel during times of apostasy, adversity, prosperity and war.

In modern history, we can evaluate World War II and discover the advent of distinguished leadership such as George Patton and Douglas MacArthur. These great commanders acknowledged that their earliest memories consisted of becoming military leaders and fulfilling their destiny as conquerors. From the time of their youth each devoted himself to the preparation, training and strategy necessary to be regarded among the greatest military leaders in modern history. Clearly, the Lord imparted this desire in them at an early age in order to meet the distresses of our nation and the free world during the great conflict of World War II.

A GENERATION OF DESTINY

Likewise, the Lord is also creating and preparing a body of spiritual warriors to emerge in our generation to meet the spiritual challenges and prophetic destiny ordained for our age and foretold in Scripture. One of the greatest mandates of all time is to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and see the biblical directive in Numbers 14:21 fulfilled… to be the instruments by which He fills the whole Earth with His glory.

So the LORD said, “I have pardoned them according to your word; but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD. (Num 14:20-21)

Like Abraham, it is the cry of our hearts, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.”(Gen 18:3) It should be our earnest desire and aspiration to be the chosen generation through which the Lord will give revelation and expression of His nature, character and power that we may begin to fill the entire Earth with the Glory of God. That would be the fulfillment of the awesome prayer outlined by the Lord Himself, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.”

We have the incredible privilege of living in the generation that will witness the unveiling of great mysteries and hidden secrets reserved for the end-time generation. (Daniel 12.4) Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is beginning to unleash “great and mighty things” related to our prophetic mandate from the Scriptures and imparting to us insight with understanding concerning the revelation of His Glory.

THE REVELATION OF HIS THRONE

There are three passages we believe have been given heightened attention by the Holy Spirit in this hour. They are Esther 5, Revelations 4 and Isaiah 6. Each of these passages points to a King sitting on His throne. Isaiah 6 has always been a significant passage of Scripture and saturated with the revelation of the Lord as King and the design of heaven creating the atmosphere in which He dwells. If there is a King and a throne, then there must be a kingdom and dominion over which He rules. That is one of the great revelations for our generation. The Lord Jesus Christ as the overcoming King with ultimate authority and dominion revealing to an “overcoming” people on the earth the Kingdom of Heaven.

Throughout the ministry of the Lord He made it clear that His commission was to convey the understanding and demonstration of the Kingdom of Heaven. Throughout the Gospels we witness the Lord continually teaching and manifesting His Kingdom and the attributes inherent in the Heavenly Father. That is also our great commission.

MULTIPLIED GRAINS OF WHEAT LIKE THE ORIGINAL SEED

The Lord Jesus gave the analogy of Himself as a grain of wheat. He taught that if this grain of wheat falls into the earth and perishes it is for the purpose of bringing forth multiplied grains of wheat like the original seed.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24)

It is our high calling to emerge as one of the grains of wheat, like the original seed, who will begin to demonstrate and teach the Kingdom design in the Earth. There is a present move of the Holy Spirit to prepare a company of “overcomers” to EXPERIENCE the revelation of His Kingship and give expression to that unveiling to the body of Christ, ushering in and birthing the Kingdom of God in the earth.

We often times define the Kingdom as, the Lord Jesus Christ living and abiding in His people, doing through His people the same works that He did while on the earth while in human form. In will be the promised fulfillment of John 14.12.

OUR PROPHETIC MANDATES

Without controversy, part of our great commission is the harvest of souls and the demonstration of the Spirit and His power in our generation. There is the ministry of salvation and deliverance to set the captives free and liberate prisoners from spiritual dungeons. There is also the ministry of healing that must be carried to the people to restore the eyes of the blind, unstop deaf ears and heal lame limbs. These are all great and lofty purposes for which we devote ourselves in preparation and equipping.

Nevertheless, in the process of pursuing the Holy Spirit’s power and anointing, we also discover an even higher purpose for which we are created. It is to have intimate relationship and communion with Him. Far too often we have ascertained throughout history many devoted saints who gave themselves to the work of the ministry but somehow lost the intimacy and communion that brought them to the place of anointing and power.

Consequently, we must invest ourselves to find the place of intimate exchange and sacred fellowship with the Lord and be completely unwilling to compromise that relationship for any purpose. Notice the heart’s cry of the apostle Paul. Even after many years of powerful ministry, his passionate desire was to “know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil 3:10)

Further, combined with the commission to carry the gospel of salvation and power and even the more lofty purpose of having intimate relationship and exchange with the Lord, we discover a third mandate that perhaps is equally as important, as honorable as they are. It is to be the agency through which the entire earth is to be filled with His Glory.

REVELATION OF HIS GLORY

The Lord descended upon Mount Sinai in all of His Glory and Power and desired to use Israel to begin to fill the earth with His Glory. Unfortunately they missed the mark. The Lord was so grieved with the unbelief and disobedience of the people that he was prepared to destroy the entire nation with the exception of Moses. Because of the intercession of Moses, the Lord stayed His hand of judgment but made a profound declaration, “So the LORD said, “I have pardoned them according to your word; but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.” (Numbers 14:20-21) There must be a generation who cooperates with the Lord to fulfill this solemn oath given so many centuries ago.

It was the desire of the Lord to reveal Himself to the entire nation of Israel. The sovereign desire remains in His heart to reveal Himself to a Holy nation and a royal priesthood and use them to fill the earth with His Glory. Thus, we have a prominent mandate along with the noble purpose of winning the lost and healing the sick. It is to participate with the Holy Spirit in fulfilling this directive to fill the earth with the Glory of God.

IN THE YEAR KING UZZIAH DIED

In understanding this great mandate, we can glean key insights from Isaiah 6 beginning with the first verse.

In the year of King Uzziah’s death, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. (Isa 6:1)

King Uzziah was wonderfully blessed by the Lord until his heart was lifted up in pride. When this occurred, this notable King entered the Holy Place and attempted to presumptuously offer incense at the altar of incense without the proper anointing and consecration essential for this duty. With this fatal error, the King was stricken with leprosy as observed on his forehead by the priests.

According to Levitical law, when the priests identified leprosy on the forehead of a person, that person has been recognized to be unclean and required to cover his lips and declare “unclean, unclean.” (Leviticus 13:43-45)

In comprehending the significance of King Uzziah’s death we begin with the statement given by the great prophet Isaiah as he stood before the very throne of God witnessing the exchange of the Seraphim giving Glory to God.

And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory. And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” (Isa 6:3-5)

When Isaiah discovered himself, not in the type and shadow on the earth, but the literal Holy Place in heaven and before the throne of God, he clearly must have remembered the grotesque and distorted appearance of King Uzziah before his death. With that image in mind he in essence stated, I am like Uzziah who died of leprosy, an unclean disease, I am likewise unclean and unworthy to stand in this Holy Place.

A DIVINE PROVISION

Interestingly, and angel flew to the very place in which Uzziah was stricken, the altar of incense, and extracted a coal and applied it to the lips of Isaiah. There was an atoning provision for Isaiah. The Lord had made a redemptive provision providing atonement and cleansing for the condition in which Isaiah found himself.

There was no correction to the statement made by Isaiah that he was unclean. Rather, the Lord’s atoning attribute altered the condition of Isaiah and made him to be cleansed and worthy to participate in the exchange of Glory taking place before the throne of heaven. Uzziah entered the Holy place on earth with pride and presumption while Isaiah appeared with lowliness and contrition.

FILLING THE TEMPLE WITH GLORY

The prophet Isaiah was given the great privilege of seeing heaven’s design before the throne of God as Seraphim spoke one to another declaring “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts.” They were allowed to see with their eyes demonstrations of His majesty and authority and give expression to it. Their words began to fill the temple with smoke and Glory by witnessing with their eyes and expressing with their lips the revelation of God sitting upon His throne in absolute and perfect supremacy and sovereignty.

As the Seraphim gave Glory to Him and He received the Glory due Him, more of his Divine attributes began to be revealed causing an even greater expression of praise and Glory. This Kingdom exchange and heavenly design continued filling the atmosphere with the Glory and illumination of God until the entire temple was saturated with the appearance and revelation of His Glory. That is the fashion of heaven that is to be transferred to the earth and our mandate to create an atmosphere on the earth that is consistent with His nature and character in which He can dwell. If we can fulfill this mandate, all the other purposes and desires for which we long will naturally be established and achieved by His Presence and anointing resting in us.

How desirous Isaiah must have felt to likewise participate in this exchange of Glory, yet he recognized the unworthiness and impurity of his own lips to give glory to God in such a holy surrounding. Thankfully, the provision of heaven purified him and removed his unclean condition paving the way for him to likewise give Glory to God.

WHO WILL GO FOR US

This commissioning of Isaiah was not one as a prophet. The scriptures plainly report that he was already functioning in the office of a prophet long before the experience of Isaiah 6. Perhaps, Isaiah was being asked “Who will go for Us,” and begin to fill the earth with the His Glory as witnessed in heaven before the throne of God.

Isaiah observed the atmosphere surrounding the throne of heaven. He saw the design of heaven created around the kingship and dominion of the Lord and the unveiling of His Glory as seen by those witnessing the nature and character of His kingly authority. This same atmosphere must likewise be created on the earth in and through His people for the Lord’s dominion and Presence to be fully manifested in our generation. That is the will of heaven being done on the earth. It is the creation of the environment in which the Lord is able to dwell because it provides a surrounding consistent with His divine nature and character.

THE REVELATION OF OUR HEARTS

We can only participate in this exchange by virtue of the true revelation and comprehension of our hearts. It cannot be the mechanical articulation of words with only an intellectual perception of His dominion and glory. It must be through “overcoming” saints anointed with the spirit of wisdom and revelation being allowed to see, comprehend and experience the unveiling of His great Kingly authority, dominion and Glory and giving expression to it.

And another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. (Rev 8:3-5)

In this passage the Bible portrays the prayers and intercession of the saints being like smoke or incense captured and mingled with the incense of heaven. This illustrates our words having a tangible substance that can be seen and captured in the spiritual realm when coming from honest and sincere hearts anointed with the spirit of revelation. It is our privilege to GIVE Him Glory and His desire to RECEIVE Glory and honor for who He is.

And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. And when the living creatures GIVE GLORY and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, TO RECEIVE GLORY and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created.” (Rev 4:8-11)

THE PRAYER OF DAVID

According to the scriptures, David was a man after God’s on heart. He also recognized this high mandate and even prayed that the entire earth would be filled with the Glory of God.

Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders.

And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen. (Ps 72:18-19)

With his prophetic eye, David was able to recognize the desire of God’s heart to fill the earth with His glory. Like David our earnest prayer should be to not only live in a generation that witnesses the return of God’s Glory but also participate in the communication and release of His glory in the earth. That is one of the highest purposes for our redemption and one for which we are presently being prepared and groomed.

From among the four living creatures, the attributes of the Eagle seems to be the most predominant that characterizes this entire generation of “overcomers.” The apostle Paul made it clear that we each have the privilege and admonition to be anointed with the spirit of wisdom and revelation. (Ephesians 1:17-19) Part of this great endowment is to allow the eyes of our hearts to be illumined to see with comprehension the revelation of His Person and His Kingship and give expression to it. Without clear illumination, we cannot fully participate in the articulation and release of His glory.

YIELDING OUR WILL TO THE WILL OF THE FATHER

Presently, the Holy Spirit is seeking to enlist a company of people who will yield themselves fully to Him and submit their will to the will of the Father. In so doing, we will open the door of opportunity to be cleansed with the provision of Heaven, as was Isaiah, thus permitting our participation. This great mandate is not for those in an unclean condition as Uzziah. It is for those who have fully embraced the blood of redemption and the fire of God from the altar that consumes everything within us contrary to His nature.

We will not be able to meet the challenges of our generation resting upon someone else’s faith. The apostle Paul once made the statement concerning the message of Truth he lived and taught, “For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Gal 1:12)

For us to maintain the faith of God, we must likewise experience the revelation of Jesus Christ for ourselves and become the instruments through which His glory is given pronunciation and substance.

It is an interesting observation in the scriptures that the disease of leprosy is generally not healed but cleansed. It was a condition of defilement and uncleanness that reflected a greater meaning and became a visible portrayal of deterioration and corruption that reflected an inner condition. There is a company of people who will answer the invitation to be cleansed by the coals from the altar and proceed to this high place of revelation and comprehension from which we can begin to give Glory to God.