Revelation 14:7 tells us to “fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of His judgment is come.”
The Lord is telling us that the hour of judgment is now upon us and it is our responsibility to “fear God and give glory to Him.” But what does this mean and how do we do it?
“It was the privilege of the Jewish nation to represent the character of God as it had been revealed to Moses. In answer to the prayer of Moses, ‘Show me Thy glory,’ the Lord promised, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before thee.’ Exodus 33:18, 19. ‘And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.’ Exodus 34:6, 7. This was the fruit that God desired from His people.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 285.
When in the mount Moses asked to be shown God’s glory, God showed him His character attributes. Here we see glory shown as character. Character is defined as, “the thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 310.
If God’s glory is shown to be His character, and the thoughts and feelings make up the moral character, then we must give glory to God by developing moral characters—through our thoughts and feelings.
Paul tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. What is it that we have come short of? The glory of God, His character—His thoughts and feelings. We have all sinned and come short of the thoughts and feelings of God.
Romans 8:18 tells us that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” The glory that Paul is referring to is character. God’s character will be revealed in His followers in thoughts and feelings.
We are all being called, but for what purpose? II Thessalonians 2:14 states, “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The calling is to obtain the glory, the thoughts and feelings of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is what are we told in Revelation 14:7: “Fear God and give glory to Him.”
Paul also says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5. We need to examine ourselves to see what spirit rules supreme in our minds.
There is a wonderful statement in Numbers 14:21: “But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” Here is a promise that all the earth will be filled with the glory of God! The thoughts and feelings of God will fill the earth.
Heaven rejoiced at the thought of the creation of man: “All heaven took a deep and joyful interest in the creation of the world and of man. Human beings were a new and distinct order. They were made ‘in the image of God,’ Genesis 1:27, and it was the Creator’s design that they should populate the earth. They were to live in close communion with heaven, receiving power from the Source of all power. Upheld by God, they were to live sinless lives.” The Review and Herald, February 11, 1902.
In Isaiah 40:3–5, it states, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord—His character, His thoughts and feelings—reflected in His people on the earth.
“Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” Isaiah 60:1. Again, we see the glory of the Lord being the moral character of His people.
“The Lord Jesus Christ is the author of our being, and He is also the author of our redemption, and everyone who will enter the kingdom of God will develop a character that is the counterpart of the character of God.
“The Lord, by close and pointed truths for these last days, is cleaving out a people from the world and purifying them unto Himself. Pride and unhealthful fashions, the love of display, the love of approbation—all must be left with the world if we would be renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created us.
“By the transforming agency of His grace, the image of God is reproduced in the disciple; he becomes a new creature.
“It is the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, which Jesus said He would send into the world, that changes our character into the image of Christ; and when this is accomplished, we reflect, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord.” God’s Amazing Grace, 246.
“When Adam came from the Creator’s hand, he bore, in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to his Maker. ‘God created man in His own image’ (Genesis 1:27), and it was His purpose that the longer man lived the more fully he should reveal this image—the more fully reflect the glory of the Creator.” Education, 15.
This is God’s purpose for you and me. The longer the life, the more fully God’s character will shine through us. We are in need of self-examination to assess what is happening in our lives. Are we pleading to God for His character to shine through us and accepting those character traits so freely offered? As we pray for God to transform our characters and purify our thoughts and feelings we must allow the Spirit to bring forth the fruits of love, joy, peace, and gentleness to soften our own temperament.
The choice is ours to determine whom we reflect. Sometimes we do not see the ugliness that we have accumulated over the years, and become content with who we are. David recognized the deceptiveness of his heart and prayed, “Search me O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23, 24. When we pray that prayer God will honor that sincere desire and search our heart. He will cause something to happen in our life that reveals exactly what is in there. Be prepared and be ready to turn whatever it is over to Him, that is not part of a heavenly character, when it is made known. This is what Paul calls working out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12.)
We are told, “Through His people Christ is to manifest His character and the principles of His kingdom.
“Satan seeks to counterwork the work of God, and he is constantly urging men to accept his principles.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 296. Once God brings these defects of character to light, a choice becomes necessary, and it is soon obvious that Satan is seeking and working hard to counteract the pleadings of God’s Spirit and have you reflect his character instead of our Lord’s. Watch and pray always!
“Wrongdoing and all thoughts and feelings condemned by the law are to be overcome.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, 235, 236. This is essential, as they do not reflect God’s glory—God’s character, God’s thoughts and feelings. If they are not God’s thoughts and feelings, not God’s character, then they represent Satan’s character! Satan continually urges us to accept his principles. If we follow the principles of Satan’s kingdom, reflecting the glory/character of Satan, we are not giving glory to God as we are commanded in Revelation 14:7.
We are told that “God gives the talents, the powers of the mind; man makes the character. The mind is the Lord’s garden, and man must cultivate it earnestly in order to form a character after the divine similitude.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 2, 341.
Watch and Cultivate
To do this we must begin with a prayer, which should always be, Father, let this mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:5.) Please, “Search me O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23, 24. Pray this with all your heart.
Another prayer that God is longing to answer is, “Create in me a clean heart, oh God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10.
“Let your cry be to God, Convert my inmost soul. Plead with God for the transforming power of His grace … Your soul’s salvation is in great peril, and now do not, I plead with you, deceive your own soul.” In Heavenly Places, 24.
When you pray these prayers, God will allow circumstances to come to you to show you what is really in your heart. He will allow these circumstances to test you and try you so that you may know exactly what changes need to be made.
“Temptation is allowed to come upon us to discover the character [the thoughts and feelings] we possess and to improve our defects.” Ibid., 24.
Praise God for temptations and trials.
The way we react to these situations, whether it be with anger or frustration, reflect either the character of God, giving glory to Him, or the character of Satan, giving glory to him. Give glory to God every moment. Life is so uncertain, and we never know what the next hour will bring.
Plead with God, “Search me O God and know my heart.” Psalm 139:23. Allow the Lord to show you what is in the deep recesses of your heart, to see your real self through testing and trial, and then be ready to pull out the weeds. Cultivate the garden of the mind so that God will be glorified; then be ready at that moment to be still and know that He is God. (Psalm 46:10.)
We are told about our future companions in The Review and Herald, September 1, 1885: “The angels never fly into a passion, never are envious, selfish, and jealous. No harsh or unkind words escape their lips. And if we are to be the companions of angels, we too must be refined and courteous. And we have none too much time to change our wrong habits, reform our defective characters, and obtain a fitness for the society of those with whom we expect to associate not long hence. All harshness and severity, coarseness and unkindness, must be overcome in this life; for they are Satanic. Now is the very time for us to do the work. We can have no second probation. If we do not improve these hours of privilege, we would not improve a second probation should it be granted to us. It is now, while it is called today, that we are not to burden our hearts and continue to make Christ ashamed of the unsanctified words and deportment of us who bear his name.”
“All jangling and unpleasant, impatient, fretful words are an offering presented to his Satanic majesty. And it is a costly offering, more costly than any sacrifice we can make for God, for it destroys the peace and happiness of whole families, destroys health, and is eventually the cause of forfeiting an eternal life of happiness.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 310.
Be careful not to insult Christ. “The greatest insult we can inflict upon Him, is to pretend to be His disciples while manifesting the spirit of Satan in our words, our dispositions and our actions.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1160.
In understanding what it is to “fear God and give glory to Him” we do not want to insult our Redeemer by giving glory to Satan! Cultivate Christlike thoughts. Watch, and in the moment of danger—before giving glory to Satan by reflecting his character—send up a prayer for help and then be still and wait on the Lord. “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3. This should be our prayer each moment, and God will hear you!
“Fear God and give glory to Him.” Destroy the devil’s darkness by letting His light shine through you.
Judy Hallingstad is part of our LandMarks team. She can be contacted by email at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.