From Glory to Glory

The Lord Jesus, the Son of the Father, gave in a few words a wonderful epitome of His whole course in grace. In one verse (John 16:28), is a comprehensive outline of His glorious pathway from glory to glory.

“I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again I leave the world, and go to the Father.”

As another has said, “we have in it His glorious mission, His glorious incarnation; His glorious passion; His glorious ascension.”

“I came from the Father,” tells the story of His

GLORIOUS MISSION.

In grace the Father sent the Son. In grace the Son came from with the Father. He, the Son, alone could express the Father’s heart, He alone could reveal Him. Stooping in love He came that the Father might be known, and that the Father’s purposes of blessing for man might be fulfilled. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” None other was competent for this. But

“In Him most perfectly expressed

The Father’s Self doth shine.”

Thus, in this Gospel, the thought of Him as the Sent One is prominent. He is the true Apostle. In Him, as Son, God has spoken in grace to men.

HIS GLORIOUS INCARNATION

is declared in the words “And am come into the world.” In thought we go to the Bethlehem manger. The Son of God was there in lowly grace. The wondrous thing had come to pass. The Seed of the woman had come to bruise the serpent’s head. The virgin had conceived and borne the Son. Immanuel—“God with us” was seen. “God was manifest in the flesh.” The Son had come to glorify His Father. His spotless life in incarnation led again and again to the expression of the Father’s delight. “This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” was heard on Jordan’s banks and on the heights of the holy mount. But He had come that He might die. Thus we hear Him say, “I leave the world.”

HIS GLORIOUS PASSION

is now in view. By the way of the cross He would depart out of this world unto the Father. His mission fulfilled, He would return to Him who sent Him. “I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work winch Thou gavest Me to do.” His path had been as a triumphal progress through the adverse circumstances of His rejection. No man could lay hands upon Him until His hour was come. Now the hour was about to strike and He would deliver Himself up into the hands of sinful men to be crucified. The corn of wheat would fall into the ground to die that there might be much fruit for the Father’s pleasure. Then

HIS GLORIOUS ASCENSION

would take place and He would “go to the Father.” “Now come I to Thee,” He could say, claiming that His own should be with Him where He would be that they might behold His glory.

Thus from glory to glory we trace His journeying as brought before us as in four short chapters of His history.

I.Fleming

S.T. 1936