Click here to open the Video Devotional
Hebrews 5:5
As we have learned from Hebrews 5:1-4 that God calls or appoints those called to be a High Priest, and that in being a High Priest is not to the honor of the man but to God. The author of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 5:5 that neither did Jesus glorify Himself in being a High Priest but gave the glory to God. A Psalm of King David is quoted as a Psalm of the LORD’s anointed and declares,
“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.” [Psalm 2:7]
Jesus further brings light to the fact that glory is of God; to God; and for God in His prayer just before His arrest, as quoted from John 17:1b-5 (NIV),
Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
This is a promise that it is through God that glory comes.
This is an example that it is not man who glorifies himself, but God who glorifies Himself through man.
This is a promise that glory is from God; to God; and for God.
God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27). In this, man has a desire to be like God and to receive power, honor, and glory as is in the nature of God. But it is in humility and reverent obedience to God as our Creator that He may be able to glorify Himself through us, and in so doing bring glory to our lives – through Himself – through Christ Jesus, whom He sent to save the world from the sinful desires of Satan’s quest and power over us that entices us to be independent of God and be our own gods. In striving to bring glory to ourselves, we only are being reflective of Satan in his quest to be independent of God. Jesus was a representation of humility and obedience to our Father God in heaven, and in being so, He reflected God’s own glory back to Him. For doing so, God glorified Jesus for His obedience and humility to Him. This is the reflection that we should strive for in bringing glory to God through our lives: humility and obedience to God in reverence to the One who is worthy of all power, honor, and glory.
Dear LORD,
You created us in Your image. Satan strives to deceive us into believing that we are our own gods independent of Your guidance. Please help us to see that in overcoming the evils of
Satan, we need to grasp humble obedience in reverence to You LORD, that we would be able to overcome the sinful nature through putting on the example of Jesus in our lives and give glory to You who alone are worthy. In Jesus name I pray, amen.